Monetary valuation of livelihoods for understanding the composition and complexity of rural households
- Dovie, Delali B K, Witkowski, Ed T F, Shackleton, Charlie M
- Authors: Dovie, Delali B K , Witkowski, Ed T F , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/181346 , vital:43721 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10460-004-7233-0"
- Description: There is, at present, little precise understanding of the relative contributions of the various income streams used by impoverished rural households in southern Africa. The impact of household profiles on overall income also is not well understood. There is, therefore, little consideration of these factors in national economic accounting. This paper is an attempt to reduce this gap in knowledge by reflecting on the relative contribution of agro-pastoralism, secondary woodland resources, and formal and informal cash income streams to households in the semi-arid rural village of Thorndale, Limpopo Province, South Africa. In the absence of jobs and confronted with high migrant labor, households with open access to natural resources derived more benefits from land-based livelihoods than cash income streams (i.e., 57.5 % vs. 42.5 %). Total livelihood income was valued at US$2887 per household per annum. A significant correlation between monetary values derived from crops and formal wages was established, and it was found that households with high cash incomes tended to invest more in crop production. Over 80 of households were male-headed. Of these heads of household, more than 60 were long-term migrants to urban areas, leaving household decision-making to the women. The low literacy rates of women have deprived them of paid jobs outside the area and, therefore, have increased their dependence on crops (62%) and secondary woodlands resources (60%). This was further reflected in the proportion of households in which females were the main contributors of cash income (9.7%), or joint contributors with men (24.4%). Various positive correlations were established between the number of women per household and the three land-based livelihoods. This implied that women’s total control over such activities was mostly a result of the absence of men and not a typical phenomenon. In spite of this control, it was not positively reflected in the lives of majority of the women. Households differed in their participation in livelihood activities. Household size influenced the level of production and was positively correlated with the value of secondary woodland resources and crops. The study shows the interdependence of land-based livelihood sources and the impact of household features on production and consumption. Policies that focus on livelihood options need to recognize and accommodate associated household dynamics.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2005
- Authors: Dovie, Delali B K , Witkowski, Ed T F , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/181346 , vital:43721 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10460-004-7233-0"
- Description: There is, at present, little precise understanding of the relative contributions of the various income streams used by impoverished rural households in southern Africa. The impact of household profiles on overall income also is not well understood. There is, therefore, little consideration of these factors in national economic accounting. This paper is an attempt to reduce this gap in knowledge by reflecting on the relative contribution of agro-pastoralism, secondary woodland resources, and formal and informal cash income streams to households in the semi-arid rural village of Thorndale, Limpopo Province, South Africa. In the absence of jobs and confronted with high migrant labor, households with open access to natural resources derived more benefits from land-based livelihoods than cash income streams (i.e., 57.5 % vs. 42.5 %). Total livelihood income was valued at US$2887 per household per annum. A significant correlation between monetary values derived from crops and formal wages was established, and it was found that households with high cash incomes tended to invest more in crop production. Over 80 of households were male-headed. Of these heads of household, more than 60 were long-term migrants to urban areas, leaving household decision-making to the women. The low literacy rates of women have deprived them of paid jobs outside the area and, therefore, have increased their dependence on crops (62%) and secondary woodlands resources (60%). This was further reflected in the proportion of households in which females were the main contributors of cash income (9.7%), or joint contributors with men (24.4%). Various positive correlations were established between the number of women per household and the three land-based livelihoods. This implied that women’s total control over such activities was mostly a result of the absence of men and not a typical phenomenon. In spite of this control, it was not positively reflected in the lives of majority of the women. Households differed in their participation in livelihood activities. Household size influenced the level of production and was positively correlated with the value of secondary woodland resources and crops. The study shows the interdependence of land-based livelihood sources and the impact of household features on production and consumption. Policies that focus on livelihood options need to recognize and accommodate associated household dynamics.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2005
Direct-use value of smallholder crop production in a semi-arid rural South African village
- Dovie, Delali B K, Witkowski, Ed T F, Shackleton, Charlie M
- Authors: Dovie, Delali B K , Witkowski, Ed T F , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2003
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/181595 , vital:43750 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S0308-521X(02)00124-5"
- Description: The monetary value of natural resources used by rural communities for subsistence is important when addressing issues affecting the livelihoods of impoverished rural households. There is therefore the need to attribute monetary values to non-marketed products from smallholder production systems in order to reliably account for resource availability and usage to further sound policy decisions. The objective of this paper is to present an empirical analysis of the direct-use and traded values of crop production by households, and to discuss the implications for policy development. The study was undertaken in combination with an evaluation of other livelihood sectors in Thorndale, a semi-arid rural village in the Limpopo province of South Africa. The net direct-use value of crops was estimated at $443.4 per household per annum across the village. Maize (Zea mays), watermelon (Citrullus, vulgaris), peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) and common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) contributed over 90% to the total direct-use value of crops. Maize alone contributed 40% of this value per household at an estimated $652/ha. Marketing of resources was not a common practice, limited to only maize and peanuts. Farming was basically a rain-fed–mixed cropping system with low production inputs. Farmer support services, human capital development and tenure security were major areas identified for policy development.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2003
- Authors: Dovie, Delali B K , Witkowski, Ed T F , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2003
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/181595 , vital:43750 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S0308-521X(02)00124-5"
