3R Environmental considerations

SUSWA K-Ex, Kajiado, 31 October 2012Luuk Fleskens

- Water source site management- Wider environmental management- Resource use patterns- Diversification of sources and uses

Protection of water infrastructure

What do you see? What impacts can it have? What can be done?

...3R examples?

Wider environmental management

What do you see? What impacts can it have? What can be done?

CASH INCOME FROM FIREWOOD AND CHARCOAL

(percent of total income)

> 20

10 - 20

5 - 10

0 - 5

No cash income from charcoal and firewood

OTHER FEATURES

District boundaries

Major national parks and reserves (over 5,000 ha)

Water bodies

Cash Income from Firewood Collection and Charcoal Making, 2003-05

Source: ALRMP et al. 2006

Banks et al., 1996. Wood supply and demand around two rural settlements in a semi-arid savanna, South Africa. Biomass and Bioenergy 11: 319-331

Transect5 x 45 m

Zone

Settlement

Use of firewood (500kg cap/year)Use of wood in buildings and fences(6,000kg per household)Annual incrementGrowth of populations (people and livestock)

Use of firewood (500kg cap/year)Use of wood in buildings and fences(6,000kg per household)Annual incrementGrowth of populations (people and livestock)

Firewood collection

Field surveys of biomass of savannas

• Savanna = open vegetation with mix of trees, shrubs and grass

• A biomass survey could look at each component

Can you think of some characteristics of savannas that pose opportunities or threats to field biomass surveys?

NB there are also remote sensing methodsNB there are also remote sensing methods

Vegetationcomposition(dominance of) the herbaceouslayer

Relation between grazing intensity, rainfall and vegetation composition (catastrophic shift or tipping point) after M. Rietkerk.

Modelling study Central Kalahari Namibia MAP = 480mmLohmann et al. (2012) J. Appl. Ecology 49, 814–823.

...other wider environmental management effects?

Graz et al. (2012) Journal of Environmental Management 104 (2012) 186-194

Resource use patterns

Butt (2010) Land degradation and development

Observations Karoo, South Africa MAP = 200mmTodd (2006) J. Appl. Ecology 43, 293-304.

Exercise resource use patterns

1. What general adaptive management strategies can pastoralists use?

2. What examples of specific activities do Maasai have for each strategy?

3. Which of the strategies/activities would you classify as 3R?

What do you see? What impacts can it have? What can be done?

Diversification of uses and sources

Lessons from WASHEC? Diversification: where and how?

Assessment of 3R alternatives

Many 3R activities require investment (resources, time)

Those resources could have been used for other (more pressing) activities

Benefits occur mostly in the long run

Under these circumstances the important question is: is it worthwhile?

Use of discounting

Now?

Tomorrow!

Stakeholder accounts

Not all costs and benefits are borne by the same people

Carefully look at individual (group) perspectives

SUSWA project contributions

BUT for spontaneous adoption: financial analysis must take all costs and benefits into account

Return to labour is an important factor

Building an account

• Investment

• Maintenance

• Production

Compare ‘with’ with a without situation

Wrap up

Stakes in diversification (community / AMREF / WASH Alliance)?

Opportunities for experiential learning?

Having a first go at developing 3R for a practical case

3R = thinking in terms of environmental opportunities

Adapt and enjoy 3R