KEY POINTS
- ZimParks and Defend signed a 20-year MoU to promote conservation at Chizarira National Park.
- The collaboration has already led to a US$3 million infrastructure investment.
- The new Chizarira Conservation Trust aims to attract more foreign investment and create jobs.
Defend and Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Friday to bring international attention to Chizarira National Park in Binga, Matabeleland North province and revitalize it.
For the past six and a half years, ZimParks and Defend, formerly National Parks Rescue (NPR), have collaborated on park management.
According to a report by New Zimbabwe, ZimParks Director General, Fulton Mangwanya said he hopes the collaboration will bring a major shift that will see the natural reserve attracting more tourists in the future years.
“This Memorandum of Understanding, which is evidence of our collective dedication, will be in force for the next 20 years, signifying a lasting commitment to cooperation.”
“Ahead of us lies great responsibility, exciting experiences, and endless opportunities that will undoubtedly transform Chizarira National Park into a leader in biodiversity conservation and socio-economic development.”
“I have no doubt that this partnership will yield tangible results. I commend Dr. Niall McCann and his team for their initiative in partnering with us and contributing to our shared vision and goals,” he said.
Partnership to enhance park functionality and attract foreign investment
In an interview, Defend Executive Director Niall McCann was optimistic the MoU will improve the functionality of the game park, which is home to the big four and other wildlife.
Close to US$3 million investment was injected into the deal for the development of infrastructure over the past six and half years.
“We are fortunate to be in a position to sign a very long-term agreement to strengthen our partnership with ZimParks, which we hope will serve as a means of attracting much more foreign investment into this national park and enable us to advance the park’s conservation,” McCann said.
“We have been working in very close partnership with ZimParks for the past six and a half years. Defend was initially brought in April 2018 under an MOU that allowed for both financial and technical support and also to help ZimParks with every facet of park administration.”
Infrastructure improvements and community benefits from the partnership
A vast amount of infrastructure was needed, including bridge construction, road network reconstruction, ranger training, equipment upgrades, improved housing quarters for rangers, and other tasks necessary to safeguard a park of size.
“Over the last six and a half years, we have slowly accomplished our dream for our teams, ZimParks and Defend, to get closer and more integrated,” he stated.
The partners have been working together on initiatives and patrols in order to achieve this. And as our mutual trust has grown, our cooperation has gradually become closer over time.
At this point, he stated, “we can sign an agreement where there will be no more Defend and ZimParks, we will all be one under the Chizurira Conservation Trust. Of course, that takes time to build that trust.”
Many local residents have been employed due to the partnership’s establishment. The cars we’ve installed, the infrastructure and roads we built, and the upgrades to the living and working environments are all contributing factors.
All of those things, which are more subtle but yet quite significant, have cost little under US$3 million in total over the last six years.
He stated, “We hope to attract more international funding with the establishment of the Chizarira Conservation Trust, which will enable us to increase the level of funding for this national park, hire more staff, create more jobs, and improve the conservation situation even further.”
Chizarira, the third-largest national park in Zimbabwe, is also one of the least well-known because of its remote location on the Zambezi escarpment.
It is located in the province of Matabeleland North. The park’s name comes from the Batonga term chijalila, which means “great barrier” in English. It alludes to the Zambezi escarpment, which includes the rugged terrain of Chizarira.
