Paper short abstract:

This paper brings out the (new) human-nature relations and materialities of benefit-sharing systems under rewilding initiatives in Southern Africa which provide socio-ecological connectivity of protected areas; providing insights to inform sustainability of nature-based convivial African futures.

Paper long abstract:

Rewilding has gained prominence as a pathway to convivial African Futures in landscapes strategically located for (re)establishment of ecological connections. Yet, nature-based convivial futures interventions are layered on past failures and local discontent with conservation and associated benefit-sharing systems or their absence and, local underdevelopment. This paper builds on secondary sources, key informant interviews, community meetings and insights from the author’s experience researching on and implementing various community-based wildlife management initiatives; to explore different stakeholders’ understandings, expectations, fears, risks, enablers, and barriers to convivial futures woven around rewilding initiatives which provides connectivity of wildlife dispersal areas between protected areas. These initiatives are unique as they involve community ownership with potential for enabling a transboundary convivial future anchored on development-through-conservation, allowing rural people to derive benefits from living with wildlife and autonomously manage wildlife and the associated benefit-sharing systems. The key questions are: what is the nature of benefits and expectations, anxieties, risks, enablers, and barriers to rewilding in human-dominated landscapes? Are communities ready to autonomously manage benefit-sharing systems? What stories are told about the past and present and how do these stories illuminate present understandings, expectations, fears, risks, enablers, and barriers regarding rewilding? What (new) social, economic, human-nature and human-human relations emerge from the reintroduction of species and establishment of ecological connectivity and how do these articulate with benefit-sharing systems in a convivial futures matrix? In the discussion and conclusion, it is shown how the findings may inform sustainable designs of nature-based convivial futures in the Anthropocene.