ABSTRACT
South Africa is the third most biologically diverse country in the world with approximately 1 million species on record, many of which are unique to the region, and nine terrestrial biomes.1 As a result, the conservation of the country’s biodiversity is considered paramount from a deep ecological perspective.2 From an anthropocentric point of view, management of the country’s natural resources is also an imperative, especially when considering that ecosystem services ensure the livelihood of
1 R. Wynberg, “A Decade of Biodiversity Conservation and Use in South Africa: Tracking Progress from the Rio Earth Summit to the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development: Review Article”, South African Journal of Science 98 (5 & 6) (2002): 233-43; J.K. Turpie, “The Existence Value of Biodiversity in South Africa: How Interest, Experience, Knowledge, Income and Perceived Level of Threat Influence Local Willingness to Pay”, Ecological Economics 46 (2) (2003): 199-216.
