Introduction

This research analyses the impacts of different tenure regimes on the degradation of the Save River Catchment Area in south eastern Zimbabwe.

Our hypothesis: the tenure system on any part of the catchment affects the quality of the catchment hydrology. The approach recognises the tenurial and ecological basis of human settlement and land use practices; and couples tenure regimes with landscape ecological analyses. Using GIS, hydrological sub-zones are linked to the ecological and demographic factors, and the extent of degradation.

The impacts of spatial heterogeneity, influenced by the tenure regimes, are explained in terms of hydrological parameters – surface run-off, ground water resources, sedimentation – using multiple regression models. Based on principal component analysis, areas are classified by the extent of degradation and those needing priority attention are identified.

SAVE RIVER CATCHMENT AREA (SRCA)

The Save River Catchment Area covers almost 82050 km2 of the total land area of Zimbabwe. It is made up of two major river systems – the Save and Runde rivers – and is typical of a spatial landscape in which socio-economic and environmental activities are degrading the condition of the catchment.