Providing a safe refuge
for elephants and
other wildlife of the
Lower Zambezi National Park
in Zambia

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Chairman's Report 2005

PREPARED FOR CONSERVATION LOWER ZAMBEZI BY GRANT CUMINGS – CHAIRMAN 

Conservation Lower Zambezi is a registered Association and whose members consist of stakeholders, donors, corporations and other interested parties. The organization’s chief purpose is to safeguard the wildlife and habitat of the Lower Zambezi National Park and surrounding GMA’s. The Committee and its members meet regularly to discuss issues pertinent to conservation and the running of the organization. The organization’s success or failure counts on the efforts and enthusiasm of its members, and its ability to raise funds – the results of which could be measured by the level of poaching activity, and the impact of man-made influences on the habitat, over a given period.

The year 2004-5 has been an extremely successful year full of achievements yet it has also been a most challenging year too. I am proud to announce that CLZ’s HQ/EEP Centre is now complete, save for a few small additions to take place, and which looks absolutely spectacular. Ian and Lea have done a great job in helping CLZ build something that CLZ, its donors and Zambia can be proud of for a long time to come and something that will assist future and current generations of Zambians appreciate and conserve the wildlife of the Lower Zambezi. Obtaining Title Deeds for the site has also been concluded following the formation and registration of the CLZ Trust – no small task and thanks mainly to the determination of Sierra II Lovemore Katebe and the professional support of Tiziana Marietta of Sharpe & Howard.

The Environmental Education Program is now underway with the Education Centre busy with visits from rural school children and teachers and the Mobile Education/AV Unit has been busy visiting rural areas such as Chiawa, Chongwe and Rufunsa. Implementing this impressive program is CLZ’s Educator Mr Ernest Chingaipe, who CLZ welcomed to its ranks in August 2004, and who has done a great job of producing education materials and kick-starting these programs.  Of course none of this would have been possible without the generous support of CLZ’s donors, particularly the Royal Danish Embassy who have not only committed to funding the next three years of operations for the EEP but who have also committed to supporting CLZ in establishing a Safari Guide Training Program in the Lower Zambezi – which will be the first of its kind in the region! 

CLZ also remains active in conservation activities and still provides substantial support to ZAWA in mobilising anti-poaching patrols in the area. In particular a grant from US Fish & Wildlife via Elefence International has helped CLZ help ZAWA provide more effective conservation activities aimed at stemming the poaching of bush-meat and ivory from the Lower Zambezi. More details are enclosed in the attached Operations Report.

Removing a snare from a young lion

Unfortunately CLZ is currently experiencing difficulties with ZAWA and the Royal Establishment in 2005, despite the substantial assistance it provides to ZAWA and the community. The Board and ExCo have been working tirelessly to remedy the situations but as of yet CLZ still does not have a Memorandum of Understanding with ZAWA despite some 22 draft versions having been completed – we are led to understand that there are elements within ZAWA that have a deep, unexplained distrust of CLZ particularly in the use of the CLZ dart gun and aircraft. There have also been efforts by the Royal Establishment to expel Ian Stevenson and Leanne Edwards from the Chiawa Chiefdom, for reasons yet to be formalised and clarified – again CLZ Board Members are working determinedly to find a solution that is best for the future of the Lower Zambezi. These set-backs are disappointing to CLZ given the positive effect of its conservation activities and particularly in the absence of any as yet actionable information from either ZAWA or the Royal Establishment; however I am confident that CLZ will resolve these issues and continue to demonstrate excellence in all it sets out to achieve.

We wish to bid a warm thank you and farewell to Eileen Anderson, CLZ’s accountant who for almost the past two years has done a fantastic job of keeping our financial affairs in order. However we also bid an equally warm welcome to Alan Harkness who has generously offered to take over this responsibility and who we are sure will provide a positive influence to CLZ and its operations.

CLZ remains somewhat active in the field of research, namely assisting Kellie Leigh’s African Wild Dog project (AWDC), and CLZ is also nearing completion of a GIS (digital mapping system) of the organizations’ area of operations which is anticipated will greatly assist with future planning and strategy. CLZ also assisted the University of Pretoria & ZAWA in an elephant survey of the Lower Zambezi - more detailed information may be found in the attached Operations Annual Report.

Fundraising remains a priority with CLZ and the organization sought and received valued support from private donors, government donors, and its private and corporate members. Again, details are contained within the attached Treasurer’s Annual Report.

Herewith then, a brief summary of CLZ’s activities for the year, detailed in the attached Operations and Treasurer’s Reports. 

THE YEAR IN REVIEW: 2004 – 2005

PROTECTIVE ACTIVITY
This included:

• Providing fuel, transport, rations, communications and motivation to ZAWA Wildlife Police Officers for anti poaching patrols and law enforcement operations

•  Air assistance for anti poaching.

• Conducting and hosting one series of Safari Guide Lectures and Examinations for Safari Operators, in conjunction with ZAWA.

•  Immobilizing, treating, and saving the lives of a number of snared “high profile” mammals.

