Botswana: Community-Based Natural Resource Management

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Not being offered spring 2011. Program under development.

“The opportunity to hear about social and environmental issues from the people who are dealing with them firsthand in a quickly developing country was exciting.”

-- Rachel Jones, Fall 2009, College of William and Mary

Explore the long-term conservation goals and development needs of local populations in Botswana.

The program gives students the opportunity to study the environmental challenges in two of Africa's last wilderness areas, the harsh Kalahari Desert and the delicate ecosystem of the Okavango Delta.
 
In-country resources and partner institutions
Students interact with scholars and conservation experts, local organizations, and indigenous groups to learn about ecological and human adaptation to Botswana's extreme climates and efforts to balance resource use. Resources utilized in the delivery of course content include:

• Harry Oppenheimer Okavango Research Center
• University of Botswana
• Mokolodi Nature Reserve's education center
• Kalahari Conservation Society
• Centre for Conservation of African Resources: Animals, Communities and Land use (CARACAL)
• Environmental Watch Botswana
• Living with Elephants

Homestays in both urban and rural areas give students a balanced perspective on environmental concerns including pressure on water resources, degradation of rangelands, depletion of wood resources, and urban pollution.

A fragile ecosystem
Botswana is a landlocked country, its landscape mostly semi-desert and Kalahari sands. In contrast, its Okavango Delta, the world's largest oasis and a complex ecosystem of rivers, marshes, and islands, is the seasonal habitat of numerous animals, including African elephants, cheetahs, and African wild dogs, and more than 400 species of birds. Botswana's Tsodilo Hills features the world's largest collection of rock art, paintings of spiritual significance to the San peoples of the Kalahari.

Conservation of natural resources and cultural artifacts is a priority for both Botswana's government and its people in order to ensure survival in a sustainable manner. Government officials, conservation organizations, and Botswana's citizens struggle to balance the needs of an increasingly complex society with conservation of the country's natural heritage. Students explore these issues in the classroom and through firsthand field study and visits to wilderness and game reserves, gaining an understanding of humanity's central role in environmental issues.

Browse this program's Independent Study Projects/Undergraduate Research