Sustaining Human Society & Natural Environment & Botswana

PTRM 345, PTRM 595 6 credits

Instructors:

Jennifer Thomsen (University of Montana) Jane Kwenye (Copperbelt University, Zambia)

Course Description:

This course will cover issues of sustainable development and livelihoods with particular focus on sustainable , biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of natural resources in Zambia and Botswana. We will use the Livingstone region and the Simalaha Community Conservancy situated in the Kavango Zambezi Transfontier Conservation area (KAZA TFCA) as models to explore the complex interactions between natural resources users, local communities, NGOs, government agencies, tourism providers, and resource managers. Our discussions will be tailored to exploring rural livelihoods, livelihood change, biodiversity conservation, sustainable tourism and sustainable use of natural resources in the context of sustainable development.

The Livingstone region which lies in the KAZA TFCA is a unique area in that it is Zambia's tourist capital and enables us to begin by looking at areas of global significance that demonstrate global issues and reduce in scale through regional, national, communal, NGO and individual business scales. Situated in Zambia, Southern the Livingstone region is endowed with numerous natural landscape features including one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the World Heritage site. The Victoria Falls lies on the Zambezi River, which is Africa's fourth largest river and Zambia's longest. The region is also home to the Mosi-O-Tunya National Park, which is one of Zambia's 20 national parks. As a result of its unique natural landscape features, Livingstone appeals to both domestic and international tourists. The livelihoods in the area are heavily reliant on tourism. Over the years, Livingstone has been experiencing rapid tourism growth. This growth has been a major driver of development in Livingstone and this poses diverse impacts for nature-based tourism and sustainability. We will use the Livingstone region to explore the opportunities and challenges of development with particular reference to nature-based tourism and sustainability in a rapidly globalizing region of Zambia.

We will spend some time interacting with the Simalaha Community Conservancy which is situated in the KAZA TFCA. The KAZA TFCA has many distinguishing features of global importance among them the largest population of African elephants in Africa numbering approximately 250,000 animals. Of significant benefit to both the local communities and this huge elephant population was the establishment of Simalaha Community Conservancy in southwestern Zambia spanning the Kazungula and Sisheke chiefdoms. Simalaha is one of Zambia’s first community conservancy and is fundamental to re-establishing wildlife population

1 and their migration routes in KAZA TFCA. This benefits the community by increasing wildlife numbers, promoting tourism development and enhancing livelihood options. We will use this case to explore the complex interactions between community driven nature based tourism, biodiversity conservation, sustainable use of natural resources, livelihoods and livelihood change.

We will also spend time in Botswana at Chobe National Park for a multi-day safari that includes a boat cruise and camping in the park to view the iconic wildlife including the Big Five. Chobe National Park is part of the KAZA TFCA. We will meet with national park managers to discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with this large national park and the transboundary efforts with local communities pertaining to wildlife conservation and nature based tourism.

In this course, students will learn through readings, class discussions, direct field experiences (including service projects with one of the local organizations/communities), meetings with resource managers and users, development officials, sustainability activists, tourism operators and stakeholders, resources conservation organizations/activists and local communities in Livingstone, Chobe National park and the Simalaha Community Conservancy.

We will begin the course by familiarizing ourselves with the unique natural landscape features and the cultural geography of Livingstone. Thereafter, we will explore nature-based tourism, rural livelihoods, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable use of natural resources in the context of sustainable development drawing insights from the readings, interactions with various stakeholders and experiences in Livingstone, Chobe National park and Simalaha Community Conservancy. Through the readings, interactions with stakeholders and experiences in the visited areas, we will explore the complex interaction between sustainable tourism, biodiversity conservation, sustainable use of natural resources, livelihoods and livelihood change in a sustainable development context. To get a feel of a traditional way of life amidst tourism growth in the Livingstone area, students will visit the Mukuni Village.

Trip Highlights:

• Daily trips and field experiences • Interactions and partnerships with local communities and institutions • Multi-day safari trips to national parks in Zambia and Botswana • Victoria Falls World Heritage Site • Chief Mukuni Village • ALERT Conservation Program • Simalaha Community Conservancy

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Learning Objectives: After the completion of this course, students will be:

• Conversant with the concept of sustainable development and sustainability.

• Acquainted with the complex interaction between rural livelihoods, sustainable tourism, sustainable use of natural resources and biodiversity conservation in the context of sustainable development in Zambia and Botswana.

• Able to critically make use of theoretical foundations for practice-based ideas.

• Gain an appreciation for a traditional Zambian culture.

• Develop confidence in their ability to adapt to a variety of challenging settings.

Summary of Course Requirements:

• Students will be expected to read the assigned readings prior to that day’s discussion/lecture so that they may participate.

