NEWS
Vetter also notes that people often misunderstand the intrinsic productivity of grasslands and their utility to local communities , and that this often manifests in ecologically inappropriate development strategies that threaten both grasslands and pastoral livelihoods , such as attempts to convert grassy biomes into agricultural plots or forests .
Mongabay contributor Kang-Chun Cheng recently interviewed Susanne Vetter via email about common misconceptions of African grasslands and the pastoralist communities who depend on them . The interview was edited for length , clarity and style .
Mongabay : Could you tell me a bit about your work ? What is currently the most exciting aspect of your research ?
Figure 2 . Susanne Vetter out in the field , a grassy biome in the background . Image courtesy of Susanne Vetter .
Susanne Vetter : My research is very diverse and includes the ecological dynamics of rangelands , the cultural values of biodiversity , and the functional ecology of savannas and thickets . I am interested in the drivers that have shaped vegetation in the past ( climate , fire , herbivory , humans ) and how they are changing the vegetation into the future . Currently what excites me most is expanding my research to other parts of Africa through field visits and collaboration with other African scholars . It is allowing me to gain a better understanding of the large-scale patterns in these dynamics across sub-Saharan Africa .
Figure 3 . A cow catching up with the rest of the herd as they make their way home at the end of the day in Amboseli National Park , Kenya . Image by Kang- Chun Cheng .
Figure 4 . Grevy ’ s zebra ( Equus grevyi ) dotting the grounds of Mpala Research Centre in Laikipia County , central Kenya . Image by Kang-Chun Cheng .
At the same time , pastoralists often take much of the blame for declining grasslands . Conservationists and farmers accuse herders of having too many livestock that tramples sensitive vegetation and edges wildlife out as they overgraze the landscape .
Susanne Vetter , an associate professor
Figure 5 . Maasai goats nibbling the local vegetation just outside the main gate of Amboseli National Park in southern Kenya near the Tanzanian border . Image by Kang-Chun Cheng .
of plant ecology at Rhodes University in South Africa , studies these rangeland dynamics across arid and semiarid parts of the country . Much of her research and teaching focus on plant adaptations and vegetation dynamics .
But she says she has always been fascinated by people ’ s deeper relationship with plants and nature , and this theme has taken root in her studies as well . Through her work , she has gained a rosier view of pastoralism than many conservationists and policymakers take .
“ I believe that pastoralism and wildlife are compatible and probably the combination is the most ecologically appropriate form of land use in these parts ,” Vetter says . She adds that she believes traditional methods of herding are a more sustainable and ecologically appropriate way to manage drylands than the main alternatives : “ fenced-in ” ranching and other intensive forms of farming .
Mongabay : What is it about traditional pastoralism and the human culture behind it that helps it inherently coexist with wildlife conservation ?
Susanne Vetter : Like wildlife , traditional pastoralists and their livestock had to survive and thrive in environments where productivity varies hugely in space and time , often with a severe dry season . As a result , densities of livestock and people tended to be sparse and mobile , and many areas far from water were inaccessible to humans and their livestock while providing habitat for wildlife , thus reducing conflict .
However , there are few areas today where traditional pastoralism hasn ’ t been affected by land-use change , provision of supplementary feed and water , conflict over resources and changes to the lifestyles and aspirations of the pastoralists themselves . As a result , the compatibility with wildlife is now much more variable .
Fundamentally , however , pastoralism and wildlife are compatible at least to an extent , and the natural vegetation of savannas and grasslands is well adapted to being grazed and browsed . Compared to ploughing or other intensive
Grassroots Vol 22 No 1 March 2022 18