The CCRN is a partnership of indigenous, community, university, governmental and nongovernmental organizations. The CCRN undertakes local-level community-based research and capacity building activities at our sites around the world, and works globally (notably through this website) to provide a focal point on the crucial themes of Communities, Conservation and Livelihoods. The CCRN’s research, which applies a consistent social-ecological systems lens, is producing a range of insights – on such themes as regional and community environmental governance, indigenous self-governance, local networking and the success of conservation initiatives – that will yield important lessons for communities, policy makers and decision makers at all levels, from local to global.

Network Director Dr. Anthony Charles discusses the CCRN’s central conceptual themes communities, conservation and livelihoods

The Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve (GBBR) sponsored the event, featuring strong youth leadership and a sharing of historical and current experiences through cultural dances and drumming.

Reconciliation in Canada refers to recognizing injustices against Indigenous peoples and their impacts, and committing to forging mutually-respectful relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples.

What does a youth perspective of the process of reconciliation have to do with a UNESCO biosphere reserve’s mandate to promote conservation and sustainable livelihoods / development through research, education and training?

Globally, UNESCO sites are called to do their work through the lens of the 2007 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), which Canada signed on to UNDRIP in 2016.  Nationally, Canadian Biosphere Reserves responded to this call in June 2017 by adding reconciliation to their activities. In doing so, they recognize that successfully fulfilling their mandate requires an acknowledgement of the historical oppression of Indigenous peoples in Canada, and a commitment to respecting Indigenous cultures, knowledges and governance systems.  

In the GBBR, the youth’s project is rooted in the idea that land-based education and cultural identity are critical for stewardship success.

“Conservation and stewardship in our community begins with a sense of place and caring for the land”, explained GBBR Executive Director, Becky Pollock. “By sharing Anishinabe (Ojibway) cultural perspectives about our connection to land and water in the only high school in our Biosphere Reserve, we advance a commitment to conservation in our community.”

Book presentation event (left) and student authors Gracie Crafts, Mackenzie Elwes, Sara Burns, Dawson Bloor, and Taylor Judge (right). Photos: Meg Wallace Photography

Indigenous and “mainstream Canadian” students wrote about conserving cultural traditions such as honouring the land and different knowledges, and about reconciling traditional and Western cultures as a step toward healing and the relationship-building that underpins the GBBR’s community conservation and livelihoods initiatives.

The video compilation of the reading and performance is being edited and produced by youth at Parry Sound High School for public viewing soon, with sponsorship from CCRN.

Right: Student author Gracie Crafts reads to 700 elementary school children in Parry Sound. 
Left: Project supporters Dr. Becky Pollock (GBBR) and teacher Patti Jenkins (Parry Sound High School)

Photo credits unless otherwise stated: Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve on Facebook

Information in this post was provided by CCRN researcher Sharmalene Mendis-Millard, with thanks to Becky Pollock

View the complete CCRN’s Tsitsikamma Community Story as a PDF

Ella-Kari Muhl

Key messages

• The Tsitsikamma area includes local communities whose food security and livelihoods have been impacted negatively by various government actions, notably a no-take marine protected area (MPA).
• While MPAs are promoted as a long-term conservation strategy, no-take MPAs threaten the food security and cultural practices of fishers in areas of low economic opportunity and limited alternative livelihoods or transitional support.
• A lack of communication between the regulating authority (SANParks) and the fishers has increased conflict in the Tsitsikamma area and endangered community members’ food security and livelihoods.
• Participatory monitoring, with formalised consultation with community members, may reduce conflict and strengthen conservation goals.

