ProjectsAfrica

-integrated conservation & development projects -

ipamanning@gmail.com

Project Proposal

1. Project name

Protection & Management of the Lavusi Manda National Park, Zambia.

2. Project location

Mpika District, Northern Province

3. Implementing partners

The Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA), ProjectsAfrica, Community Resource Boards (CRBs) and customary authorities (Chitambo, Chiundaponde, Kopa…) and investors and other NGOs

4. Proposed project duration

Five years, renewable.

5. Brief background

The Zambian Government, recognizing their need for assistance in protecting their considerable national park network, have entered into a number of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) with non-government organizations (NGOs) for the management of certain specific parks. In the Bangweulu craton, the Kasanka National Park is now into its second decade of a PPP arrangement between the Zambia Wildlife Authority and the Kasanka Trusts of Lusaka and London (UK). The other two parks in the Bangweulu area, Lavusi Manda and Isangano also require management and torism interventions as they are at present almost entirely un-managed, and completely undeveloped.

The Lavusi Manda National Park, an 800 square mile park, lies a little to the north of Kasanka, to the west of the Great North Road and within the Congo watershed, a park originally formed to protect the black rhino – of which none now exist. The park is miombo woodland, typical of the Tanganyika plateau, home to small populations of lion, buffalo, elephant, leopard, hippo, sable, roan, sitatunga, waterbuck, klipspringer and other species, a park in which three rivers have their source (the Lumbatwa, Lulimala and Lukulu), being divided by the Lukulu river in the center, which eventually, some twenty miles from the park, forms a spectacular estuary of water meadow and wetland to the west, home to the black lechwe, the Bangweulu tssesebe, shoebill stork, sitatunga...

In 1931, the Livingstone Memorial Game Reserve was created, a reserve, which included much of the present park. In 1941, the reserve was de-proclaimed and the Lavusi Manda Reserve and the Kasanka Game Reserve created as distinct protected areas. In 1972, Lavusi became a national park.

6. Project partners and their respective responsibilities

ProjectsAfrica is promoting the establishment of a Central African Transfrontier Conservation Area (CATCA) and, in accordance with its Chipuna Integrated Conservation and Development model, wishes to find investors and managers to conserve and develop parts of the CATCA. ProjectsAfrica would facilitate the negotiations with ZAWA, traditional leaders, Community Resource Boards, local communities and investors.

7. Project rational and objectives

The Lavusi Manda in the past was a crucially important park – apart from the fact that it formed an important rhino sanctuary, in that it was a bridge for the movement of elephant and rhino between the Luangwa valley, the Kasanka NP and the wetlands of the south-east Bangweulu - one of the major wildlife wetlands of Africa and an important venue for trophy hunters in search of black lechwe, Bangweulu tssesebe and sitatunga. The Lavusi also forms part of the envisaged Central African Transfrontier Conservation Area, a planning framework which would include a part of Zaire, the Bangweulu craton and its parks, linked through hunting areas and conservancies to the Luangwa Valley and its parks, and across to the Kasungu NP and Nyika NP of Malawi, and south through to the Luembe Conservancy and on to the Zambezi National Park, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. The protection of the integrity of Lavusi would, when joined with the present efforts of the Kasanka Trust and ZAWA in Kasanka and the lechwe range to the west of Lavusi, form a solid area of protection and management for the Bangweulu region. This may then allow the long stalled Phase 3 of the Black Lechwe Project to be re-established so that the community could benefit more directly and legally from the sustained utilization of lechwe. To this may be added the shoring up of the hunting concessions to the west and east going right into the Luangwa and joining up with the parks and their attendant hunting areas.

8. Modus operandi

Future management should follow a simple minimalist approach to national park protection and management, being guided by the necessity for the sustained protection of the park’s integrity:

• Protection guards should be drawn from local communities, should be well-trained, motivated and mobile, and should conform to the ‘least possible number’ in relation to their leadership

• Training should be local, constant and of practical use

• Remuneration should conform, and not exceed, local norms

• Infrastructural development should be modest and carefully placed so as to provide the least negative impact on the park

• Roads should be limited to one entry and exit point, with carefully placed roads radiating from an operation point towards, but not reaching, the boundaries. Perimeter roads will not be allowed.

• An operational manual should be simple and explicit

• Park management plans should be simple, easily followed with particular attention paid to fire management for the improvement of carrying capacity

• The plans and manuals should be drawn up by one person and approved by ZAWA and the Trust – of which it is part

• The local community should fully participate in park protection and development through the Community Resource Boards

• NGOs with experience in community development should be invited and encouraged to work in the buffer zones for the improvement of livelihoods

• The Community Resource Boards – as stipulated in the 1998 Wildlife Act, should play an important role in the attainment of the park management objectives.