- Description: The monetary value of natural resources used by rural communities for subsistence is important when addressing issues affecting the livelihoods of impoverished rural households. There is therefore the need to attribute monetary values to non-marketed products from smallholder production systems in order to reliably account for resource availability and usage to further sound policy decisions. The objective of this paper is to present an empirical analysis of the direct-use and traded values of crop production by households, and to discuss the implications for policy development. The study was undertaken in combination with an evaluation of other livelihood sectors in Thorndale, a semi-arid rural village in the Limpopo province of South Africa. The net direct-use value of crops was estimated at $443.4 per household per annum across the village. Maize (Zea mays), watermelon (Citrullus, vulgaris), peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) and common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) contributed over 90% to the total direct-use value of crops. Maize alone contributed 40% of this value per household at an estimated $652/ha. Marketing of resources was not a common practice, limited to only maize and peanuts. Farming was basically a rain-fed–mixed cropping system with low production inputs. Farmer support services, human capital development and tenure security were major areas identified for policy development.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2003
Host-preference and density of woodrose-forming mistletoes (Loranthaceae) on savanna vegetation, South Africa
- Dzerefos, Cathy M, Witkowski, Ed T F, Shackleton, Charlie M
- Authors: Dzerefos, Cathy M , Witkowski, Ed T F , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2003
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/181487 , vital:43738 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023991514968"
- Description: In the Bushbuckridge region of South Africa host preference and density of two woodrose-forming mistletoes, Erianthemum dregei (Eckl. and Zeyh.) V. Tieghem and Pedistylis galpinii (Schinz ex Sprague) was quantified in relation to land-use (harvested or unharvested), rainfall (high, more than 660 or low , less than 660 mm year−1) and catenal position (top or lower slope). These two mistletoes are generalist hemi-parasites of savanna trees and shrubs occurring on 25 and 17 hosts respectively, seven of which are shared. Thirty-six percent of woody plant species recorded were found to be hosts. Although Sclerocarya birrea (A. Rich.) Hochst. comprised only 4% of woody plant density in the environment, it was the principal host for both mistletoes, accounting for 71% of total E. dregei and 42% of P. galpinii infection. Mistletoe infection relative to density of Ficus stuhlmanii, Trichilia emetica and Cassine transvaalensis indicated that these were preferential hosts to S. birrea. Mistletoe host preference was negatively correlated with host wood density. Mistletoe number per tree had a weak relationship to canopy size. Mistletoes of all size classes were denser at high rainfall relative to low rainfall sites. Interestingly, the overall mistletoe size class distribution was similar between harvested and unharvested sites. The ratio of living to dead mistletoe was 2 to 1 for E. dregei and 1.5 to 1 for P. galpinii. There are sufficient dead mistletoes in unharvested and harvested areas to satisfy present market demand. Living E. dregei predominated in harvested rather than unharvested areas suggesting that current-harvesting levels had little or no negative effect on the population. In contrast, P. galpinii was denser in unharvested areas possibly owing to its higher market value and thus higher harvesting levels.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2003
- Authors: Dzerefos, Cathy M , Witkowski, Ed T F , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2003
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/181487 , vital:43738 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023991514968"
- Description: In the Bushbuckridge region of South Africa host preference and density of two woodrose-forming mistletoes, Erianthemum dregei (Eckl. and Zeyh.) V. Tieghem and Pedistylis galpinii (Schinz ex Sprague) was quantified in relation to land-use (harvested or unharvested), rainfall (high, more than 660 or low , less than 660 mm year−1) and catenal position (top or lower slope). These two mistletoes are generalist hemi-parasites of savanna trees and shrubs occurring on 25 and 17 hosts respectively, seven of which are shared. Thirty-six percent of woody plant species recorded were found to be hosts. Although Sclerocarya birrea (A. Rich.) Hochst. comprised only 4% of woody plant density in the environment, it was the principal host for both mistletoes, accounting for 71% of total E. dregei and 42% of P. galpinii infection. Mistletoe infection relative to density of Ficus stuhlmanii, Trichilia emetica and Cassine transvaalensis indicated that these were preferential hosts to S. birrea. Mistletoe host preference was negatively correlated with host wood density. Mistletoe number per tree had a weak relationship to canopy size. Mistletoes of all size classes were denser at high rainfall relative to low rainfall sites. Interestingly, the overall mistletoe size class distribution was similar between harvested and unharvested sites. The ratio of living to dead mistletoe was 2 to 1 for E. dregei and 1.5 to 1 for P. galpinii. There are sufficient dead mistletoes in unharvested and harvested areas to satisfy present market demand. Living E. dregei predominated in harvested rather than unharvested areas suggesting that current-harvesting levels had little or no negative effect on the population. In contrast, P. galpinii was denser in unharvested areas possibly owing to its higher market value and thus higher harvesting levels.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2003
Modelling the sustainable harvest of Sclerocarya birrea subsp. caffra fruits in the South African lowveld
- Emanuel, P L, Shackleton, Charlie M, Baxter, Jeremy
- Authors: Emanuel, P L , Shackleton, Charlie M , Baxter, Jeremy
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/181312 , vital:43718 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2005.03.066"
- Description: Levels of commercialization, size class profile and fruit production of Sclerocarya birrea (marula) trees were studied in the Bushbuckridge region of South Africa. A stage-based population matrix model was used to estimate the sustainable yield for S. birrea fruit. The trees begin to bear fruit at an average size of 42.8 cm in circumference and this relates to an approximate age of 19 years. For a stable size class profile, the population growth rate, λ, was 1.1828758. The observed size class profile did not conform to the stable stage size class profile, obtained from the model. Thus, it was not possible to predict the state of the observed population. Using the model, it was estimated that 92% of fruit could be removed without impacting the current population profile. The management of other more destructive forms of S. birrea resource use (such as bark or firewood harvesting), however, do need to be monitored to limit negative impacts on the population that may reduce fruit availability for regeneration or cropping.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2005
- Authors: Emanuel, P L , Shackleton, Charlie M , Baxter, Jeremy
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/181312 , vital:43718 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2005.03.066"
- Description: Levels of commercialization, size class profile and fruit production of Sclerocarya birrea (marula) trees were studied in the Bushbuckridge region of South Africa. A stage-based population matrix model was used to estimate the sustainable yield for S. birrea fruit. The trees begin to bear fruit at an average size of 42.8 cm in circumference and this relates to an approximate age of 19 years. For a stable size class profile, the population growth rate, λ, was 1.1828758. The observed size class profile did not conform to the stable stage size class profile, obtained from the model. Thus, it was not possible to predict the state of the observed population. Using the model, it was estimated that 92% of fruit could be removed without impacting the current population profile. The management of other more destructive forms of S. birrea resource use (such as bark or firewood harvesting), however, do need to be monitored to limit negative impacts on the population that may reduce fruit availability for regeneration or cropping.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2005
Assessing climate risk to support urban forests in a changing climate