Community profile

Figure 1: The location of the TNP MPA relevant to the local communities

Conservation and livelihood challenges

The impacts of “no-take” MPA

With the abolition of apartheid and introduction of democracy, it was hoped that the right of small-scale and subsistence fishers would be restored in accordance with their culture and tradition^(10). When the legislative change to a “no take” MPA took place in 2000 under the Marine Living Resource Act 18 of 1998, it was shown to affect not only food security for the fishers and their families but also their cultural identity and heritage ⁽⁷⁾. The Thornham, Stormsrivier, Nompumelelo and Sanddrif communities have been reliant on fishing as a form of food security. With the loss of access to fish, there has been a reported decline in health and increase in crime⁽⁴⁾.

Fishers stated that, in addition, their well-being has been affected by the closure of the MPA, as fishing is part of their identity⁽¹⁾. The current top-down governmental conservation programme, which introduced a no-take MPA as a form of conservation to promote sustainability and biodiversity, was implemented without consultation with the community, and subsequently has elevated conflict between community members and the regulating authority.

Food security, customary rights and livelihood impacts

With no alternative livelihood provided, local village economies remain limited with few economic opportunities available (Figure 2). Local household economies are poor and under severe stress.

In 2016, for example, only 52.6% of households met the financial requirements for food security, which increases fisher’s dependence on marine resources as a supplementary food source. The Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) housing built by the South African government in 2001 to create Nompumelelo village added 480 households to the area, placing additional pressure on resources⁽⁶⁾. The timing of the completion of RDP housing coincided with the delineation of a no-take MPA, thus increased competition for work, and placed strain on local amenities, with already limited public services and health care.

The change in coastal access and legislation has had a negative effect on the community with a loss of livelihoods, fishing and recreational activity. The community describe themselves as being “born on the rocks (coast)”, claiming original ancestry from the indigenous Khoi-san people, indicating a consideration of the coast as a part of their culture and traditions^(1,6).

Many residents in Tsitsikamma have also historically relied on coastal forests for a range of amenities, such as medicinal plants, honey and woods for fuels and building materials, which they are also denied access to.

Figure 2: A former fisher, no longer allowed to access the coast, writes poetry about the sea now.

The lack of recognition as stakeholders and exclusion from the coastline has illustrated that unless social and ecological factors are considered with the design of the MPA, illegal fishing and conflict will continue between SANParks (South African National Parks) and the local communities.

Community initiatives

In 1994, the community created the Tsitsikamma Angling Forum (TAF) to represent local fishers who wanted access to the coast. The TAF have formally petitioned against the TNP in 1976, 1995, 2006, and 2015. They have also worked with a task team comprised of the Kou Kamma municipality and SANParks to reopen the TNP in 2006, 2014 and 2015. The TAF actively protested SANParks in 2007, when 70 members fished illegally in the Tsitsikamma MPA.

Over time, the community has become increasingly mobilized and in 2015, following workshops between the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), Oceans and Coasts Branch, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), SANParks, the local municipality (Kou Kamma) and representatives from TAF, a decision was made to open specific areas within the MPA for fishing with restrictions. The plan to reopen certain areas was approved in December 2015 through promulgation of a government gazette but was then blocked by the Friends of the Tsitsikamma, an association that obtained a court interdict against SANParks, DEA and TAF in January 2016⁽⁹⁾.

Figure 3: Map depicting the three coastal control zones within the Tsitsikamma MPA

Legal recognition of historically disadvantaged residents

Following the closure in January 2016, the TNP MPA was rezoned later in December 2016 in the new government gazette 40511⁽⁸⁾ to allow three controlled fishing areas to be opened (Figure 3). However, the MPA re-opening process has been questioned as consultation was not carried out with local community members and was poorly conceptualized with little practical changes for community member’s food security or livelihoods.

At present, community members are required to purchase a permit. However, older fishers and minors are either prohibited or unable to fish under the new gazette ruling, halting the multi-generational transfer of knowledge. This prevents the oral traditions and teachings of the older generation from passing down to the present. The subsequent absence of SANParks at the controlled zones prevents fishers from communicating effectively with rangers and leads to miscommunication and further resentment towards SANParks.

