Investigating Indigenous Knowledge Systems in the conservation of protected areas in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Portland, Jamaica: policy, practice and management
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Date
2020
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Zululand
Abstract
The main aim of this study was to comparatively investigate Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) in the conservation of Protected Areas in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Portland, Jamaica. The aim of this study was achieved through the following objectives: (a) to identify and classify the IKS that exist in the study areas, (b) to establish the status of Indigenous Knowledge Systems in the current practices of conservation of protected areas, (c) to assess the effectiveness of co-management plans that exist in the study areas and (d) to propose strategies for enhancing the integration of IKS in the management of protected areas. Based on the deployment of a mixed method approach in the form a convergent parallel paradigm, qualitative data was gathered through interviews of purposely sampled participants. Quantitative data was collected through the use of questionnaires from randomly selected participants from the study areas. In line with the convergent parallel design, qualitative and quantitative data analysis was done concurrently. Quantitative data was coded using different group of numbers for each theme investigated, these numbers were inserted into Microsoft Excel 2013, where different worksheets were created for the different study areas and then uploaded into Microsoft Excel 2013 so as to produce graphs and tables. Content analysis was utilised to analyse qualitative data. This involved the interview responses, text was shortened to the most significant, coded or named to the most relevant, codes were categorized according to similarities or differences and then themes were interpreted. The results of the study indicate that efforts for the continuous identification and classification of Indigenous Knowledge Systems has been obstructed by the displacement and disregard of Indigenous Knowledge Systems by Protected Areas. Consequently, the status of IKS in the current practices of Protected Areas for conservation management in the study areas is limited at best and nonexistent at worst. In an attempt to provide transformation, co-management plans were introduced, however, these plans have inefficiently integrated indigenous communities and their Indigenous Knowledge Systems. Consequently, this research advances strategies which could be adopted so as to enhance the use and successful integration of indigenous communities and their Indigenous Knowledge Systems in the co-management and governance of Protected Areas in the study areas.
Description
A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the Degree of Master of Arts in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering, at the University of Zululand, 2020.
Keywords
Indigenous Knowledge Systems, Co-management, Conservation, Environment