A Bright Future For Matusdona National Park

A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR MATUSADONA NATIONAL PARK

Writer: Shelley Cox, Africa Conservation Travel Photography: Africa Conservation Travel

On 1st November, 2019, Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority signed yet another public/private partnership as they step up their efforts to ensure the successful conservation and long-term viability of the country’s national parks.

After a few years of discussions, African Parks(AP),awell-knownnon-profit conservation organisation that takes on the complete responsibility for the rehabilitation and long-term management of national parks in partnership with governments and local communities, has signed a 20-year agreement with the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, to take on management of the Matusadona National Park.

At 1,470 square kilometres, the stunning and unique landscape of Matusdona presents enormous possibilities for both wildlife and tourism, and has the potential to once again become Zimbabwe’s premier elephant and black rhino sanctuary. The lush landscape, consisting of undulating hillsthatquicklydescendtoabruptlyflat grasslands, forms important habitat for a large diversity of savannah and woodland species and makes up an integral part of the middle-Zambezi complex within the Sebungwe region.

Apart from the astounding diversity of over 240 bird species, a healthy variety of mammal species still occur within Matusadona including lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant, waterbuck and impala. The shoreline of Lake Kariba is guarded by a kilometre-wide, iconic drowned forest, and when combined with the park’s unique vegetation, offers considerable and special tourism potential through both land- and water-based activities including game drives, walking safaris, viewing, catch-andreleasefishingandboatcruises.

Founded in 2000, African Parks utilises a clear business approach to conserving Africa’s wildlife and remaining wilderness areas, securing vast landscapes and carrying out the necessary activities needed to protect the parks and their wildlife. African Parks maintains a strong focus on economic development and poverty alleviation of surrounding communities to ensure that each park is ecologically, socially and financiallysustainableinthelong-term. Currently African Parks manages 16 national parks and protected areas in 10 countries, covering almost 11 million hectares of landscape. These countries include Benin, Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, the Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Zambia and now Zimbabwe.

With the signing of the 20-year agreement, African Parks aims to revive Matusadona through a foundation of good governance, an effective law enforcement strategy to secure the park coupled with community engagement initiatives, and, importantly, restoring wildlife populations through reintroductions of indigenous species and thus boosting tourism. AP’s shared vision with the government is to reposition Matusadona National Park in Zimbabwe as a leading safari tourism destination in the region…and in Africa. We look forward to following the progressive steps that will be taken as yet another of Zimbabwe’s national parks becomes an example of successful conservation and rehabilitation.