The challenges and lack of capacity within SANParks reveal the vulnerability of the Tsitsikamma fishing communities and the need to incorporate local ecological knowledge (LEK) and community members into partnerships with researchers and authorities to better manage MPAs.

Practical outcomes

The Tsitsikamma community have issues of food security and a lack of economic opportunities or alternative livelihoods (Figure 4). The creation of the no-take MPA has disrupted a reliance on fish as a contribution to food and cultural practices^(1,5).

The community members have identified five solutions that would be the most beneficial towards restoring trust between community fishers and SANParks (Figure 5).

(1) Collaboration

(2) Transgenerational access to the Tsitsikamma MPA

Figure 4: The Stormsrivier mouth which is located centrally in the park and would be accessible to fishers, however is reserved for tourists.

(3) Education

(4) Communication

To empower fishers and effectively promote collaboration, communication is necessary between relevant government departments, SANParks, and working groups made up of interested parties, scientists and elected community members. Increasing the capacity of and empowering local fishers to participate in decision-making processes leads to practical, real solutions that strengthen ownership and promote care of the resource.

(5) Acknowledgement of customary rights and access rights

In order to improve management, increased understanding of government officials of the fishers’ customary rights and importance of access will foster respect and promote conservation, as well as help reduce tensions and conflict between the two parties.

Future concerns

Dialogue between the community and the regulating authorities is improving; however, for there to be a successful conservation impact, policy makers need to widely consult on proposed changes before implementing them. Top-down processes of government control only serve to further marginalise the community and promote resentment. A working partnership is necessary to establish trust and understanding with an emphasis on local ecological knowledge combined with scientific expertise for better policy and practice.

Figure 5: The Thornham Focus Group members with their list of practical outcomes

References

Acknowledgements

Check out this CCRN funded video produced by CCRN student Ella-Kari Muhl.

Listen to the accounts of local community members as they describe and express the struggles and challenges related to the implementation of the marine protected area, and how the current challenges are endangering the future of the community. The video highlights the values and needs of the local residents, and, through those values, demonstrates indicators and practices that would lead to success

In this webinar, Dr. Berkes explores the significance of community resilience. After first describing the ideas of resilience and the importance of studying resilience through a social-ecological systems lens, he presents a framework for addressing community resilience, and approaches for strengthening resilience within local communities. Dr. Berkes then engages in a conversation with CCRN Director Dr. Anthony Charles, exploring further questions arising on community resilience.

Victoria Harbour from the Polar Prince

The meeting also involved participants from Indigenous organizations, environmental NGOs, ocean industries, and federal government departments, as well as the Chief Science Advisor, Mona Nemer, and the C3 leader, Geoff Green. Among other ocean issues, Dr. Charles highlighted the importance of coastal communities and their wellbeing to marine stewardship, and the corresponding need to make coastal communities a priority in ocean policy and in practical ocean initiatives, at the national and international levels.

Marine Experts Roundtable meeting room on the Polar Prince

Canada C3 was an epic 150-day sailing journey from Toronto to Victoria via the Northwest Passage, celebrating Canada’s environment, sharing the stories of coastal communities and connecting Canadians from coast to coast to coast. Follow this link for more information about the event and expedition.

Information and pictures provided by Dr. Anthony Charles.

Featured image caption: Polar Prince arriving into Victoria Harbour

The many activities this year included instruction on fishing with rods and traps, bullkelp harvesting and uses, boat trips into the territories, a visit to an archeological dig, salmon dissections, and role-playing to learn about traditional Nuu-chah-nulth roles such as Ha’wiih (hereditary Chiefs), tsa-tsa-thluk (river keepers), and muschim (community members).  The T’aaq-wiihak fishery was also a focus as campers learned about conservation practices such as fishing openings, quota, and gear restrictions.

