LOWER ZAMBEZI CONSERVATION TRUST

Location
The new Chiawa Conservancy Partnership Park, a conserved area of over 100 square kilometers located to the west of the Lower Zambezi National Park, was formerly designated as a Game Management Area (GMA). It is the first partnership park in Zambia (managed by a board consisting of community members and private leaseholders). With its new designation it will qualify for the same degree of protection as a national park. The Chiawa community is located to the west of the protected area with the Lower Zambezi National Park forming the eastern boundary. The northern boundary of the area is demarcated by the magnificent Zambezi escarpment, and the southern boundary is the Zambezi River. On the other side of the Zambezi lies Zimbabwe's Mana Pools National Park, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. The total area including the park and community area covers approximately 250km2 of the Chiawa GMA valley.

The area is accessible by road, river and air; there is an airstrip in the center of the reserve which charter companies utilize several times a day bringing tourists to and from Lusaka to connect to international flights and other tourism destinations in Zambia.

Current Land Use Practices:
No agricultural activities have taken place in the eastern, protected part of the GMA in many, many years due to the absence of permanent settlements. Local village people were relocated by the government to the western part of the area in the 1970's due to sleeping sickness (since eradicated.) Trophy hunting was abandoned due to its conflicting nature with photographic tourism. Currently there are about 20 camps along the Zambezi River which are operating as safari lodges or private lodges. Little benefit trickled down to the community from these tourism operations to date, thus creating conflict between community interests and conservation efforts; due to the nature of this conflict, there is a need to create community development directly linked to conservation efforts.

Game drives and walks, canoeing, boating and sport fishing are among the wide selection of activities that are enjoyed in the area. Currently, most tourist activities are only offered in the Lower Zambezi National Park as the GMA, recently proclaimed a partnership park, has benefited little from infrastructure in terms of roads, anti-poaching or other conservation efforts. Recently a few four-star lodges have become successful in the area and are playing a critical part of the development of the Trust's efforts to conserve the area and create community development opportunities. Thirteen private leaseholders (primarily lodges) have joined the new Chiawa Leaseholder's Association and have committed to actively participating in the conservation and development efforts. If the new "Partnership Park" is effectively managed, including proper law enforcement and investment in infrastructure, it will soon be able to offer the same quality wildlife experience as the bordering Lower Zambezi National Park.

Natural Resources:
The area lies within the Lower Zambezi ecosystem which is one of the most important treasure holds of biological diversity in all Africa; the area is unique as it is one of the only areas which incorporates both Central and Southern African species. The forests, wetlands and natural geographical features form unique and complex ecosystems that support abundant wildlife inclusive of: elephant, hippo, buffalo, kudu, zebra, impala, bushbuck, duiker, leopard, hyena, wild dog, cerval, civet, genet, aardvark, baboon, monkeys and prolific birdlife. The northern boundary is the scenic Zambezi escarpment, which leads up to the high plateau (ranging from 350 to 1,300 meters above sea level).

Current Management:
The area was until now under a co-management arrangement between the Zambia Wildlife Authority (the designated government agency for managing protected areas) and the Chiawa community. The land falls under customary land title and is traditionally owned by Her Royal Highness Chieftainess Chiyaba. Leaseholders, both private homes and safari lodges, have acquired 99-year leases and hold title within that customary land. In 2005, the Government with assistance from United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) initiated a project to test an innovative new conservation model based on a partnership between local communities, the private sector and government. This effort resulted in the formation of a partnership between community and private leaseholders, established as the Lower Zambezi Conservation Trust (LZCT), which will take over the management of the conservation area and reach self-sustainability by the end of 2012.

The conservation area will now be managed by the Trust, which is run by a board represented equally by community representatives and private leaseholders. Board members also include the Director of the Zambian Wildlife Authority, and Her Royal Highness Chieftaness Chiyaba. The primary role of the LZCT is to create and implement a management plan aimed at self-sustainability, which establishes a balance between community development and the conservation of the protected area, or partnership park. Funding from the UNDP project will provide for the wildlife management and anti-poaching efforts in the partnership park until sustainability is reached; however, there needs to be further funding created for economic development within the villages for community to receive any benefit from the project and have an incentive to protect the environment in which they live and the conserved area to the east.

Phase one conservation of the area will include: construction of inland water holes, construction of game/bird viewing hides, and deployment and training of wildlife scouts. Phase two includes the re-introduction of lost species such as cheetah, eland, and rhino as well as many other conservation projects aimed at the protection of existing wildlife and re-establishment of lost species.

Without community support the project cannot succeed. It is the mandate of the LZCT not only to protect the conserved area but to provide the funding and support necessary to facilitate economic opportunities and social benefits to the 18,000 members of the community area, bringing tangible, significant benefit to the people who have inhabited the land for centuries. In addition, the LZCT will initiate self-sufficient funding projects and self-imposed tourism levies that will take the place of UNDP funding for conservation and anti-poaching after the funding period has ended in four years' time.

By partnering community with leaseholders, who are primarily successful business people and have made long-term commitments to the project, the potential success of the entrepreneurial ventures is insured.

