The impact of State-Of-Rivers Reporting on people’s attitudes towards river conservation : a case study of the Buffalo and Hartenbos & Klein Brak Catchments in South Africa

Abstract

Thesis (MSc (Conservation Ecology and Entomology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011.

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: During 2007, two evidence-based studies were undertaken in two catchment areas in South Africa.
 The first study ascertained the relationships between demographic attributes and general
 awareness, human impacts, attitudes and water use behaviour. The second study determined
 whether or not State-of-River (SoR) materials developed for foundation phase learners (grades 1 to
 3) improved their understanding of and influenced their attitudes towards river conservation.
 Surveys were conducted amongst learners (n=1178) and parents (n=1144) from different cultures
 and socio-economic backgrounds. Questionnaires were available in three languages, namely
 English, isiXhosa and Afrikaans.
 The SoR reporting materials were not adequately distributed. The first study could therefore not
 ascertain whether increased awareness or attitudinal and behavioural changes could be ascribed
 to SoR reporting in the catchments. The majority of respondents (82%) indicated that there was a
 need for more information on rivers and 60% of the respondents indicated that they would
 participate in a follow-up survey. Thirty percent of respondents from the Buffalo catchment and 22% of respondents from the Hartenbos and Klein Brak catchment indicated that they use water very
 sparingly. Respondents from urban areas scored higher in their attitudes towards river
 conservation and were more aware of water issues than those from rural areas. Both attitudinal
 and awareness scores did not align with water use behaviour, with rural respondents using water
 more sparingly. Attitude and awareness improved with increased education levels. Respondents
 who indicated that they would rather pay more for water than change their water use behaviour
 showed the lowest score for attitude towards river conservation.
 Learners from the Buffalo rural area showed a significant increase in understanding the benefits
 that healthy rivers provide, and this can be ascribed to the distributed SoR activity book and poster.
 A survey consisting of quantitative and qualitative items, as well as participatory evaluations
 determined learners’ level of understanding of human impacts on rivers. The quantitative study
 showed learners from the Hartenbos and Klein Brak area as well as the Buffalo rural area improved
 the most over time. The qualitative items showed a 35% and 40% increase in the number of
 correctly listed items as either making a river happy (healthy) or sad (unhealthy) after exposure to
 SoR materials. Respondents from both catchments taking part in the participatory evaluations
 displayed an overall increase in their understanding of good practices, as well as the negative
 impact of human activities on rivers. Those learners that scored low in the participatory evaluations
 at time 1 showed the most improvement over time, concluding that those learners who knew the
 least at the start of the study, gained the most understanding of human impacts on rivers. All
 schools in the Hartenbos and Klein Brak catchment, with the exception of one, showed a slight
 increase in understanding of human impacts on rivers. Results from the schools in the Buffalo
 catchment were more variable. Data gathered demonstrated that the SoR materials helped
 learners to better understand benefits from clean rivers as well as human impact on rivers.
 Although the learners from urban areas had a better understanding of the concept of river
 conservation before contact with the SoR materials, learners from the rural areas showed the most improvement over time. There was an increase in the number of learners that showed a willingness
 to take responsibility for their actions that could impact on river health. Far more learners
 mentioned remediation types of actions than protection or preventative actions.
 A change in peoples’ attitudes and behaviour is needed to ensure adequate protection of South
 Africa’s natural water resources. Imprinting values and perceptions that would last into adulthood need intervention at an early age and throughout children’s’ formative years.

AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Gedurende 2007, twee bewysgebaseerde ondersoeke is in twee wateropvangsgebiede in Suid
 Afrika gedoen. Die eerste studie was gerig op die bepaling van die verband tussen demografiese
 kenmerke, algemene bewustheid, menslike impak, houdings en waterverbruik. Die tweede studie
 het bepaal of die Stand-van-Rivier (SvR) inligtingsmateriaal wat vir grondslagfase leerlinge (graad
 1 tot 3) ontwikkel is, bygedra het tot hulle begrip van en houding jeens die bewaring van riviere.
 Steekproeftrekkings het leerlinge (n=1178) en ouers (n=1144) vanuit verskillende kultuur- en sosioekonomiese
 agtergronde betrek. Vraelyste was in drie landstale naamlik Engels, Xhosa en
 Afrikaans beskikbaar.
 Die SvR kommunikasie material is nie toereikend versprei nie. Die eerste studie kon derhalwe nie
 bepaal of groter bewustheid of veranderings in houding en gedrag in hierdie opvangsgebiede aan
 die SvR verslaggewing toegeskryf kon word nie. Die meerderheid respondente (82%) het
 aangedui dat daar ‘n tekort and rivierinligting is en 60% van die respondente het hulself
 bereidwillig verklaar om aan ’n opvolgstudie deel te neem. Dertig persent van die respondente uit
 die Buffels- en 22% uit die Hartenbos- en Klein Brak-opvangsgebiede het aangedui dat hulle water
 spaarsamig gebruik. Respondente afkomstig van stedelike gebiede het beter
 rivierbewaringshoudings getoon en was meer bewus van wateraangeleenthede as die van
 landelike gebiede. Houdings en bewustheids-vlakke het nie ooreengestem met waterverbruik nie –
 landelike respondente gebruik water meer spaarsamig. Beide houdings en algemene bewustheid
 het toegeneem met hoër onderwysvlakke. Respondente wat aangedui het dat hulle eerder meer vir
 water sal betaal as om hulle verbruik te verminder, het die swakste houding jeens die bewaring van
 riviere getoon.
 Leerlinge uit die landelike gebiede van die Buffels opvangsgebied het groter begrip getoon vir die
 voordele wat gesonde riviere inhou, en dit kan toegeskryf word aan die aktiwiteitsboek en SvR
 plakkaat wat onder hulle versprei is. ‘n Steekproef bestaande uit kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe
 items, sowel as deelnemende evaluasies is gebruik om leerlinge se vlak van begrip van menslike
 impak op riviere te bepaal. Die kwantitatiewe studie het aangedui dat die begrip van leerlinge van
 die Hartenbos en Klein Brak sowel as die van die landelike Buffelsrivieropvangsgebiede oor tyd die
 meeste toegeneem het. Op die vraag wat riviere gelukkig (gesond) of hartseer (ongesond) maak,
 het die kwalitatiewe items, na blootstelling van die leerders aan die SvR materiaal, ‘n toename van 35% en 40% in korrekte antwoorde getoon. In die deelnemende evaluasie het respondente van
 beide opvangsgebiede ‘n toename in begrip van goeie praktyke sowel as die negatiewe impak van
 menslike aktiwiteite op riviere getoon. Leerlinge wat swak gevaar het in die deelnemende evaluasie
 gedurende die eerste rondte het die meeste vordering getoon. Die gevolgtrekking is dus dat
 leerlinge wat die minste geweet het aan die begin van die studie, die meeste geleer het oor
 menslike impak op riviere.
 Op een na, het alle skole in die Hartenbos- en Klein Brakrivieropvangsgebied ‘n geringe verhoging
 in begrip van menslike impak op riviere getoon. Resultate van skole uit die Buffelsopvangsgebied
 het meer gevarieer. Data versamel het gedemonstreer dat die gebruik van die aktiwiteitsboek en
 plakkate gelei het tot ’n beter begrip by leerders van die voordele van skoon riviere asook van
 menslike impak op riviere. Alhoewel die leerlinge van stedelike gebiede beter begrip getoon het oor
 rivierbewaring voor kontak met die SvR material, het die landelike leerlinge die grootste toename in
 begrip oor die verloop van die studie getoon. Daar was ook ‘n toename in die aantal leerlinge wat
 bereid was om verantwoordelikheid vir hulle aktiwiteite wat ‘n impak op riviergesondheid kon hê, te
 aanvaar. Veel meer leerlinge het tydens die tweede fase verwys na herstel eerder as beskermings
 of voorkomende gedrag.
 ’n Verandering in mense se houdings en gedrag is noodsaaklik om genoegsame bewaring van
 Suid Afrika se natuurlike waterhulpbronne te verseker. Waarde sisteme en persepsies wat met
 volwassewording steeds geldig sal wees, word reeds teen ’n vroeë ouderdom, gedurende kinders se vormingsjare, vasgelê.