Community attitudes towards the reintroduction programme for the Endangered pepperbark tree Warburgia salutaris: Implications for plant conservation in south-east Zimbabwe

Abstract

The pepperbark tree Warburgia salutaris is categorized as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, primarily because of human-induced habitat degradation and over-collection for herbal medicine. Benefits from the reintroduction programme for the species in Tanganda Halt, on the edge of the Mutema Highlands in south-east Zimbabwe, are unequally distributed. This has influenced the attitudes of the local people towards the project and any future plant conservation initiatives. People receiving indirect benefits from the programme expressed positive attitudes towards W. salutaris for cultural, aesthetic and ecological reasons; those receiving direct benefits cited positive impacts on their household welfare. If the reintroduction programme for W. salutaris is to play a part in sustainable development in Tanganda Halt then inequalities in the distribution of benefits need to be addressed. The W. salutaris reintroduction programme is still evolving. Evaluating the attitudes of local people towards the programme provides valuable insights for development planning and for future plant conservation programmes in south-east Zimbabwe. © 2011 Fauna & Flora International.