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Reliability of scores obtained through protected areas manager’s self-assessments using the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT) : a case study of South Africa’s protected areas
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2023
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| _version_ | 1867613763105980416 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Mabaso, Andrias Mzokhona |
| author2 | Muller, Kobus |
| author_browse | Mabaso, Andrias Mzokhona Muller, Kobus |
| author_facet | Muller, Kobus Mabaso, Andrias Mzokhona |
| author_sort | Mabaso, Andrias Mzokhona |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/129079 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:41:18.607Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publishDateRange | 2023 |
| publishDateSort | 2023 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/129079 Reliability of scores obtained through protected areas manager’s self-assessments using the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT) : a case study of South Africa’s protected areas Mabaso, Andrias Mzokhona Muller, Kobus Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership. Conservation of natural resources -- South Africa Marine parks and reserves -- South Africa Marine biodiversity conservation -- South Africa Natural areas -- Management -- South Africa Protected areas -- Management -- South Africa UCTD Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. ENGLISH SUMMARY: Protected areas play a critical role in biodiversity conservation in South Africa. There have been concerns with how these areas are managed globally, including South Africa, because of anthropogenic activities and other effects of climate change. Protected areas have been established to protect vulnerable biodiversity while contributing to ecosystem services and the livelihoods of local regions and the country at large. However, many of these protected areas are inadequately managed and struggle to take into consideration the needs of the local communities. In this regard, there have been conservation initiatives through the development of environmental legislation and international agreements/conventions which South Africa has been contracted into to ensure adequate protection and management of these areas. The Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT) has been introduced, among other tools, to monitor the management of protected areas in South Africa. Despite these conservation efforts, the situation has not been much improved on the ground regardless of the increasing METT-SA scores, but best practice protocols have been developed to ensure that assessments of management effectiveness remain vigorous and trustworthy, thereby ensuring an honest picture of what is happening on the ground. This study, therefore, aimed to determine and verify the reliability of the METT-SA scores received from Conservation Management Authorities (CMAs), explore the reasons why the National METT-SA scores increased over three years from 2015-2018, investigate whether the METT-SA guidelines and processes are applied during the self-assessment, analyse the methods and results submitted to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), ascertain whether the best practice was followed or adhered to, and explore the strength and weakness of the newly developed web-based METT-SA tool. The data on the implementation and results of METT-SA in Excel spreadsheets were obtained from the reports at DFFE, while the information on the implementation of the online system was accessed through the Web-based METT-SA system. More information on the METT-SA application and implementation of best practice protocol was obtained from the use of a semi-structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was comprised of two sections: “Participant’s information” and “Consideration and Implementation of best practice guidelines proposed applying the METT-SA protocol and sharing experiences and lessons learnt during assessments”. The study confirms that METT-SA is a good monitoring tool for checking the management effectiveness of protected areas in South Africa. However, besides challenges in implementing and application of the METT tool, it has the potential to improve. This implies the national METT-SA scores that have been received from CMAs. The study proves that there is less funding support ring-fenced by the government to ensure that the implementation of METT-SA identifies interventions truthfully. Furthermore, the METT-SA assessment is conducted for compliance purposes in contrast to improving the reality of the status quo of the protected areas on the ground. The study acknowledges that there are different legal mechanisms such as policies, legislation and international agreements to ensure that all kinds of protected areas in South Africa are assessed for their management effectiveness. However, conducting METT-SA assessment is not obligatory for all SA legislation and other soft laws which are used in managing these areas. Consequently, the METT-SA was reviewed by considering the norms and standards for the management of protected and conserved areas in South Africa. The METT-SA training involving all stakeholders is required to improve knowledge and understanding of METT-SA’s desired goal and the interpretation of indicators to improve the level of competence. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Beskermde en bewaarde gebiede speel ‘n kritieke rol in die bewaring van biodiversiteit in Suid-Afrika. Daar is kommer oor hoe hierdie gebiede wereldwyd bestuur word, insluitend Suid-Afrika, as gevolg van antropogeniese aktiwiteite en ander gevolge van klimaatsverandering. Beskermde en bewaarde gebiede is gevestig om kwesbare biodiversiteit te beskerm, terwyl dit bydra tot ekosisteemdienste en die lewensbestaan van plaaslike streeks- en die land in die algemeen. Baie van hierdie beskermde en bewaarde gebiede word egter onvoldoende bestuur en sukkel om die behoeftes van die gemeenskappe in ag te neem. Hierin is bewaringspogings deur die ontwikkeling van omgewingswetgewing en internasionale ooreenkomste/konvensies waarin Suid-Afrika gekontrakteer is, om doeltreffende beskerming en bestuur van hierdie gebiede te verseker. Daarbenewens is die Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT) onder meer bekendgestel om die bestuur van beskermde en bewaarde gebiede in Suid-Afrika te monitor. Ten spyte van hierdie bewaringspogings is die situasie nie veel verbeter nie, ongeag die toenemende METT-SAtellings. Hierdie studie het dus ten doel gehad om die betroubaarheid van die METT-SA-tellings wat van bewaringsbestuursowerhede (CMA’s) ontvang is, te bepaal en te verifieer, die redes te ondersoek waarom die Nasionale METT-SA-tellings oor ‘n tydperk van drie jaar vanaf 2015-2018 toegeneem het, ondersoek of die METT-SA riglyne en prosesse toegepas word tydens die selfassessering, ontledingsmetodes en resultate wat aan die Departement Bosbou, Visserye en die Omgewing (DFFE), voorgele is as die beste praktyk ook gevolg of nagekom is, en ondersoek in te stel na die sterkte en swakheid van die nuwe ontwikkelde webgebaseerde METT-SA-instrument. Die data oor die METT-SA implementering en METT-SA resultate excel sigblaaie is verkry uit die verslae by DFFE, terwyl die inligting oor die implementering van die aanlyn stelsel verkry is via die webgebaseerde METT-SA-stelsel. Meer inligting oor die METT-SA toepassing en implementering van beste praktykprotokol is verkry uit die gebruik van ‘n semi-gestruktureerde vraelys. Die vraelys bestaan uit twee afdelings soos “Deelnemers se inligting” en “Oorweging en implementering van riglyne vir beste praktyk wat voorgestel is om METT-SA-protokol toe te pas en ervarings en lesse wat tydens assesserings geleer is, te deel”. Die studie bevestig dat METT-SA ‘n goeie moniteringsinstrument is om die bestuurseffektiwiteit van beskermde en bewaarde gebiede in Suid-Afrika na te gaan. Daar is egter uitdagings in die implementering en toepassing van die instrument om die gewenste en beoogde doel te bereik. Dit het ‘n konnotasie op die Nasionale METT-SA-tellings wat van CMA’s ontvang is. Die studie bewys dat daar minder befondsingsondersteuning deur die regering is om te verseker dat METT-SA ingrypings implementeer. Word verder word METT-SA-assessering vir nakomingsdoeleindes gedoen in vergelyking met die verbetering van die realiteit van die status quo van die beskermde en bewaarde gebiede op die grond. Die studie erken dat daar verskillende regsmeganismes deur beleide, wetgewing en internasionale ooreenkomste is om te verseker dat allerlei beskermde en bewaarde gebiede in Suid-Afrika vir hul bestuurseffektiwiteit beoordeel word. Die beoordeling is egter nie verpligtend vir alle SA wetgewing en ander sagte wette wat gebruik word om hierdie gebiede te bestuur nie. Verder erken die studie dat die METT-SA hersien is deur die norme en standaard vir die bestuur van beskermde gebiede in ag te neem en in Suid-Afrika bewaar te word. Opleiding waarby alle belanghebbendes betrokke is, is nodig om kennis en begrip van METT-SA se gewenste doelwit en die interpretasie van aanwysers te verbeter om vaardigheidsvlak te verbeter. Masters 2023-11-28T13:59:51Z 2024-01-08T21:38:33Z 2023-11-28T13:59:51Z 2024-01-08T21:38:33Z 2023-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/129079 en_ZA Stellenbosch University xviii, 169 pages : illustrations, includes annexures application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Conservation of natural resources -- South Africa Marine parks and reserves -- South Africa Marine biodiversity conservation -- South Africa Natural areas -- Management -- South Africa Protected areas -- Management -- South Africa UCTD Mabaso, Andrias Mzokhona Reliability of scores obtained through protected areas manager’s self-assessments using the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT) : a case study of South Africa’s protected areas |
| title | Reliability of scores obtained through protected areas manager’s self-assessments using the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT) : a case study of South Africa’s protected areas |
| title_full | Reliability of scores obtained through protected areas manager’s self-assessments using the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT) : a case study of South Africa’s protected areas |
| title_fullStr | Reliability of scores obtained through protected areas manager’s self-assessments using the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT) : a case study of South Africa’s protected areas |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reliability of scores obtained through protected areas manager’s self-assessments using the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT) : a case study of South Africa’s protected areas |
| title_short | Reliability of scores obtained through protected areas manager’s self-assessments using the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT) : a case study of South Africa’s protected areas |
| title_sort | reliability of scores obtained through protected areas manager s self assessments using the management effectiveness tracking tool mett a case study of south africa s protected areas |
| topic | Conservation of natural resources -- South Africa Marine parks and reserves -- South Africa Marine biodiversity conservation -- South Africa Natural areas -- Management -- South Africa Protected areas -- Management -- South Africa UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/129079 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mabasoandriasmzokhona reliabilityofscoresobtainedthroughprotectedareasmanagersselfassessmentsusingthemanagementeffectivenesstrackingtoolmettacasestudyofsouthafricasprotectedareas |