Enhancement of the conservation issues in visitors to three South African nature reserves

Abstract

A statistically significant increase in awareness of conservation issues has been found for South African residents who stayed overnight in Hluhluwe Game Reserve, in Giant's Castle Game Reserve, or in Londolozi Private Game Reserve. Despite these increases, the levels of awareness of conservation issues in respondents leaving the reserves are considered low. These findings, using a longitudinal survey design, were verified using a cross-sectional survey design. Approximately 150 respondents were interviewed in each reserve, and for both approaches. Respondents were found to represent a most privileged sector of the South African public, both in terms of educational and socio-economic status. Interest in nature, and use of interpretative services, are shown to be limited by a generally narrow perspective of nature conservation. Interpretative facilities and programmes in the reserves were not found to be structured in a manner whereby the various mediums complemented one another to provoke an holistic consideration of nature and the conservation thereof.