Agro ecosystems land use systems as complexes of biodiversity use and conservation: Implications for ‘in-domo’ conservation in the context of the political and land-use history of South Africa.

The project aims to obtain a better understanding of the creation of agro ecosystems within communal areas, particularly the former Homeland States of Apartheid South Africa, as a means to contribute towards the implementation of more effective biodiversity conservation practices. The two year project was initiated in 2008. The research will be carried out by a multi-disciplinary team of researchers from the Institute of Social and Economic Research, the Botany Dept., Environmental Science Dept., Rhodes University; University of Tanzania; Forest and Nature Conservation Policy Group, Wageningen University (The Netherlands). The project will fund one master student bursary and is funded by the S. A. National Research Foundation (NRF).

Key anticipated outcomes of the project include:

• Novel interdisciplinary methodology for assessing the complexities of forested landscapes and their significance for biodiversity conservation in South Africa
• Improved insights into the nature of landscape values in modernized rural villages in South Africa and social factors effecting these values
• Improved insights into the relation between conservation and utilization in forested landscapes.
• Identification of innovative approaches for incorporating local people’s values in biodiversity conservation programmes in South Africa.
• Training of students in new approaches towards studying people-environment relations.
• Publication of research results will include the publication of peer-reviewed articles, delivery of conference papers and posters, several professional and popular articles including newspaper articles on the results of study.