Publications
This collection includes research by AWEI Fellows and others as well as resources relevant to Africa's wildlife economy.
If you are interested in contributing to AWEI's research - as a researcher, partner or sponsor - please do contact us.
Featured publications
-
Meat from the Wild: Extractive Uses of Wildlife and Alternatives for Sustainability
/awei/sites/default/files/2016-MeatFromTheWild-ExtractiveUsesOfWildlifeAndAlternativesForSustainability.pdfHunting and gathering remained the main mode of subsistence of humanity for hundreds of thousands of years. This chapter introduces extractive uses of wildlife and explores the potential for sustainable use.
Vliet, Nathalie & Cornelis, Daniel & Beck, Harald & Lindsey, P. & Nasi, Robert & LeBel, Sébastien & Moreno, Jessica & Fragoso, José & Jori, Ferran. (2016). Meat from the Wild: Extractive Uses of Wildlife and Alternatives for Sustainability. 10.1007/978-3-319-27912-1_10.
Resource -
Agriculture and Adaptation to Climate Change: The Role of Wildlife Ranching in South Africa
/awei/sites/default/files/2016-AgricultureAndAdaptationToClimateChange-TheRoleOfWildlifeRanchingInSouthAfrica.pdfThis paper explores the role of wildlife in adaptation to climate change in areas predominantly used for livestock production in South Africa.
Otieno J., Muchapondwa E. (2016). Agriculture and Adaptation to Climate Change: The Role of Wildlife Ranching in South Africa.
Resource -
Wildlife policy in Southern Africa: Why not crop the game?
/awei/sites/default/files/2016-WhyNotCropTheGame.pdf"The key to the recovery of wildlife in Southern Africa is not technical or ecological, but carefully crafted legal changes that address 'market failure' by returning the ownership and value of wildlife to landholders."
Brian Child. (2016). Wildlife Policy in Southern Africa: Why not Crop the Game? WRSA.
Resource -
Money and Motives: An Organizational Ecology Perspective on Private Land Conservation
/awei/sites/default/files/2016-MoneyAndMotives-AnOrganizationalEcologyPerspectiveOnPrivateLandConservation.pdfThis article applies ideas from organizational ecology to understanding the economic strategies of private land conservation areas (PLCAs), and their sustainability. Results indicate that diverse business models have been adopted by PLCAs, high-end ecotourism PLCAs generate greater earnings than hunting or budget PLCAs, mismatches exist between financial objectives and financial returns on some PLCAs, and organizational ecology can be used to understand the implications of these mismatches.
Hayley S. Clements, Julia Baum, Graeme S. Cumming. (2016). Money and motives: an organizational ecology perspective on private land conservation. Biological Conservation. Volume 197.Research
-
Wildlife policy in Southern Africa: Why not crop the game?
/awei/sites/default/files/2016-WhyNotCropTheGame_0.pdfProf Alison Leslie"The key to the recovery of wildlife in Southern Africa is not technical or ecological, but carefully crafted legal changes that address 'market failure' by returning the ownership and value of wildlife to landholders."
Brian Child. (2016). Wildlife Policy in Southern Africa: Why not Crop the Game? WRSA. -
An Assessment Of The Economic, Social And Conservation Value Of The Wildlife Ranching Industry And Its Potential To Support The Green Economy In South Africa
Localised research studies and research focussing on specific aspects of wildlife ranching have provided important clues as to the scale of the sector, but a lack of assimilation of information at the national level (with a few exceptions aimed at specific segments of the industry) has meant that there is quite limited knowledge as to the true scale and scope of wildlife ranching across South Africa.
Taylor, W.A., Lindsey, P.A. & Davies-Mostert, H. 2015. An assessment of the economic, social and conservation value of the wildlife ranching industry and its potential to support the green economy in South Africa. The Endangered Wildlife Trust, Johannesburg.
Resource -
Biodiversity Economy Strategy (BES) for the Department of Environmental Affairs
/awei/sites/default/files/2015-BiodiversityEconomyStrategy.pdfThe Biodiversity Economy Strategy (BES) is required to guide the sustainable growth of the wildlife and bioprospecting industries and to provide a basis for addressing constraints to growth, ensuring sustainability, identifying clear stakeholder’s responsibilities and monitoring the progress of the Enabling Actions. The Vision of BES is to optimise the total economic benefits of the wildlife and bioprospecting industries through its sustainable use, in line with the Vision of the Department of Environmental Affairs.