The science camps continue to be an important part of Uu-a-thluk’s Capacity Building program as they help connect Nuu-chah-nulth’s younger generations to their territories, resources, teachings, and of course, science.  Initially, Uu-a-thluk developed the successful science camp program to generate more Nuu-chah-nulth fisheries biologists by sparking interest and passion in marine and environmental science at a young age. Today, our goal has expanded to introducing young people to the range of career opportunities possible in aquatic resources

Jared Dick, Uu-at-hluk Central Region Biologist leads fish dissection with Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation camp participants

View the complete CCRN’s São Luiz Community Story as a PDF

Camila A. Islas, Alice R. de Moraes, Juliana S. African & Cristiana S. Seixas

Key Messages

• Severe land degradation and environmental disasters can act as triggers to new community conservation and development initiatives and as stimulus to existing ones.
• Bridging organizations can foster community initiatives through projects addressing environmental conservation and restoration in parallel to local capacity building and community development.
• Cultural identity plays a central role in engaging communities in projects of nature conservation.

Community Profile

São Luiz do Paraitinga (hereafter São Luiz) is a municipality with about 10,000 inhabitants, located in Eastern São Paulo State of Brazil, near the Atlantic coast (Figure 1). The municipality is situated within the Paraíba Valley, which links the two largest metropolitan areas in Brazil (São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro). Out of the ~730 km² of the municipality’s area, 10% are encompassed by Serra do Mar State Park, a protected area, and 13% are in its buffer zone. The main land uses/cover are pasture (53%) and fragmented forests (37%), while cattle breeding for dairy, forestry and agriculture are the main economic activities⁽²⁾. The municipality is also embedded in the Atlantic Forest biome – a hotspot for biodiversity conservation, i.e. one of the highly threatened biomes in the world⁽⁵⁾.

Figure 1. A) The State of São Paulo highlighted in the Brazilian map. B) São Luíz do Paraitinga Municipality highlighted in the State of São Paulo map.

The landscape of São Luiz has been shaped by specific material and immaterial cultural features that were strongly influenced by coffee plantations from the early 20^th century and by the Caipira way of life, a local designation to a rural livelihood which involves typical food, music, tales, dances and festivities (see Figure 2).

The city’s architectural ensemble is the largest historical collection of the State’s architectural heritage, and its population proudly keeps alive several displays of immaterial culture⁽³⁾. The local economy currently depends on public services, and the Human Development Index (HDI = 0.690) is among the lowest of the State’s municipalities. In this context, cultural tourism and eco-tourism are promising alternatives for economic development.

Rural communities in Brazil are important SES, specifically in south-eastern states such as São Paulo, where landscapes are highly fragmented and urbanised. Landscapes there sometimes have patches of native vegetation that are especially important to wild animals, serving as habitat and ‘stepping-stones’, which generate various ecosystem services and are also home to human communities and their livelihoods⁽³⁾. The vast majority of rural properties (96%) in the municipality of São Liuz are owned by smallholders⁽²⁾.

In this context lies Catuçaba, a rural district in São Luiz comprising a village with around 1,000 inhabitants and its surrounding rural neighbourhoods. Most inhabitants make their living from small-scale animal husbandry and other smallholding activities⁽³⁾.

Figure 2: Traditional dance presentation at the central square, in front of the main church, during the festivity of the Holy Spirit in São Luiz do Paraitinga, 2016.

Until a few decades ago, the village was partially isolated from the urban center due to poor road access. However, the road connecting the village to downtown was paved by the year 2000, facilitating outsiders’ access and products transportation, and improving the access of villagers and rural inhabitants to infrastructure, education and health. Tourism-related activities have been modestly flourishing in the territory, supported by its beautiful landscape, pleasant climate and historical farms.

Conservation and Livelihood Challenges

Land degradation is longstanding in the region. Agriculture has been practiced since the settlement of the first colonisers in the late 17^th century, in spite of the hilly landscape and low nutrient availability and permeability of the soil⁽²⁾. Economic cycles (cotton, coffee, agriculture and cattle), along with poor soil management techniques, contributed to land degradation, impoverishing the soil, and most recently covering the land with Brachiaria, an invasive exotic grass that feeds the cattle and worsens soil permeability. As a result, cattle productivity has declined and many landowners fell back on other activities to complete their income.

