Natural resource use and livelihoods in Botswana's Wildlife Management Areas

Abstract

Global debates surrounding the management of natural resources in protected areas advocate greater involvement of local populations in order to maintain sustainable resource use and conserve biological diversity. For this involvement to be effective, and for development to be truly participatory, a deeper understanding of people's relationships with the environment is needed. This paper explores the society–environment interactions of people in a newly established Wildlife Management Area in western Botswana, illustrating the complexity and diversity of resource use and livelihoods that must be addressed by development interventions.