Republic of South Africa (2015). Biodiversity Economy Strategy (BES) for the Department of Environmental Affairs
Resource -
CITES and the WTO Enhancing Cooperation for Sustainable Development.
/awei/sites/default/files/2015-CITIES-WTO-EnhancingCooperationForSustainableDevelopment.pdfThis publication illustrates how the relationship between the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the WTO has evolved into a leading example of how global trade and environmental regimes can support each other and work coherently to achieve shared objectives.
World Trade Organization (2015). CITES and the WTO Enhancing Cooperation for Sustainable Development.
Resource -
Guidelines for Improving the Administration of Sustainable Hunting in Sub-Saharan Africa
/awei/sites/default/files/2015-GuidelinesImprovingAdministrationOfSustainableHuntingInSubSaharanAfrica.pdfWhile the administration of National Parks and wildlife viewing tourism has already been widely addressed by a broad range of organizations including FAO, the administration and management of Hunting Areas and regulated hunting had not been much addressed yet. These guidelines provide both operational and technical guidance on approaches in countries practising regulated hunting.
Vernon Booth & Philippe Chardonnet (2015). Guidelines for improving the administration of sustainable hunting in sub-Saharan Africa.
Resource -
The conservation movement in Zimbabwe
/awei/sites/default/files/2015-TheConservationMovementInZimbabwe.pdfAn early experiment in devolved community based regulation
This paper describes how the Zimbabwe Natural Resources Act of 1941 nurtured a civic landholder-based conservation movement, the Intensive Conservation Area movement (ICA)... It provides a rare insight into the efficacy of environmental regulation that legally devolves use rights and regulatory responsibility to communities of landholders, and favours democratic processes above top-down regulation. The main message is that natural resource governance is effective when (a) landholders are genuinely empowered with the rights to use and manage natural resources provided, and (b) this occurs within a framework of devolved and collective self-regulation through structures built democratically from the bottom up.
Graham Child & Brian Child. The conservation movement in Zimbabwe: An early experiment in devolved community based regulation. African Journal of Wildlife Research 45(1): 1–16 (April 2015).
Resource -
The Trade in Wildlife: A Framework to Improve Biodiversity and Livelihood Outcomes
/awei/sites/default/files/2015-TheTradeInWildlife-AFrameworkToImproveBiodiversityAndLivelihoodOutcomes.pdfThis report provides a framework to strengthen the understanding and assessment of the impact of trade in wildlife products on conservation and local livelihoods. It explores the role of interrelated factors related to particular species and their habitat, governance settings, the supply-chain structure and the nature of the end market. Combined, these factors strongly influence the incentives for conservation and the livelihood outcomes of trade.
Cooney, R., Kasterine, A., MacMillan, D., Milledge, S., Nossal, K., Roe, D. and S.,’t Sas-Rolfes, M. (2015). The trade in wildlife: a framework to improve biodiversity and livelihood outcomes, International Trade Centre, Geneva, Switzerland.
-
The Viability of Legalizing Trade in Rhino Horn in South Africa
/awei/sites/default/files/2014-TheViabilityOfLegalisingTradeInRhinoHornInSouthAfrica.pdfMr Michael 't Sas-RolfesIt is clear that both trade or no-trade scenarios carry risks that could negatively impact South Africa’s rhino populations, so determining which option to pursue comes down to a decision on which one is least detrimental to rhino conservation. Taking into account the facts that the mechanisms for controlling a legal trade in South Africa are not yet in place, that the number of rhino horns in private stockpiles are uncertain, and that some private rhino owners are not yet compliant with permitting regulations, it is likely that lifting the moratorium at the present time will lead to laundering of illegal horn into legal stockpiles as well as smuggling of horn out of the country.