- Esperon-Rodriguez, Manuel, Rymer, Paul D, Power, Sally A, Barton, David N, Cariñanos, Paloma, Dobbs, Cynnamon, Eleuterio, Ana A, Escobedo, Francisco J, Hauer, Richard, Hermy, Martin, Jahani, Ali, Onyekwelu, Jonathan C, Östberg, Johan, Pataki, Diane, Randrup, Thomas B, Rasmussen, Tørres, Roman, Lara A, Russo, Alessio, Shackleton, Charlie M, Solfjeld, Ingjerd, van Doorn, Natalie S, Wells, Matthew J, Wiström, Björn, Yan, Pengbo, Yang, Jun, Tjoelker, Mark G
- Authors: Esperon-Rodriguez, Manuel , Rymer, Paul D , Power, Sally A , Barton, David N , Cariñanos, Paloma , Dobbs, Cynnamon , Eleuterio, Ana A , Escobedo, Francisco J , Hauer, Richard , Hermy, Martin , Jahani, Ali , Onyekwelu, Jonathan C , Östberg, Johan , Pataki, Diane , Randrup, Thomas B , Rasmussen, Tørres , Roman, Lara A , Russo, Alessio , Shackleton, Charlie M , Solfjeld, Ingjerd , van Doorn, Natalie S , Wells, Matthew J , Wiström, Björn , Yan, Pengbo , Yang, Jun , Tjoelker, Mark G
- Date: 2022
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/402191 , vital:69829 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.10240"
- Description: Globally, cities are planning for resilience through urban greening initiatives as governments understand the importance of urban forests in improving quality of life and mitigating climate change. However, the persistence of urban forests and the ecosystem benefits they provide are threatened by climate change, and systematic assessments of causes of tree dieback and mortality in urban environments are rare. Long-term monitoring studies and adaptive management are needed to identify and prevent climate change-driven failures and mortality. Research and monitoring when coupled with systematic forecasting will enable governments to incorporate climate change resilience into urban forestry planning. Future scenarios in which urban forests are resilient or in decline will depend on the management and planning actions we make today.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022
- Authors: Esperon-Rodriguez, Manuel , Rymer, Paul D , Power, Sally A , Barton, David N , Cariñanos, Paloma , Dobbs, Cynnamon , Eleuterio, Ana A , Escobedo, Francisco J , Hauer, Richard , Hermy, Martin , Jahani, Ali , Onyekwelu, Jonathan C , Östberg, Johan , Pataki, Diane , Randrup, Thomas B , Rasmussen, Tørres , Roman, Lara A , Russo, Alessio , Shackleton, Charlie M , Solfjeld, Ingjerd , van Doorn, Natalie S , Wells, Matthew J , Wiström, Björn , Yan, Pengbo , Yang, Jun , Tjoelker, Mark G
- Date: 2022
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/402191 , vital:69829 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.10240"
- Description: Globally, cities are planning for resilience through urban greening initiatives as governments understand the importance of urban forests in improving quality of life and mitigating climate change. However, the persistence of urban forests and the ecosystem benefits they provide are threatened by climate change, and systematic assessments of causes of tree dieback and mortality in urban environments are rare. Long-term monitoring studies and adaptive management are needed to identify and prevent climate change-driven failures and mortality. Research and monitoring when coupled with systematic forecasting will enable governments to incorporate climate change resilience into urban forestry planning. Future scenarios in which urban forests are resilient or in decline will depend on the management and planning actions we make today.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022
Changes in household use and sale of locally collected environmental resources over a 15-year period in a rural village, South Africa
- Falayi, Menelisi, Shackleton, Sheona E, Kemp, Georgina Cundill, Shackleton, Charlie M
- Authors: Falayi, Menelisi , Shackleton, Sheona E , Kemp, Georgina Cundill , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/398196 , vital:69383 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1080/14728028.2019.1568309"
- Description: Many rural areas are experiencing rapid social-ecological changes, impacting livelihoods and creating less certain futures. Despite several decades of research on the use of locally collected environmental resources there have been few repeat studies, especially in South and Southern Africa, to consider how households may be altering such use alongside other changes. This paper explores changes in the use of environmental resources by communities in the Kat River Valley, South Africa over a fifteen-year period, between 2000 and 2015, using a repeat survey, key informant interviews and other data from a larger study relating to social-ecological change. The proportion of households collecting different environmental resources was similar between the two periods. However, the mean quantities used per household had declined for several resources . Consequently, the monetary contribution or worth of these to livelihoods also declined, except for fuelwood and river sand. These changes can be related to, amongst others, transformations in both the local landscape and socio-economic environment, such as increases in state social welfare, a decline in agricultural production, woody plant encroachment, generational preferences, and the expansion of supermarket retailers. Understanding such trends is important for considering the sustainable management of landscapes and livelihoods into the future.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Falayi, Menelisi , Shackleton, Sheona E , Kemp, Georgina Cundill , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/398196 , vital:69383 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1080/14728028.2019.1568309"
- Description: Many rural areas are experiencing rapid social-ecological changes, impacting livelihoods and creating less certain futures. Despite several decades of research on the use of locally collected environmental resources there have been few repeat studies, especially in South and Southern Africa, to consider how households may be altering such use alongside other changes. This paper explores changes in the use of environmental resources by communities in the Kat River Valley, South Africa over a fifteen-year period, between 2000 and 2015, using a repeat survey, key informant interviews and other data from a larger study relating to social-ecological change. The proportion of households collecting different environmental resources was similar between the two periods. However, the mean quantities used per household had declined for several resources . Consequently, the monetary contribution or worth of these to livelihoods also declined, except for fuelwood and river sand. These changes can be related to, amongst others, transformations in both the local landscape and socio-economic environment, such as increases in state social welfare, a decline in agricultural production, woody plant encroachment, generational preferences, and the expansion of supermarket retailers. Understanding such trends is important for considering the sustainable management of landscapes and livelihoods into the future.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Municipal commonage: an undervalued national resource
- Gambiza, James, Shackleton, Charlie M, Davenport, N, Atkinson, D, Hoffman, M T, Martens, C, Puttick, J, De Groot, W
- Authors: Gambiza, James , Shackleton, Charlie M , Davenport, N , Atkinson, D , Hoffman, M T , Martens, C , Puttick, J , De Groot, W
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Land reform -- South Africa Land use -- South Africa South Africa -- Social conditions
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/49969 , vital:25947
- Description: This policy brief will highlight the importance of municipal commonage in enhancing livelihoods of poor urban families. This will be followed by an overview of the role of municipal commonage in the land reform programme. Current challenges in securing benefits from municipal commonages are then outlined. Policy considerations to optimise benefits from commonages conclude the policy brief.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Gambiza, James , Shackleton, Charlie M , Davenport, N , Atkinson, D , Hoffman, M T , Martens, C , Puttick, J , De Groot, W
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Land reform -- South Africa Land use -- South Africa South Africa -- Social conditions
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/49969 , vital:25947
