CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2017
| Author | Milatovic, Luna |
|---|---|
| Title | Use of Modified Threat Reduction Assessment to Estimate the Conservation Effectiveness of Protected Areas in Limpopo Province, South Africa |
| Summary | Protected areas (PAs) are seen as the cornerstone of biodiversity conservation and their establishment is often used to demonstrate the success of conservation policies. However, despite the increase in number and extent of PAs, biodiversity loss trends remain largely unchanged. It has become apparent that simply establishing a PA is not enough and effective management is as equally important for achieving conservation success. The importance of monitoring and evaluation systems has been recognised by numerous institutions, triggering the development of different conservation performance assessment frameworks and tools; varying in their accuracy, scale and application. Modified Threat Reduction Assessment (MTRA) was selected to evaluate the management effectiveness of the Letaba Ranch Nature Reserve (LRNR), which serves as a buffer park of Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa, and two bordering KNP sections (Mahlangeni, Phalaborwa). The aim of this research was to determine the nature of threats to biodiversity and their changes between 2013 and 2017 in all three sites. The research revealed 13 threats and determined negative TRA indices of -33.6% in LRNR and -13.6% in the Phalaborwa section, and a positive +13.2% reduction in threats in Mahlangeni. Combined with the results of geospatial visualisation of changes in threats, the research indicates that LRNR is not sufficiently meeting the objective of supporting the ecological integrity of KNP, but further exposes it to threats. |
| Supervisor | Brandon Anthony |
| Department | Environment Sciences and Policy MSc |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2017/milatovic_luna.pdf |
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