PROJECTS

Conserving Protected Areas

ZIMBABWE’S PARKS AND WILDLIFE ACT STATES THAT THE PURPOSE OF A NATIONAL PARK IS:

(a) to preserve and protect the natural landscape and scenery therein; and

(b) to preserve and protect wildlife and plants and the natural ecological stability of wildlife and plant communities therein

for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of the public

The Zambezi Society’s Protected Area Conservation Projects are carried out in partnership with and in support of the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) – the lead authority for protected area management in Zimbabwe. The aim of this support is to strengthen management and law enforcement operations across ZimParks estate.

Mana Pools National Park is a key focus. The protected area is rich in biodiversity and wilderness values - it is part of the Mana-Sapi-Chewore UNESCO World Heritage Site, a core area of the Middle Zambezi Biosphere Reserve, a RAMSAR Wetland Site of International Importance, and an Important Bird Area as defined by Birdlife International. The National Park is a “hotspot” destination for safari tourism within the Zambezi Valley and generates important tourism-based revenue.

ANTI-POACHING RANGER PATROLS

Our Protected Area Conservation support focuses on providing and managing resources to assist Zimparks with improving the number, frequency, coverage, and impact of ranger patrols. Resources provided are vehicles, fuel, experienced drivers, anti-poaching trailers, uniforms, patrol supplies & food rations, camping equipment, communication devices, and surveillance equipment (binoculars, night vision goggles, camera traps, drone) etc.

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

Improving the infrastructure of the protected area is another key focus of our work within protected areas. We repair and/or develop road networks that are key to deploying and uplifting rangers on patrol. We also establish semi-permanent fly camps in remote parts of protected areas that require strategic ranger presence.

TRAINING

All training programmes run by us are refresher courses for ZimParks rangers and are focused on ensuring ranger safety and high impact on patrols. Training programmes focus on firearm accuracy and safety refresher courses; tracking, ambush, and arrest refresher courses; and basic first aid refresher courses. We also undertake training in data collection via SMART (Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool).

Featured

THE BULLETIN - DECEMBER 2024

December 2024: The Zambezi Society’s end of year news for 2024 reports on a useful dialogue session hosted with conservation colleagues to share ideas about what's needed to effectively sustain support for Zambezi Valley conservation into the future. We highlight some promising developments for the future management of some of the Valley's protected areas, but also many challenges, including some worrying development controversies in and around the Victoria Falls. We report on our fieldwork assisting ZimParks with vehicle support for anti-poaching deployments and reactions in the Zambezi Valley, and supporting WildCru’s predator survey work in the Sengwa, Chirisa and Chizarira areas. We continue to provide practical solutions to communities in and around Kariba and Mana Pools with Human-Wildlife Co-Existence (HWC), and are expanding our innovative HWC Virtual Reality programme to schoolchildren. We also pay tribute to two dedicated conservation colleagues who lost their lives in tragic circumstances.

VICTORIA FALLS CONTROVERSIES - NOV 2024

Nov 2024: Recent concerns about burgeoning development pressure in and around the Victoria Falls point to a worrying lack of will to co-ordinate the planning for the whole area. The Victoria Falls and their surrounds are not only a local and regional tourism jewel, they are a Natural Wonder and World Heritage Site of priceless intrinsic value to the whole world. They need to be safeguarded through careful zoning and enforcement of boundaries. Several planning processes are underway to ensure this, but the current situation is fraught with complexities. Various players with different ambitions are all competing for a share in what is seen as a lucrative pot of gold. Confusion over zones and boundaries is providing loopholes for controversial new developments and activities to take place within areas which are highly ecologically sensitive. Some of these have already attracted legal opposition. Zimbabweans need to have the courage to prioritise the global intrinsic value of Victoria Falls over its local economic value.

AN INTERACTIVE DIALOGUE FOCUSED ON THE ZAMBEZI VALLEY- OCT 2024

Oct 2024: The formation of trusts and agreements with ZimParks for the co-management of the Matusadona National Park (with African Parks) and, more recently, the Greater Mana Pools Ecosystem (with the Peace Parks Foundation) represent major positive steps for the future conservation of the Zambezi Valley landscape.

In October 2024, The Zambezi Society convened an interactive dialogue session in Harare to focus on the trends and changes taking place within the Zambezi Valley, and to explore interactively what is needed to effectively sustain conservation support for the area into the future. We provide a summary of what took place at this meeting and list the priorities for action decided upon by those who attended.

THE BULLETIN - JAN-APRIL 2024

Jan - April 2024: The Zambezi Society is focusing and strengthening our efforts to help communities with practical solutions and awareness about Human-Wildlife Co-Existence, along the southern boundary of the Charara Safari Area and within Kariba Town itself. We're printing new awareness materials and plan to extend our Virtual Reality programme in schools to other parts of the Zambezi Valley. We continue to assist ZimParks with anti-poaching around Kariba and in Mana Pools, where the new trans-boundary co-management agreement with the Peace Parks Foundation brings hope for new partnership opportunities. We've also got some more carnivore survey research work lined up with WildCru this year, and we welcome Zambia's decision to withdraw the licence for the controversial Kangaluwi Copper Mine in the Zambezi Valley opposite Mana Pools and Sapi. This is a great win for conservation!