Conflict of Laws in the conservation of natural resources

Abstract

Abstract provided by author

This paper examines the scope and content of the communal conservancies as spelt out in the legislative enactments such as the Nature Conservation Ordinance and the constitution of Namibia. The Dissertation also looks at the relationship between traditional authorities and Conservancy management or relevant committees, as well as the conflict of rights of management and utilisation between customary law and state made law on the other hand. The paper provides a historical overview of natural resources management in traditional communities before the coming into being of the new nature conservation law; this will help to find out whether they is a potential need to realise the need for the enactment of relevant legislation to conserve wildlife and game. The paper will further establish grounds upon which government relies for supporting conservancies. The paper will finally provide a case study of the relevant conservancy which adversely affected the well being of some communities where such conservancies exists, recommendations will therefore follow.