Zimbabwe’s Chewore South concession, within a UNESCO World Heritage Site, will end trophy hunting as part of a pilot project to test whether eco-tourism and new conservation finance tools, such as biodiversity credits, can sustain protected areas.
The 202 000 hectare concession is part of the Mana Pools National Park, Sapi and Chewore Safari Areas World Heritage Site in northern Zimbabwe. It has historically been managed as a hunting concession. AWE for Nature established the Chewore Conservation Trust (CCT) under a 25-year mandate, through a collaborative management agreement with the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, and in partnership with African Parks.
“While we recognise that the economics of hunting yield far more reliable income than non-consumptive tourism in these hard-to-access concessions, we are committed to interrogating alternative economic models for hunting concessions in Zimbabwe, especially in light of dwindling hunting revenues within some marginal but precious wild habitats,” the AWE for Nature Foundation said in its first progress report released in August.
Governance structures for the reserve were established in January. A research facility has been completed along with upgrades to the ZimParks ranger station. Initial conservation activities include combatting illegal mining, deforestation, poaching and wildfires. The CCT received additional support through involvement in the African Parks Incubation Programme.
“CCT has shown strong interest in biodiversity credit financing and eco-tourism development. The shift from sport hunting to eco-tourism, facilitated by a long-term co-management agreement with the government, highlights the potential of alternative financing models that can benefit wildlife, local communities and national conservation efforts,” the African Parks Incubation Team told Tourism Update.
Tourism appeal
Featuring rugged escarpments, riverine forests and bushveld, Chewore South was once home to Zimbabwe’s largest concentrations of the endangered black rhino and is still a refuge for the Zambezi Valley’s last viable roan antelope population. The project’s long-term ambition is to maintain a safe and secure environment for the reintroduction of black rhino.
The reserve also hosts fossil sites, including perfectly preserved footprints of large dinosaurs such as Allosaurus and Brachiosaurus.
The first experimental non-hunting safari was hosted earlier this year, by adventure tourism company 16 Degrees South, using a mobile camp set up for eight days on the banks of the reserve’s Kachowe River. “Our tourism development assessment identifies a small number of intimate private camps at selected locations with access to points of interest such as springs, dinosaur fossils, escarpment summits, rivers and areas of natural beauty,” Co-Owner Graeme Sharp told Tourism Update.
“Access is difficult and, due to the presence of natural water in the hills, the appeal of fixed, tourism-centric pans or viewpoints is limited. This is a destination for people seeking wild, immersive experiences in small groups – hiking trails, helicopter safaris and other activities for the adventurous,” said Sharp.
A long-term approach, supported by sustained funding of millions of dollars per year, will be critical for Chewore South, he added. “Some donor or conservation entities are taking over hunting areas and trying to turn them into photographic eco-tourism models in two to three years. These are not small reserves that can be easily managed, manipulated and converted to game viewing.”
Achieving Chewore South’s goals of professional management, effective wildlife recovery and infrastructure development requires substantial funding. “Linking to innovative financing models, such as biodiversity credits, reflects a forward-thinking approach that shifts from donor reliance to diversified, sustainable funding. For a new organisation adopting a long-term management model, success depends on strong collaboration between government and Chewore to establish a model protected area, backed by innovative and diversified financial streams,” African Parks said.
