ABSTRACT
This book examines the connections between natural resources, tourism and community livelihood practices in Southern Africa, highlighting the successes and constraints experienced over the last 50 years.
Questioning how natural resources, tourism and community livelihoods relations can positively contribute towards development efforts, this book adopts an interdisciplinary approach to understand socio-ecological systems that characterize the dynamics for sustainable development. It explores the history of conservation and natural resource management in Southern Africa and traces the development and growth of nature-based tourism. Boasting a wide range of tourism landscapes, including national parks, wetlands, forests and oceans, the book draws on case studies from a variety of Southern African countries, including Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, and considers the political challenges for implementing policies and practices. Furthermore, it analyses broader issues such as the impact of climate change, human–wildlife co-existence and resulting conflicts, poor access to funding and poverty in local communities. The book argues that the links between conservation and livelihoods can be best understood by considering the different approaches to reconciling the demands of conservation and livelihoods that have evolved over the past decades.
Containing contributions from natural and social sciences the book provides guidance for practitioners and policymakers to continue to shape policies and practices that are in line with the key tenets of sustainable development. It will also be of great interest to students and scholars researching Southern Africa, sustainable tourism and conservation.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
chapter 1|7 pages
Contextualizing and conceptualizing relationships in natural resources, tourism and community livelihoods
part I|81 pages
Natural resources management and conservation in Southern Africa
chapter 2|15 pages
Historical evolution of conservation and tourism in Southern Africa
chapter 3|12 pages
Nature tourism, wildlife resources and community-based conservation
chapter 4|14 pages
The context and future of tourism in Africa’s national parks
chapter 7|12 pages
Fourteen years of tourism and climate change research in Southern Africa
part II|68 pages
Natural resource-based tourism development and growth in Southern Africa
chapter 9|15 pages
Local people’s perspectives on wildlife conservation, ecotourism and community livelihoods
chapter 10|20 pages
Tourism and poverty alleviation in the Global South
chapter 11|16 pages
Revisiting devolution in community-based natural resources management in Zimbabwe
part III|59 pages
Conservation and tourism development debates in Southern Africa
chapter 13|14 pages
Role of forest resources in local community livelihoods
chapter 15|13 pages
Investigating sustainable development goals, livelihoods and tourism development in a rural protected area
part IV|48 pages
Southern Africa in the world
chapter 16|14 pages
Natural resources, sustainable tourism development and community livelihoods relationships
chapter 17|19 pages
Economic assessment of tourism-based livelihoods for sustainable development
part V|10 pages
Conclusion