Management Plans strive to unlock the value of slumbering national parks for tourism and conservation
The Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Hon Pohamba Shifeta (left) on Wednesday received copies of the six newly drafted Park Management Plans for five proclaimed national parks and two Tourism Development Plans for the north-east and the south-west. The documents were presented by Dr Gabriele Geier, the Head of Cooperation in the German Embassy in Windhoek.
The new Park Management Plans are for Nkasa Rupara and Mudumu in Zambezi, Bwabwata, Popa Falls and Khaudum in Kavango East and the Tsau //Khaeb National Parks, formerly the Sperrgebiet National Park, in the southern Namib. The two Tourism Development Plans cover the Kavango and Zambezi in the north-east and Tsau //Khaeb in the Namib.
“These plans are an excellent guidance for sustainable and inclusive development of the respective parks. They are comprehensive and integrative, and well balanced to manage trade-offs and possible conflicts – a perfect roadmap to a promising future,” said Dr Geier.
The German Embassy said in a statement that the new Park Management and Tourism Development Plans are another step in the long-term joint development programme to improve the management of Namibia´s national parks. Drafting and implementation are co-financed by the German Government and the German Development Bank (KfW). Total funding to date has exceeded N$1.4 billion.
These park management tools will enable the ministry to manage the indicated parks effectively and efficiently, both to protect their biodiversity and to open them up for tourism.
