OUR WORK
Conservation at scale
Within the Zambia component of the Kavango Zambezi transboundary landscape lies the Sioma Ngwezi National Park and the Zambezi West Game Management Area, together referred to as the Sioma Ngwezi Management Complex. The area was declared by the Litunga – the King of the Barotse Royal Establishment – as a protected area more than a century ago. It is a vast ecosystem which lies within the Kwando Wildlife Distribution Area and covers an area of approximately 25 979 km2.
The Sioma Ngwezi Management Complex has been earmarked for intensive wildlife recovery as it plays an essential ecological role in wildlife movement along the Kwando and Zambezi rivers. Despite reductions in wildlife, as a result of poaching during the liberation struggles that characterised the area, the natural vegetation remains largely intact and, aside from some slash and burn agriculture and logging, the terrestrial system still holds significant production potential, especially for wildlife, and a wildlife-based economy.
The co-management agreement outlines the guiding principles of collaboration in the management and development of the Sioma Ngwezi National Park and the greater Sioma Ngwezi Management Complex. It establishes the responsibilities of the parties, as well as the institutional framework of the joint collaboration for achieving specific objectives, and sets out the platform from which to coordinate investments and funding from the various parties. Planning is directed by a steering committee whilst a Project Management Unit has been established to action the various decisions taken. Discussions and resolutions have taken place around the administration (staff issues and funding), the development of management and business plans, infrastructure development, wildlife management and protection, community development, and tourism development.
Rewilding
Peace Parks works closely with Zambia’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife to boost game numbers in the area through rewilding. This involves the capture and translocation of plains game such as zebra, wildebeest and impala. Game population growth will increase the attractiveness of the area for wildlife tourists. Water augmentation in this, and the larger area is important to encourage game to remain in the area. Within Sioma Ngwezi National Park, two boreholes were drilled and equipped with pumps which feed into two 10 000 litre tanks providing water to the park’s intensive protection zone. To augment the area’s water supply, water is pumped to two pans and plans are in place to expand to other areas. A direct consequence of this is the fact that game numbers stabilised and are now growing well.
Ecological linkages
As part of the Kwando wildlife dispersal area, Sioma Ngwezi National Park benefits from unfenced borders and unrestricted wildlife movement along the Kwando River.
Combatting wildlife crime
Poachers operating in Sioma Ngwezi area typically cross the borders between Angola, Namibia and Zambia with groups consisting of nationals from all three countries. In an effort to address and counter this, the acting warden of the Sioma Ngwezi National Park initiated an Angola, Namibia and Zambia Cross-Border Forum. The forum comprises staff from the Luenge Luiana National Park in Angola, Bwabwata National Park in Namibia and Sioma Ngwezi National Park in Zambia. It serves as a platform to discuss operational matters, such as communication channels to be used during cross-border poaching incursions. Peace Parks, with support from the Cleveland Zoological Society, assisted with establishing basic infrastructure at the Kwando ranger outpost by erecting tents and constructing a wooden cabin. To further promote effective law enforcement here, a boat and outdoor motor were purchased to be used for patrols on the Kwando River.
A hangar and a microlight aircraft were sponsored by Club 21 members, Neville and Pamela Isdell. Two local Sioma Ngwezi employees were also trained as Light Sport Aircraft pilots and can now monitor wildlife in the park from the air using the microlight. Two additional vehicles were also purchased, which greatly improved the effective deployment of personnel across the park.
Community development
Rangers assisted the communities in promoting human-wildlife coexistence, and an officer was sent to Maun, Botswana, for human-wildlife conflict mitigation training. Reacting to or mitigating human-wildlife conflict incidents requires the Sioma unit to assist farmers regularly. Elephants account for the bulk of crop damage to small vegetable gardens and effective strategies are in place to mitigate this.
Conservation finance
With the rehabilitation of the Livingstone-Sesheke road, it is expected that the number of international tourists will increase. Sesheke is a border town and lies on the northern bank of the Zambezi River, about 50 km from the park. By linking Sioma Ngwezi with Sesheke, tourists travelling to Victoria Falls or Barotse Floodplain can easily visit the park as part of their tour.
Currently, there are two campsites at Ngonye Falls Community Park which, in the future, could be developed to accommodate additional tourists.
Peace Parks Foundation, in partnership with BioCarbon Partners, is engaging with 14 chiefdoms of the Royal Barotse Establishment in Western Zambia to action an exciting Reduced Environmental Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) carbon credit programme covering 350 000 hectares of forests. BioCarbon Partners will provide initial funding of USD 4.7 million for this large-scale forest carbon project. The project aims to mitigate climate change by enhancing carbon sequestration and reducing emissions within forest ecosystems.
