Regional workshop on community involvement in forest management in eastern and southern Africa

The African elephant is the largest living land mammal. It once inhabited most of the continent, from the Mediterranean coast down to its south tip. This picture of elephant range today is one of scattered, fragmented populations south of the Sahara Desert. Estimates suggested that elephant populations had more than halved in several areas between 1981-87. Partly as a result of the controversy that surrounds the question of trade in ivory, there is a persistent desire for regular updates on the status of elephant populations, particularly at the continental level.
Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the world's poorest regions and many people live by exploiting the natural resources of its rich wetlands. This book explores the relationships between hydrological an ecological functioning of these wetlands and documents the implications for resource availability, health and social welfare of water management, through the construction and operation of dams, embankments and diversions.
A combination of violence and drought has had a pervasive and highly damaging effect on the societies and production systems of this region. This powerful document presents a wide range of social, economic, ecological and historical information and most importantly an expert analysis of the interlinkages. Featuring an impressive array of figures, maps and other data, the book also provides a valuable perspective by placing local influences and forces in a global context.