Rangelands as a Nexus for Collaborative Governance in Rural South Africa

Effective natural resource governance is complex, particularly in under-resourced, communally managed regions with a history of brash interventions. This research focuses on rangelands in rural South Africa as a nexus for integrated social-ecological governance. Working in the rural Mzimvubu Catchment, we combine village-level social-ecological mapping from 10 focus groups with a practitioner-led case study of rangeland associations established and supported by a grassroots organization. The mapping synthesizes locally salient nexus elements, with a focus on rangelands, and reveals which stakeholders value them and why. The case study traces how rangeland associations translate that salience into negotiated conservation agreements that pair improved grazing practice with monitoring and a package of incentives. These associations become forums for rangeland-related environmental projects. We highlight the potential of using nexus elements to connect integrative multi-level system thinking to practical implementation in support of village-level institutions. Findings show that anchoring interventions on a carefully selected nexus element can make integration tractable and broaden participation beyond direct beneficiaries. Sustaining outcomes requires a balance between embedding associations within existing governance networks and enabling sufficient autonomy. Key implementation/sustainability challenges include boundary ambiguities, engagement of non-resident livestock owners, uneven state capacity, and dependence on external funding and expertise.