Meanwhile, due to the promises of better job and education opportunities in urban centres, rural out-migration hampered the availability of rural workers and lowered social cohesion. Currently, land degradation in such social context threaten most of the traditional livelihoods.

On January 1st, 2010, São Luiz suffered from a flood of great magnitude, when the river crossing the downtown area raised over 11 meters above its regular level in a matter of hours, largely damaging the historical buildings and affecting the whole population, both urban and rural. Fortunately, there were no fatalities. Other than the high precipitation registered in end-2009, this flood was caused by factors linked to land degradation in rural areas, such as soil compaction in degraded and poorly managed pastures, fires commonly used to clear land, scarcity of forests near watercourses, and human occupation of floodplains.

Community Initiatives^*

In the face of the disaster’s intensity and tremendous material losses, the population of São Luiz showed a remarkable capacity to self-organize in order to cope with the emergency situation and, later, to rebuild and restore the functioning of the city⁽⁵⁾. Since the floods, the territory as a whole has been targeted by diverse projects focusing on forest restoration, agro-ecological production and capacity building.

The 2010 disaster stimulated new and ongoing community initiatives, mostly with the help of local and regional NGOs and government organizations. During the post-disaster reorganization phase, the community actively participated in decisions regarding the reconstruction of historical buildings and other issues. In addition to engineering work conducted at the government initiative, most post-disaster initiatives focused on keeping the vibrancy of local cultural manifestations⁽⁵⁾.

Figure 3: The scenic landscape around Catuçaba district: degraded pastures and patches of biodiversity-rich Atlantic forest covering its hills and valleys.

The community also showed a remarkable sense of place and attachment to both São Luiz, similarly to Catuçaba and its surrounding area (Figure 3). The tragedy seems to have reinforced this sense of place and local people’s capacities of coping and recovering their community life with their own hands, and at the same time acknowledging and being grateful for all the solidarity and help they received from external people and institutions⁽⁵⁾.

One of these community initiatives working to improve conservation and livelihoods was the Comunidade da Vila (Village Community). In 2012, the Learning Community initiative began in Catuçaba. The main goal of the project was to promote an environment for reflection about nature conservation and local development, and to facilitate the planning of collective actions^(1,3). Together with local people, the initiative planned and organised several cultural events and community actions over three years⁽¹⁾. Although the project ended in 2015, the community continued to meet until 2017, focusing on a street market with local products, tourism-related activities and festivities ^(3).

A local NGO, Akarui, has been developing projects for nature conservation integrated with socio-economic development in the region since 2003. After the 2010 flood, their prominence increased as Akarui members’ attachment to and knowledge about the territory, in addition to their technical expertise, led efforts to sustainable development of rural areas of the municipality. Akarui has carried out projects regarding socio-environmental characterisation, forest restoration, agro-ecological transition, pasture management and improvement of farmers’ income. The NGO is still working in the territory, currently expanding their initiatives to encompass environmental education and food security and sovereignty.

After the extreme events of 2010 (flood) and 2013/2014 (severe drought), more community members got interested in taking part in restoration projects, and a growing number are willing to adopt agro-ecological principles to their production chain. An Agenda 21 plan, built through participatory methods for the watershed, including guidelines for its sustainable development, is a featured product of Akuri. The NGO acknowledges rural communities as their main partners⁽²⁾.

Finally, another initiative named Rede para o Desenvolvimento Sustentável do Alto Paraíba (Upper Paraíba River Sustainable Development Network), or REDESUAPA, began their work after the 2010 floods. The network encompasses diverse stakeholders including local leaders, local and state government, local and regional NGOs and researchers, who met voluntarily in the municipality. In addition to project development, REDESUAPA created synergies among ongoing efforts and aimed at influencing public policy based on a systemic view of the territory, promoting ecological restoration, sustainable farming and community-based tourism. For instance, in 2016, REDESUAPA wrote an open letter addressed to the candidates running for Mayor asking for their commitment to priority guidelines for urban and rural sustainable development in the municipality. The network played a key role in the efforts to bring investments of a big project to the region, which is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The Recovery and protection of climate and biodiversity services in the Paraíba do Sul Basin of the Atlantic Forest of Brazil project is based on Payments for Environmental Services (PES) and other incentives for sustainable land management and conservation in private lands. The members of REDESUAPA are still in touch with each other, but the network itself is on ‘standby mode’. However, the synergies created by REDESUAPA are reflected in a number of other initiatives concerning local development, conservation and ecological restoration.

^*The data and analysis on the social-ecological system of São Luiz and Catuçaba refer to the period 2012-2017. The authors acknowledge that changes have occurred in the system since then. Although they are not analysed here, we have added some information about the current situation, based on non-systematic observation.

Practical Outcomes

The development of initiatives is neither easy nor fast, but they have certainly been flourishing and creating arenas for community learning, empowerment, and development in São Luiz do Paraitinga (including Catuçaba). Although the 2010 flood was an important trigger to various initiatives, it is still unclear how successful they will be in terms of self-maintenance and mitigating the risk of floods in the future.

These bottom-up initiatives have valorized rural livelihoods and fostered opportunities for people to remain in rural areas. Inhabitants have been self-organizing to strengthen the Caipira identity, preserve local traditions (e.g., festivities and foods), and promote local development, with an overall understanding that their good quality of life depends on nature conservation⁽³⁾. Small, low-cost initiatives triggered improvements in the community capacity to organize and act collectively for a common goal⁽⁴⁾, although leadership and broader participation of community members in such initiatives remains a challenge.

Bridging organizations, such as NGOs and university teams, play a crucial role in linking local stakeholders with one another and with outside institutions (i.e. State Environmental authorities and funding agencies), facilitating learning opportunities, fundraising and providing access to technical advisory⁽¹⁾. In the course of creating environments where diverse local and outside stakeholders can interact and collaborate (Figure 4), the initiatives have generated a feedback loop, which is attracting more and more initiatives.

Figure 4: Caipira meeting in January 2017, where members of Catuçaba community and their external supporters discussed local development, nature and culture.

Until 2017, several stakeholders were joining efforts to work synergistically, for instance through REDESUAPA, to positively transform the region’s landscape at the watershed level. The efforts were benefitting from both bottom-up and top-down initiatives, taking into account both local knowledge and technical/scientific expertise, and involving stakeholders with different levels of political power. Above all, these efforts involve a diverse array of individuals who believe in a more sustainable and just society, and struggle year after year to accomplish their vision.

In face of socio-ecological change over the last decade, various community initiatives towards conservation and social development have emerged in São Luiz do Paraitinga^{(3, 4)}. Many tourism-related activities have been developing, especially those regarding ecotourism (e.g., farm hotels and rafting) and cultural tourism (e.g., religious, art and local food festivities). More recently, other community initiatives were established as local markets of agro-ecological products and craft fairs. After the 2010 floods, the municipality drew the attention of many governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) favouring the emergence of new environmental and social initiatives. The success of these initiatives has depended on population engagement and participation, as well as aligning to local demands and inherent dynamics of the local SES. The question ahead may be if and how these initiatives will thrive or perish in the long term, and which factors will determine their course.

References

Acknowledgements

We thank the population of São Luiz do Paraitinga and, in particular, of Catuçaba community, the NGO Akarui, and REDESUAPA for their commitment and availability for our projects. We also thank SSHRC/CCRN, CAPES, CNPq, PREAC/UNICAMP and FAPESP for funding. The project also received a strong support from our entire CGCommons Team (The Commons Conservation and Management group at University of Campinas, Brazil).

