Empowering marginalized communities in biosphere reserves through a metacoupling approach

This case study describes the application of a metacoupling approach to the management of biosphere reserves (BRs), specifically within the context of South Africa. It outlines how this framework can be used to understand human-nature interactions and resource flows to ensure equitable outcomes for marginalized communities.

• A metacoupling approach is a systematic method for understanding human-nature interactions by identifying connections between different regions and communities. This framework reveals how resource use and environmental changes in one location can impact ecosystems and vulnerable communities in distant areas, highlighting the global consequences of local actions.
• Biosphere reserves (BRs) are designed as interdisciplinary sites for managing interactions between ecological and social systems in multi-functional landscapes. They are built upon three primary pillars: the conservation of cultural and biodiversity, sustainable economic development, and logistic support provided through education, monitoring, and research.
• South Africa contains ten UNESCO biosphere reserves, which collectively cover 115,732 km², representing 9.5% of the country's total land mass. These include the Cape West Coast, Cape Winelands, Garden Route, Gouritz Cluster, Kogelberg, Kruger to Canyons, Magaliesberg, Marico, Vhembe, and Waterberg Biosphere Reserves.
• The metacoupling approach can be applied to the three zones of a biosphere reserve—the core area (strictly protected), the buffer zone (compatible ecological practices), and the transition area (sustainable human activities)—to identify how interactions across these zones and external landscapes affect different stakeholders. This helps determine who benefits or loses from natural resource decisions, facilitating collective governance across sectoral and jurisdictional levels.

APA

Global Resilience Partnership (n.d.). Empowering marginalized communities in biosphere reserves through a metacoupling approach. https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/biospheres-case-study.pdf

Chicago

Global Resilience Partnership. Empowering marginalized communities in biosphere reserves through a metacoupling approach. n.d. https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/biospheres-case-study.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Resilience Partnership |title=Empowering marginalized communities in biosphere reserves through a metacoupling approach |url=https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/biospheres-case-study.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalresiliencepartnershipndempowering, author = {{Global Resilience Partnership}}, title = {{Empowering marginalized communities in biosphere reserves through a metacoupling approach}}, institution = {Global Resilience Partnership}, url = {https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/biospheres-case-study.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }