OpenUCT :: Browsing by Author "Turpie, Jane"

Browsing by Author "Turpie, Jane"

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Open Access
Assessing the vulnerability of South Africa's national protected areas to climate change
(2018) Coldrey, Kevin; Turpie, Jane; Foden, Wendy
Protected areas should be reviewed under expected future climate conditions so that conservation and expansion strategies can be developed appropriately. An assessment of the vulnerability of protected areas to climate change is a necessary step in developing such strategies. Indeed, a vulnerability assessment is an important step in developing adaptation strategies for conservation. This is important as substantial climate change has already been experienced at a park level in South Africa. The aim of this study was to develop a method for assessing the relative vulnerability of protected areas to climate change and to apply this to South Africa’s 19 national parks. The method includes identifying and quantifying potential impacts of climate change on each focal protected area, carried out by developing and/or using projections for species, ecosystems, infrastructure, tourism and neighbouring communities. Potential impacts were combined with measures of each park’s adaptive capacity to develop an overall park vulnerability score. This study has taken vulnerability assessment at a protected area level further than has been attempted before by assessing not only the biophysical but also the socioeconomic impacts of climate change on a protected area, quantifying the potential changes (potential impacts) and developing a relative index. The results indicate that climate change has the potential to contribute significantly to the threats faced by South Africa’s national parks. Apart from a potentially devastating impact on species and ecosystems, the effects on tourism demand, community relations and infrastructure are of concern. Not surprisingly, the most vulnerable parks are largely coastal, where tourist infrastructure is at risk of both flooding and sea-level rise, and there are higher population densities. Furthermore, coastal ecosystems are expected to transform significantly which will have consequences for range-restricted species. Management strategies need to take heed of the magnitude of potential impacts identified in this study and work towards developing adaptation pathways.
Open Access
Comparative foraging ecology of two broad-ranging migrants, grey plover Pluvialis Squatarola and whimbrel Numenius Phaeopus (Aves: Charadrii), in tropical and temperate latitudes of the Western Indian Ocean
(1994) Turpie, Jane; Hockey, Phil A R
A seasonal study of the nonbreeding foraging ecology of Grey Plovers and Whimbrels was undertaken at the Zwartkops estuary, South Africa, and additional data were collected from a variety of sites in tropical and south temperate latitudes during the premigratory period. The main objective of the study was to provide comparative data on shorebird foraging ecology in the southern hemisphere, in order to contribute to the general understanding of shorebird foraging behaviour and migration patterns.
Open Access
Could catchment conservation be funded through urban water tariffs? A case study of three South African cities
(2022) du Plessis, Nicola; Turpie, Jane; Visser, Martine; Anderson, Pippin
Water scarcity is a global issue that has traditionally been addressed by over-abstracting surface water and constructing more dams. However, these solutions are environmentally destructive and, in some cases, insufficient to meet future water demands. To secure future water supply, it is necessary to invest in the protection and restoration of catchment areas which have become degraded due to human activities. In many developing countries, catchment management is financed solely by public funding, which is often insufficient to cover the costs of catchment conservation. Supplementary funding sources thus need to be investigated to ensure the future success of these interventions. This study aimed to address whether household water tariff pricing could be used as a mechanism for securing funds for catchment restoration. The objectives of the study were to (i) elicit households' willingness to pay (WTP) for water, (ii) determine factors influencing WTP, and (iii) investigate whether aggregate revenue generated from households' WTP at the municipal scale could cover the costs needed for catchment conservation in that water service provider region. Household surveys were conducted on 1244 households in three coastal metropolitan municipalities in South Africa: the City of Cape Town, Nelson Mandela Bay, and eThekwini. Contingent valuation revealed that average WTP for water across all three municipalities was R540 per household per month, 4.6% more than what households currently pay for water. Factors that significantly influenced WTP included income, age, household size, municipality, and satisfaction with municipal service delivery. Based on the WTP for 11 income categories, aggregate WTP for water amounted to R5.94 billion per year for the City of Cape Town, R5.83 billion per year for eThekwini, and R1.26 billion per year for Nelson Mandela Bay municipality. This translated to a positive consumer surplus of R1.2 billion for the City of Cape Town and R826 million for eThekwini, which is approximately three times greater than the estimated budgets required to cover the costs to restore both of the catchment areas supplying water to these municipalities. Since WTP for water was lower than the amount that residents currently pay in Nelson Mandela Bay, water pricing cannot be considered a mechanism to finance catchment conservation for this municipality. Choice models further revealed that households were willing to pay 34% more than their current water bill to avoid water restrictions, and 22% more to secure water supply through more environmentally sustainable options. These results demonstrate the importance of context and scale when making water investment and pricing decisions over the longer term.
Open Access
An econometric analysis of the wildlife market in South Africa
(2003) Anderson, Hilary Jane; Turpie, Jane; De Wet, Theunis; Fatti, Paul; Blignaut, James
Since there has been no comprehensive nationwide economic study on the expanding wildlife market in South Africa, the present study ventures into a relatively unexplored economic terrain in the hope that more studies will be stimulated in that direction. The study focuses, firstly, on presenting an economic overview of the current trends within the wildlife market of South Africa, attempting inter alia to demonstrate how the sustainable utilisation of wildlife can contribute to both conservation and the economy. Secondly, it is endeavoured to describe the demand for wildlife species at game auctions across South Africa, using a range of econometric modelling techniques.
Open Access
The economics, institutions and conservation benefits of community-based avitourism in South Africa
(2006) Biggs, Duan; Turpie, Jane; Fabricius, Christo
Includes bibliographical references (p. 97-104).
Open Access
Estimating the marginal value of agricultural irrigation water: A methodology and empirical application to the Berg River Catchment
(2017) Muller, Jacob; Turpie, Jane; Cartwright., Anton
This study aims to facilitate effective and efficient intersectoral water allocation policy in South Africa, where limited water supplies are increasingly constraining necessary economic development. The study develops an economic model of irrigated agricultural production that recognises the multi-output nature of irrigated agriculture as well as the institutional setting in which commercial irrigation water is allocated in South Africa. The model is then used to econometrically estimate the marginal value of commercial irrigation water in the Berg Water Management Area (WMA), using a Translog functional form, Tobit censored regression model, including controls for heterogeneity, and accounting for heteroscedasticity. The estimates are obtained for 16 irrigated crops in the region and range from an overall mean of 4.84 R/m³ for peaches to 0.14 R/m³ for wheat, but vary significantly between sub-regions and according to soil productivity as well as between crops. Furthermore, the estimates differ substantially from the average value of production per m³ of irrigation water, reflecting a revenue-water elasticity that differs from unity for all crops. The results imply that potential efficiency gains are possible from the intersectoral reallocation of water away from agriculture. A further implication is that reallocation within the agricultural sector would be most efficiently undertaken by farmers themselves, due to the large number factors that affect irrigation water productivity but are unobservable by policymakers or are difficult to account for in the formulation of policy.
Open Access
From cost-effectiveness to economic-efficiency in conservation planning: the importance of considering the economic benefits of conservation
(2013) Palframan, Louise Moira; Turpie, Jane
Providing an economic case for establishing new protected areas and demonstrating how conservation enhances human well-being is becoming necessary to reinforce moral arguments for biodiversity protection. Accordingly; this study aimed to assess whether the spatial distribution of priority areas changes in accordance with gains in economic-efficiency when ecosystem service benefits are explicitly considered. Using the site-selection software Marxan, priority areas for South Africa were identified under four scenarios, two of which incorporated a spatial cost benefit analysis of the opportunity costs and ecosystem service benefits associated with conservation. Additional scenarios assessed how reserve design and costs changed when communal-land agriculture and resource use were weighted to account for the social costs of conservation. Opportunity costs were spatially variable and greatest in regions where mixed commercial farming was practiced. Economic benefits exceeded costs in the western interior, northern regions and along the eastern coastline. These areas contracted when ecosystem service benefits were more conservatively estimated by applying the principle of additionality. There was minimal to moderate spatial agreement between the scenarios (0.12 < κ < 0.55).When economic benefits were considered, areas that made more economic sense from a conservation management perspective were prioritized. These changes in spatial distribution were associated with gains in economic efficiency. The cost: benefit ratio was ca. 10 times greater than when no economic variables were considered (scenario 1 = 10.44 vs. scenario 4 = 1.15). When heavy weightings (> 100) were applied, the reserve systems became dispersed (R = 0.91 (for weighting factor of 10), R = 0.52 (for weighting factor of 1000)) in the former homelands and more costly overall (difference of R2.95B between the extremes). Considering the economic benefits of conservation changes the spatial distribution of priority areas and improves their economic efficiency. Disregarding economic benefits may compromise the implementation potential of priority areas, particularly when the economic benefits of competing land-uses are brought to the table. Furthermore, it is important to explicitly consider the social costs of conservation and consider resettlement or compensation costs among the trade-offs.
Open Access
Incentives and disincentives for conserving renosterveld remnants and the potential impacts of property rate rebates
(2006) Parker, Susan Ruth; Turpie, Jane; Botha, Mark
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 87-101).
Open Access
An investigation of land-use practices on the Agulhas Plain (South Africa), with emphasis on socio-economic and conservation issues
(1999) Heydenrych, Barry John; Cowling, Richard M; Turpie, Jane
An investigation of land-use practices was undertaken on the Agulhas Plain, a species-rich area at the southern tip of Africa. Data were collected from landowners and visitors using questionnaire surveys. Further information was obtained by means of a literature search and interviews with key informants. A historical background of land use in the area is given. Although the area has been utilized since the Earlier Stone Age (>200000 years BP), the most dramatic changes to the landscape have occurred post 1850, with the large transformation of indigenous veld into cultivated lands. Four categories of farms were identified: livestock farms, fynbos farms, mixed farms and conservation farms. Livestock farms covered the largest surface area. Cereal crops cultivated on these farms provided a net income of R 918 OOO/y. Grazing provided a net income of R 7.3 million/yon cultivated land and R 2.3 million/y was attributed to indigenous veld. This latter figure highlights the importance of natural veld for grazing, but for certain vegetation types, stocking rates were above the recommended norms. Fynbos flower farms had the second largest surface area of the four categories of farms. Fynbos wildflowers were found to be the largest single agricultural sector on the Agulhas Plain, yielding an estimated net income of R 8.55 million/y. Most harvesting from the wild takes place from Acid Sand Fynbos, which is relatively common, and there appears to be potential for wildflower harvesting to be compatible with biodiversity conservation, if managed correctly. Cultivated fynbos flowers yielded a net income of R 1.5 million/y. Cultivation of land for fynbos flowers is on the increase, and pristine fynbos is primarily being targeted for this practice, thereby threatening the biodiversity of these areas. Many landowners are involved with mixed farming practices and there are a small number of conservation farms, generally situated at the coast, which rely on outside funding for their management.
Open Access
The role of resource economics in the control of invasive alien plants in South Africa
(2004) Turpie, Jane
The recognition of the economic consequences of alien invasive plants in terms of water-supply costs was pivotal in the establishment of the Working for Water programme, which has spent over R3 billion in dealing with the problem while simultaneously addressing poverty relief. Given competition from other social development projects for future funding, however, there is a need to justify further alien control programmes and to maximize efficiency within the programme. This requires valuing the biodiversity benefits of alien control and improving of the evaluation methods used. The concept of ecological goods and services has been a useful political tool, but the resource-economics concept of the Total Economic Value of biodiversity forms a more useful analytical framework. Studies on the impacts of alien invasive plants in South Africa initially concentrated on water losses, but more recently have included values of direct consumptive and non-consumptive use, option and existence value, and other indirect measures. Secondary effects such as downstream changes in aquatic ecosystem functions have not been assessed. Studies have varied in their scale and scope, as well as in the 'currency' of evaluation (such as financial or economic). Several approaches have been used for valuing water losses, with initial estimates having been the most conservative. Estimates of non-water benefits have frequently involved extrapolation from site-specific investigations within the study area, or been estimated from estimates at the regional level. None of the contingent valuation studies used has been applied following internationally accepted guidelines. In water-yielding catchments, alien control programmes are easy to justify in economic terms. In other areas, this may be more difficult. Cost-benefit analyses to date have tended to include the full financial costs of clearing, whereas, in reality, the opportunity cost of labour is close to zero, and economic costs are therefore much smaller. Benefits, which accrue later, tend to be underestimated from lack of information on biodiversity values and by high discount rates. A revised approach would favour the outlook for control programmes. If this fails to secure funding, what alternatives are there? New regulations are considered suboptimal and likely to fail. Opportunities for creating incentives to clear aliens from private lands are extremely limited, and there are no incentives that can reduce future invasions. Government-funded control programmes are thus the most efficient option. Future studies will need to address the right questions using the appropriate methods, incorporate both ecological and economic dynamics, express values in the right 'currency', and use a discount rate that reflects the rights of future generations. The quality of this research will depend on relevant ecological enquiry.
Open Access
Using tropical forests to combat global climate change without comprimising local livelihoods
(2010) Kissoon, Ian; Turpie, Jane
Open Access
Valuing an ecotourism resource : a case study of the Boulders Beach African penguin colony
(2011) Lewis, Sarah E F; Ryan, Peter G; Turpie, Jane
The colony of African Penguins at Boulders, Simon's Town on the southern Cape Peninsula, Western Cape formed in 1985, and is now a major ecotourism destination. The African Penguin is listed as Endangered due in part to competition with commercial fisheries. Improvements in the spatial management of these fisheries could assist with the conservation of the penguins, but would be costly. Various techniques were used to estimate the value of the colony, and to assess its impact on the economy of the southern Peninsula.
Open Access
Variation in the use of intermittently open estuaries by birds : a study of four estuaries in the Eastern Cape, South Africa
(2008) Terörde, Anja Isabel; Turpie, Jane
The main objective of this study was to describe the use of intermittently open estuaries (IOEs) along a section of the Eastern Cape coast by waterbirds, and the factors that influence avifaunal community composition in space and time. The study area consisted of four IOEs of varying sizes within a 40 km stretch of coastline in the warm temperate coastal biogeographical region of South Africa.
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.
Open Access
The welfare value of inland small-scale floodplain fisheries of the Zambezi River Basin
(2010) Ngoma, Peter Gilbert; Turpie, Jane
The study assessed the welfare value of fisheries in reducing income poverty and economic vulnerability in the Kafue and the Lower Shire floodplains under the hypothesis that inland small-scale floodplain fisheries significantly reduce poverty and vulnerability in fishing households. The welfare value was also analysed in the context of management regimes of the two floodplain fisheries. The relationship between inter-annual fish production, agricultural production and local rainfall was also evaluated.

Browsing by Author "Turpie, Jane"

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