• The budget for the project should be lean and tightly controlled, with an emphasis on essentials only

• No ration shooting to be be allowed

• The compilation of taxonomic inventories as a ‘bankable’ output is essential

• Appropriate tourism such as educational ‘gap’ year and self-catering, traditional tourism – in addition to the conventional lodge tourism should be carefully implemented in order to allow for as much self sufficiency as possible

9. Expected outcomes

• Protection of Lavusi Manda’s integrity

• The development of a tourism/education venue and linkage

• Support to the conservation effort in the Bangweulu region

• The securing of an essential part of the Central African Transfrontier Conservation Area comprising national parks and hunting areas

• The improvement of community livelihoods, conservation obligations, privileges and responsibilities

10. Planned outputs and activities to achieve outcomes

OUTPUT 1: FOUNDATION ESTABLISHMENT

Activity 1.1 Signing an option to negotiate, with ZAWA

Activity 1.2 Registration of the Lavusi Manda Trust as a not-for-profit charity under the Zambia Companies Act with trustees drawn from ZAWA, CRBs, Investors, traditional leaders, District Councils…

Activity 1.3 Provision of a Business Plan

Activity 1.4 Provision of project proposals for investment and aid support

Activity 1.5 Signing of MOU and heads of agreement with ZAWA

Activity 1.6 Signing of MOUs with specific partners

OUTPUT 2: ADMINISTRATION

Activity 2.1 Appointment of a project management team

Activity 2.2 The establishment of offices and administrative procedures

Activity 2.3 The production of a fund-raising and information dissemination strategy

OUTPUT 3: PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

Activity 3.1 Tendering focused project proposals

Activity 3.2 The formation of a US based International Board of Trustees

Activity 3.2 Obtaining funding

Activity 3.3 Establishment of project management procedures

OUTPUT 4: PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Activity 4.1 Establishing the field base in Lavusi Manda National Park

Activity 4.2 Appointment of field staff

Activity 4.3 Provision of equipment, plant and infrastructure

Activity 4.4 Implementation of action plans for Lavusi

Activity 4.5 Implementation of monitoring and evaluation procedures

Activity 4.6 Provision of training programmes

OUTPUT 5: FOCUSED PROJECTS

Activity 5.1 Production of focused investment proposals (tourism, community development…)

Activity 5.2 Signing of MOUs with the CRBs, and ZAWA

Activity 5.3 Investment and partnership recruitment

Activity 5.4 Projects implementation

Activity 5.5 Monitoring and evaluation

11. Monitoring and evaluation of project progress

The project will be monitored by the Board of Trustees and evaluated by an appointee of the same Board

12. Funding requirements and projections (US Dollars)

CAPITAL EXPENDITURE	YEAR 1 Lavusi	YEAR 2 Lavusi	YEAR 3 Lavusi	Grand Total
HQ LUSAKA
Pc + sw + printer	1500			1500
Copier	1000			1000
Mobile phone	200			200
1 HF radio	3000			3000
Furniture	1000			1000
Sub-total	6700			6700
FIELD HQ
Plant & equip.
2 landcruiser p/u	30000			30000
1 trailer	1000			1000
1 tractor/trailer	10000			10000
1 disc harrow	700			700
1 grass cutter	700			700
1 HF radio	3000			3000
Mobile radios	15000			15000
Satellite phone	3000			3000
Computer etc	4500			4500
Firearms & ammo	3000			3000
Bicycles	3000	500	500	4000
Plant assorted	2500			2500
1 truck 3 ton	15000			15000
Banana boat + engine	3000			3000
Tools	1000	500	500	2000
Spares	3000	5000	5000	13000
Sub-total	98400	6000	6000	110400
Infrastructure
Park HQ + T camps	25000	4000	2000	31000
Sub-total	25000	4000	2000	31000
RECURRENT EXPENDITURE
Lusaka office
Staff salaries
Office manager
Operating exp.
Phone & fax
Rent part
Sub-total
Lavusi NP
Staff salaries
Manager	36000	36000	36 000	72036
Support staff	10000	10000	10000	30000
30 scouts	18000	18000	18000	54000
Sub-total	64000	64000	28036	156036
TOTAL	194100	74000	36036	304136

Operating expenses	YEAR 1 Lavusi	YEAR 2 Lavusi	YEAR 3 Lavusi	Grand Total
Fuel & oils	12000	15000		27000
Rations & supplies	3000	3000	3000	9000
Travel & subsistence	3000	5000		8000
Office consumables	1000	1000		2000
Uniforms	3000	2000	2000	7000
Satellite phone costs	3000	3000		6000
TOTAL	25001	29002	5000	59000
GRAND TOTAL	219101	103002	41036	363139

TOTAL FUNDING REQUIRED FOR THREE YEARS IS $ 363 139