Resources are used sustainably
In rural areas people depend upon subsistence farming and natural resources. Conservancy management has facilitated large-scale wildlife recoveries and enables the protection of valuable species and intact wildlife habitats.
Charismatic African wildlife is one of Namibia’s greatest and internationally competitive resources. Healthy populations of wildlife (including the Big Five: elephant, rhino, buffalo, leopard and lion) create a tourism value that is not easily surpassed by other land uses. Other rare and valuable species such as cheetah, wild dog, roan and sable antelope further increase that value. The effective management of this immeasurable resource lies at the heart of community conservation.
Community forests
Although Namibia’s forest resources are not dense forests, but rather aggregations of woodlands and bush, they play an important role both ecologically and economically in the northern areas of the country. The ecosystem services provided by forests include carbon storage, air filtration, soil stabilisation and retention, conservation of biodiversity and preservation of water sources. Forests also provide shelter, fuel, food security and nutrition, and economic opportunities through income generation and employment.
While conservancies are focused on the sustainable use of wildlife, community forests provide communities with rights over their plant resources. Community forests are similar governance structures to conservancies and in many cases, for the ease of management, their boundaries overlap. Like conservancies, community forests build skills and capacity in communities, promoting advocacy for rural people and empowering women to participate and take up leadership positions. Community forests contribute to rural development and poverty reduction by providing communities with income for social welfare projects or infrastructure development.
In 2022, three additional community forests were gazetted, bringing the total to 46. These community forests cover a total area of almost 90,000 km2, with around 16,200 km2 outside of conservancy boundaries. In most instances, community forests are integrated with conservancies.
Namibians in rural areas depend on forest resources for food and shelter, thus priority should be given to sustainable forest management through gazetting more lands under community-based forest management and increasing efforts to involve local communities in the ownership and sustainable management of forests and wildlife.
Eleven Community Forest office facilities have been constructed in Zambezi, Kavango-East, Kavango-West and Otjozondjupa Regions. The MEFT in collaboration with KfW (German Development Bank) through the Community Forest Namibia Phase II project has been supporting the construction of the community forests’ facilities. The facilities consist of offices as well as storage and craft shops in some areas. These amounted to a total infrastructure investment of N$22,118,582. The facilities are vital for the sustainable management of forests and the upliftment of rural communities’ lives.
Management
To meet the requirements for the establishment of a community forest, forest inventories must be undertaken to determine the amount and sustainable harvesting limits for all plant resources within the forest. The Integrated Forest Management Plan then sets forth the management actions to be undertaken. Resource monitors issue permits and oversee all forest activities to ensure that people using the forest resources are doing so in accordance with the management plan. This includes grazing within the forest area, which is a valuable resource, particularly in time of drought.
Resource monitors are employed by community forests to conduct patrols, report illegal harvesting activities and assist with taking forest resource inventories. The Forest Management Plan includes a zonation plan that delimits which areas may be harvested, an annual allowable cut indicating the number of live trees, poles and dead wood to be harvested, and a Conditions of Use section that includes restrictions, penalties for illegal use and permit prices for forest resources. The resource monitors are tasked with monitoring these activities to ensure that the people using the forest resources are doing so in accordance with these plans.
Each community forest should complete a forest inventory every five years to establish the current state of their forest resources and thus guide the issuing of harvest permits. The National Forest Inventory team from the Directorate of Forestry (DoF) officials take the lead in this process and provide training for resource monitors and community members to collect the necessary data.
Completing an inventory is a time- and labour-intensive task, as teams of people are sent to sample plots marked on a GPS to collect detailed information on the trees within a radius of 20m of the GPS point. Within this radius, every tree that is greater than 10cm in diameter at breast height (DBH = 1.3m from the ground) is identified to species level and measured in terms of its log length (i.e. the useable part of the tree were it to be harvested). Saplings that fall between 5-10cm in DBH are identified and measured and even smaller seedlings of species that could become trees are measured within a radius of 10m from the GPS point. Qualitative data is also collected from each sample area, as trained observers describe the site in terms of its potential for grazing, timber harvesting, non-timber forest products, among other general descriptions.
This exercise requires 4-5 days of initial training for the data collectors and several days in the field to cover many sample sites – the number of sites depends on the size of the forest, accuracy required and resources available. The forest inventory should be conducted every 5-10 years for each community forest and included in an updated Forest Management Plan (FMP). Due to financial constraints in the community forests and the DoF, only 19 of the 43 registered community forests have up-to-date forest inventories. Five more are expected to complete their forest inventories by end of the DoF 2021/2022 financial year.