TARGET PROJECTS - jointly identified by community and leaseholders to be developed by the LZCT:

1. Commercial Fish Farms: which utilize the best available technology to prevent possible pollution of water sources and run-off of other possible toxic by-products. The commercial fish farm will employ workers from the local community and will provide a legitimate economic opportunity in place of illegal gill-net fishing.

Budget for small scale pilot fish farm: $20,000 which includes cement construction for fishery, organic chemicals to balance PH and water purity, fingerlings, fish food, electrical solar powered fencing and salaries for start-up phase of six months for 10 people. After the start-up phase workers will be paid by revenues from sale of fish to lodges or existing Lusaka market which currently purchases fish illegally procured by gill netting.

2. Community Gardens: with elephant-proof, solar-powered, electrified fencing to protect crops. Irrigation systems will be put in place to pump water to the gardens during dry season, and create catchments for water during rainy season. These community owned and managed gardens will offer a legitimate economic opportunity for local workers to sell to a ready-made market of local lodges, and ultimately ship produce to an extended market outside the area. The protected farms will also dramatically reduce the conflict between elephants and people. People and elephants die or are injured frequently in efforts to keep elephants out of the fields. The gardens will also protect the river banks which are being degraded by farmers who have no alternative but to clear cut and plant crops by the river as they don't have a means to transport water for irrigation. Produce which is not of the standard that local lodges would purchase can be given to local orphans and elderly who need food subsidies.

Budget for ten square hector pilot community garden: $40,000 includes electrified elephant-proof solar fencing and pumping water, holding tanks for rain water, gardening tools, organic fertilizer, seeds, training for six months, salaries for four months for 20 village employees. After productivity is achieved workers will be paid by the kilo for produce.

3. Commercial Poultry Farm: phase one of this project will provide eggs for community sale and consumption as well as offer another economic opportunity to sell the eggs to the local tourist operators. Phase two of this project will utilize the chickens for their meat in addition to the eggs. Refrigeration will be necessary before phase two can be implemented.

Budget for pilot small scale poultry farm: $5,000 includes chicken coops and chicken stock as well as electrified protective solar fencing and chicken feed. Start up salaries and training for two months.

4. Banana Plantation: a community cooperative that has already cleared land and secured part of the funding required for the establishment of a five hectare commercial banana plantation using the abundant water resources of the Zambezi River. Funding already existing of $100,000. NOT INCLUDED IN TOTAL BUDGET BELOW.

5. Creation of Basic Infrastructure: electricity, roads and maintenance, sanitation and trash disposal, improved health care, funding for technical advisors' and visiting volunteers' basic maintenance and travel.

Budget: $30,000.

6. Apiary: one lodge has previously initiated a self-sustaining honey business which will be expanded to a commercial capacity over time.

Budget: $2,500 to provide basic materials for hives, training, bottling and collection for three months until self-sufficiency is reached.

7. Craft Businesses for Women: three areas will be identified in which craft production centers will be built for 10-15 women per facility to be trained by outside professionals in producing hand painted fabrics.

Budget: $10,000 includes local fabrication of three 20'x40' open-air work areas, shaded by thatch with cement flooring and equipped with four foot pedal powered sewing machines each, cotton duck fabric, thread for embroidery, needles scissors, etc., and fabric paints and brushes, drying racks, metal storage bins and locks, and salary for 30 women for training period of three months.

8. Chili (peri peri) Business: for women to run, growing chilies and producing bottled chili to be sold to camps and in Lusaka.

Budget: $1,000 includes seed, processing training, glass jars and labels, logo design and training of 10 women for growing and production of final product.

9. Boat Transport Business: to take orders for products produced by above projects and make deliveries to lodges down river and to transport people up and down the river from Chiawa community.

Budget: $30,000 includes purchase of 20' boat, 100 hp boat, petrol, employment of four delivery boat drivers to work two shifts for four months until they can be paid by sellers of produce.

10. Taxi: for local people to move throughout the community and extended area with trailer for transporting goods.

Budget: $25,000 includes purchase of used 4x4 mini van, fuel, and two month salary for two people who will alternate as drivers.

11. Sports League: fund and initiate a comprehensive sports league for nine villages in the Chiawa Conservancy Area -18 boy's soccer teams & 18 girl's netball teams and nine adult teams, 45 teams in total.

The goals of the sports league include:

• Rally community support for conservation effort.
• Provide opportunity for socialization and recreation for Kore Kore people.
• Provide opportunity for community education seminars before league matches:
  • HIV/AIDS awareness
  • Tuberculosis/Malaria education and prevention
  • Basic sanitation and hygiene
  • Conservation & wildlife education
  • Sustainable land use practices
  • Trash pickup
  • Snare collection
  • Tree planting

Budget: $20,000. NOT INCLUDED IN TOTAL BUDGET.

Community Development Staff:
Community Development Director: will oversee all projects, funding allocation, budgeting and communications with donors both institutional and individual.
$32,000/year plus benefits of $5,000 including housing and health. Total: $37,000.

Community Development Coordinator: will assist director in all efforts.
$12,000 salary plus benefits of $3,000. Total: $15,000.

Other:
Staff vehicle: $18,000
Annual petrol budget: $10,000
Communication and office equipment: $5,000.
Accounting expenses: $4,000.
Housing: $10,000 start-up to include refurbishment of old Save the Children facility.

Total budget $262,500.

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