NamParks programme enters phase three

BWABWATA ELLANIE SMIT The third phase of Namibia National Parks (NamParks) programme will kick off before the end of this year and will focus on improving planning and infrastructure in the Khaudum National Park. The Minister of Environment and Tourism, Uahekua Herunga, announced last week that the first two phases of the NamParks programme has been completed and that the third phase will start this year. The German government committed N$60 million to phases one and two of the NamParks programme and has pledged a further N$60 million for phase three. Co-funding from the Namibian government amounted to N$40 million for phases one and two and a further N$9 million for phase three. The announcement was made by Herunga at the inauguration of the newly-constructed Sususwe Park Station in the Bwabwata National Park, which also forms part of the NamParks programme. The Sususwe Park Station now boasts 20 park station houses, as well as offices, workshops, meeting rooms, a storeroom for hunting trophies, a safe room for rifles, a tourism reception area and accommodation for staff. All infrastructure has been designed and built in an eco-sensitive manner. Herunga said that the new eco-sensitive stations enable staff to perform their duties better and offer an improved visitor experience. “New energy-saving staff housing is an investment in our staff and is a benchmark for other parks to follow, he said. NamParks is a programme of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism and it was established in 2006 and is supported by the Federal Republic of Germany through KfW. It operates in the Bwabwata , Khaudum , Mudumu and Nkasa Rupara national parks in north-eastern Namibia. The parks are part of a larger conservation area, the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA). According to Herunga, the NamParks programme has pioneered a fresh approach to managing protected areas. He said the North-East Parks symbolise a new approach to the protection of the countries precious biodiversity. “An approach that integrates development and the needs of park residents and neighbours into planning and management,” he said. The German ambassador to Namibia, Onno Hückman, said that NamParks has demonstrated how environmental protection and economic development for communities can work together. He said that lessons from NamParks and similar programmes are also valuable for initiatives such as the KAZA TFCA. Dr Ralph Kadel, the senior project manager at KfW, said during the first two phases of funding for the NamParks programme significant economic development and environmental protection of the Bwabwata, Mudumu and Nkasa Rupara national parks has occurred. He said the funding has helped to generate revenue, provide jobs reduce poverty, conserve biodiversity and protect habitats. He added that NamParks has helped build infrastructure such as the park station at Sususwe. “It has helped staff to design comprehensive short and long-term plans for park management and tourism. It has brought new equipment that improves productivity,” Kadel said. Furthermore, biodiversity has benefitted from the introduction of some game species into these parks, through the effective protection and monitoring of animals to check their local and regional movements in order to understand better transboundary movements in wildlife corridors. “The first time when I drove through the Caprivi Region I had to put my military helmet on and was protected by a military convoy. Empty lodges, scared people, no tourists, no jobs, hard times. Only a couple of years later, in a record time, you have changed this picture and you are starting to harvest the sweet fruits of peace.” During the event a publication was also launched highlighting the achievements of the NamParks programme.