It is acknowledged that climate change-related threats shall negatively affect the more vulnerable groups in a community, particularly those within low income groups (Appleby et al., 2017). According to Appleby et al. (2017) such realisation is also evident the IPCC 2014 report which stated the need for research, development, implementation and evaluation of these vulnerable groups, particularly at the community level. Thornton et al. (2014) add that an important part of policy targeted at reducing vulnerability needs to focus on enhancing adaptive capacity at the individual level, first. As such, there has been the need to promote community- based strategies which seek to improve local livelihoods of resource-dependent communities, and increasing their resilience against climate change-related threats (Wise et al., 2014). These community-based strategies focus on existing ecosystem services available to these communities, and seek to enhance adaptive capacity by sustaining the state of ecosystem goods and services (Wise et al., 2014).
20 Climate change policy has been predominantly informed by a biophysical scientific discourse, which has led to social aspects being understated within policy responses (Appleby et al., 2017). Arguably, climate change policy must consider all aspects of climate change-related threats, which affect both biological and human systems (Thornton et al., 2014). For example, an increase in rainfall variability will have a negative effect on forest ecosystem provisioning services which in turn limits the ability of natural resources dependent communities to derive benefits from the provisioning services (Thornton et al., 2014). It is from this context, conservation practices can play an important role in climate change mitigation, specifically in reducing the rate of deforestation and forest degradation (Belle et al., 2016).
Maxwell et al. (2015) state that conservation can further reduce vulnerability to climate change-related threats by restoring ecosystem services, ensuring sustainable harvesting of resources, and reduce the impact of extreme events such as flooding. According to Panfil and Harvey (2015), the importance of conservation within the climate change discourse is evident in the UNFCCC sixteenth Conference of the Parties (COP16) which argued that REDD+
projects need to focus on the conservation of natural forest and biological diversity, and that funding be directed to projects that conserve forests ecosystem services, as well as promote social benefits. Although it is acknowledged that areas rich in biodiversity contribute to local livelihoods through ecosystem benefits, it must also be noted that it is a considerable challenge to merge biodiversity conservation objectives with local development needs (Amin et al., 2015).
In relation to this study, the BLSRP provides an opportunity in which reforestation can be understood as a response to addressing the complexities of climate change-related threats, which include the mitigation of the said threats, ecological restoration, and enhancement of local community livelihoods. Reforestation forms part of the strategies to reduce the threats of climate change and promote ecological restoration, as well as produce ecological and socio- economic co-benefits (Alexander et al., 2011). According to Le et al. (2011), the success of reforestation projects requires evaluation and updating of information starting with the planting phase, and keeping track during the maturing phase of the forest. This type of approach to evaluation allows for readjustments to be made to ensure the materialising of both environmental and socio-economic goals of reforestation projects (Le et al., 2011).
Reforestation projects aim to enhance forest productivity and ecosystem services, and contribute to community livelihoods (Le et al., 2011; Orsi et al., 2011). Ensuring the
21 accomplishment of these objectives is further enshrined in the Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) approach which was devised by the IUCN and WWF (Orsi et al., 2011). According to Orsi et al (2011), the FLR approach emphasises the establishment of a forest landscape which produces benefits for ecology and society. As stated earlier, the biophysical focus in the climate change discourse has led to the understating of social aspects. However, the inclusion of a social science orientation within climate change discourse is valuable in providing a more comprehensive understanding of the context in which climate change-related threats occur, thus necessitating relevant interventions. In unpacking the social component of the climate change discourse, it is crucial to reflect on the importance of local and/or community perceptions.
Research on climate change perceptions has covered aspects such as levels of awareness, knowledge, perceived causes, willingness to participate in mitigation actions, perceived risk and individual responses to threats (Crona et al., 2013; Jang, 2013; Lee et al., 2015). In this regard, unpacking perceptions towards climate change enables researchers to further encourage pro-environmental behaviour and attitudes (Jang, 2013). These public perceptions can be understood through the individual recognition of climate change-related threats, the realisation of contributing factors, the level of concern regarding perceived threats, and perceived responsibility of address such threats (Capstick et al., 2015). The manner in which action is taken to address climate change-related threats is arguably influenced by public perceptions of the causes and resultant implications (Capstick et al., 2015; Lee et al., 2015). Capstick et al., (2015) assert that responses to climate change-related threats such as emissions reduction and adaptation, require some form of community involvement.
Additionally, public understanding of the causes of climate change-related threats is crucial in the formation of subsequent attitudes (Jang, 2013). Moreover, Crona et al. (2013) elude to the importance of gaining insight of public perceptions of climate change as these perceptions form part of the context in which mitigation projects are carried out. It becomes crucial for policy makers and researchers to understand these perceptions, as these perceptions can influence public support or resistance towards actions taken to address climate change-related threats (Crona et al., 2013; Lee et al., 2015). Similarly, understanding perceptions toward conservations practices and their ecological benefits can further guide conservation agencies towards creating and maintaining positives relations with adjacent communities (Hartter et al., 2014; Mutanga et al., 2015). In order to contribute to effective conservation policy, Amin et al
22 (2015) assert that there is a need to improve community knowledge of the importance of conservation practices and delivery of ecosystem services. Simultaneously, in improving the aforementioned knowledge, it ought to be noted that policy makers and researchers are only able to identify the benefits derived from ecosystems if they understand what local communities themselves perceive as benefits (Hartter et al., 2014). Climate change discourse has predominantly had a biophysical focus, and needs to incorporate a social science perspective to gain context specific understanding of threats and thus devise interventions that are specific to those communities. Therefore, the design of climate change adaptation and mitigation programmes need to be context specific, and unpack local community utilisation of ecosystem goods and services.