Andrew Taylor, Kirsty Brebner, Rynette Coetzee, Harriet Davies-Mostert, Peter Lindsey, Jo Shaw, Michael ‘t Sas-Rolfes (2014). The Viability of Legalizing Trade in Rhino Horn in South Africa. The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) Pretoria, South Africa
-
Navigating the Wildlife Trade Debate
/awei/sites/default/files/2014-BIORES-NavigatingTheWildlifeTradeDebate.pdfThis volume discusses different topics that include legal rhino horn: a viable conservation alternative, the challenges of protecting widely shared traditional knowledge, and presents solutions for low-carbon economic development.
BIORES(2014). Navigating the Wildlife Trade Debate. ICTSD International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development Geneva, Switzerland. VOLUME 8, ISSUE 2.
Resource -
The Elephant in the Room: Sustainable Use in the Illegal Wildlife Trade Debate
/awei/sites/default/files/2014-SustainableUseInTheIllegalWildlifeTradeDebate.pdfThe attention afforded to resolve illegal transnational wildlife trade issue tends to emphasise law enforcement and demand reduction, with considerably less focus on effective incentives for community-based and private sector management.
Roe, Dilys & Milledge, Simon & Cooney, Rosie & t Sas-Rolfes, Michael & Biggs, Duan & Murphree, Michael & Kasterine, Alexander. (2014). The elephant in the room: sustainable use in the illegal wildlife trade debate. 10.13140/RG.2.2.28548.07048.Research
-
Overcoming barriers to understanding the biodiversity contribution of private ranchlands
/awei/sites/default/files/2014-OvercomingBarriersToUnderstandingTheBiodiversityContributionOfPrivateRanchlands.pdfTo resolve biodiversity data gaps on ranchland, conservation scientists will need to identify and strengthen the link between primary ranchland data and policy needs: in a world of limited resources we should focus our attention on mobilizing ranchland biodiversity datasets most critical for guiding policy.
H. T. Davies-Mostert. 2014. Overcoming barriers to understanding the biodiversity contribution of private ranchlands. Animal Conservation (2014) The Zoological Society of London.
Resource -
Why keep lions instead of livestock? Assessing wildlife tourism-based payment for ecosystem services involving herders in the Maasai Mara, Kenya
/awei/sites/default/files/2013-WhyKeepLionsInsteadOfLivestockAssessingWildlifeTourismBasedPES.pdfUsing the case of Olare Orok Conservancy PES programme in which pastoral landowners have agreed to voluntary resettlement and exclusion of livestock grazing from their sub-divided lands, this paper examines the effects of wildlife tourism-based payments for ecosystem services (PES) on poverty, wealth inequality and the livelihoods of herders in the Maasai Mara Ecosystem in south-western Kenya.
Osano, P.M., Said, M.Y., de Leeuw, J., Ndiwa, N., Kaelo, D., Schomers, S., Birner, R. and Ogutu, J.O. (2013), Why keep lions instead of livestock? Assessing wildlife tourism-based payment for ecosystem services involving herders in the Maasai Mara, Kenya. Philip M . O sano et al.. Nat Resour Forum, 37: 242-256. doi:10.1111/1477-8947.12027.
Resource -
The Zambian Wildlife Ranching Industry: Scale, Associated Benefits, and Limitations Affecting Its Development
/awei/sites/default/files/2013-TheZambianWildlifeRanchingIndustry.pdfThere is enormous scope for wildlife ranching in Zambia due to the availability of land, high diversity of wildlife and low potential for commercial livestock production. However, the Zambian wildlife ranching industry is small and following completion of field work for this study, there was evidence of a significant proportion of ranchers dropping out. The industry is performing poorly, due to inter alia: rampant commercial bushmeat poaching; failure of government to allocate outright ownership of wildlife to landowners; bureaucratic hurdles; perceived historical lack of support from the Zambia Wildlife Authority and government; a lack of a clear policy on wildlife ranching; and a ban on hunting on unfenced lands including game ranches.
Lindsey PA, Barnes J, Nyirenda V, Pumfrett B, Tambling CJ, Taylor WA, t'Sas Rolfes M. The Zambian wildlife ranching industry: scale, associated benefits, and limitations affecting its development. PLoS One. 2013 Dec 18;8(12):e81761. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0081761. PMID: 24367493; PMCID: PMC3867336.
