Promoting positive social change through conservation programs

Behavioral change is crucial to addressing modern conservation challenges. Change within society depends on economic and political conditions that are often integrally linked to the state of the natural environment. Conditions... [ view full abstract ]

Behavioral change is crucial to addressing modern conservation challenges. Change within society depends on economic and political conditions that are often integrally linked to the state of the natural environment. Conditions under which access to natural resources are limited can destabilize communities, threaten social stability and exacerbate environmental deterioration. Poor catchment management, for example, leads to decreased water availability and poor water quality. Through a social change strategy, our program has established projects that support amphibian conservation through social interventions as part of wetland management on the KwaZulu-Natal coast of South Africa. These interventions include direct employment through alien plant eradication and wetland rehabilitation activities, establishment of ecotourism opportunities, and the use of conservation agreements to address food security using conservation agriculture while minimizing direct impacts on wetlands. Exploring the effectiveness of these interventions using both formal and informal approaches, forms the basis of understanding the role that conservation programs can have in initiating positive social change. To measure the degree of social change, we conducted attitudinal assessments and work satisfaction surveys with 80 program participants and monitored responses from team members through social media. Results from attitudinal assessments revealed that a positive attitude towards the environment rests on strong leadership and consistent engagement. Work satisfaction surveys further indicates that social wellbeing is key to the appreciation of the natural environment and recognition of its value. Responses from social media revealed that interest in their environment also increased or decreased according to the level of engagement. Conversely, poor living conditions translated to negative perceptions of the natural environment. This was supported through random community and attitudinal assessments where people living in poor conditions had a consistently more negative attitude to their environment than the people living in the rural community who experienced better living conditions. The results indicate that in order for sustainable change to occur it is imperative that a comprehensive social change strategy be developed when planning an environmental program. Through this project, amphibian conservation actions can not only protect threatened species and water resources, but may possibly provide a strategy for driving positive social change that meets the needs of society while minimizing environmental compromise.