Abstract
The increasing human settlements around protected areas is a significant cause of the shrinking size of conservation areas globally. This is an alarming situation, especially in countries where protected areas significantly contribute to the National economy. The use of new tools to solve Land use conflicts that exist around protected areas is needed. This study employed the weighted overlay analysis using ecological, social and economic factors to model suitability for developing settlements in Chobe District, an international tourist destination in Northern Botswana, using ArcGIS spatial analyst. The majority of the land (83.4%) in Chobe is not suitable for settlement, while suitable areas that could for settlement remain relatively small (0.3% of the land). This study suggests that more land for settling the increasing population be created out of Chobe District to avoid encroachment on the conservation areas. The study demonstrated that ArcGIS spatial analyst model builder could be integrated into the land resource planning process of protected areas, making it a handy tool for the analysis and the identification of ecological, economic and social factors, thus establishing an excellent area for further research, especially for sustainable management of protected areas.
Highlights
The consensus between the increasing population in protected areas and the need for conservation remains a challenge for policymakers and practitioners
The results of the multicriteria procedure adopted for weighting the elements considered in the model highlighted that the essential factors in determining the suitable land for development of human settlements are the "distance to protected areas" with 33% in the "Ecological factors" cluster and the "Distance to tourism sites" with 20% in the "Economic factors" cluster (Table 1)
Whilst many studies on land conflicts and wildlife were conducted in Chobe District, further research is needed to model complex land resource situations in the district, considering the dynamics of human demographics, land use, and the limitations of the current land-use plan
Summary
The consensus between the increasing population in protected areas and the need for conservation remains a challenge for policymakers and practitioners. There has been a rise in reports of encroachment on protected areas globally fuelled by increasing human pressure (Geldmann, Manica, Burgess, Coad, & Balmford, 2019; Mannetti, 2017; Murti, 2019; UNEP-WCMC, IUCN & NGS, 2019; Watson, Becker, Milanzi, & Nyirenda, 2015). These areas are critical species conservation areas, some of the ecosystem services and benefits derived from these areas, primarily through tourism, have attracted people to seek residence in these areas. The effect of these changes is evident in some protected areas; for instance, in the Maasai Mara, Kenya, the numbers of impala (Aepyceros melampus), warthog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus), giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) and hartebeest (Alcelaphus bucelaphus) have been reported to have declined by more than 70% over the last few decades (Pinnock, 2011)
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