Showing papers by "Marja Spierenburg published in 2008"

Induced volition: Resettlement from the Limpopo National Park, Mozambique

Abstract: This paper focuses on the resettlement process taking place in the context of the creation of the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique, which is part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. About 26,000 people are currently living in the park; 7000 of whom will be resettled to an area southeast of the park. The Mozambican government and donors funding the creation of the park have maintained that no forced relocation will take place. However, the pressure created by restrictions on livelihood strategies resulting from park regulations, and the increased presence of wildlife has forced some communities to ‘accept’ the resettlement option. Nevertheless, donors and park authorities present the resettlement exercise as a development project. In the article we describe how the dynamics of the regional political economy of conservation led to the adoption of a park model and instigated a resettlement process that obtained the label ‘voluntary’. We analyse the nuances of volition and the emergent contra...

Enclosing the Local for the Global Commons: Community Land Rights in the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area

Abstract: The Great Limpopo is one of the largest Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs) in the world, encom­passing vast areas in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. By arguing that residents living in or close to the TFCA will participate in its management and benefit economically, TFCA proponents claim social legitimacy for the project. The establishment of the Great Limpopo required negotiations among the three nation states, different government departments within these states and various donors contrib­uting funds. This article explores how these negotiations and interactions affected the institutional choices made with regards to the management of the Great Limpopo and how these shaped the control and benefits of local residents. This article examines the differences among the different actors in terms of power and capacities, which are often ignored in the promotion of TFCAs. By comparing the experi­ences of local residents in the South African part of the TFCA with those in Mozambique, the cases show how international negotiations interact with national policies of decentralisation to shape and sometimes even disable local government institutions.

Promises Of Economic Development In The Great Limpopo, Southern Africa: Networks And Partnerships Intransfrontier Conservation

Abstract: The Great Limpopo is one of the largest Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCA) in the world, covering vast areas of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The TFCA concept is embraced by practically all (international) conservation agencies, with the rationale for support being that the boundaries of ecosystems generally do not correspond to those of nation-states. By arguing that local communities living in or close to TFCAs will participate and benefit economically, primarily through tourism ventures in cooperation with commercial operators, TFCA proponents claim social legitimacy for the project. However, analysis shows that communities first have to maintain rigid standards set by the international conservation authorities, before they are considered fit to participate and benefit from the commercialization of nature. Commercial operators, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the public sector seem to have a similar agenda with regard to prioritizing conservation ideals before local communities can enjoy the benefits of economic development. Keywords: economic development; Great Limpopo; South Africa; transfrontier conservation areas (TFCAs)