Oops!

As approaches to conservation change so does the conscience of the traveller. Will Jones explores the role of travel in Africa as a tool for community-based, ‘on-the-ground’ wildlife conservation projects.

There is a clear wind of change blowing across Africa. Wildlife conservation once conjured up images of forced evictions of resident farming and pastoral communities to make way for wildlife and wilderness, the erection of fences and the imposition of fines. The purely protectionist approach has had its time, the fences are coming down and travellers are replacing tourists. The challenge for the new millennium must be to find a balance between sensitive conservation policy, the discerning traveller and the rising pressures of neighbouring populations.

Tourism is changing rapidly as nature, heritage and recreational destinations become more important, and as conventional tourism is forced to meet tougher environmental requirements. This presents a challenge to government and private enterprise to develop new approaches to the tourism market. Successful tourism must benefit local populations economically and culturally to give them incentives to protect the natural resources which create the attraction in the first place. At the same time strategies must be economically feasible if private investors are to support the projects.

The recognition of the fact that the front line guardians of Africa’s wildlife are its local people in whose hands its destiny lies, has had a major impact on conservation strategies and subsequently the role that tourism can play as a vitally well placed revenue generating tool. In response to this challenge, lodges and operators on the ground have had to look at ways of developing an awareness of, and an interest in, the fundamental issues surrounding African travel, in order ultimately to ensure their own survival. The result is that many now support genuine, practical conservation and development projects that work with local communities to maintain the delicate balance between neighbours and nature. Travellers now have the purchasing power to make ethical choices when they travel.

Travellers rather than tourists

Travel is the second largest industry in the world and produces more than $200 billion in revenue each year world-wide. Of that, ecotourism is the fastest growing segment of the business growing at the rate of 30% each year. The potential of tourism as a tool for conservation and development is clear.

As travellers we are an integral part of this new movement. There is a growing force of well-heeled, environmentally astute travellers that are making their holiday decisions based upon the ethical and environmental policies of the operators they choose. The ‘feel good’ factor in travel is now an important selling point. For those wanting to play a part in the protection and maintenance of the wildlife and places they are about to visit there hasn’t been a better time.

Ecotourism as a tool

The role of ecotourism as a tool for local area conservation and development activities is fast proving its worth. By covering conservation and development capital and recurrent costs on a long term basis, providing local employment as well as stimulating other important local area activities, ecotourism stands to play an essential role in the future management of conservation. The self-financing nature of the partnership and the generation of funds on a regular, long term basis is likely to be an attraction to wildlife charities and trusts who may sometimes struggle to keep recurrent costs covered.

In 1994, the London based charity, Farm Africa, started Ethiopia’s first pilot ecotourism project by working with local farming communities to protect the East Langano Nature Reserve. By 1997 the project had constructed the country’s first tented camp, built the communities first school, clinic and tree nurseries and was employing and training 45 local villagers in camp and conservation management. Over 200,000 tree seedlings were planted each year and the school had signed up 120 pupils. Without the necessary generation of funds from the ecotourism component, and the projects grassroots approach, none of this would have been possible in 3 years.

The grassroots approach

The guiding principle behind community-based initiatives in conservation, and its partnership with responsible tourism projects, is that sustainable wildlife management can only be achieved once it has been socially accepted and has been proved to be economically viable. Revenue generated by tourism helps demonstrate the economic viability of conservation, whilst well-planned tourism and conservation projects, which return income to the local community, help ensure their social acceptance.

Intervention at the grassroots level is a priority. Effective conservation strategies support the participation of local people in the management of and benefit from their own natural resources. The devolution of power to the community is an important move towards community empowerment and conservation strategies designed and led by the resource users themselves.

Pressure is gradually growing on Africas’ natural resource sector. Heavy demands placed on dwindling natural resources have resulted in a catastrophic decline in remaining indigenous forests, swamps, marshes and rivers and with it their resident wildlife. Intensive and outdated farming methods, the need for fuelwood in the home, the demand for construction materials and unclear land ownership policies have meant that Africa’s large and growing population continue to struggle to eke a living from seasonally affected pastoral and farming systems.

Take Ethiopia for example, most of the country’s forests and wildlife have disappeared in the last few hundred years and continue to dwindle further every year. The area under forest cover has declined from about 37% of the total land area to less than 3% today. At present rates of deforestation, estimated at up to 200,000 hectares a year, Ethiopia will have no more forest left within about 50 years. The need for intervention is clear.

The Travellers Choice

When booking a safari to Africa there are two levels of support for conservation. Firstly the international operator with whom you book and secondly the lodges and operators on the ground. As the international operator is the coordinating body it is they that you must target first. Many do not actually contribute anything at all but there is a small group of growing specialists that do. Secondly you should do your research on the camps and lodges that the operator is trying to sell you. It is very easy to design itineraries around camps and lodges that support conservation projects, which you can also visit when there, so insist on it.

The level of accommodation is outstanding in many cases. The image of old ecotourism is one of basic accommodation, one kerosene lamp and a bearded manager in his wellington boots. Today it ranges from the latter to first class, stylish and professionally run camps and lodges.

If you want to travel, visit working conservation projects on the ground, but not sacrifice your home comforts, then Africa awaits.