- Description: This policy brief will highlight the importance of municipal commonage in enhancing livelihoods of poor urban families. This will be followed by an overview of the role of municipal commonage in the land reform programme. Current challenges in securing benefits from municipal commonages are then outlined. Policy considerations to optimise benefits from commonages conclude the policy brief.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Urban foraging of wild plants in two medium-sized South African towns: People, perceptions and practices
- Garekae, Hesekia, Shackleton, Charlie M
- Authors: Garekae, Hesekia , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2020
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/176333 , vital:42685 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2020.126581
- Description: Urban ecosystems provide goods and services critical to livelihood sustenance, environmental protection and sustainability. However, the potential role of some urban ecosystem services such as the provisioning services, to promote liveable cities and livelihood resilience is seldom considered. This study reports on the prevalence and pattern of wild plant foraging and uses in the towns of Potchefstroom and Thabazimbi, South Africa, based on a random sample of 374 households. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for analysing data. Foraging wild plants was integral to livelihoods and traditions and provided household energy, dietary diversity, health, and cultural affirmation, among others. About 68 % of the respondents reported foraging wild plants, albeit at varying degrees between and within towns.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
- Authors: Garekae, Hesekia , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2020
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/176333 , vital:42685 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2020.126581
- Description: Urban ecosystems provide goods and services critical to livelihood sustenance, environmental protection and sustainability. However, the potential role of some urban ecosystem services such as the provisioning services, to promote liveable cities and livelihood resilience is seldom considered. This study reports on the prevalence and pattern of wild plant foraging and uses in the towns of Potchefstroom and Thabazimbi, South Africa, based on a random sample of 374 households. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for analysing data. Foraging wild plants was integral to livelihoods and traditions and provided household energy, dietary diversity, health, and cultural affirmation, among others. About 68 % of the respondents reported foraging wild plants, albeit at varying degrees between and within towns.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
Foraging wild food in urban spaces: The contribution of wild foods to urban dietary diversity in South Africa
- Garekae, Hesekia, Shackleton, Charlie M
- Authors: Garekae, Hesekia , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2020
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/176368 , vital:42688 , https://doi.org/10.3390/su12020678
- Description: Globally, approximately one billion people benefit from contributions of wild foods to their food security and dietary diversity. Wild foods are known to be important in rural communities in terms of food and micronutrient provision, diversifying diets, reducing vulnerability to non-communicable diseases and overall health. However, the potential contribution of wild foods towards food security and dietary diversity in urban food systems has been largely overlooked. This study examined the contribution of wild foods to household dietary diversity in two towns in South Africa, based on a survey of 137 households.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
- Authors: Garekae, Hesekia , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2020
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/176368 , vital:42688 , https://doi.org/10.3390/su12020678
- Description: Globally, approximately one billion people benefit from contributions of wild foods to their food security and dietary diversity. Wild foods are known to be important in rural communities in terms of food and micronutrient provision, diversifying diets, reducing vulnerability to non-communicable diseases and overall health. However, the potential contribution of wild foods towards food security and dietary diversity in urban food systems has been largely overlooked. This study examined the contribution of wild foods to household dietary diversity in two towns in South Africa, based on a survey of 137 households.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
Knowledge of formal and informal regulations affecting wild plant foraging practices in urban spaces in South Africa
- Garekae, Hesekia, Shackleton, Charlie M
- Authors: Garekae, Hesekia , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/403221 , vital:69935 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2021.102659"
- Description: Although foraging wild plants is commonly perceived to be synonymous with rural areas, it is now increasingly recognized in urban areas. Notwithstanding, the regulations conditioning access to and rights to foraging in urban green spaces have seldom been examined. This study explored the formal and informal regulations governing access to and defining rights to forageable plant resources in the towns of Potchefstroom and Thabazimbi, South Africa. A random sample of 374 households was considered for the survey, complemented by in-depth interviews with 26 participants. Foraging occurred in a variety of public and private spaces, with the frequency of access differing with the type of space. The majority of the respondents were unaware of formal and informal regulations governing access to and use of urban landscapes. Recognizing foraging activities in urban landscapes is a fundamental step toward fostering active community involvement in the management and production of urban green spaces.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021
- Authors: Garekae, Hesekia , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/403221 , vital:69935 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2021.102659"
- Description: Although foraging wild plants is commonly perceived to be synonymous with rural areas, it is now increasingly recognized in urban areas. Notwithstanding, the regulations conditioning access to and rights to foraging in urban green spaces have seldom been examined. This study explored the formal and informal regulations governing access to and defining rights to forageable plant resources in the towns of Potchefstroom and Thabazimbi, South Africa. A random sample of 374 households was considered for the survey, complemented by in-depth interviews with 26 participants. Foraging occurred in a variety of public and private spaces, with the frequency of access differing with the type of space. The majority of the respondents were unaware of formal and informal regulations governing access to and use of urban landscapes. Recognizing foraging activities in urban landscapes is a fundamental step toward fostering active community involvement in the management and production of urban green spaces.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021
The prevalence, composition and distribution of forageable plant species in different urban spaces in two medium-sized towns in South Africa
- Garekae, Hesekia, Shackleton, Charlie M, Tsheboeng, Gaolathe
- Authors: Garekae, Hesekia , Shackleton, Charlie M , Tsheboeng, Gaolathe
- Date: 2022
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/401300 , vital:69724 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01972"