Research
-
Comparison of National Wildlife Management Strategies: What Works Where, and Why?
/awei/sites/default/files/2013-ComparisonOfNationalWildlifeManagementStrategies.pdfWildlife management strategies differ in their regulation of hunting, ownership of wildlife, funding mechanisms, and the biological and socio‐political contexts in which they operate. This broad comparison speaks to the question of, “What works where, and why?” for wildlife conservation.
Pack, Shalynn & Golden Kroner, Rachel. (2013). Comparison of national wildlife management strategies: What works where, and why?.
Resource -
Guidelines for the Sustainable Management of BioTrade Products: Resource Assessment
/awei/sites/default/files/2013-GuidelinesForTheSustainableManagementOfBioTradeProductsResourceAssessment.pdfIn 1997, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) launched the BioTrade Initiative with the primary goal of promoting trade and investment in biological resources. The purpose of this document is to develop a set of practical guidelines on conducting wild species resource assessments in compliance with BioTrade Principles and Criteria.
Cuesta, Francisco & Becerra Ramirez, Maria Teresa. (2013). Guidelines for sustainable management of BioTrade products Resource Assessment.
Resource -
A Proposed Business Model for a Conservation Based Property in a Conservancy in Zimbabwe
/awei/sites/default/files/2013-ZimbabweConservancyBusinessModel_0.pdfAWF proposed an overall model for a conservancy in Zimbabwe that looked at the macro-level (the whole conservancy) as well as governance (the board) and at a property level (the pieces that make up the whole conservancy.) AWF completed this model in September 2012; however, the process has not moved forward because of political delays. As a result, AWF looked at a property level investment in one of the conservancies and made an assessment of the property in relation to the requirements of the Indigenisation policy. This model may result in each property within a whole conservancy indigenising; therefore, incorporating communities into the whole through a step by step approach.
Fitzgerald K. H., 2013. Summary Report on: A Proposed Business Model for a Conservation Based Property in a Conservancy in Zimbabwe. USAID and Conservation Strategy African Wildlife Foundation.
Resource -
Legal Trade of Africa’s Rhino Horns
/awei/sites/default/files/2013-LegalTradeOfAfricasRhinoHorns.pdf -
Conservation Enterprise: What Works, Where and for Whom?
/awei/sites/default/files/2012-ConservationEnterprise_WhatWorksWhereandForWhom.pdfCommunity-based natural resource management (CBNRM) recognises that local communities are often best placed to conserve natural resources, as long as they stand to gain more than they lose from doing so. This study draws on the experience of the AWF and other organisations to assess what effect conservation enterprises can have on the livelihoods of local communities and how effective such initiatives are at poverty reduction.
Elliott, J. and Sumba, D. (2012). Conservation Enterprise: What Works, Where and for Whom?. In Biodiversity Conservation and Poverty Alleviation: Exploring the Evidence for a Link (eds W. Cooper, D. Roe, J. Elliott, C. Sandbrook and M. Walpole). doi:10.1002/9781118428351.ch13
Resource -
The economics and institutional economics of wildlife on private land in Africa
/awei/sites/default/files/2012-EconomicsOfWildlifeOnPrivateLandInAfrica.pdf"In southern Africa, there are now 10,000 to 14,000 private ranchers that promote wildlife enterprises alone or in some in combination with domestic livestock. An important conservation success, this new bio-experience economy also creates social well-being through economic growth and job creation. It is an economic sector that needs to be taken seriously, not least because it pioneers policies that inform the valorization and sustainable management of ecosystem services."
Child, B.A., Musengezi, J., Parent, G.D. et al. The economics and institutional economics of wildlife on private land in Africa. Pastoralism 2, 18 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1186/2041-7136-2-18
Resource
Get updates by email
In a complex and changing world, AWEI generates strategic ideas, conducts independent analysis on wildlife economies, and collaborates with global scholar-practitioners to provide training and expertise for biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and inclusive economic opportunities in Africa.
Sign up for a quarterly dose of AWEI insights
In a complex and changing world, AWEI generates strategic ideas, conducts independent analysis on wildlife economies, and collaborates with global scholar-practitioners to provide training and expertise for biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and inclusive economic opportunities in Africa.