Colloquium Looks at Wildlife Conservation
The Global Issues Colloquium will continue at 7 p.m. April 24 in Magruder Hall 2001. Robert Hitchcock of the Department of Society and Environment will present "People, Parks and Power: Global Implications of Wildlife Conservation and Development in Southern Africa."
Southern African countries have been world leaders in community-based approaches to wildlife conservation and development. Since the 1980s, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and South Africa have focused on community-based natural resource management in and around national parks and game reserves. There have been changes in these approaches recently, including removing local people from parks and game reserves, allowing the private sector to dominate tourism and increasing anti-poaching activities. Data compiled during 35 years of research will be used to support insights about the impact of state policies related to resource access of local people, subsistence and commercial hunting, ecotourism and human rights of local people. The presentation will explore global questions about the ethics of wildlife conservation and development and about who has the power to determine policies and practices in and around conservation areas.
Hitchcock has worked with San peoples in Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe for the past 30 years. In addition, he has worked with indigenous peoples in Guatemala, Hawaii, California, Canada, the Great Plains and the southwest, as well as with various groups in eastern and central Africa (e.g. in Somalia, Uganda and Gabon). Hitchcock has worked for IWGIA on the evaluation of programs aimed at assisting San peoples in Botswana.
Hitchcock has worked with San peoples in Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe for the past 30 years. In addition, he has worked with indigenous peoples in Guatemala, Hawaii, California, Canada, the Great Plains and the southwest, as well as with various groups in eastern and central Africa (e.g. in Somalia, Uganda and Gabon). Hitchcock has worked for IWGIA on the evaluation of programs aimed at assisting San peoples in Botswana.