- Description: Globally, the importance of urban vegetation in the quality and maintenance of life in urban areas is increasingly recognized. As the basis of urban green infrastructure, urban vegetation provides a diversity of ecosystem services, including provisioning services. However, there is limited understanding of the potential of urban vegetation as a supply of forageable resources within urban landscapes. This study examined the prevalence and distribution of forageable plant species across different spaces in the towns of Potchefstroom and Thabazimbi, South Africa. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed for selecting study sites, with a total of 136 plots sampled. In total, 88 plant species (foraged and forageable) were encountered across the sample plots, with almost three-quarters (70%) being indigenous to South Africa. Most of the species had multiple uses, with medicine, food and firewood being the most common uses, in order of frequency. Species cover and richness significantly differed across the urban spaces, being markedly higher in protected areas as compared to other spaces. Moreover, five plant communities were identified, resembling various species uses. Overall, the findings show that the fragmented urban spaces are endowed with a diversity of forageable plant species, with many valuable to particular sectors of urban society, such as foragers. Moreover, the notable number of forageable plant species encountered across the different spaces demonstrates the potential of urban green infrastructure as a supply of provisioning and cultural ecosystem services. This provides the basis for the selection of a diversity of species in urban greening programs for enhancing liveability and overall well-being in urban areas.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022
- Authors: Garekae, Hesekia , Shackleton, Charlie M , Tsheboeng, Gaolathe
- Date: 2022
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/401300 , vital:69724 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01972"
- Description: Globally, the importance of urban vegetation in the quality and maintenance of life in urban areas is increasingly recognized. As the basis of urban green infrastructure, urban vegetation provides a diversity of ecosystem services, including provisioning services. However, there is limited understanding of the potential of urban vegetation as a supply of forageable resources within urban landscapes. This study examined the prevalence and distribution of forageable plant species across different spaces in the towns of Potchefstroom and Thabazimbi, South Africa. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed for selecting study sites, with a total of 136 plots sampled. In total, 88 plant species (foraged and forageable) were encountered across the sample plots, with almost three-quarters (70%) being indigenous to South Africa. Most of the species had multiple uses, with medicine, food and firewood being the most common uses, in order of frequency. Species cover and richness significantly differed across the urban spaces, being markedly higher in protected areas as compared to other spaces. Moreover, five plant communities were identified, resembling various species uses. Overall, the findings show that the fragmented urban spaces are endowed with a diversity of forageable plant species, with many valuable to particular sectors of urban society, such as foragers. Moreover, the notable number of forageable plant species encountered across the different spaces demonstrates the potential of urban green infrastructure as a supply of provisioning and cultural ecosystem services. This provides the basis for the selection of a diversity of species in urban greening programs for enhancing liveability and overall well-being in urban areas.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022
Mechanisms and indicators for assessing the impact of biofuel feedstock production on ecosystem services
- Gasparatos, Alexandros, Romeu-Dalmau, Carla, von Maltitz, Graham P, Johnson, Francis X, Shackleton, Charlie M, Jarzebski, Marcin P, Jumbe, Charles, Ochieng, Caroline, Mudombi, Shakespear, Nyambane, Anne, Willis, Katherine J
- Authors: Gasparatos, Alexandros , Romeu-Dalmau, Carla , von Maltitz, Graham P , Johnson, Francis X , Shackleton, Charlie M , Jarzebski, Marcin P , Jumbe, Charles , Ochieng, Caroline , Mudombi, Shakespear , Nyambane, Anne , Willis, Katherine J
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/181368 , vital:43727 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2018.01.024"
- Description: Biofuel feedstock production can be a significant driver of landscape modification, ecosystem change and biodiversity loss. There is growing body of literature that shows how biofuel landscapes provide various ecosystem services (e.g., feedstock for fuel, carbon sequestration) and compromise other ecosystem services (e.g., food, freshwater services). These effects are context-specific and depend largely on prior land use conditions and feedstock production practices. Changes in the flow of ecosystem services due to the conversion of natural and agricultural areas can have ripple effects on human wellbeing. Despite some recent attempts to apply to biofuel settings concepts and methods rooted in the ecosystem services literature, this is the exception rather than the rule within both the biofuel and the ecosystem services research communities. This paper synthesizes the current knowledge about the impact of biofuels on ecosystem services. It focuses especially on the feedstock production phase and outlines the main mechanisms through which landscape conversion affects the provisions of ecosystem services. It proposes conceptually coherent indicators to reflect these mechanisms and offers a critical discussion of key issues at the interface of biofuels and ecosystem services.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Gasparatos, Alexandros , Romeu-Dalmau, Carla , von Maltitz, Graham P , Johnson, Francis X , Shackleton, Charlie M , Jarzebski, Marcin P , Jumbe, Charles , Ochieng, Caroline , Mudombi, Shakespear , Nyambane, Anne , Willis, Katherine J
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/181368 , vital:43727 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2018.01.024"
- Description: Biofuel feedstock production can be a significant driver of landscape modification, ecosystem change and biodiversity loss. There is growing body of literature that shows how biofuel landscapes provide various ecosystem services (e.g., feedstock for fuel, carbon sequestration) and compromise other ecosystem services (e.g., food, freshwater services). These effects are context-specific and depend largely on prior land use conditions and feedstock production practices. Changes in the flow of ecosystem services due to the conversion of natural and agricultural areas can have ripple effects on human wellbeing. Despite some recent attempts to apply to biofuel settings concepts and methods rooted in the ecosystem services literature, this is the exception rather than the rule within both the biofuel and the ecosystem services research communities. This paper synthesizes the current knowledge about the impact of biofuels on ecosystem services. It focuses especially on the feedstock production phase and outlines the main mechanisms through which landscape conversion affects the provisions of ecosystem services. It proposes conceptually coherent indicators to reflect these mechanisms and offers a critical discussion of key issues at the interface of biofuels and ecosystem services.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Community-based natural resource use and management of Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, Uganda, for livelihood benefits
- Gosling, Amanda, Shackleton, Charlie M, Gambiza, James
- Authors: Gosling, Amanda , Shackleton, Charlie M , Gambiza, James
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/60844 , vital:27839 , https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-017-9546-y
- Description: publisher version , Conservation and sustainable management of wetlands requires participation of local stakeholders, including communities. The Bigodi Wetland is unusual because it is situated in a common property landscape but the local community has been running a successful community-based natural resource management programme (CBNRM) for the wetland for over a decade. Whilst external visitors to the wetland provide ecotourism revenues we sought to quantify community benefits through the use of wetland goods such as firewood, plant fibres, and the like, and costs associated with wild animals damaging farming activities. We interviewed 68 households living close to the wetland and valued their cash and non-cash incomes from farming and collection of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) and water. The majority of households collected a wide variety of plant and fish resources and water from the wetland for household use and livestock. Overall, 53% of total household cash and non-cash income was from collected products, mostly the wetland, 28% from arable agriculture, 12% from livestock and 7% from employment and cash transfers. Female-headed households had lower incomes than male-headed ones, and with a greater reliance on NTFPs. Annual losses due to wildlife damage were estimated at 4.2% of total gross income. Most respondents felt that the wetland was important for their livelihoods, with more than 80% identifying health, education, craft materials and firewood as key benefits. Ninety-five percent felt that the wetland was in a good condition and that most residents observed the agreed CBNRM rules regarding use of the wetland. This study confirms the success of the locally run CBNRM processes underlying the significant role that the wetland plays in local livelihoods.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Gosling, Amanda , Shackleton, Charlie M , Gambiza, James
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/60844 , vital:27839 , https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-017-9546-y
- Description: publisher version , Conservation and sustainable management of wetlands requires participation of local stakeholders, including communities. The Bigodi Wetland is unusual because it is situated in a common property landscape but the local community has been running a successful community-based natural resource management programme (CBNRM) for the wetland for over a decade. Whilst external visitors to the wetland provide ecotourism revenues we sought to quantify community benefits through the use of wetland goods such as firewood, plant fibres, and the like, and costs associated with wild animals damaging farming activities. We interviewed 68 households living close to the wetland and valued their cash and non-cash incomes from farming and collection of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) and water. The majority of households collected a wide variety of plant and fish resources and water from the wetland for household use and livestock. Overall, 53% of total household cash and non-cash income was from collected products, mostly the wetland, 28% from arable agriculture, 12% from livestock and 7% from employment and cash transfers. Female-headed households had lower incomes than male-headed ones, and with a greater reliance on NTFPs. Annual losses due to wildlife damage were estimated at 4.2% of total gross income. Most respondents felt that the wetland was important for their livelihoods, with more than 80% identifying health, education, craft materials and firewood as key benefits. Ninety-five percent felt that the wetland was in a good condition and that most residents observed the agreed CBNRM rules regarding use of the wetland. This study confirms the success of the locally run CBNRM processes underlying the significant role that the wetland plays in local livelihoods.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Abundance and correlates of the Acacia dealbata invasion in the northern Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Gouws, Aidan J, Shackleton, Charlie M
- Authors: Gouws, Aidan J , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/179735 , vital:43165 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2018.09.048"
- Description: An increase in the density and biomass of woody invasive plants contributes to the intensification of ecological impacts and can often be met with dissatisfaction by local communities. Despite their reliance on Acacia dealbata as a source of livelihood, villagers in the northern Eastern Cape have expressed concerns about the high densities of the species. This study sought to quantify the current abundance and growth of A. dealbata in selected landscapes in the northern Eastern Cape, around nine villages in rural Matatiele, Mount Fletcher and Maclear. Standard vegetation survey techniques were adopted to quantify the density, biomass and growth rate of A. dealbata. Overall, the average density, biomass and productivity of A. dealbata were estimated at approximately 7000 stems ha−1, 12 Mg ha−1 and 4 Mg ha−1 year−1, respectively. However, the abundance and productivity of A. dealbata were spatially variable between study areas. Acacia dealbata stems experienced significant growth over the period of a single year, contributing to substantial biomass production at the landscape level, despite continued harvest. Furthermore, relatively few biophysical variables were significantly influential correlates with the abundance of A. dealbata. Indeed, the degree of biological invasion can be highly variable across the landscape, shaped by the interaction of local-scale biophysical conditions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Gouws, Aidan J , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/179735 , vital:43165 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2018.09.048"
- Description: An increase in the density and biomass of woody invasive plants contributes to the intensification of ecological impacts and can often be met with dissatisfaction by local communities. Despite their reliance on Acacia dealbata as a source of livelihood, villagers in the northern Eastern Cape have expressed concerns about the high densities of the species. This study sought to quantify the current abundance and growth of A. dealbata in selected landscapes in the northern Eastern Cape, around nine villages in rural Matatiele, Mount Fletcher and Maclear. Standard vegetation survey techniques were adopted to quantify the density, biomass and growth rate of A. dealbata. Overall, the average density, biomass and productivity of A. dealbata were estimated at approximately 7000 stems ha−1, 12 Mg ha−1 and 4 Mg ha−1 year−1, respectively. However, the abundance and productivity of A. dealbata were spatially variable between study areas. Acacia dealbata stems experienced significant growth over the period of a single year, contributing to substantial biomass production at the landscape level, despite continued harvest. Furthermore, relatively few biophysical variables were significantly influential correlates with the abundance of A. dealbata. Indeed, the degree of biological invasion can be highly variable across the landscape, shaped by the interaction of local-scale biophysical conditions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Informal urban fuelwood markets in South Africa in the context of socio-economic change
- Guild, J, Shackleton, Charlie M
- Authors: Guild, J , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/179779 , vital:43179 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2018.03.023"
- Description: In developing countries, fuelwood is important to livelihoods and energy security because it is used for heating, cooking and can provide additional income to households through trade. The global trade in fuelwood is valued between USD 4–26 billion per annum. In South Africa, fuelwood is a widely used domestic energy source; but how that has changed with rapid urbanisation and socio-economic development over the last two decades is unknown. This study examined the presence and nature of urban fuelwood markets in 39 urban areas of the Eastern Cape and Limpopo provinces. Data were collected from 170 informal fuelwood sellers regarding the prevalence, structure, characteristics, and changes over time of the informal fuelwood markets. Over 80% of the sampled towns had an informal fuelwood market and there was a positive relationship between the number of sellers and town population size. For most sellers, the fuelwood trade was their primary occupation and the income earned was supplemented by government social grants. Sellers earned, on average, over US$9 per day. These results show that despite rapid urbanisation and socio-economic development, fuelwood remains an important domestic fuel in towns and cities of South Africa, and an income source for the urban poor.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Guild, J , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/179779 , vital:43179 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2018.03.023"