Flourishing flora, including forest resources, is an extremely valuable asset for many rural communities. Woodlands in the north and north-east contain a variety of valuable trees such as kiaat and Zambezi teak with commercial timber value, while burkea and ushivi are used for construction.
The timber industry, focused on the extraction of hardwoods, is the principal source of income to community forests. Since 2018, to counter the commercial poaching by foreigners of significant levels of timber, the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) has imposed restrictions on timber harvesting, decreasing income to community forests. It is important to protect forest resources and to also support communities to diversify livelihoods.
The MEFT and supporting partners are working to develop additional non-timber forestry products focused on species such as marula, ximenia, mopane, mangetti and commiphora. Accessing international markets for the oils and other products obtained through these species is challenging, but additional support is focusing on how to bring more local agricultural value to the products. A growing range of veld products includes devil’s claw tubers, used as a herbal remedy and omumbiri (Commiphora wildii) resin utilised by the perfume industry.
Harvesting of plant products is regulated through a licensing system and user groups have formed to coordinate harvesting and marketing activities. International corporations are searching the globe for new biological ingredients for their products, an activity called bio-prospecting. While this is likely to open further opportunities within the plant sector, bio-prospecting needs to be carefully controlled.
Community fish reserves
Freshwater fisheries are an important natural resource for rural communities residing along the country’s northern perennial rivers, the Okavango, Kwando, Zambezi and Chobe. Fishing provides a crucial source of protein for many communities. However, fisheries have experienced declines due to the use of illegal fishing methods, commercialised fishing by non-Namibian companies, the increase in population in riverine areas and the impacts of climate change.
The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) provides for the establishment of fisheries reserves (FR), which allow local communities to protect and manage their fisheries resources. In 2022, with the gazetting of ten new FRs, the total number of FRs rose to 20, across seven conservancies in the Zambezi and Kavango East and West Regions. Fisheries reserves are integrated into conservancies in order to manage them more efficiently.
FRs provide protected areas for fish populations to increase in number, size and diversity. The recovering stocks then spill over into the wider river system, helping improve fish populations overall. In some areas, fish stocks have increased up to five times within the reserve and doubled in fishing areas adjacent to the reserve. Improved fish stocks benefit communities who rely on the fish for the provision of food, the availability of fish for sport fishing and for the increased value of intact ecosystems to tourism.
Fish guards and monitors work together to reduce illegal fishing and assess the status of fish stocks in the fisheries reserves. 70 fish guards are tasked with regularly patrolling the reserves to detect illegal fishing activities and remove illegal nets from the river. They are also trained as fish inspectors and thus greatly increase the capacity of MFMR to control illegal fishing. If arrests are required, the fish guards work together with MFMR inspectors and the police.
40 fish monitors collect data on legal fish catches on a regular basis by visiting boat landing sites in their area to find out how much fish was caught and what methods were used. They are trained by fisheries scientists to accurately identify fish species and fill out data collection sheets. Adaptive management principles can then be applied based on the information collected over time.
The FR model has been so successful in providing a framework for communities to protect and manage their fisheries, that it has been shared and taken up throughout the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TCFA). In 2022, steps were taken towards the establishment of two new transboundary natural resource management forums between Namibian and Angolan cross-river communities along the Okavango River, in order to better manage overlapping fisheries. Another achievement in 2022 was the publication of the Guidelines to Establish Fisheries Reserves and the Tackle Box for Community Fisheries. These documents will be used more broadly in Namibia and KAZA to promote community fisheries reserves.
Monitoring in conservancies
The Event Book allows game guards with low literacy, but strong local knowledge of wildlife and the environment, to gather sophisticated data which is analysed and returned to communities as part of the adaptive management process.
Challenges
The severe and on-going drought continued to have a devastating impact on wildlife populations in north-west Namibia, with mortalities and almost no successful breeding taking place. The depressed wildlife population numbers in the north-west have resulted in wildlife offtake quotas remaining low or at zero, which has in turn reduced meat and financial benefits to conservancies. In addition, the depressed wildlife numbers have caused predators to seek alternative prey, therefore driving up livestock losses. The reduced benefits and increased human-wildlife conflict (HWC) has eroded community (and some political) support for a wildlife-based economy, which is a major concern. It is essential that more support effort be put into mitigating HWC. However, diminished funding to CBNRM support organisations is making it extremely difficult to respond to this challenge in a systematic and sustainable manner.
As criminal syndicates have penetrated into Namibia from other African countries, wildlife crime remains a significant challenge. On the positive side, rhino poaching in the north-west communal areas has been stopped through community support and increased anti-poaching effort by all partners including law enforcement, NGOs and communities. In north-east Namibia, however, elephant poaching continues. Whilst this is still below the level that would affect the sustainability of the population, it nevertheless remains a challenge. The Combatting Wildlife Crime Project partners have responded to wildlife crime across the country and inroads are starting to be made, but the project partners will need to respond quickly to the ever changing dynamics that are characteristic of international crime.
