Across the border—Zimbabwe In the south-east corner of Zimbabwe, adjoining the Mozambican border, is a vast wilderness area and one of the country’s most scenic landscapes—Zimbabwe’s second largest national park—Gonarezhou.
organisations have been established to assist with research and monitoring, as well as ongoing engagement with local communities to ensure they benefit and buy into the ith an astonishing diversity of protection of the park. Co-operation with key terrain, incorporating the iconic sandstone Chilojo Cliffs, plunging waterfalls, natural spring tourism stakeholders has also been vital for ensuring consistent revenue streams that will lines, three major rivers, magnificent baobab ultimately support ecological sustainability. trees on rocky ridges, pockets of open flood plains and mopane woodlands with tracts As Hugo van der Westhuizen, trust director of of palm tree forests, the area is traversed by the Gonarezhou Conservation Trust says, ‘We Africa’s largest land mammal, as well as an need to ensure we are building alliances within estimated 88 other mammal species. This is the conservation world and with local evident as their footprints and pathways are communities to work towards a common goal. subtly moulded into, and seen across, the wide This is not about self-promotion, it is about our sweeping sand rivers and through the forest future and our children’s future, and to give up woodlands. It is no wonder then, that the name is not an option.’ ‘Gonarezhou’, when translated in the local language, means ‘Place of the Elephants’. A strong and unified vision
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It is an area steeped in history...with past outbreaks of war in both Zimbabwe and in Mozambique, notorious ivory poachers, land and boundary disputes and ancient traces of the slave trade. Its turbulent history, however, is now overshadowed by the successful collaborative efforts underway to restore the landscape and turn this exceptional ecosystem into one of the foremost well-managed conservation areas in Southern Africa.
So what does it actually take to transform 5,053 square kilometres of prime wilderness into a protected and sustainable ecosystem? Collaboration, team-work and long-term co-management partnerships
In 2007, the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority entered into a financial and technical assistance model for Gonarezhou National Park with Frankfurt Zoological Society. Lasting for a period of 10 years, up until 2017, the agreement focused on investment in infrastructure and the protection of the park’s resources. Following the successful implementation of these two aspects, in March, 2017, management of Gonarezhou was handed over to the Gonarezhou Conservation Trust, a co-management partnership between the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and the Frankfurt Zoological Society. Overseen by a board of trustees, represented equally by both partners, the co-management partnership was created to establish a platform to enhance investment into the long-term sustainability of the park, a key feature being the retention of tourism funds at a park level for direct reinvestment into Gonarezhou and maintaining its ecological resources. In addition, partnerships with other key conservation and community development
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TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA
A powerful vision is vital to ensure focus, energy, objectives, planning, co-ordination and evaluation. The vision of the Gonarezhou Conservation Trust is clear and concise… ‘To be a model for sustainable conservation in Africa—where ecosystems are protected, tourism for conservation thrives and our stakeholders matter’.
Alongside this vision is a clearly laid-out purpose which is, ‘to protect and conserve the wilderness, biodiversity, ecological processes and wild and scenic landscapes within the park boundary. The park’s exceptional resource values will be sustained for present and future generations, while supporting its role in the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area and regional economic development. The culture and history of the Shangaan people will be recognised as one of the key components of the park’. Professional, dedicated and passionate people
Ultimately, if the will of the people is not there, then these wilderness areas eventually fall away due to inadequate protection, altering the habitat use, over-utilisation or the destruction of the natural resources. ‘We can have all financial resources and good intentions in the world, but if the people who are doing the actual work on the ground are not committed to what they are doing then we are wasting our time, money and dreams. It is all about the dedication of the people we are supporting and working with, all of whom are working in difficult circumstances and protecting the last wild areas and its wildlife,’ says Hugo. Currently, the number of staff directly available for field patrols within the park number close to 150, the highest in the park’s history, and a number that is anticipated to rise over the coming years. With a core aim to provide local
Writer: Shelley Cox, Africa Conservation Travel Photography: Africa Conservation Travel, Mana Meadows/ Gonarezhou Conservation Trust