- Description: In developing countries, fuelwood is important to livelihoods and energy security because it is used for heating, cooking and can provide additional income to households through trade. The global trade in fuelwood is valued between USD 4–26 billion per annum. In South Africa, fuelwood is a widely used domestic energy source; but how that has changed with rapid urbanisation and socio-economic development over the last two decades is unknown. This study examined the presence and nature of urban fuelwood markets in 39 urban areas of the Eastern Cape and Limpopo provinces. Data were collected from 170 informal fuelwood sellers regarding the prevalence, structure, characteristics, and changes over time of the informal fuelwood markets. Over 80% of the sampled towns had an informal fuelwood market and there was a positive relationship between the number of sellers and town population size. For most sellers, the fuelwood trade was their primary occupation and the income earned was supplemented by government social grants. Sellers earned, on average, over US$9 per day. These results show that despite rapid urbanisation and socio-economic development, fuelwood remains an important domestic fuel in towns and cities of South Africa, and an income source for the urban poor.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
The development visions and attitudes towards urban forestry of officials responsible for greening in South African towns
- Gwedla, Nanamhla, Shackleton, Charlie M
- Authors: Gwedla, Nanamhla , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/180856 , vital:43651 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2014.07.004"
- Description: The planting and maintenance of trees in public areas of South African towns is the responsibility of local municipalities. Therefore, it is necessary to appreciate the visions and attitudes of municipal officials and decision-makers in charge of such activities for an understanding of the distribution and abundance of trees along streets and in urban green spaces. We hypothesised that the town size and relative wealth and current extent of trees in public places would influence the visions of such officials. We therefore conducted 24 semi-structured interviews with the officials responsible for urban tree planting in 24 towns in the Eastern Cape province, whilst also assessing the abundance of street trees via GIS counts. The density of street trees was variable, ranging from 0.5 to 9.5 trees/ha. There were significantly positive relationships between town size, relative wealth measures and street tree density. Several of the managers did not include environmental issues or trees in vision of the future for their town, although most did. There was no relationship between the managers’ visions for the future and attitudes and current street tree density. Most of the managers experienced several constraints in trying to implement their vision, notably a lack of funds for urban forestry, limited space for tree planting in low-cost housing developments, vandalism, and lack of skilled personnel.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Gwedla, Nanamhla , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/180856 , vital:43651 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2014.07.004"
- Description: The planting and maintenance of trees in public areas of South African towns is the responsibility of local municipalities. Therefore, it is necessary to appreciate the visions and attitudes of municipal officials and decision-makers in charge of such activities for an understanding of the distribution and abundance of trees along streets and in urban green spaces. We hypothesised that the town size and relative wealth and current extent of trees in public places would influence the visions of such officials. We therefore conducted 24 semi-structured interviews with the officials responsible for urban tree planting in 24 towns in the Eastern Cape province, whilst also assessing the abundance of street trees via GIS counts. The density of street trees was variable, ranging from 0.5 to 9.5 trees/ha. There were significantly positive relationships between town size, relative wealth measures and street tree density. Several of the managers did not include environmental issues or trees in vision of the future for their town, although most did. There was no relationship between the managers’ visions for the future and attitudes and current street tree density. Most of the managers experienced several constraints in trying to implement their vision, notably a lack of funds for urban forestry, limited space for tree planting in low-cost housing developments, vandalism, and lack of skilled personnel.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
Population size and development history determine street tree distribution and composition within and between Eastern Cape towns, South Africa
- Gwedla, Nanamhla, Shackleton, Charlie M
- Authors: Gwedla, Nanamhla , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/180468 , vital:43392 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2017.04.014"
- Description: Street trees are a common feature of urban nature, providing ecological, economic and social benefits. These public functions are highly dependent on specific design principles, including the composition and diversity of tree species within the urban forest. Consequently, it is important to understand the patterns and correlates of street tree distribution and diversity to assess benefit flows. This requires sampling across and within towns. This paper reports on an assessment of the distribution, composition and diversity of street trees between and within multiple South African towns, and ascertains the correlations between tree density and composition with social contexts. Randomly selected streets were sampled in the affluent, township and low cost housing suburbs of ten Eastern Cape towns. Sixty-nine out of 300 sampled transects had street trees, with 888 trees enumerated, spanning 97 species. Alien tree species accounted for 71% of all the enumerated trees while indigenous trees species accounted for 12%. Tree density and composition were significantly lower in smaller towns and those marginalised during the previous racially-based political regime. Within towns, the poor areas had fewer street trees, with many streets having none. Collaboration and constant communication between the various government departments involved in suburb development is crucial to ensure a more rigorous incorporation of green infrastructure into the building and development plans of new housing developments.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Gwedla, Nanamhla , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/180468 , vital:43392 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2017.04.014"
- Description: Street trees are a common feature of urban nature, providing ecological, economic and social benefits. These public functions are highly dependent on specific design principles, including the composition and diversity of tree species within the urban forest. Consequently, it is important to understand the patterns and correlates of street tree distribution and diversity to assess benefit flows. This requires sampling across and within towns. This paper reports on an assessment of the distribution, composition and diversity of street trees between and within multiple South African towns, and ascertains the correlations between tree density and composition with social contexts. Randomly selected streets were sampled in the affluent, township and low cost housing suburbs of ten Eastern Cape towns. Sixty-nine out of 300 sampled transects had street trees, with 888 trees enumerated, spanning 97 species. Alien tree species accounted for 71% of all the enumerated trees while indigenous trees species accounted for 12%. Tree density and composition were significantly lower in smaller towns and those marginalised during the previous racially-based political regime. Within towns, the poor areas had fewer street trees, with many streets having none. Collaboration and constant communication between the various government departments involved in suburb development is crucial to ensure a more rigorous incorporation of green infrastructure into the building and development plans of new housing developments.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Perceptions and preferences for urban trees across multiple socio-economic contexts in the Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Gwedla, Nanamhla, Shackleton, Charlie M