• While in Zambia students will keep a daily journal which they will turn in on the final day of class. Journals should include citations from the readings. This means you will need to relate the readings to what you are experiencing on a daily basis.

• Students will participate in class discussions, field visits and attend discussions. Students will be paired and expected to lead multiple discussions during the trip.

• Students will undertake a protected area planning and management activity. This will include individual interviews with professionals and a group project. The group activity will respond to a need or issue of one of our professional partners and the group must develop a plan to take into account conservation, nature-based tourism, sustainability and local livelihoods.

• Students will also be graded on their participation and personal conduct in the course. This includes participation in daily discussion sessions.

• Students will develop a topic and gather information for a research paper while in Zambia. The paper should be turned in within 30 days from the last date of the course. The paper will be a minimum of 4000 words with correct grammar and citations. The formal paper assignment will be given during the first class period.

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Grading Breakdown:

Daily journals 30% Final paper 15% Interview with a local planner/ 15% Tourism operator/manager Planning and mgt. project 15% Participation/leading discussions 25%

Course Policies

Electronic Devices The use of electronic devices including cell phones, laptops and tablets, are only permitted so long as the use is directly related to the class session. Out of respect for your fellow students, instructors and guest speakers, please silence portable electronic devices before any course discussions or meetings.

Plagiarism Successful students always make sure that their work is original. This is important because the instructor must be able to gauge what the student has learned. Therefore, copying the work of another person, whether an essay or answers during a test, is considered plagiarism. Plagiarism is a form of cheating. Any time a student uses someone else's work and does not give that person credit, it is plagiarism.

Students with Disabilities Statement The University of Montana assures equal access to instruction through collaboration between students with disabilities, instructors, and Disability Services for Students (DSS). If you think you may have a disability adversely affecting your academic performance, and you have not already registered with DSS, please contact DSS in Lommason 154 or 406.243.2243. I will work with you and DSS to provide an appropriate modification.

Student Conduct Code Statement All students must practice academic honesty. Academic misconduct is subject to an academic penalty by the course instructor and/or a disciplinary sanction by the University. All students need to be familiar with the Student Conduct Code. While abroad, you are representing the University of Montana and must adhere to the Student Conduct Code and be respectful of other cultures and fellow study abroad participants. If students do not adhere to the expectations and instructions of the trip leaders and the university, the instructors have the right to fail students from the course and ask them to leave the trip at their own personal expense.

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Tentative Schedule:

Date Topic Site visit Themes/Key Questions Lodging Readings (Have read by) May Depart for South Individual travel to 11 Africa Johannesburg to meet with group May Overnight in Prep for Zambia travel Lakeview 12 Johannesburg and trip logistics Backpackers May Arrive in Zambia Driving tour of What is Sustainability? Bushbuck Kuhlman, T., & Farrington, J. (2010). What is 13 city: Orientation Where does sustainability Lodge Sustainability? Sustainability, 2: 3436-3448. to the history fit into development and partners in paradigms? Mowforth, M., & Munt, I. (2015). Tourism and Livingstone sustainability: Development, globalisation and area new tourism in the third world. New York: Routledge. (Chapter 2: Globalization, sustainability, development; p. 11 - 45)

May Orientation to Livingstone Land use, cultural change, Bushbuck Liu, Z. (2003). Sustainable tourism 14 Livingstone Area Museum colonization, Lodge development: a critique. Journal of Sustainable contemporary issues Tourism, 11(6), 459-475. related to sustainability Buckley, R. (2012). Sustainable tourism: What is sustainable Research and reality. Annals of Tourism tourism? What is the Research, 39(2), 528-546. current state of sustainable tourism research/ practice?

May Issues of Global Victoria Falls Managing a high profile Bushbuck Lockwood, M. (2010). Good governance for 15 significance World Heritage tourism destination: Lodge terrestrial protected areas: A framework, Site Resource management, principles, and performance outcomes. Journal economic challenges and of Environmental Management, 91, 754-766. opportunities, cultural pride; Global systems of Brown, K. (2002). Innovations for governance. UNESCO, Conservation and Development. The World Heritage Geography Journal, 168 (2), 6-17.

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Commission Liu, B., & Mwanza, F. (2014). Towards sustainable tourism development in Zambia: Advancing tourism planning and natural resources management in Livingstone (Mosi- oa-Tunya) Area. Journal of Service Science and Management. 7: 30-45.