CCRN members Philile Mbatha, Prateep Kumar Nayak, and Wayne Stanley Rice presented their research during this session, continue reading to view the abstracts from their presentations.

Plural Governance Systems and Shifting Coastal Livelihood Strategies in South Africa

Philile Mbatha
Department of Environmental and Geographical Sciences
University of Cape Town, South Africa

A number of rural coastal communities in South Africa have a long history of interacting with coastal environment and utilizing coastal resources for livelihoods. However, due to histories of land dispossession and marginalization in terms of coastal resource access and use over the years, the livelihoods of people in rural communities such as Kosi Bay have shifted as a result of various governance processes introduced in colonial, apartheid, as well as democratic eras in South Africa. Through the lens of the Kosi Bay community; this study 1) explores the livelihood strategies employed by rural coastal communities living in conservation areas, 2) describes the complex governance systems relevant to coastal resource use, 3) seeks to understand how people’s livelihood strategies and choices have been influenced by changing plural governance systems and processes, and 4) outlines the different norms, values, principles, images and discourses that inform the governance of coastal resources and resource use sectors in Kosi Bay from the international level, down to the local level. The paper highlights the critical role of governance in assessing people’s livelihood strategies and argues for greater attention to governance in livelihood analyses.

Kosi Bay

Occupational Mobility and its Implications for Human-Environment Connections and Livelihoods in Chilika Lagoon, India

Prateep Kumar Nayak
School of Environment, Enterprise and Development; Environmental Change and Governance Group
University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

The presentation focuses on key environmental, political, social and economic factors shaping occupational mobility in Chilika Lagoon, Bay of Bengal, India – including (1) fisher’s mobility within and outside the fishery sector as part of their overall livelihood adaptation strategy and (2) geographical spread of fishers’ occupational mobility that exposes them to a number of externally imposed challenges. Using impacts from sectoral and geographical mobility by fishers as a measure, the paper reviews the status of their linkages with existing fishery institutions and the Lagoon resources across various levels to assess the extent to which fishers have been disconnected from the ongoing institutional processes and the Lagoon environment. Conclusion point to emerging trends and future scenarios regarding occupational mobility in Chilika.

The Importance of Social Relations and Networks for Implementing and Governing Coastal-Marine Community-Based Conservation Initiatives: The Case of The Bay of Ranobe, South-West Madagascar

Wayne Stanley Rice
Department of Environmental and Geographical Sciences
University of Cape Town, South Africa

Natural resources are unde r threat in the absence of effective governance institutions at the appropriate scale. Commons research has long advocated, based on historical and contemporary evidence, the ability of local resource users to manage and allocate benefits from natural resources equitably over long periods of time with limited inefficiencies. Furthermore, concerns surrounding national and international conservation agendas’ promotion at the expense of local livelihood requirements has generated interest in community-based conservation initiatives, encouraging local community participation and knowledge in natural resource management. Nonetheless, many scholars agree early interest has largely diminished, due to various studies depicting a lack of success in meeting ecological and social goals. However, whilst the implementation of community-based conservation initiatives has yielded mixed results, this may be due in part to conventional scientific approaches not having adequately incorporated complex human dimensions. The failures to devolve decision-making powers to local communities, the difficulty of equitable community representation and distribution of benefits, and weak participation have perhaps equally contributed. Consequently, the importance of social relations and networks is increasingly noted to be influential for implementing and governing more socially just conservation initiatives. Research undertaken in the Bay of Ranobe, south-west Madagascar, appraised social relations and networks present/ absent, and the influence thereof on governing natural resources present. Village presidents and local fisher association community representatives were identified as central actors within the network. However, several concerns were expressed by community members regarding these actors due to limited knowledge diffusion and inequitable benefit distribution. Moreover, mixed community perceptions of coastal-marine community conserved areas were highlighted, citing a lack of community involvement leading to decreased levels of community buy-in. This research informs and enriches conservation planning and governance approaches, and contributes to the theory and practice of more community-inclusive conservation regionally and globally.