Page 4 - Professorial Lecture - Professor Mapaure

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Theme, focus and context

Every year, the World celebrates the International Day for Biological Diversity on
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22 May. This year’s Theme is ‘Biodiversity and Sustainable Tourism’. The United
Nations declared 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism
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Development. The pinnacle of the celebrations for this event was slotted for 27
September 2017, with the Theme ‘Sustainable Tourism – A tool for development’.
Considering that we are still 3 years away from the conclusion of the United Nations
Decade on Biodiversity (2011-2020), it is imperative, therefore that I focus on these
topical issues to highlight the importance of biodiversity conservation in
maintaining human existence on this planet. Biodiversity is the cornerstone of our
existence on Earth, including for our curiosity, aesthetic appreciation and provision
of goods and ecosystem services. Hence, it is of utmost importance for us to
sustainably manage biodiversity for the long-term benefit and survival of humanity
on planet Earth. This professorial essay focuses on southern African savanna
ecosystems, highlighting the nexus between tourism and biodiversity conservation,
as well as important ecological considerations required to maintain a balance
between the two. If we cannot maintain a balance by compromising biodiversity
conservation, then we are basically ‘biting the hand that feeds us’.

1.2 Contextual definitions and importance

Biodiversity is defined as the variability among living organisms from all sources
including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the
ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species,
between species and of ecosystems. (Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
Article 2). Thus, biodiversity can be considered at three levels: Genetic diversity,
Species diversity, and Ecosystem diversity. Our conservation efforts should
therefore focus on all these levels. Put simply, biodiversity conservation is about
protection and saving life on Earth in all its forms and keeping natural ecosystems
functioning and healthy. Hence, conservation is about the sustainable use of
nature.
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