Humans-environment relationships and environmental governance

The presence of Hwange National Park is marked by a colonial history and more or less silent forms of environmental injustice, highlighted among other things by the work of the Hwange LTSER. In line with the work of the ProSuLi project, we continue to study these environmental justice issues through i) a definition with local partners of the ethical issues and rules associated with research in the Hwange socio-ecosystem, particularly in terms of commitment and impact on the socio-ecosystem; ii) better understanding and recognition of local beliefs and practices and the facilitation of forms of hybridization of different types of knowledge (traditional, expert, scientific, North and South, etc.); and iii) the co-elaborative exploration of adaptive governance modes of the Hwange socio-ecosystem in a context of high uncertainties (political, economic and climatic). If Hwange is recognized as a global example for the conservation of large African mammals, local knowledge is on the verge of extinction. In line with the work already carried out on the evolution of practices for using natural resources for food, we now document local knowledge around landscape restoration practices and coexistence with large wildlife. This information can be shared by local actors according to their wishes and the format of their choice (singing, story telling, drama). In this axis, we explore scenarios for collaborative and adaptive management of the Hwange socio-ecosystem through different methodological approaches. The emphasis is placed on a transdisciplinary and systemic approach through the use of tools based on the use of Futures (visioning, backcasting, Futures triangle). This approach, involving a wide range of stakeholders in the area (including youth), is accompanied by funding for micro-projects which will have been co-developed during workshops. This approach aims to test and promote transformative trajectories of the socio-ecosystem and is anchored in a deep dialogue with the other research axes of the LTSER, in particular around the different dimensions of water management. This axis will ultimately make it possible to develop  ‘sustainability science’ by simultaneously carrying out research projects involving local stakeholders as much as possible, training activities and community awareness.