OpenUCT :: Browsing by Author "Shackleton, Sheona"

Browsing by Author "Shackleton, Sheona"

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Open Access
Differentiated use and value of river and riparian ecosystem services and local perspectives on future safeguarding: A case study of the upper Mutale sub-catchment, Limpopo River Basin, South Africa
(2025) Ragimana, Phumudzo; Holden, Petra; Shackleton, Sheona; Mugwedi, Lutendo
Over the past five decades, human-driven changes in natural ecosystems have resulted in biodiversity loss and a decline in ecosystem services, particularly affecting freshwater ecosystems. The response to these challenges has led to the adoption of nature-based solutions, emphasizing the restoration and sustainable management of ecosystems to enhance biodiversity and human well-being. Advocates stress the necessity of local engagement and knowledge integration in nature-based solutions, underscoring the potential adverse effects on vulnerable social groups if these interactions are neglected. This study focused on Tshiombo Village near the Mutale River in South Africa, aiming to contribute to knowledge regarding restoration and sustainable management of river and riparian ecosystem services. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, the research assessed the differentiated use and value of these services among social groups, perceived changes in service availability, potential drivers of changes, and the consideration of nature-based solutions. Survey results revealed a high reliance on the Mutale River and its surroundings for various provisioning, cultural, and regulating ecosystem services. Freshwater for non-drinking domestic use and crop irrigation, delivered through a concrete canal, emerged as the most vital ecosystem service supporting community livelihoods. Women emerged as primary users, emphasizing the importance of the river for irrigation and non-drinking domestic use. Perceived declines in ecosystem services over the past decade were linked to local use and consumption and land use and cover change. While respondents showed limited awareness of nature-based actions, they expressed high awareness and preference for grey infrastructure options. Interviews with key informants aligned with survey results, highlighting a strong preference for grey infrastructure solutions, especially a concrete canal, to address declines in ecosystem services, particularly in relation to water scarcity issues. Here, a range of different social groups and resource users—despite acknowledging environmental decline—seemed only aware of grey infrastructure rather than nature-based solutions, despite being presented with some nature-based options. In contrast, local teachers were one core group that advocated for a focus on restoring and sustainably managing the environment. They also emphasized the importance of environmental literacy and inter-generational learning to increase the awareness of community members of nature-based solutions to addressing declines in ecosystem services such as water supply. This study emphasized the diversity of how different social groups use and value ecosystem services, underscoring their collective importance in the community. Most community members linked the use of grey infrastructure to improving losses of ecosystem services such as water supply. This showed their awareness and preference leaned towards grey infrastructure over nature-based solutions. The study underscores the necessity for hybrid approaches, combining grey and natural infrastructure, to ensure the sustainable delivery of ecosystem services in this rural community, which is more commonly found in urban literature on nature-based approaches. Further, environmental literacy is important to pair the community's grey infrastructure preferences for increased water accessibility with nature-based solutions to prevent future grey infrastructure damage and maintenance requirements, e.g., conservation agriculture could reduce the sedimentation of the concrete canal. This study highlights the need for hybrid solutions, combining grey and nature-based approaches, and underscores the importance of community involvement and human-centered approaches for effective ecosystem restoration and management, particularly in rural areas. The findings provide valuable insights for developing strategies that address the challenges faced by the Tshiombo Village community in safeguarding ecosystem services and enhancing well-being.
Open Access
Editorial for Special Issue: “Collaboration and Multi-Stakeholder Engagement in Landscape Governance and Management in Africa: Lessons from Practice”
(2021-03-10) Favretto, Nicola; Shackleton, Sheona; Sallu, Susannah M; Hoffman, Tali
A multitude of interconnected socio-economic and environmental impacts are emerging across Africa as a result of escalating anthropogenic drivers of global and local change [...]
Open Access
Exploring the contributions of cross-sector collaborations to Disaster Risk Reduction in the city of Harare: an investigation through a drought response lens
(2021) Nyamakura, Balbina Kudzai; Shackleton, Sheona; Ziervogel, Gina
The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction calls for collaboration across sectors in society as an effective way to reduce disaster risk in order to safeguard lives, human wellbeing, and development gains from potential disasters. However, the effectiveness of these cross-sector collaboration approaches has most often been studied in the context of rapid onset disasters such as floods, with less focus on slow-onset disasters such as multiple year droughts. There is also limited research on the contributions of cross-sector collaborations towards Disaster Risk Reduction in African cities. For this study, I set out to investigate cross-sector collaboration efforts contributing to drought response in the city of Harare, Zimbabwe; and how these collaborations were contributing towards fulfilling the four priority areas of the Sendai Framework. These include i) understanding disaster risk, ii) strengthening disaster risk governance, iii) investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience, and iv) enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response. In this qualitative study, I made use of purposive and snowball sampling methods to select 14 key informants from national and local government, non-governmental organisations, and civil society organisations who were directly involved in eight drought related cross-sector collaborations. I conducted in depth semi-structured interviews with these key informants between 2018 and 2019. For the analysis, I followed prior developed themes based on Bryson et al. (2006) theoretical framework to understand cross-sector collaborations. I also applied a typology of barriers and enablers developed from the literature in the analysis, and interpreted emergent themes using NVivo software. I then assessed the contributions of the identified cross-sector collaborations to the activities listed under each of the four priority areas in the Sendai Framework. The findings highlighted the socio-political and economic context of the city of Harare had seeped through and influenced the cross-sector collaborations responding to drought. They shed light on how taking advantage of widely accessible social media platforms serve to enhance collaborations. Additionally, the results highlight the importance of existing networks and relationships in enabling cross-sector collaborations to occur effectively. Most of the cross-sector collaborations occurring in response to drought were originally formed for other reasons and included drought response during the peak of the drought disaster. Collaborations were effective at contributing towards engaging communities in risk assessment and reporting at the local level (Priority 1) and ensuring continual provisioning of services (water) during and after disasters (Priority 4). I make suggestions for collaborations to consider issues of power and how these affect the effectiveness of collaborations on the ground with regards to ensuring social justice and reducing inequality. Finally, I conclude that cross-sector collaborations would be more effective in response to slow-onset disasters when they are formed and applied before the disaster is at its peak. I also suggest that the design and implementation of the cross-sector collaborations be tailor made to consider the socio-political and economic aspects of the city in their design for effective response.
Open Access
Exploring the relationship between the water-energy-food nexus and livelihoods at the local scale: a case study focussed on a low-income residential area in Velddrif, South Africa
(2024) Price, Penelope; Shackleton, Sheona
The water-energy-food nexus (WEF nexus) has primarily been applied to addressing WEF security at large spatial scales in response to resource scarcity concerns. In contrast, WEF security at local levels, particularly amongst the poor, has received little attention. This thesis addresses this gap by exploring the application of the WEF nexus at the local level through a case study of a low-income residential area in the small urban fishing town of Velddrif on the west coast of South Africa. The primary empirical focus of the study is the household where availability, access, and affordability of WEF resources, as well as the linkages to livelihood options, are explored through a household survey. This is complemented by the gathering of contextual qualitative data on service delivery, livelihood opportunities, and the WEF nexus at the town and municipal scales. The results indicated a low-income settlement with a high degree of water and electricity service delivery, which is rare in the South African context. They also revealed a concentration of employment in the fisheries sector, but very little fishing as a means of household food provision. Households typically relied on supermarkets and corner shops for food provision, indicating a reliance on income or financial capital as opposed to other livelihood capitals. All households reported some form of income, with a low percentage relying solely on social grant income. In line with the provisions of The Constitution, households that register as indigent are supported by the municipality in terms of receiving a minimum allocation of free basic water and electricity. The local municipality ensured their financial viability through imposing mechanisms to collect municipal rates debt before they escalated, thus enabling continued provision of basic services to all residents and free basic services to indigent households. The availability of water has been at risk due to recent drought conditions, and this highlighted the significant consumption of the town's largest employer - the large-scale fish processing factory, which through the industrial production of food is also the town's largest electricity consumer. Urgent scaling back of their water consumption was achieved through the installation of a desalination plant, thus averting employment losses through an alternative solution of reducing or stopping factory production. It did however realise other trade-offs, such as an increase in their electricity consumption. The fish factory therefore emerged as a significant actor in the WEF nexus / livelihoods intersection in this case study. Similarly, the local municipality plays a pivotal role in balancing trade-offs between availability and affordability of water and electricity in seeking to foster employment through economic development, as well as the sustainability of basic service provision. The WEF nexus at this level is therefore very useful in highlighting issues of equity, resource status and governance.
