An assessment of the thatch harvesting programme at the Golden Gate Highlands National Park
| dc.contributor.advisor | Pelser, André J. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Kernan, Anna-Lee Marié | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2017-07-20T06:55:38Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2017-07-20T06:55:38Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2016-11 | |
| dc.description.abstract | English: In many African countries, poverty rates often swelling beyond the national average are most prevalent in those rural communities bordering protected areas. As a result, national parks are progressively expected to navigate past the conventional primary focus on biodiversity protection to also, whilst conserving biodiversity, contribute towards improving the well-being of those communities adjacent to conservation areas. One such initiative is the thatch harvesting programme at the Golden Gate Highlands National Park in South Africa. As the sustainable impact of this programme had not yet been evaluated, this study served to explore the extent to which the thatch harvesting programme had aided in augmenting the well-being of its beneficiaries. Applied within both a quantitative and qualitative context, an outcome analysis was used to determine the degree of this programme‟s success, the challenges that it faces, the extent to which it has improved the well-being of the participating beneficiaries, the degree to which it has reached the intended population, and finally, how the benefits of this programme might be enhanced in the future. With this in mind, the five dimensions of well-being as described by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment were pertinently used to determine the programmes impact on the direct beneficiaries, and an evaluation of the impact of this programme on the park, the broader community, as well as on the commercial buyers that purchased the thatch, was also piquantly explored. Upon analysis, a number of key findings emerged. The programme has indeed improved the beneficiaries‟ well-being by augmenting their material well-being, health, social relations, and environmental safety, subsequently providing them with more freedom of choice. However, very few of the beneficiaries used the income generated from participating in the programme to pursue sustainable economic activities. This programme faces several administrative and logistical issues such as lack of sufficient advertising, delayed permit retrieval, unclear selection processes, and lack of supervision during harvesting. The impact of this programme on the ecosystem of the harvested areas has not yet been quantified. Anecdotal evidence points towards grass being illegally harvested. Therefore, benefits that should extend to the local communities are contracted. Many beneficiaries lack the knowledge, skills and training regarding correct harvesting methods. This restricts accrued benefits and threatens the programmes long-term sustainability. Drawing from this, there are a number of ways in which the impact of this programme may be further endorsed. Strengthen the administration process of the programme by: a) Ameliorating the application process for beneficiaries. b) Extending the period for harvesting. c) Establishing clear boundaries of allocated harvesting areas. d) Supervising, monitoring and regulating the harvesting process. e) Developing clear communication lines between stakeholders and potential sponsors. f) Supplementing advertisements for the programme. Augment an inclusive decision-making approach by: a) Involving and supporting participation of the beneficiaries in the decision-making process. b) Edifying beneficiaries regarding the need to protect the ecosystem services of the park. c) Promoting conservation practice amongst the beneficiaries. Promote workshops and training sessions by: Involving beneficiaries and engaging outside companies to offer training and/or workshops for the beneficiaries. Creating a stimulating entrepreneurial environment. Extend the impact of the programme through future research by: Exploring potential entrepreneurial readiness. Identifying specific adaptive management approaches. Monitoring a greater number of potential areas supporting grass species suitable for harvesting. In conclusion, although there are some significant challenges faced by the thatch harvesting programme, it has nonetheless augmented the overall well-being of its beneficiaries. However, specific interventions need to be considered in order to further improve the beneficiaries‟ access to capital, therefore enhancing their capability to meet and sustain their needs. