Small-scale timber growers' participation in the development of national principles, criteria, indicators and standards for sustainable forest management in South Africa.
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Date
2005
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Abstract
The aim of this study was to engage small-scale timber growers in the development of
national principles, criteria, indicators and standards (PCI&S) for sustainable forest
management (SFM) in South Africa (SA).
To ensure effective participation of small-scale timber growers in the development
PCI&S, an overview of sustainable and small-scale forestry was explored.
Furthermore, because of the importance of globalisation on the SFM concept, its
conceptual framework and small-scale forestry development in relation to SFM were
investigated.
Participatory rural appraisal (PRA) methods, and PCI&S evaluation and development
processes were used to engage small-scale timber growers by identifying and
integrating their perceptions into the process of SFM standards development. These
small-scale timber growers' perceptions focused on social, economic, environment
and policy issues.
The stUdy indicates that the views of small-scale timber growers regarding SFM do not
vary significantly from those held globally. However, they demonstrate that local
conditions determined issues of relevance and importance to this specific group. The
results further support the view that there is value in combining both top-down and
bottom-up approaches in developing an appropriate set of PCI&S. This is critical
because the perceptions of small-scale timber growers for SFM are scale sensitive.
Finally, the results supported the view that there is a need to give attention to and
strengthen socio-economic issues versus those of the physical environment to
improve inequalities of the past, and influence future decisions.
Description
Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.
Keywords
Forest management--KwaZulu-Natal--Zululand., Sustainable forestry--South Africa., Forests and forestry--Economic aspects--KwaZulu-Natal--Zululand., Forests and forestry--Environmental aspects--KwaZulu-Natal--Zululand., Theses--Environmental science.