CONSERVATION AT THE URBAN FRINGE: STAKEHOLDER CONTESTATIONS AND SOCIO-SPATIAL DYNAMICS IN THE CONTEXT OF A NATURE RESERVE

Historically, the relationship between protected areas, conservation and tourism stakeholders, and host communities has been highly contested. This study focused on the Abe Bailey Nature Reserve (ABNR) in South Africa, which has long been plagued by continuous conflicts and disturbances involving the protected area, host communities, and conservation officials. Owing to its unique location within a peri-urban township, its operations and outcomes are characterised by systemic issues of public service failure, poverty, and societal mistrust in government and related projects. This is set against the backdrop of the protected area being leveraged to address socioeconomic challenges through the transition of the land from mining to conservation. In this context, the study explores the interactions between key stakeholders, host communities, conservation authorities, and governing authorities, in order to broaden understanding of protected area and community relations. A combination of in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with stakeholders reveals that conservation concerns related to poaching, human population pressures, encroachment, and lingering racial perceptions of the reserve were major sources of conflict among stakeholders. Overall, the study highlights how economic and sociopolitical factors shape conservation effectiveness in peri-urban contexts, suggesting implications for policy rethinking for destination managers.