Assessing the effects of grazing on vegetation cover and associated socio-economic livelihoods in the Clarens Nature Reserve in the Free State, South Africa

dc.contributor.advisorOkello, T. W.
dc.contributor.advisorAdelabu, S. A.
dc.contributor.authorSekhele, Ntebohiseng Mpho
dc.date.accessioned2019-07-22T08:57:16Z
dc.date.available2019-07-22T08:57:16Z
dc.date.issued2018
dc.description.abstractThe presence of the Clarens nature reserve at the foothill of the mountainous Maluti is one of the treasured natural ecology of the Free State Province. A primary challenge to the ecological integrity of this small reserve is the nearby location of Kgubetswana Township, which boasts an increasing number of livestock owners. Hence, this study aims to assess the vegetation cover and socio-economic conditions associated with livestock grazing in the Clarens nature reserve. The objectives were to; i) identify vegetation cover; ii) assess the community' perception of environmental effects associated with livestock grazing at the Clarens nature reserve; iii) and assess the socio-economic conditions associated with livestock grazing at the Clarens nature reserve. Maximum likelihood classification and NDVI techniques were applied to remotely sensed images from the Landsat 5 TM, Landsat 7 ETM+ and Landsat 8 OLI sensors to map vegetation cover for the Autumn season of the years 2004, 2008 and 2016. A questionnaire survey was conducted to capture the perceptions of livestock owners and the reserve' management committee. Firstly, over 50% increase of unpalatable vegetation was detected in the vegetation cover of the Clarens reserve. Secondly, qualitative data reveal that 71 % of livestock farmers attribute land degradation to rainfall variability, while the management maintain that livestock overgrazing is the source of negative environmental degradation in the reserve. Change in the vegetation cover has not demonstrated any noticeable effects on the socio-economic conditions of the community. Hence, major dissimilarities in the perceptions of both stakeholders, which are influenced by the sense of responsibility of the two parties towards the reserve. The knowledge and understanding of livestock grazing in a protected area developed in thfs study could be used as a case study to establish grazing management strategies that could sensitize livestock owners to actively participate in the daily maintenance and managing of the reserve for sustainable use of natural resources. And, to forge good working relationships between the management of protected areas and the surrounding communities.en_ZA
dc.description.sponsorshipAfromontane Research Unit (ARU)en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11660/10141
dc.language.isoenen_ZA
dc.publisherUniversity of the Free Stateen_ZA
dc.rights.holderUniversity of the Free Stateen_ZA
dc.subjectDissertation (M.Sc. (Geography))--University of the Free State (Qwaqwa Campus), 2018en_ZA
dc.subjectGrazingen_ZA
dc.subjectVegetation coveren_ZA
dc.subjectClarens Nature Reserveen_ZA
dc.subjectSocio-economic conditionsen_ZA
dc.subjectGrazing managementen_ZA
dc.titleAssessing the effects of grazing on vegetation cover and associated socio-economic livelihoods in the Clarens Nature Reserve in the Free State, South Africaen_ZA
dc.typeDissertationen_ZA
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
SekheleNM.pdf
Size:
3.13 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.76 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description: