The role of civil society organisations in the implementation of co-management agreements in selected Protected Areas in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

  Simphiwe XULU, University of Zululand, South Africa
  Innocent MOYO, University of Zululand, South Africa

The conservation of natural resources faces numerous challenges, one of which is the human-wildlife conflicts. In many African countries, including South Africa, these conflicts exist mainly because of the history of land ownership, with many indigenous communities having lost their ancestral land to the colonial regimes. In addressing the issues of land ownership in protected areas, Community Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) approaches have been utilized with the aim of conserving natural resources while taking into account the needs and views of the people. However, issues of proper representation of the local people have emerged, thus leading to the involvement of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in these arrangements. This study, therefore, seeks to review the nature of the involvement of CSOs and the interrelationships between the stakeholders involved in co-management programmes.

Mots clés : Co-management|Civil Society Organizations|Conservation|Protected areas|Rural Development

A104605SX