Open Access
‘Grounding' ecosystem-based adaptation in the Western Cape Province
(2020) Maarstoel, Marte Nogva; Shackleton, Sheona
Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) advocates that well-functioning ecosystems are critical for building resilience and supporting society's adaptation to the adverse impacts of climate change. The National Department of Environmental Affairs, Fisheries and Forestry in South Africa has decided to mainstream EbA into its climate response actions, developing a strategy and set of guidelines to steer implementation. However, little work has been done to grasp different actors' perspectives and understandings of EbA, its implementation and how to link EbA to existing related projects and programmes that focus on natural resource management and ecological restoration. This research presents findings from a qualitative study in the Western Cape that sought to investigate what EbA means ‘on the ground' and how it can be actioned. The objectives for this research were to 1) unpack how government actors in the Western Cape relate to, understand and give meaning to EbA in their specific and existing work contexts and how they relate EbA to other concepts such as green infrastructure, restoration and various forms of natural resource management (NRM); 2) explore the concerns and challenges encountered and what support is needed to implement EbA within each actor's sector; and 3) interpret what the findings mean for future conceptualization, and promotion of EbA mainstreaming in the Western Cape. Semi-structured interviews with 19 government officials and participant observation at EbA related events in South Africa were the main methods used in the research. Findings suggest that despite some conceptual confusion related to EbA, EbA can be ‘grounded based on the three spheres EbA explicitly builds on; namely biodiversity and ecosystem conservation, climate change adaptation and socio-economic benefits. That said, the study also found that practitioners might struggle to successfully address climate change as one of the critical areas of EbA, due to the difficulties of integrating climate change science and projections into projects. In addition, three challenges were identified that relate to funding availability, silo mentality and the mismatch between short-term objectives and decision making in government, and the need for long-term thinking and planning. Increased climate change understanding together with effective demonstration and the use of applicable language that relates to what the different actors are already doing can help improve EbA uptake and mainstreaming, as well as address the challenges related to conceptual confusion, funding, silo mentality and short-term thinking.
Open Access
Social equity and sustainability considerations in the planning of Nature-based solutions in Southern African Water Towers
(2022) Campbell, Andrea; Holden, Petra; Shackleton, Sheona
Nature-based solutions (NbS) – ecosystem protection, restoration, sustainable management, and creation – are increasingly being promoted to support human well-being and ecosystem health, particularly in the context of a changing climate. As such, NbS are gaining popularity globally in international policy and programmes resulting in an increase in multilateral funding from the Global North for NbS projects in developing countries. However, concerns have arisen around how suitable these interventions are in local contexts where local communities are heavily reliant on natural resources given the potential for social, economic, and environmental trade-offs. This research aimed to address these concerns by exploring: i) whether and how social equity has been considered in NbS project design, particularly in relation to vulnerable groups; and ii) whether project sustainability (in terms of longevity and more broadly in terms of sustainable development) has been linked to social equity. The research focused on Southern African NbS projects that are of relevance to areas important to water supply (known as Water Towers). This excluded all marine, coastal, and urban NbS types. Firstly, a systematic mapping was undertaken of relevant multilateral funded project documents (number of projects=134) for the region. Secondly an in-depth qualitative analysis of project planning documents for a random subset (np=16) of these latter NbS projects was conducted using a multidimensional equity framework, including distributional, procedural, and recognitional dimensions of equity. Research findings show that NbS projects in Southern Africa tend to incorporate multiple NbS types into individual country projects targeting cross-cutting societal challenges including climate change adaptation, food security, sustainable livelihoods, and conservation among others. While distributional and procedural equity aspects were mentioned in the project documents, there was a lack of clear details showing how these equity considerations would be supported and realised in project implementation. Recognitional equity, despite being mentioned with a focus on details of the inclusion of traditional and indigenous knowledge was generally excluded from NbS project design. While gender was regularly broadly considered, there was limited evidence of attempts to differentiate vulnerable groups within local communities. Project sustainability was somewhat linked to social equity in project design through regular mention of capacity building and participation in the project documentation, but large gaps existed, particularly in relation to the processes of local-level participation. Furthermore, projects did not fully recognise the complexity inherent in working towards multiple, at times conflicting, goals related to sustainable development when considering achieving equity in local contexts, e.g., where local natural resource management and agricultural practices were at odds with the project related NbS objectives. This is an example of a type of constraint to achieving social equity in NbS that should be considered and addressed during NbS design and planning. This research echoes calls for equitable approaches to NbS design and planning that recognise that social equity should be both a process and an outcome of NbS to contribute towards sustainable development. For this to be achieved multidimensions of equity need to be incorporated early in the design and planning of NbS, and through to implementation.