There appears to be a decline in the number of man-days being patrolled by ZAWA at the moment despite the NORAD funding and CLZ’s provision of a significant amount of monthly transport support, however ZAWA have not yet provided CLZ with their usual annual operations reports Fortunately poaching has not yet increased noticeably as a result and it is our hope that ZAWA will make more officers available for more extensive proactive and reactive operations.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAM

The EEP commenced in October 2004 and has already achieved the following:

• Completed construction of the Education Centre and obtained Title Deeds for the land upon which it is situated

• Employed CLZ Educator Mr Ernest Chingaipe to develop education materials, research the target areas and implement the EEP

• Conducted education trips into the rural areas of Chongwe, Rufunsa and Chiawa reaching an approximate 4500 community members

• Conducted 3 field trips to the EEP Centre/CLZ HQ reaching 58 children and teachers

COMMUNITY RELATIONS

CLZ continues to assist the community wherever possible, and the Environmental Education Project has been widely and popularly accepted by the local communities, particularly in the Rufunsa and Chongwe areas. CLZ co-ordinated and provided support for the Kairara Cultural Festival held in 2004, provided food relief for Chiawa community at the beginning of 2005, and CLZ provided logistics for the annual 4-day outdoor education field trip for school children from Chiawa district. The animosity from members of Chiawa Royal Establishment towards Ian and Lea remains a mystery and the CLZ ExCo and others have undertaken numerous meetings, letters, phone calls and journeys to try resolve the situation.

FUNDRAISING

CLZ continues to require and receive the support of its members and the donor community. CLZ is most grateful for the support of all its donors who are listed in the Treasurer’s Annual Report. However in particular we would like to thank the Royal Danish Embassy who have continued to fund the Environmental Education Project capital expenses, Elefence International for the financial contribution to support anti-poaching operations for ZAWA WPO’s, Afrikeye for their continued generous financial support, Christine Pellegrini and School Against Aids, Andrew Stevenson for donating more of his time & expertise in setting up a GIS and all the safari operators in Chiawa GMA and the LZNP who so generously provide funding and the in-kind support that is so crucial to CLZ. 

IN THE PIPELINE

The following projects are at various stages of finalization and/or implementation:

SAFARI GUIDES TRAINING PROGRAM

The Royal Danish Embassy have recently committed funds to establish a safari guide training program at CLZ HQ in an effort to empower local community members. There is a shortage of experienced, qualified Zambian safari guides and the intention is to conduct 9 month courses where students will receive intensive theoretical and practical training resulting in their becoming licensed safari guides with ZAWA. CLZ intends to sell spaces on this course priced so that it can offer a limited number of scholarships to people from the surrounding communities and in so doing provide a necessary service to the local community and the safari operators.

 

   Safari Guides Field training day

Africa Wild Dog Conservation

Kellie Leigh returned briefly to Zambia in June 2005 to announce that she has in principle received support from WWF to extend and expand AWDC’s program for at least three years – all that remains is to conclude consultations with ZAWA. She will be returning in September 2005 for further discussions and CLZ anticipates that it will play a supporting role in this vital project that protects and raises awareness of the Lower Zambezi’s threatened wild dog population.

THE FUTURE

In entering the field of Environmental Education CLZ has taken on a role of greater social commitment and responsibility, in addition to continuing its support to ZAWA for conservation (protection and research) activities. However although the support appears to be much appreciated by its recipients “on the ground”, it is evident that these interventions are not as appreciated by some of the community leaders in Chiawa GMA and ZAWA Management, which is cause for concern. These problems need to be clarified by the community and ZAWA and addressed for urgent resolution.

The organization has again successfully managed to raise funds to cover its annual activities, however it will need to yet again raise significant funds each and every year if CLZ is to successfully continue at its current pace – fund raising therefore must still remain a priority.

The workload on CLZ, in particular on its ExCo and paid employees, is higher than ever. CLZ has agreed that a Manager for Base Camp is identified and hired for training and to support the Operations Manager as soon as possible. A Community Liaison Officer for CLZ should also be considered.

CLZ is still working closely with ZAWA on the Memorandum of Understanding which is now almost three years in the making. This MOU is to clarify and rationalise the co-operation between CLZ and ZAWA and we trust that ZAWA Management will be able to take positive steps to conclude this process shortly so that the Lower Zambezi may be more effectively protected.

The organization also needs to ensure that the requirements of all stakeholders are objectively considered and reflected as appropriate in CLZ’s outputs; and that ultimately these outputs must ensure the protection of the wildlife and habitat of the Lower Zambezi. Through the Environmental Education Program it will be CLZ’s challenge to ensure that the communities fully appreciate the need for conserving this country’s natural heritage and to also help foster better relations between all stakeholders that have a stake in the future of the Lower Zambezi.

Finally I wish to thank the CLZ Board and Executive Committee, in particular Timothy Mushibwe, Ian Stevenson and Dr. Jacob Mwanza for their efforts and support of CLZ. Additionally I would like to thank our donors - private, corporate, NGO and government; that have given of their money, resources and time so generously to CLZ; thanks are due also to the ZAWA Wildlife Police Officers without whom our field conservation efforts would be impossible. I thank the members for yet another year of their confidence and support that has empowered CLZ to carry out its mandate so effectively in 2005. To the incoming Board – they will require great commitment, courage and vision if CLZ is to carry out its mandate into the future - to conserve the wildlife and habitat of the Lower Zambezi.

“In the end, we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; we will understand only what we are taught”
Baba Dioum, Senegal.