Natural Resource Management |
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Alternative livelihood systems are vital to the long-term survival of people and the environment particularly in marginal areas that support neither cultivated agriculture nor conventional livestock production. Initiatives building on traditional customs and knowledge have promoted strategies that empower local communities to utilise the natural resources under their control in a sustainable manner. Non-consumptive resource use based on wildlife, tourism or eco-tourism, has opened up important new avenues for responsible economic development in disadvantaged areas. People’s welfare must be balanced with conservation of the environment and the preservation of biodiversity. In achieving this balance the wider issues of national and regional policies, international conventions and trans-frontier conservation initiatives need to be understood and applied to local conditions. In regions with high ecological value outside formal conservation areas, community-led development is critical to preservation of the environment. |
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Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) |
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In the last 10 years, ULG has developed an impressive track record in all aspects of CBNRM. We work with local communities, facilitating the planning, management and utilisation of their natural resources and assisting them in the interaction with outside stakeholders: government, the private sector and conservation bodies. Our practical advice derives from hands-on experience in many countries with significant common-property natural resources in the following areas:
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Sustainable Land Use |
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The last two decades have seen significant changes in land use, and therefore economic development and conservation, in areas outside proclaimed National Parks. In low rainfall or marginal agricultural potential areas, economic factors, as well as environmental degradation, have forced changes in land use, including increased utilisation of former cattle rangeland under wildlife production systems. This is particularly apparent in countries where subsidisation of agricultural produce has been eliminated or reduced, forcing land owners to seek better returns per unit invested through more appropriate resource use. ULG offers services in:
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National Parks and Eco-Tourism |
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Historically, national parks have been seen as non-economic areas, set aside to protect an environmental or cultural heritage. Tourism, particularly eco-tourism, has changed this attitude but sometimes also threatens the survival of the heritage itself.
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Forests and Social Forestry |
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ULG has extensive experience of new approaches to the use of forest resources aimed at minimising adverse impacts. These include the incorporation of agro-forestry into village farming systems, and community forest production. We offer expertise in:
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Community Institutions and Training |
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Community involvement in natural resource management requires well-organised and motivated communities as well as government systems that support community based organisations. ULG’s experience in training and extension complements our knowledge of practical community needs and enables us to provide:
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