Open Access
The role of mapping in enhancing collaboration and decision-making processes around urban natural assets: a case study of Lilongwe, Malawi
(2021) Schröder, Claudia; Shackleton, Sheona; Ziervogel, Gina
The role of collaborative urban planning approaches in addressing wicked problems and fostering climate resilience is receiving growing attention. Strong and robust governance systems, that value collaboration, are likely to contribute to managing the complex challenges African cities face. Collaboration in urban planning presents an opportunity for engaging numerous state and non-state actors to work towards more robust and durable solutions for cities. There are various factors and mechanisms that can be adopted and used in cities to encourage effective collaboration in urban planning. Maps are one such mechanism. Maps can firstly, be used to facilitate collaboration and open up conversation amongst people and secondly, can be used to analyse and understand the city. Through ICLEI Africa's Urban Natural Assets: Rivers for Life (UNA Rivers) project, urban planners and environmental officers from Malawi's Lilongwe City Council identified the need to better incorporate urban natural assets in Lilongwe City's city planning processes. This thesis aimed to determine how the process of collaborative mapping of urban natural assets might contribute to collaborative governance between state and non-state actors in the City of Lilongwe. In order to fulfil this aim, there were three objectives: a) to assess the steps and process employed in the collaborative urban natural asset hotspots mapping process; b) to investigate the role, experiences and perceptions of the actors involved; and c) to examine how and to what extent the collaboratively produced urban natural asset hotspots map has been able to inform urban planning and foster collaborative governance. To meet these three objectives this study drew on existing documents relating to the collaborative mapping process, in-depth, semi-structured interviews with targeted participants and a focus group discussion with the UNA Rivers project team members from ICLEI Africa. The results indicate that the steps in the collaborative mapping process were influenced by various factors. Firstly, the selection of participants was strategic and targeted to include key individuals who worked in departments pertaining to city planning and environmental decisions. Secondly, the data collection process undertaken to locate and map the urban natural asset hotspots in Lilongwe was influenced by the limited GIS capacity within the Lilongwe Council, which resulted in the appointment of a consultant from Conservation Research Africa by ICLEI Africa to undertake the data collection and GIS mapping process. Several conditions were found that enhanced participants' experience of the collaborative mapping process. These conditions, included flexibility in role and responsibilities of actors; the inclusion of diverse stakeholders and opinions; keeping the numbers of participants in a collaboration to a manageable size; the opportunity to build relationships and trust. The visual representation of the urban natural asset in the form of a map was well received. However, despite the numerous benefits of the collaboratively produced urban natural hotspots map, participants listed a number of reasons that it was not used extensively. These reasons include outdated city planning laws and regulations that do not refer to the map; politics surrounding the enforcement of these laws and regulations even if they were to be updated; the lack of capacity, especially in the GIS department, in order to update the maps; Lilongwe city does not have ownership of land meaning there are often intimidation tactics by developers; and limited funding to implement and mainstream the map in decision making processes. However, while the actual map might not be used to its full potential, the collaborative process changed the way certain decisions are being made in the Lilongwe City Council, especially in relation to city planning practices. This in itself is a noteworthy outcome and showcases the value of maps in aiding collaborative governance.
Open Access
Viability analysis for investing in ecological infrastructure to secure water supply: A case study of South Africa
(2023) Webster, Kayla; Turpie, Jane; Shackleton, Sheona; Letley, Gwyneth
There is increasing understanding of the role that both ecological and built infrastructure can have in economic growth and development in terms of water supply. However, degradation of ecological infrastructure (EI) is resulting in the loss of valuable ecosystem services that benefit human well-being. Invasive alien plants (IAPs) are degrading catchment areas which negatively impacts delivery of hydrological ecosystem services. Clearing IAPs is considered a catchment conservation intervention that preserves these services. This study used South Africa as a case study to analyse the viability of investing in EI by way of IAP clearing compared to built infrastructure augmentation interventions to secure water supply in the long term. Unit reference values (URVs) were used to compare costeffectiveness between ecological and built interventions for 11 of South Africa's regional water supply systems (WSSs). Built infrastructure URVs were available from government reports, while URVs for EI were calculated by modelling spread of IAPs, calculating the cost to clear them between 2022 and 2050 and the potential amount of water saved in their absence. The results provide quantitative evidence of the cost-effectiveness of investing in EI against built infrastructure options to secure water supply. The potential water to be gained by clearing IAPs from catchment areas of existing bulk water infrastructure was approximately 40% of what would be gained by implementing all built infrastructure interventions by 2050. It is recommended that IAP clearing be pushed ahead of built infrastructure interventions to delay costs associated with further built infrastructure development. Governing institutions, economists and natural resource managers are therefore encouraged to coordinate efforts towards designing EI investment frameworks as a sustainable, resilient approach to securing water supply.

Browsing by Author "Shackleton, Sheona"

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