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

communities will develop positive attitudes towards natural resources and, hence,
use them sustainably. In assessing the local community attitudes towards natural
resources, studies conducted in both Botswana and Southern Africa were
considered. Mordi (1991) and Perkins and Ringrose (1996), for example, state that
attitudes and perceptions of the local people within Ngamiland District are generally
negative towards wildlife conservation. Findings by Mwenya et al (1991) regarding
the situation in Zimbabwe show that people's attitudes are largely based on the
personal or community ownership they attach to wildlife resources (Mbaiwa, 2004).
However, according to Mbaiwa (2004), within the Okavango Delta area itself,
communities are increasingly developing positive attitudes towards natural resource
conservation. For example, Mbaiwa (2004) states that, within the three villages of
Khwai, Seronga and Ditshiping (all of which are part of the CBNRM programme)
60.9 percent of the local inhabitants interviewed felt that it was necessary to have
wildlife resources in the grasslands and forests of the Okavango Delta.
Respondents argued that wildlife attracts tourists to the area and tourism creates
employment opportunities, development, and generates revenue. Hence, the
respondents view wildlife as a valuable resource. On the other hand, 37.6 percent of
the local inhabitants interviewed within these three villages stated that they did not
support the existence of wildlife within the Okavango Delta. These respondents
regard wildlife as being destructive to their crops and livestock, as well as spreading
disease to livestock. They also stated that the existence of wildlife in the area has
led to much of their land being occupied by foreign tourism investors, from which
they generally derive very little, or nothing at all (Mbaiwa, 2004).
The Department of Wildlife and National Parks in Maun noted that ever since the
introduction of the CBNRM programme in the Okavango area there has been a
reduction in poaching statistics. This demonstrates that local communities are
starting to place increasing value upon wildlife resources, which helps to encourage
the sustainable use of the resource within their local environment. According to the
DWNP, local attitudes and perceptions within the Okavango Delta are slowly
beginning to change, from negative views on wildlife conservation, to positive
perceptions of sustainable, local natural resource use and management (Mbaiwa,
2004).
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