University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 2020 An Exploration of the Adaptive Capacity of Community-Based Organizations in Northern Botswana in Response to a Hunting Ban Katherine Kellam Coe University of Montana, Missoula Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Part of the Environmental Studies Commons Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Coe, Katherine Kellam, "An Exploration of the Adaptive Capacity of Community-Based Organizations in Northern Botswana in Response to a Hunting Ban" (2020). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 11664. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/11664 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. AN EXPLORATION OF THE ADAPTIVE CAPACITY OF COMMUNITY- BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN NORTHERN BOTSWANA IN RESPONSE TO A HUNTING BAN By KATHERINE KELLAM COE B.A. Organismal Biology and Ecology, Colorado College Colorado Springs, CO, May 2015 Thesis Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Resource Conservation The University of Montana Missoula, MT Official Graduation Date: December 2020 Approved by: Scott Whittenburg, Dean of the Graduate School Graduate School Dr. Jennifer Thomsen, Chair W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation Dr. Joseph Mbaiwa, Committee Member Department of Tourism Studies University of Botswana Dr. Libby Metcalf, Committee Member W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation Dr. Joshua Millspaugh, Committee Member Wildlife Biology Program ABSTRACT Coe, Katherine, M.S., December 2020 Resource Conservation An Exploration of the Adaptive Capacity of Community-Based Organizations in Northern Botswana in Response to A Hunting Ban Chairperson: Dr. Jennifer Thomsen Trophy hunting serves as a large economic sector in several African countries and has been considered important for wildlife conservation and local rural development. In many parts of Africa, local communities’ attitudes and decisions can affect the fate of conservation efforts outside of protected areas and it is thought that benefits from trophy hunting tourism can influence pro-conservation behavior at local scales. In Botswana, recent mandates, such as a 2014 nation-wide hunting ban and a 2019 lifting of the ban, have disrupted the relationships between wildlife conservation and rural livelihoods, resulting in adverse economic, social, and ecological impacts at various scales. I applied the adaptive cycle model, which tracks changes in social-ecological systems over-time, to better understand how trophy hunting tourism and its absence influence communities’ perception of wildlife conservation, their use of natural resources, and their overall capacity to function and thrive. I assessed Botswana’s trophy hunting system through the adaptive cycle model’s four phases of growth (r), conservation (k), release (), and reorganization (). This study conducted 54 semi-structured interviews to assess how a ban on hunting has shaped the adaptive capacity of three community-based organizations (CBOs). Key factors outlining the communities’ adaptive capacities emerged. The lifting of the hunting ban in 2019 presents an opportunity for a system-wide transformation if the state government chooses to incorporate communities’ critiques on hunting, such as the lack of community-based ownership in the trophy hunting industry and implementing strategies to allocate greater funds to local economic diversification. This study improves policy and decision makers’ foundational and conceptual understanding of adaptive capacity of Northern Botswana’s community-based organizations and the role that trophy hunting tourism plays in fostering or inhibiting those qualities. Results can help decision makers create policies or processes that support the adaptive capacity of CBOs in future times of crisis. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This work was only made possible through the hospitality, generosity, and good faith of the people of the Chobe Enclave, Mababe, and Sankuyo. Many thanks to additional folks who agreed to take time out of their days to speak with me and for their magnanimity, demonstrated through countless cups of coffee and snacks. Specifically- thanks to Moses and Watson for your guidance and direction; thanks to Ndele, SK, and Unity, and the Thabalos for welcoming me into your family; thanks to Haydn, Chanda, and the rest of the Muchenje family for their hospitality, kindness, and laughter; thanks to Nelly, KG, Lenny, Metta, and Hunter for your friendship and guidance. To dad, mom, Tayl, Man, Kayls, NB, Bill- for your constant love, support, and patience. To Jenn- for your values, laughter, adventurous spirit, vulnerability, courage, and unshakeable support. To Joe- for your acceptance, kindness, and flexibility. To Libby- for your kindheartedness and faith in me. To Josh- for your thoughtfulness and support. To Team Thomsen- for your laughter, vulnerability, and for lifting each other up. To the Homies- for your persistent pep talks, lightheartedness, and for being refuges. To Bill and Bob folks and my H.P.- for your honesty, open-ness, willingness, and love. To SoCon staff and faculty- for your knowledge and passion. Thank you to University of Montana, especially the Franke family and the International Conservation and Development program, for supporting this research. I hope that this research can bring positive change to the villages I worked with and for which I care deeply. I tried my best to stay grounded in the data through conducting systematic data collection and analysis, practicing self-reflexivity, and remaining true to the voices and experiences of the participants. However, I cannot ignore the role that my identity may have played in the various phases of this work and how it may have affected the outcomes. Characteristics like whiteness, womxnness, and American-ness carry different meanings across space and time. In Maun, Botswana, my whiteness, womxnness, and alone-ness could spark reactions of intrigue and importance; to some of the villagers, my identity symbolized distrust, fear, and they did not want to engage with me because they made assumptions that I held an anti-trophy hunting position. I do believe that my outside perspective was beneficial, though, in that it allowed me to listen to, synthesize, and analyze participants’ perspectives in a unique way. I hope this work will result in contributions to the wellbeing of the villages and the trophy hunting literature. This clarification of positionality is not meant to discredit this work nor is it a call for sympathy regarding the cross-cultural research process: it is simply something for readers to keep in mind as they consider this study. iii Table of Contents CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................... 18 CHAPTER 3. METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................... 40 CHAPTER 4. THE GROWTH OF A TROPHY HUNTING SYSTEM & THE BAN: AN EXTERNAL DISTURBANCE ............................................................................................. 46 The R and K Phases: Growth of a Trophy hunting Tourism System [1986-2013] ....................... 46 Ecological Impacts .............................................................................................................................................. 48 Economic Impacts .............................................................................................................................................. 53 Governance ........................................................................................................................................................ 57 Sociocultural Impacts ........................................................................................................................................ 60 The Ban: An External Disturbance [2014] .................................................................................. 63 Wildlife Population Estimates ............................................................................................................................ 64 Lack of Community Consultation ....................................................................................................................... 66 Discussion ................................................................................................................................... 69 Key Aspects of Growth [1986-2002] .................................................................................................................. 69 Key Aspects of Stabilization [2003-2013] .......................................................................................................... 70 Lack of Stakeholder Engagement for the Ban .................................................................................................... 73 CHAPTER 5. RELEASE AND REORGANIZATION AFTER THE BAN [2014-2019] ........ 77 Release and Reorganization