the role of tourism in natural resource management in the okavango ...

esource conservation and realise tangible benefits from the management of natural
resources (Republic of Botswana National Development Plan 9, 2003).
Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) arose out of the Tribal Grazing Land Policy of
1975 and, more specifically, the Wildlife Conservation Policy of 1986, and were
established to serve as migratory corridors for wildlife between the protected areas
as they allow for movement that is essential for the survival of Botswana's wildlife in
this arid environment. They also act as buffer zones between human settlements
(livestock areas) and the protected areas, where the two are in proximity to one
another. Lastly, the WMAs helped in the decentralising of wildlife conservation and
management to local communities who bear the cost of living with the wildlife. To
date, Botswana has been divided into 11 WMAs, which contain a further 163
Controlled Hunting Areas (CHAs) within them (Figure 5.2) (Republic of Botswana
National Development Plan 9, 2003).
The problems associated with WMAs are that they are generally perceived by local
communities to be inhibiting to the expansion of grazing land, the development of
boreholes/watering points and access to ploughing land. The ever-expanding human
activities such as livestock rearing, settlements and roads threaten wildlife in WMAs.
However, wildlife and WMAs also provide opportunities for diversified economic
development in the rural areas. WMAs are meant to benefit the local communities
that live in or near them, and through the CBNRM programme, opportunities have
opened up for local communities to be involved in natural resources conservation
and management. The communities who bear the cost of living close to the natural
environment can now benefit directly from natural resources utilisation in these
areas (Republic of Botswana National Development Plan 9, 2003).
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