Land invasions and customary land-right registration in areas zoned for wildlife are threatening those areas and the wildlife found there. Unless this is mitigated, it will negatively impact the benefits from both the sustainable use of wildlife as well as tourism, which will have the potential to undermine wildlife as a land-use option.
Natural resource management standards as set out in MET’s new Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) is a challenge with a number of conservancies now no longer being fully compliant. Bringing these conservancies up to standard will require significant effort from an already overstretched and under-funded CBNRM support team. As an example: of the 57 conservancies that have game utilisation management plans, the new SOP’s indicate that many are out of date and several are more than five years old, a situation that the MEFT is working to address.
Rural communities in Namibia are reliant on their natural resources, both plant and animals, and on the ecosystem services they provide. Although there has been some economic recovery in tourism and other sectors after the pandemic, natural resources take longer to recover from shocks.
The prolonged drought in northwest Namibia continues unabated. It has resulted in massively reduced livestock and wildlife numbers, impoverished households and intensified human wildlife conflict. The harsh realities of the impacts of climate change, drought and food insecurity, are already being felt in many areas of the country. Sustaining natural resources and building resilience in the communities reliant on them remains the fundamental aim of CBNRM.
NACSO’s Natural Resources Working Group (NRWG) is made up of natural resource specialists from CBNRM support organisations and government ministries, that work collectively to support conservancies and improve natural resource management in Namibia. The NRWG collects, analyses and publishes data relating to natural resources. This information is valuable for decision making at the conservancy, regional and national levels.
In 2022 the NRWG supported the monitoring of wildlife, plant and fish resources, while also managing human wildlife conflict and wildlife crime. The Conservation Relief, Recovery and Resilience Facility (CRRRF) continued to support conservancies to conduct their natural resource management activities, undertaken on the ground by community game guards, resource monitors, fish monitors and fish guards, ensuring that resources and communities were protected.
2022: Natural Resources at a Glance
- 68 conservancies with a wildlife management plan
- 60 conservancies with a zonation plan
- 44 conservancies with conservation hunting concessions
- 38 conservancies directly involved in tourism activities
- 688 game guards working in conservancies
- 51 conservancies conducting an annual game count
- 74 conservancies with own use harvesting quotas
What’s New in 2022
Game Management and Utilisation Plans (GMUP)
Reviews of GMUPs are fundamental to the operations of conservancies as they stipulate the conservancy’s vision for the management and sustainable utilisation of natural resources in the area. It is important that each conservancy review their GMUPs and zonation plans periodically. A total of 14 GMUPs, including zonation plans, were reviewed and updated during 2022. During this process, regional staff were trained on how to undertake the reviews. This training will support the sustainability of the review process.
SMART
The Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART) was piloted in three conservancies(Nyae Nyae, Mashi, and Salambala) for use by conservancy game guards. SMART is already in use by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) in state protected areas and by Rhino and Lion Rangers in northwest Namibia. The expansion of SMART to conservancies is the next step in improving adaptive management and monitoring.
Fisheries
The new Standard Operating Procedures for Community Co-managed Fisheries Reserves in Namibia, together with the Tackle Box for Community Fisheries Reserves, a step-by step approach for practitioners to establish community co-managed fisheries, were published by the Namibia Nature Foundation (NNF) and partners. These materials will support the expansion of community fisheries reserves within Namibia and more broadly in the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TCFA).
Reading with Rhinos
The Reading with Rhinos programme was launched in four conservancies by Save the Rhino Trust (SRT) and Mondessa Youth Opportunities (MYO). The programme strives to strengthen people’s emotional connections to rhinos by demonstrating how rhinos can have a positive influence, especially on the lives of Namibian children, through the creation of new opportunities that help enhance skills in and a love for literacy. The focus of the programme is grades 1-3 in rhino range conservancies. Through the programme children have started to display reading skills that surpass some of the older students, highlighting the efficacy of the pilot project. By the end of 2022, the reading programme had been introduced in ten schools.
KAZA TFCA Elephant Survey
The very first coordinated survey of the elephants in the KAZATFCA was conducted between August and October 2022, with all known elephant range areas covered. The Namibian component of the KAZA TFCA which comprises of parts of Otjozondjupa and Kavango East, and Zambezi were covered during the survey. This area holds the majority of the elephants found in Namibia with areas south of Khaudum National Park in Nyae Nyae Conservancy now becoming an important area for elephant conservation due to low human and livestock activities.
