Jamestone Smion Kamwendo
Scaling Out/Up Environmental Education and Awareness Campaign in Fighting Against Poaching of Threatened Wildlife Species and Environmental Degradation on the Zambian Side of Kasungu Wildlife Reserve through Community Participation
Agness Wyala conducting sensitization meeting in one of the villages in Kasungu Wildlife Reserve on Zambian side.
Traditional dances performed by local women to take environmental messages to the communities.
Mr. W. Changunda conducting environmental public lecture to chiefs.
| Town/Region | Country | Categories | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kasungu Town | Malawi | Africa, Conflict, Education, Mammals | 29 Jul 2008 |
Kasungu Wildlife Reserve (KWR) covers a total land area of 2,316 km2 and 63% of the total land area is in Malawi while 37% is in Zambia. The wildlife reserve is rich in fauna and flora and it also harbours some of the charismatic species of wildlife such as cheetahs and elephants. And from 2004-2005 with funding from Rufford Small Grats Foundation, the Community-Based Natural Resources Management Conservation Society of Malawi (CBNRMCSM) managed to implement effective environmental education and conservation programmes on the Malawian side of the Kasungu Wildlife Reserve (KWR) on protection of threatened cheetahs and other wildlife. Because of the introduction of effective management and conservation interventions, cases of poaching and environmental degradation on the Malawian side of KWR have completely ceased. However, these problems are currently being experienced on the Zambian side of the KWR. The environmental and wildlife problems that are being experienced range from deforestation, bushfires, habitat encroachment, poaching and production of charcoal in the reserve. These problems still threaten the survival of unique fauna and flora in KWR.
It is against this background that CBNRMCSM intends to scale up/out same activities that were implemented on the Malawian side of KWR in order to address these environmental and wildlife problems that are being experienced on the Zambian side of KWR. Activities planned include organising and conducting environmental education and awareness campaigns, and involving local communities and stakeholders in the implementation of these activities as one way of empowering them to take active role in management and conservation of nature in the area.
Read about Jamestone's previous project at http://www.ruffordsmallgrants.org/rsg/Projects/JamestoneSmionKamwendo or for more information contact jkamwendo3@yahoo.co.uk