IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jlands/v9y2020i11p399-d432898.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Partnerships and Stakeholder Participation in the Management of National Parks: Experiences of the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe

Author

Listed:
  • Walter Musakwa

    (Future Earth and Ecosystems Services Research Group, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Doornfontein Campus, University of Johannesburg, Beit Street, Doornfontein, Johannesburg 2028, Gauteng, South Africa)

  • Trynos Gumbo

    (Future Earth and Ecosystems Services Research Group, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Doornfontein Campus, University of Johannesburg, Beit Street, Doornfontein, Johannesburg 2028, Gauteng, South Africa)

  • Gaynor Paradza

    (Public Affairs Research Institute, 2 Sherwood Road, Forest Town, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa)

  • Ephraim Mpofu

    (Future Earth and Ecosystems Services Research Group, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Doornfontein Campus, University of Johannesburg, Beit Street, Doornfontein, Johannesburg 2028, Gauteng, South Africa)

  • Nesisa Analisa Nyathi

    (Future Earth and Ecosystems Services Research Group, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Doornfontein Campus, University of Johannesburg, Beit Street, Doornfontein, Johannesburg 2028, Gauteng, South Africa)

  • Ntlakala B. Selamolela

    (Future Earth and Ecosystems Services Research Group, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Doornfontein Campus, University of Johannesburg, Beit Street, Doornfontein, Johannesburg 2028, Gauteng, South Africa)

Abstract

National parks play an important role in maintaining natural ecosystems which are important sources of income and livelihood sustenance. Most national parks in Southern Africa are managed by their states. Before 2007, Gonarezhou National Park was managed by the Zimbabwe Parks Management and Wildlife Authority, which faced challenges in maintaining its biodiversity, community relations and infrastructure. However, in 2017 the Frankfurt Zoological Society and the Zimbabwe Parks Management and Wildlife Authority formed an innovative partnership under the Gonarezhou Conservation Trust (GCT). This study examines the relationship between GCT management, Gonarezhou National Park stakeholders and communities as well as the impact of the relationship on biodiversity and ecosystems. The study also highlights challenges faced and lessons learned in managing Gonarezhou as a protected area. To obtain the information, key informant interviews, Landsat satellite imagery, secondary data from previous studies and government sources were utilized. The results indicate that the concerted efforts of the Gonarezhou Conservation Trust to manage the park are starting to bear fruit in improving biodiversity conservation, ecosystem management and engaging communities. However, challenges such as governance obstacles, problematic stakeholder management, maintaining trust in community relations, ensuring sustainability, managing the adverse impacts of climate change and human-wildlife conflicts must still be navigated to ensure the park’s sustainable management. Notwithstanding challenges, we argue that a partnership arrangement such as the Gonarezhou Conservation Trust is a desirable model that can be applied in national parks in Zimbabwe and Africa for better biodiversity management and tourism.

Suggested Citation

  • Walter Musakwa & Trynos Gumbo & Gaynor Paradza & Ephraim Mpofu & Nesisa Analisa Nyathi & Ntlakala B. Selamolela, 2020. "Partnerships and Stakeholder Participation in the Management of National Parks: Experiences of the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-17, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:9:y:2020:i:11:p:399-:d:432898
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/9/11/399/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/9/11/399/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Piotr Krajewski, 2019. "Monitoring of Landscape Transformations within Landscape Parks in Poland in the 21st Century," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-22, April.
    2. Jemaiyo Chabeda-Barthe & Tobias Haller, 2018. "Resilience of Traditional Livelihood Approaches Despite Forest Grabbing: Ogiek to the West of Mau Forest, Uasin Gishu County," Land, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-22, November.
    3. Jesse Sey Ayivor & Johnie Kodjo Nyametso & Sandra Ayivor, 2020. "Protected Area Governance and Its Influence on Local Perceptions, Attitudes and Collaboration," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-20, September.
    4. Nicola Favretto & Stavros Afionis & Lindsay C. Stringer & Andrew J. Dougill & Claire H. Quinn & Hery Lisy Tiana Ranarijaona, 2020. "Delivering Climate-Development Co-Benefits through Multi-Stakeholder Forestry Projects in Madagascar: Opportunities and Challenges," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-16, May.
    5. Muboko, Never & Bradshaw, Gavin J, 2018. "Towards Resolving Local Community and Protected Area Management Conflicts: Lessons from the Chitsa community and Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe," International Journal of Development and Conflict, Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, vol. 8(2), pages 62-79.
    6. Jocelyn Alexander & JoAnn McGregor, 2000. "Wildlife and Politics: CAMPFIRE in Zimbabwe," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 31(3), pages 605-627, June.
    7. Frost, Peter G.H. & Bond, Ivan, 2008. "The CAMPFIRE programme in Zimbabwe: Payments for wildlife services," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(4), pages 776-787, May.
    8. James Omoding & Gretchen Walters & Edward Andama & Salete Carvalho & Julien Colomer & Marina Cracco & Gerald Eilu & Gaster Kiyingi & Chetan Kumar & Council Dickson Langoya & Barbara Nakangu Bugembe & , 2020. "Analysing and Applying Stakeholder Perceptions to Improve Protected Area Governance in Ugandan Conservation Landscapes," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-25, June.
    9. Janna Frischen & Isabel Meza & Daniel Rupp & Katharina Wietler & Michael Hagenlocher, 2020. "Drought Risk to Agricultural Systems in Zimbabwe: A Spatial Analysis of Hazard, Exposure, and Vulnerability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-23, January.
    10. James C. Murombedzi, 1999. "Devolution and stewardship in Zimbabwe's CAMPFIRE programme," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 11(2), pages 287-293.
    11. Walter Musakwa & Ephraim Mpofu & Nesisa Analisa Nyathi, 2020. "Local Community Perceptions on Landscape Change, Ecosystem Services, Climate Change, and Livelihoods in Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-19, June.
    12. Cernea, Michael M. & Schmidt-Soltau, Kai, 2006. "Poverty Risks and National Parks: Policy Issues in Conservation and Resettlement," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 34(10), pages 1808-1830, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Nicola Favretto & Sheona Shackleton & Susannah M. Sallu & Tali Hoffman, 2021. "Editorial for Special Issue: “Collaboration and Multi-Stakeholder Engagement in Landscape Governance and Management in Africa: Lessons from Practice”," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-5, March.
    2. Hongge Zhu & Yutong Zhang & Yaru Chen & Menghan Zhao & Cao Bo, 2022. "Constructing a Model of Government Purchasing of Ecological Services: Evidence from China’s Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-27, October.
    3. Nelson Chanza & Walter Musakwa, 2021. "“Trees Are Our Relatives”: Local Perceptions on Forestry Resources and Implications for Climate Change Mitigation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-13, May.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nicola Favretto & Sheona Shackleton & Susannah M. Sallu & Tali Hoffman, 2021. "Editorial for Special Issue: “Collaboration and Multi-Stakeholder Engagement in Landscape Governance and Management in Africa: Lessons from Practice”," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-5, March.
    2. Ntuli, Herbert & Muchapondwa, Edwin & Okumu, Boscow, 2020. "Can local communities afford full control over wildlife conservation? The case of Zimbabwe," Journal of choice modelling, Elsevier, vol. 37(C).
    3. Walter Musakwa & Ephraim Mpofu & Nesisa Analisa Nyathi, 2020. "Local Community Perceptions on Landscape Change, Ecosystem Services, Climate Change, and Livelihoods in Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-19, June.
    4. Boscow Okumu & Edwin Muchapondwa & Herbert Ntuli, 2018. "Can local communities afford full control over wildlife conservation? The Case of CAMPFIRE in Zimbabwe," Working Papers 766, Economic Research Southern Africa.
    5. Erin Bunting & Jessica Steele & Eric Keys & Shylock Muyengwa & Brian Child & Jane Southworth, 2013. "Local Perception of Risk to Livelihoods in the Semi-Arid Landscape of Southern Africa," Land, MDPI, vol. 2(2), pages 1-27, May.
    6. Bram Büscher, 2010. "Seeking ‘Telos’ in the ‘Transfrontier’? Neoliberalism and the Transcending of Community Conservation in Southern Africa," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 42(3), pages 644-660, March.
    7. Clements, Tom & Suon, Seng & Wilkie, David S. & Milner-Gulland, E.J., 2014. "Impacts of Protected Areas on Local Livelihoods in Cambodia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 64(S1), pages 125-134.
    8. Huilian Han & Hui Li, 2020. "Coupling Coordination Evaluation between Population and Land Urbanization in Ha-Chang Urban Agglomeration," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-23, January.
    9. Carlos Mestanza & Hilter Figueroa Saavedra & Isabel Domínguez Gaibor & Manuel Abarca Zaquinaula & Rita Lara Váscones & Oswaldo Malla Pacheco, 2018. "Conflict and Impacts Generated by the Filming of Discovery Channel’s Reality Series “Naked and Afraid” in the Amazon: A Special Case in the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, Ecuador," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-15, December.
    10. Zijin Xie & Ayumi Onuma, 2021. "Biodiversity Conservation under ICDPs in a Bioeconomic Model: Nonprofit vs For-Profit National Parks," Keio-IES Discussion Paper Series 2021-001, Institute for Economics Studies, Keio University.
    11. Grilli, Gianluca & Fratini, Roberto & Marone, Enrico & Sacchelli, Sandro, 2020. "A spatial-based tool for the analysis of payments for forest ecosystem services related to hydrogeological protection," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    12. Brianne Riehl & Hisham Zerriffi & Robin Naidoo, 2015. "Effects of Community-Based Natural Resource Management on Household Welfare in Namibia," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(5), pages 1-23, May.
    13. Mengina Gilli & Muriel Côte & Gretchen Walters, 2020. "Gatekeeping Access: Shea Land Formalization and the Distribution of Market-Based Conservation Benefits in Ghana’s CREMA," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-15, September.
    14. Paul Andre DeGeorges & Brian Kevin Reilly, 2009. "The Realities of Community Based Natural Resource Management and Biodiversity Conservation in Sub-Saharan Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 1(3), pages 1-55, September.
    15. Thapa Karki, Shova & Hubacek, Klaus, 2015. "Developing a conceptual framework for the attitude–intention–behaviour links driving illegal resource extraction in Bardia National Park, Nepal," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 129-139.
    16. Chris M. Foggin & Laura E. Rosen & Marijke M. Henton & Angela Buys & Toby Floyd & Andrew D. Turner & Jonathan Tarbin & Antony S. Lloyd & Columbas Chaitezvi & Richard J. Ellis & Helen C. Roberts & Akba, 2023. "Pasteurella sp. associated with fatal septicaemia in six African elephants," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    17. Driss Ezzine-de-Blas & Sven Wunder & Manuel Ruiz-Pérez & Rocio del Pilar Moreno-Sanchez, 2016. "Global Patterns in the Implementation of Payments for Environmental Services," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(3), pages 1-16, March.
    18. Fred Nelson, 2000. "Sustainable Development and Wildlife Conservation in Tanzanian Maasailand," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 2(2), pages 107-117, June.
    19. Bocci, Corinne F. & Lupi, Frank & Sohngen, Brent, 2018. "Timber or Carbon? Evaluating forest conservation strategies through a discrete choice experiment conducted in northern Guatemala," 2018 Annual Meeting, August 5-7, Washington, D.C. 274011, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    20. Marcello De Maria, 2019. "Understanding Land in the Context of Large-Scale Land Acquisitions: A Brief History of Land in Economics," Land, MDPI, vol. 8(1), pages 1-14, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:9:y:2020:i:11:p:399-:d:432898. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.