Chioneso Banda, Priscila and Gumbo, Trynos and Ingwani, Emmaculate (2022) Wetlands Encroachment and the Spatial Resilience of Ecosystems in Peri-Urban Areas: the Case of Budeli, Mutoti and Mphego in Nandoni, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Mobility, Knowledge and Innovation Hubs in Urban and Regional Development. Proceedings of REAL CORP 2022, 27th International Conference on Urban Development, Regional Planning and Information Society. pp. 913-923. ISSN 2521-3938
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Text (Wetlands Encroachment and the Spatial Resilience of Ecosystems in Peri-Urban Areas: the Case of Budeli, Mutoti and Mphego in Nandoni, Limpopo Province, South Africa)
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Abstract
The study examines the effects of encroachment on wetlands in peri-urban areas on the spatial resilience of peri-urban areas‘ ecosystems. This is against the background that there are continued encroachments on wetlands in peri-urban areas that are resulting in reduced size and quality of wetlands.The consequential effects include disappearance of wetlands creating an imbalance in nature that compromises the resilience of the peri-urban ecosyttems. Informed by the social-ecological systems theoretical framework, the study adopts the post-positivists philosophy and the mixed methods research approach to guide the collection of data. Key informant interviews with purposively selected spatial planners, enviromentalists and traditional leaders were used to collect data. Mapping to establish the extent of how wetlands have been affected by development was also employed. Findings reveal that various activities have affected wetlands in the respective villages severely and these include brickmaking, coversion of wetlands into farmlands and expanding residential development onto wetlands areas.These activities have led to water pollution, erosion of wetland escarpments, natural vegetation loss, reduction in wetland inhabitant species and alteration of wetland sites. Wetland designated sites have dimisinshed showing the impact of these human activities. It is recommended that sustainable practices be adopted that sustain both the community and the enviroment to reduce the impacts of wetland encroachment by human activities coupled with strong partneships by community, local leaders and local authority. Recommndations are that concerned stakeholders should work together and form strong partnerships, an intergrated or inclusive approach in land allocation issues between the local authority and the traditional leaders be adopted and practiced, incorporation of community participatory initiatives that raise awareness on wetlands importance and the extent of how human activities compromise wetland habitat quality such as Imbizo and Mayor Mahosi Forum, continual enforcement by the local authority and local community engagement on the best practices that help sustain the enviroment at the same time that meet their livelihoods.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Peri-urban areas, Ecosystems, Spatial resilience, Encroachment, Wetlands |
| Subjects: | G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GB Physical geography G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GF Human ecology. Anthropogeography |
| Depositing User: | The CORP Team |
| Date Deposited: | 12 Nov 2022 17:53 |
| Last Modified: | 18 Dec 2022 13:58 |
| URI: | http://repository.corp.at/id/eprint/942 |
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