Northwest Lion Survey
A comprehensive survey of the lions ranging in the northwestern Namibia in the area between the Etosha National Park and the Skeleton Coast Park was undertaken by the MEFT and local NGOs operating in the area. Community Lion Rangers formed a critical component of the survey, walking on foot all the known lion areas and looking for signs of lion presence. By the end of 2022, the results of the lion survey were in the process of being finalised.
Female Rangers: Protecting Namibia’s Wildlife
World Female Ranger Day was celebrated in 2022 in the Nyae Nyae Conservancy, in a special gathering organised jointly by Save the Rhino Trust (SRT) and Namibia Nature Foundation (NNF). Female rangers and game guards from different conservancies in northwest Namibia met with community game guards from the Nyae Nyae Conservancy.
The occasion served as a tribute to the extraordinary female rangers and game guards in Namibia, who display unwavering dedication and bravery in safeguarding the country’s precious wildlife. Beyond being a celebration, the event provided an opportunity for knowledge sharing, emphasising the indispensable role played by female rangers in conservation. These women serve as beacons of hope, inspiring future generations and exemplifying that courage knows no gender.
An important focus of the commemoration was recognising the challenges faced by female rangers at work. Discussions centred on the critical issue of access to sanitary products, shedding light on the necessity for safer private spaces to ensure their well-being during patrols. Additionally, the concern for the environmental impact of disposable products highlighted the deep-rooted commitment of these rangers to conservation principles. Amidst the challenges, one remarkable aspect emerged – the absence of mentions of discrimination, harassment or mistreatment from their male counterparts in the Rhino Ranger units. This speaks volumes about the professionalism and camaraderie among the rangers, reinforcing the potential for an inclusive and respectful work environment. As a gesture of appreciation and support, each female ranger was presented with a dignity tent, a cast iron cooking pot and a camping chair. These gifts not only symbolise gratitude but also serve as practical tools to enhance their comfort during patrols.
The World Female Ranger Day commemoration emphasised the importance of recognising and empowering female rangers in their crucial roles within wildlife conservation. Natasha /Gomes, a true trailblazer, took the spotlight at the event, as she was introduced as Namibia’s first-ever female community Rhino Ranger. Alongside the eight other dedicated women who attended the event, Natasha embodies resilience and determination, making strides in a traditionally male-dominated field. Natasha /Gomes’ journey is only the beginning, and with the backing of organisations like SRT, NNF and Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation (IRDNC), she and her fellow female rangers will continue to inspire change, promote unity, and drive positive transformation in Namibia’s conservation landscape.
Rangers are at the forefront of combatting wildlife crime in their communities. Ranger responsibilities are multi-faceted and include monitoring and tracking wildlife, conducting routine patrols in wildlife habitats to identify and report any indications of unlawful activities, forging relationships with communities and liaising closely with them on conservation initiatives, and running awareness campaigns to educate the public about the value of wildlife. They also work closely with law enforcement authorities to prevent illegal wildlife tracking and offer support.
Organisations such as the SRT, NNF and IRDNC, as well as the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) and law enforcement are dedicated to providing ongoing support, ensuring that these brave women receive the necessary resources to continue their invaluable work. Gone are the days when women’s roles were only positioned within a household. Women’s empowerment within communities has allowed women to extend their role from nurturing caregivers to the frontline of defence in maintaining the health of their environments. Their unwavering dedication will pave the way for a brighter future, where gender plays no role in protecting and preserving the nation’s precious wildlife.
New in 2021
| MEFT Wildlife Corridors Strategy launched on 9 April | The strategy provides details on the area’s corridors and their importance in reducing HWC, securing the wildlife economy, maintaining habitat connectivity and conserving wildlife. |
| Elephant National Management Plan launched in November 2021 | With support from the KfW, the MEFT developed a new National Elephant Conservation and Management Plan. The plan provides for new approaches to the conservation and management of elephants such as the creation of regional elephant management structures mainly in the areas identified as elephant conflict hotspots. These structures are designed to involve landholders in the management and mitigation of challenges associated with living with elephants. The Plan was launched in November 2021 by the Honourable Minister Pohamba Shifeta at Susuwe in Bwabwata National Park. |
| Human Wildlife Conflict (HWC) Registers | The Human Wildlife Conflict (HWC) Registers were introduced by MEFT regional coordinators in most conservancies in 2020/21. Conservancies are using the registers to record more detailed data of HWC in conservancies, such as what type of livestock was killed by what type of predator, and how much was spent paying for damage caused by problem animals in each conservancy. The information in the register systems is also used in management plans and to inform the MEFT and conservancy members on the conflict mitigation measures for a specific species. The MEFT uses the data to determine whether conservancies are paying members the right amount for losses as stated in the policy. |
