Ngorongoro Conservation Area in the heart of Maasailand is one of the world's most important conservation heritage areas. This book centres on a field study of the Ngorongoro Maasai and their herds, around which present knowledge of African rangeland, wildlife, livestock and pastoralist ecology is brought together and analysed. Management problems in Ngorongoro encapsulate many of the major debates in the ecology and conservation of African savannas. This book explores perceived problems, ecological facts and possible management solutions. Using an interdisciplinary approach, the authors...

Timber production is often the most economic form of land use in areas of tropical forest: forest preservation is rarely so. The area of tropical forest reserved for timber production exceeds that of National Parks and other preserved areas by a ratio of at least 8: 1. Although often poorly managed to date, production forests have the potential to support a high percentage of natural forest biodiversity. They have a vital role to play in conservation strategies. This book attempts to bridge the current gap between conservation requirements and commercial interests, indicating the...

Savannas cover approximately half of the African land surface and one fifth of the land surface of the world. They are one of the most important, but least understood terrestrial ecosystems. They are the basis of the African livestock industry and the wildlife they support is of key importance in bringing in tourists. The Nylsvley area in South Africa is one of the most intensively studied savanna regions in the world and as such it is a key source of data and theory relating to this important tropical biome. The South African Savanna Biome Programme was set up to develop the understanding...