May Issues of National Mosi-a- Tunya Complexities of Zig Zag Spenceley, A., & Meyer, D. (2012). Tourism 16 Significance National Park managing an Urban Lodge and poverty reduction: Theory and practice in with proximate park – focus on less economically developed countries. Journal Department of human wildlife conflicts of Sustainable Tourism, 20(3), 297-317. National Parks and Wildlife Illegal wildlife activities; Tao, T. C., & Wall, G. (2009). Tourism as a management of sustainable livelihood strategy. Tourism endangered species while management, 30(1), 90-98. meeting the needs of local communities Nelson, Buskotter, Vucetich, & Chapron (2016) Emotions and the ethics of consequence in conservation decisions: Lessons from Cecil the Lion. Conservation Letters, 302-306

May Issues of Community Simalaha Sustainable livelihoods Zig Zag Dixey, L. (2005). Inventory and analysis of 17 and Regional Community and Community-driven Lodge community based tourism in Zambia. Importance Conservancy tourism: Production, Finance and Technology. USAID private sector development programme. What motivates such Lusaka, Zambia. Ch2 linkages? What are the livelihood changes after community driven Mbaiwa, J.E., and Stronza, A. (2010). The tourism development? effects of tourism development on rural What are the impacts of livelihoods in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. these livelihood change (2010). Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 18 (5) on conservation and sustainable use of natural resources?

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May Issues of Indigenous Visit the Authenticity and Cultural Zig Zag Taylor, J. (2001). Authenticity and Sincerity in 18 importance Maramba Tourism opportunities; Lodge Tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 28(10), Cultural Village voluntourism and giving 7-26. (local cultural back to community needs fair) Guttentag, D. (2009). The possible negative impacts of volunteer tourism. 11, 537-551

May The role of NGO’s in African Lion Wildlife and Tourism: Zig Zag Success in integrating conservation and 19 conservation and Environmental importance of the big Lodge development? A study from Zambia. (1998). Development Research Trust Five to conservation; World Development, 26 (6): 933-944. (ALERT) innovate research and strategies to address Richardson, R.B., Fernandez, A., Tschirley, wildlife conflict with big D., and Tembo, D. (2012). Wildlife cats and elephants; conservation in Zambia: Impacts on rural tourism as a direct household welfare. World Development. 40: financial mechanism to 1068-1081. support conservation Nelson, Lindsey, & Blame (2013). Trophy and lion conservation: A question of governance? Oryx, 47(4), 501-509

May Reflections/discussions Chief Mukuni Gender and Tourism: Zig Zag Mbaiwa, J (2011). The effects of tourism 20 on readings and Village Empowering women in Lodge development on the sustainable utilization of previous site visits tourism; tourism natural resources in the Okavango Delta, development and Botswana. sustainable utilization of natural resources Moswete, N., & Lacey, G. (2015). “Women cannot lead”: empowering women through cultural . Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 23(4), 600-617.

May Public/Private Sector Ministry of Role of public-private Zig Zag Eagles, P. (2009) Governance of recreation and 21 issues Tourism/ partnerships; tourism Lodge tourism partnerships in parks and protected Zambia planning and monitoring; areas. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 17(2), Tourism adapting to trends and 231-248 Agency new markets

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May Depart for Chobe Chobe National Immersive experience in Chobe 22 Elephant Park Park the park; wildlife and National Small Scale Tour resource management; Park provision tourism and visitor planning; tourism behavior observations May National Park Safari Chobe National Conservation and Chobe 23 Management Park management challenges National and strategies to Park overcome obstacles; wildlife observations May Chobe National Park Chobe National Discussion of similarities Kaazmein 24 Environmental Park and differences between Lodge Education in an Zambia, Botswana, and expedition context. U.S. contexts of park management and sustainable tourism May Reflections/ Stay at the Nature-based Tourism: Kaazmein Vasilijević, M., Zunckel, K., McKinney, M., 25 Discussions on Chobe Lodge for the Debrief on major Lodge Erg, B., Schoon, M., Rosen Michel, T. (2015). National Park/Project day issues/topics from Chobe; Transboundary Conservation: A systematic planning integration of themes and and integrated approach. Best Practice topics into field projects; Protected Area Guidelines Series No. 23, field project prep Gland, Switzerland: IUCN

May Field Projects and TBD Students work on field Kaazmein The Nature Conservancy (2004) Ecotourism 26 Makuni Village projects of choice that Lodge Development: A manual for conservation Ceremony address a need of one of planners and managers. Ch’s 2&3. the partners we have worked with thus far May Field Projects and TBD Students work on field Kaazmein The Nature Conservancy (2004) Ecotourism 27 Makuni Village projects of choice that Lodge Development: A manual for conservation Ceremony address a need of one of planners and managers. Ch-5. the partners we have worked with thus far May Field Projects/ Course TBD Presentations of Field Kaazmein Class Presentations 28 Conclusions and Experiences; final Lodge

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reflections assignments; reflection on overall trip and themes; May Travel back to 29-30 Missoula/U.S.

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