- Authors: Gwedla, Nanamhla , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/177419 , vital:42820 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2019.05.001
- Description: Urban trees are vital components of urban ecosystems, and thus important for environmental quality, urban sustainability, and quality of life in cities. Regrettably, urban trees are sometimes unequally distributed both between and within towns, a pattern largely associated with differences in the social environment of cities and historical patterns of development, and the dearth in strategic management plans and systematic monitoring of the existing urban forest. Most management plans focus on ecological and arboricultural aspects at the expense of the social, and studies examining perceptions in relation urban forests are largely from developed countries. Accordingly, we conducted a study to examine the perceptions and preferences regarding urban trees of 1200 residents from 10 urban areas across multiple socio-economic contexts in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Gwedla, Nanamhla , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/177419 , vital:42820 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2019.05.001
- Description: Urban trees are vital components of urban ecosystems, and thus important for environmental quality, urban sustainability, and quality of life in cities. Regrettably, urban trees are sometimes unequally distributed both between and within towns, a pattern largely associated with differences in the social environment of cities and historical patterns of development, and the dearth in strategic management plans and systematic monitoring of the existing urban forest. Most management plans focus on ecological and arboricultural aspects at the expense of the social, and studies examining perceptions in relation urban forests are largely from developed countries. Accordingly, we conducted a study to examine the perceptions and preferences regarding urban trees of 1200 residents from 10 urban areas across multiple socio-economic contexts in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
More than just fields: Reframing deagrarianisation in landscapes and livelihoods
- Hebinck, Paul, Mtati, Nosiseko, Shackleton, Charlie M
- Authors: Hebinck, Paul , Mtati, Nosiseko , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/180322 , vital:43353 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2018.01.004"
- Description: This paper discusses the emergent properties of deagrarianisation processes in two villages in the central Eastern Cape, South Africa. The claim of is that much of the deagrarianisation literature and debate does not acknowledge the importance of landscapes and the interaction between their constituent elements, notably people, forests, grasslands, fields, grazing lands, open spaces, built environments and homesteads, all of which contribute to shaping and, in turn, are shaped by livelihoods. Conceptualising a landscape as a spatial entity and associated assemblage of practices, discourses and history, this paper dissects the landscape in terms of land uses for residential and cultural purposes, growing, grazing and gathering. These land use categories together represent the rural domain to which the villagers are attached as a place and a home. Their use of the land is not necessarily oriented to fully exploring its productive potential. The article explores the transformation from a productive landscape to one which largely hinges on consumption. The blurring of boundaries between the formally designated land use categories signifies the transformations occurring in many of the rural areas in the former homelands of South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Hebinck, Paul , Mtati, Nosiseko , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/180322 , vital:43353 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2018.01.004"
- Description: This paper discusses the emergent properties of deagrarianisation processes in two villages in the central Eastern Cape, South Africa. The claim of is that much of the deagrarianisation literature and debate does not acknowledge the importance of landscapes and the interaction between their constituent elements, notably people, forests, grasslands, fields, grazing lands, open spaces, built environments and homesteads, all of which contribute to shaping and, in turn, are shaped by livelihoods. Conceptualising a landscape as a spatial entity and associated assemblage of practices, discourses and history, this paper dissects the landscape in terms of land uses for residential and cultural purposes, growing, grazing and gathering. These land use categories together represent the rural domain to which the villagers are attached as a place and a home. Their use of the land is not necessarily oriented to fully exploring its productive potential. The article explores the transformation from a productive landscape to one which largely hinges on consumption. The blurring of boundaries between the formally designated land use categories signifies the transformations occurring in many of the rural areas in the former homelands of South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
The use and value of wild harvested provisioning ecosystem services along a landscape heterogeneity gradient in rural South Africa
- Herd-Hoare, Shannon, Shackleton, Charlie M
- Authors: Herd-Hoare, Shannon , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2022
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/401341 , vital:69727 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1080/26395916.2022.2140711"
- Description: Provisioning ecosystem services (PES) are typically crucial to rural livelihoods, especially in developing countries. However, the links between PES and local biodiversity or landscape heterogeneity are poorly explored. Here, we examined the extent of use and value of locally harvested wild, terrestrial and marine PES (such as wild foods, traditional medicines, firewood, building materials and others) in three villages (35–40 households per village) along a gradient of decreasing landscape heterogeneity. Households at the site with the highest landscape heterogeneity used a greater array of PES (9 ± 4) compared to the intermediate (5 ± 3) and least heterogenous (0.9 ± 0.8) sites. This resulted in a significantly greater annual value of PES to local livelihoods at the most diverse site (US$2 656 ± 2 587 per household), compared to US$1 120 ± 1 313 at the intermediate site and only US$105 ± 193 at the least heterogeneous site. This study shows the importance of access to a diversity of landscapes and PES to support rural livelihoods, which is frequently overlooked in PES valuation studies and in situations of land use change where landscape heterogeneity may decline.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022
- Authors: Herd-Hoare, Shannon , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2022
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/401341 , vital:69727 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1080/26395916.2022.2140711"
- Description: Provisioning ecosystem services (PES) are typically crucial to rural livelihoods, especially in developing countries. However, the links between PES and local biodiversity or landscape heterogeneity are poorly explored. Here, we examined the extent of use and value of locally harvested wild, terrestrial and marine PES (such as wild foods, traditional medicines, firewood, building materials and others) in three villages (35–40 households per village) along a gradient of decreasing landscape heterogeneity. Households at the site with the highest landscape heterogeneity used a greater array of PES (9 ± 4) compared to the intermediate (5 ± 3) and least heterogenous (0.9 ± 0.8) sites. This resulted in a significantly greater annual value of PES to local livelihoods at the most diverse site (US$2 656 ± 2 587 per household), compared to US$1 120 ± 1 313 at the intermediate site and only US$105 ± 193 at the least heterogeneous site. This study shows the importance of access to a diversity of landscapes and PES to support rural livelihoods, which is frequently overlooked in PES valuation studies and in situations of land use change where landscape heterogeneity may decline.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022