Role of traditional leaders in natural resources management

leaders in natural resources protection and sustainable environmental management.
By empowering traditional leaders in natural resources management, we are invigorating those traditional norms and values that have seen our forests and other natural resources being preserved in the past.
In addition, traditional leaders are the custodians of indigenous knowledge systems, which would play a pivotal role in the way our natural resources are being managed particularly these days when man’s consumption patterns have had a devastating effect to the environment.
They derive their authority from the Traditional Leaders Act CAP 29:17. Traditional leaders as specified in the Act include village heads, headmen and chiefs.
All these leaders have an important role in safeguarding and protecting the environment in their areas of jurisdiction as provided for in the Act. EMA is mandated to ensure environmental legislation is fully implemented and adhered to by all citizens at all times.
In achieving this great task, EMA relies heavily on the assistants offered by other stakeholders. In the promotion of sustainable natural resources management systems traditional leaders are the pillar upon which this noble cause can be achieved.
At every district there is an EMA officer who at all times is expected to work hand in hand with traditional leaders updating them on latest environmental legislation which has been enacted and help in the training of traditional leaders and their subjects in sustainable environmental management.
Operational activities of Traditional Leaders
Traditional leaders are expected to play an active role in the protection of natural resources in areas under their jurisdiction.
In order to achieve the functions of the traditional leaders, the following is suggested.
l Holding of consultative meetings with all headmen and village heads on environmental management practices and protection and agree on operation norms and standards.
l Agreeing on penalties to be levied to law breakers on various environmental offences in the areas of jurisdiction.
l Documentation and publicising of offences and penalties to all community members.
l Carrying out wide and intensive awareness programmes to all community members on best environmental management practices.
Possible Environmental
Management Activities
The following specific activities can be promoted among communities by traditional leaders. To identify and establish woodlots, consolidated gardens, irrigation schemes and grazing schemes in the district. To take responsibility for reclamation of degraded natural resources. To provide and prescribe means of controlling, prevention and extinguishing of degraded areas.
To control livestock grazing in state land. To formulate local by-laws governing the environmental activities in the district
To participate in consultations of environmental Impacts Assessment done for new projects. To implement land use plans and control illegal settlements
Adjudicate in land disputes, promote and encourage eco-tourism and supervise the operations of the subcommittees
Environmental Law Enforcement
Traditional leaders: shall chair the village assembly (dare; inkundla), shall make local by-laws in relation to cultural norms, and values, set penalties, and set up implementation strategies for by-laws enforcement.
Enforce provisions of an approved village development plan which has had input from the environment sub-committee. (Issues include land, water, vegetation and other natural resources management.
Shall assist EMA officers and other environmental law enforcing agencies in apprehending and securing law offenders in his/her area of jurisdiction. Report to the headman and or ZRP any repeat environmental offenders.
Setting of penalties: is the responsibility of traditional leaders. The Environment committee should, however, play a role in monitoring the effectiveness of fines by the local leadership and advice the council and traditional leaders accordingly.
Expected Operational Functions
of Traditional Leaders
It is the expectation of the Agency that traditional leaders will be in the lead in undertaking the following activities essential for effective environmental management and protection
Veld fires
Report all fire incidences to the EMA and ZRP. Make an immediate fire damage rapid assessment and report to the local authority and EMA. Investigate the causes of the fire and fine the culprit and refer to ZRP and EMA. Ensure that their areas of jurisdiction have a fire alarm system known to everybody. Ensure that each village has a firefighting team in place.
Mineral Panning and Quarrying
Fine all illegal panners in their areas and keep a record of the culprits. Keep a record/name of all illegally panned and quarried areas.
Pit and River Sand Abstraction
Liaise with the local authority in identification of sand abstraction sites. Fine all illegal sand abstractors and keep record of their names. Keep vehicle numbers for transport used and if possible name of the driver.
Wetland and streambank cultivation
All offenders must pay fines and their record kept in a register. Names of wetlands and stream banks cultivated should be kept. Traditional protection of wetlands should be promoted.
Quote of the week: We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. (Haida Indian saying)