Social dimensions of crane and wetland conservation in African rural landscapes: insights from Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe

Doctoral Thesis

This thesis focuses on the social dimensions of crane and wetland conservation in rural landscapes in Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe. The focus is predominantly on the Grey Crowned Crane although one chapter is dedicated to social dimensions of Wattled Crane conservation. Chapter 2 provides an overview of how social factors influence wetland management decision-making, drawing linkages between human actions and ecological changes associated with crane habitat loss. Chapter 3 outlines major human actions that impact Wattled Cranes and their habitats, elaborating the underlying social causations behind the actions. Chapter 4 draws lessons on the effectiveness of community-led conservation approaches through an evaluation of a community-led project in Kenya. Chapter 5 presents results of an evaluation of the institutional development process and the ensuing environmental conservation impacts at three sites where conservation projects were initiated in 2002 in Uganda. Chapter 6...Show moreThis thesis focuses on the social dimensions of crane and wetland conservation in rural landscapes in Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe. The focus is predominantly on the Grey Crowned Crane although one chapter is dedicated to social dimensions of Wattled Crane conservation. Chapter 2 provides an overview of how social factors influence wetland management decision-making, drawing linkages between human actions and ecological changes associated with crane habitat loss. Chapter 3 outlines major human actions that impact Wattled Cranes and their habitats, elaborating the underlying social causations behind the actions. Chapter 4 draws lessons on the effectiveness of community-led conservation approaches through an evaluation of a community-led project in Kenya. Chapter 5 presents results of an evaluation of the institutional development process and the ensuing environmental conservation impacts at three sites where conservation projects were initiated in 2002 in Uganda. Chapter 6 synthesises key findings, addressing the question of what works for cranes and wetland conservation in rural landscapes in East and Southern Africa. The thesis contributes to an improved understanding of interactions between cranes and rural communities and provides insights into strategic approaches for addressing the decline of cranes within their range in East and Southern Africa.
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Cranes

Wetlands