Digital participatory mapping improves accessibility to spatial information and the way in which knowledge is co-constructed and landscapes co-managed with impoverished communities. However, many unintended consequences for social and epistemic justice may be exacerbated in developing country contexts. Two South African case studies incorporating Direct-to-Digital participatory mapping in marginalized communities to inform land-use decision-making, and the ethical challenges of adopting this method are discussed. Understanding the past and present context of the site and the power dynamics at play is critical to develop trust and manage expectations among research participants. When employing unfamiliar technology, disparate literacy levels and language barriers create challenges for ensuring participants understand the risks of their involvement and recognize their rights. The logistics of using this approach in remote areas with poor infrastructure and deciding how best to leave the participants with the maps they have co-produced in an accessible format present further challenges. Overcoming these can however offer opportunity for redressing past injustices and empowering marginalized communities with a voice in decisions that affect their livelihoods.

Wolff, M. G., J. J. Cockburn, C. De Wet, J. C. Bezerra, M. J. T. Weaver, A. Finca, A. De Vos, M. M. Ralekhetla, N. Libala, Q. B. Mkabile, O. N. Odume, and C. G. Palmer. 2019. Exploring and expanding transdisciplinary research for sustainable and just natural resource management. Ecology and Society 24(4):14. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-11077-240414

<!----> <!----> Chapter 7 deals with the set of methods related to interviews and surveys, which are a means of gathering information from people who are part of the social-ecological systems (SES) of interest. This method involves modes and ways of learning from people through asking questions and recording responses (mainly surveys) and through conversations and listening (mainly interviews). The chapter discusses surveys, in-depth interviews, key informant interviews, life histories, focus group discussions, reflective questioning, conversations, dialogues and arts-based interview methods. It goes on to discuss the types of SES problems and research questions commonly addressed by this set of methods, as well as their limitations, resource implications and new emerging research directions. The chapter also includes an in-depth case study showcasing the application of interviews and surveys, and suggested further readings on these methods. <!----> <!---->

Conservation and political ideology were closely interlinked in apartheid South Africa: forced removals in areas considered important for conservation was a common practice. Post-Apartheid reforms sought to address the injustices of the past, and at the level of policy, the Land Restitution Act of 1994 recognizes the injustices suffered by specific groups during Apartheid providing a framework to address their claims. However, the land claims process is still marked by various injustices. Drawing on life history interviews conducted with 31 members of the Likhayalethu Community, South Africa, as a case study this paper presents an analytical discussion of how the Land Restitution policy framework in South Africa attempts to address the epistemic injustices in the case of claims in protected areas. The paper raises concerns about the capacity of this policy framework to prevent epistemic injustices from continuing to occur through the current land restitution process.

One of the most critical impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic was on food security. Food insecurity increased in many communities, with some showing signs of resilience through autonomously creating community kitchens that enhanced food security and built support networks. These initiatives filled gaps left by government programmes and provided a critical lifeline for vulnerable communities during the pandemic, fostering community solidarity. This paper aims to investigate the experiences and perceptions of community kitchen managers in addressing food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic by using a town in South Africa in 2020–2022 as a case study. Using arts-based participatory approaches, researchers interviewed 11 community kitchen managers representing 10 community kitchens in four sessions between June and November 2021. The results showed that a lack of jobs and food insecurity were identified as the main threats, whereas COVID-19 was not even identified as a threat by all of the community kitchen managers. Lacking support from the local government, these initiatives depended on individuals and community-based organisations for backing. However, this support decreased in 2021 and 2022, raising concerns about the sustainability of these efforts.

In addition to providing benefits to people, protected areas are valued in ways that go beyond the tangible. A sense of place, and the collection of values, feelings, and meanings associated with a place, can illuminate people-place relationships. Understanding how people relate to a place is essential in acquiring support for protected areas. This research investigates tourists’ and residents’ sense of place in Knysna, an open-access section of the Garden Route National Park, South Africa. Data was collected through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The sense of place was characterised using five variables: physical, cultural, social, dependent, and ideological. Although ‘physical’ was the dominant variable for both tourists and residents, the ‘ideological’ for residents and the ‘cultural’ for tourists came second, highlighting the importance of safe places and recreational activities, respectively. The physical environment influences sense of place, and the importance of protected areas to stakeholders offers an opportunity for management to engage with the public.