Political Ecology and Coastal Conservation: A Case Study of Menai Bay Conservation Area, Tanzania

Abstract

Many of Africa's coastal areas are experiencing alarming levels of degradation. In response, marine conservation efforts there are on the rise, many of which claim community empowerment as an essential goal. Researchers have begun to use theories of political ecology to study the ways in which conservation practices in Africa can negatively affect communities living near protected areas. However, much of this important research is focused on land-based ecosystems and has overlooked coastal regions. This thesis begins to fill that gap by using a political ecology-based approach to understand the complex historical, political, and environmental factors that affect issues of degradation and conservation in the Menai Bay Conservation Area of Zanzibar, Tanzania. This study combines fieldwork and a literature review to conclude that while the conservation area recognizes the importance of authentic community empowerment, it has yet to achieve that goal, thereby compromising the overall success of the project.