NamParks shows 15 years of park upgrades

NamParks has, over the past 15 years, successfully implemented several phases during which it played a major role in the upgrade and development of infrastructure in the country’s national parks.The German government has spent about N$700 million in support of Namibia’s conservation and sustainable management of natural resources since the establishment of the project in 2006.NamParks is a programme of the environment and tourism ministry established in 2006, and it is supported by Germany through the KfW Development Bank.The first two phases covered only three of the north-eastern parks - Bwabwata, Mudumu and Nkasa Rupara (formerly known as Mamili) - with relatively small budgets.According to the NamParks report for 2006 to 2021, the second phase of the project started in 2013 when Khaudum National Park was added.The main emphasis of phases one to three was to build infrastructure in the form of six management stations in these four national parks.It further said the components of improved park management and community and tourism development received more emphasis and were made possible through much higher budgets in phases five and five of the project. Phase four added the Tsau //Khaeb (Sperrgebiet) National Park in the south-western corner and was the last phase supporting the north-eastern parks.Infrastructure developmentThe programme’s fifth phase focused on three important coastal protected areas, the Dorob National Park, Namib-Naukluft National Park and Skeleton Coast National Park.“These are very important national parks in Namibia, they are probably the most utilised by visitors. Within these areas, you find Sossusvlei and when you are talking about Dorob National Park, this is a multi-utilised and multi-purposed national park, with three coastal towns inside this park. Investing in these parks is veryimportant.”Infrastructure development will take place at Cape Cross, Ugabmund, Springbokwasser and Möwe Bay in the Skeleton Coast Park, as well as Sesriem and Gobabeb in the Namib-Naukluft Park.New infrastructure will include new entrance gates, signage walls, offices, tourism receptions, vehicle garages, maintenance workshops, staff housing, service buildings with equipment stores, service pits, wash bays and ablution blocks.The report noted that the project shows what integrated park management means on the ground and that the successes were only possible through the cooperation of all people involved.“The ministry and KfW take a great deal of pride in the national parks of the country and in the very successful design andimplementation of the programme in the last 15 years. These parks in Namibia preserve wildlife and biodiversity, which has global significance but also is of utmost importance for the tourism sector in Namibia as the parks are the main attraction.”The overall objective of the programme has been to provide an opportunity for rural communities to benefit from the sustainable management of the natural resources leading to an improved environmental situation and to the stabilisation and improvement of the production base and rural incomes.

NamParks shows 15 years of park upgrades

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-18

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NamParks shows 15 years of park upgrades

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-18

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