National parks and environmental justice: Comparing access rights and ideological legacies in three countries

The Role of Environmental Justice in Biodiversity Conservation: Investigating experiences of communities near Kruger National Park, South Africa

“…2 The park staff remains responsible for conservation and the Makuleke community is in charge of tourism (Dahlberg et al, 2010). Dahlberg et al (2010) point to research by Carruthers (2007) and Fabricius and Collins (2007) that document greater employment opportunities for members of the Makuleke community that has allowed for more investment in education, health, and infrastructure (p. 213). Similarly, Hannah Reid (2001) attributes the success of the Makuleke-Kruger agreement, thus far, to shared goals between the co-managing groups, government support, and legitimacy, despite some unfulfilled capacitybuilding and revenue generation (p. 151).…”

“…This successful claim, between Kruger and the Makuleke community (Timko & Satterfield, 2008), resulted in a northern portion of Kruger becoming a contract park in 1998 that is co-managed by park staff and the Makuleke community (Dahlberg et al, 2010). 2 The park staff remains responsible for conservation and the Makuleke community is in charge of tourism (Dahlberg et al, 2010). Dahlberg et al (2010) point to research by Carruthers (2007) and Fabricius and Collins (2007) that document greater employment opportunities for members of the Makuleke community that has allowed for more investment in education, health, and infrastructure (p. 213).…”

“…To this day, access fees exacerbate the difficulty of visiting Kruger and reflect the persistence of apartheid's economic marginalization. Therefore, even though black South Africans can legally access parks, tourists are largely still white South Africans and international visitors (Dahlberg et al, 2010;Kepe, 2009). Notably only 12% of visitors in 2005 were black (Kepe, 2009).…”

“…There were thirty-seven pending claims at Timko and Satterfield's (2008) time of writing and only one that had been settled. This successful claim, between Kruger and the Makuleke community (Timko & Satterfield, 2008), resulted in a northern portion of Kruger becoming a contract park in 1998 that is co-managed by park staff and the Makuleke community (Dahlberg et al, 2010). 2 The park staff remains responsible for conservation and the Makuleke community is in charge of tourism (Dahlberg et al, 2010).…”

“…Access by marginalized groups to protected areas was consistently limited through "legislation, enforcement, and privatization" (West et al, 2006, p. 257). However, academics have noted a shift in discourse (see Dahlberg, Rohde, & Sandell, 2010). They recognize governing bodies (both national and international) and NGOs "have revised their policies with an ambition to reconcile conservation and development and promote environmental justice" (210).…”