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | Afrikaans: In baie Afrikalande is die armoedekoers dikwels bokant die nasionale gemiddeld, veral onder gemeenskappe rondom beskermde gebiede. Die gevolg is dat daar toenemend van nasionale parke verwag word om, benewens konvensionele bewaringsdoelwitte, ook „n bydrae te lewer tot die verbetering van omliggende gemeenskappe se welstand. Een so „n program is die oes van dekgras in die Golden Gate Highlands National Park in Suid-Afrika. Aangesien die volhoubaarheidsimpak van hierdie program nog nie voorheen geëvalueer is nie, het hierdie studie ten doel gehad om te fokus op hoe die oes van dekgras die programbegunstigdes bevoordeel het. Toegepas binne „n kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe konteks, is „n uitkomsontleding gebruik om verskeie aspekte van die program te bepaal: die mate van sukses, die uitdagings wat dit in die gesig staar, tot watter mate die welstand van die begunstigdes verbeter het en die program die omliggende gemeenskappe bereik het, en laastens, hoe die voordele van die program in die toekoms verbeter kan word. Met die bognoemde ingedagte, is die vyf dimensies van welstand soos beskryf deur die Millennium Ecosystem Assessment gebruik on die impak van die program op die begunstigdes, die park, die wyer gemeenskap, en die kommersiële kopers van die dekgras te ondersoek. Tydens die data analise het „n aantal sleutelbevindings na vore gekom. Die program het inderdaad die begunstigdes se welstand verbeter deur toevoegings te maak tot hulle materiële welstand, gesondheid, sosiale verhoudinge en omgewingsveiligheid. Derhalwe het hulle „n groter vryheid van keuse bekom. Baie min van die begunstigdes het egter die inkomste vanuit die program gebruik om volhoubare ekonomiese aktiwiteite na te streef. Heirdie program word gekonfronteer deur verskeie administratiewe en logistieke probleme soos onvoldoende advertering, die vertraagde uitreiking van permitte, „n onduidelike keuringsproses, en onvoldoende toesig gedurende die oesproses. Die impak van die program op die ekosisteem van areas waar daar geoes word is nog nie gekwantifiseer nie. Anekdotiese bewyse dui op gras wat onwettig geoes word. Die gevolg is dat voordele wat na die plaaslike gemeenskap moes vloei sodoende verlore gaan. Baie van die begunstigdes gaan mank aan die nodige kennis, vaardighede en opleiding in korrekte oesmetodes. Dit beperk opgeloopte voordele en bedreig die langtermyn volhoubaarheid van die program. Met die voorgaande in gedagte is daar „n aantal maniere om die program in die toekoms te verbeter. Versterk die administratiewe proses van die program deur: Verbetering van die aansoekproses van die begunstigdes. Verlenging van die oestydperk. Bepaling van duidelike grense vir die toegekende oesgebiede. Toesighouding, monitering en regulering van die oesproses. Die ontwikkeling van duidelike kommunikasielyne tussen belanghebbendes en potensiële ondersteuners. Aanvullende advertering van die program. Ontwikkel ‘n inklusiewe besluitnemingsbenadering deur: Die betrekking en ondersteuning van deelname van begunstigdes in die besluitnemingsproses. Opvoeding van begunstigdes ten opsigte van die behoefte om die ekosisteemdienste van die park te beskerm. Bevordering van bewaringspraktyke onder die begunstigdes. Bevorder werkswinkels en opleidingsessies deur: Die betrekking van begunstigdes en buite maatskappye in die aanbied van opleiding en/of werkswinkels vir die begunstigdes. Ontwikkeling van „n stimulerende entrepreneuriese omgewing. Uitbreiding van die impak van die program deur middel van toekomstige narvorsing deur: Potensiële entrepreneuriese gereedheid te ondersoek. Die identifisering van spesifieke aanpasbare bestuursbenaderings. Monitering van „n groter aantal potensiële areas wat grasspesies onderhou wat geskik is vir oes. Ten slotte, alhoewel daar „n aantal groot uitdagings deur die program in die gesig gestaar word, het dit nietemin die algehele welstand van die begunstigdes verbeter. Spesifieke ingrypings ten einde die begunstigdes se toegang tot kapitaal te verbeter moet egter oorweeg word, om sodoende hulle vermoë om in hulle behoeftes te voorsien te verhoog. | af |
| dc.description.sponsorship | National Research Foundation (NRF) | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11660/6500 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | University of the Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | University of the Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Protected areas | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Poverty alleviation | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Conservation policy | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Integrated conservation and development programmes | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Ecosystem services | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Human well-being | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Outcome analysis | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Millennium Ecosystem Assessment | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Golden Gate Highlands National Park (South Africa) | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Dissertation (M.Soc.Sc. (Sociology))--University of the Free State, 2016 | en_ZA |
| dc.title | An assessment of the thatch harvesting programme at the Golden Gate Highlands National Park | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Dissertation | en_ZA |