Profile African Parks Network
The African Parks Network is the first private sector park management institution in Africa. It manages parks in public-private partnerships with governments on a long term basis, by combining world class conservation practice with business expertise. African Parks currently manages and finances seven national parks in five African countries (Malawi, Zambia, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan).
The African Parks Network was founded by a group of individuals, most of whom were senior employees of South Africa's premier conservation agency, South African National Parks (SANParks), who shared the common desire to ensure the long-term survival of Africa's national parks. There was seen to be a need for a new player because of declining government budgets for protected areas which largely resulted from increased social demands on the environment, together with a lack of management capacity within state wildlife institutions. Surrounding land users saw little long-term benefit from the parks and hence used wildlife resources unsustainably. As a result, many of Africa's parks were 'paper parks' as they existed only on maps.
Working for SANParks, these individuals were also aware of the inadequacies and inefficiencies normally associated with a state-driven system and established African Parks as a credible alternative for national park management. At SANParks they had had the opportunity of embracing the private sector in a variety of partnerships for a range of functions thereby testing the ability of the private sector to play a meaningful role in conservation. These partnerships proved to be successful and soon provided benchmarks for the performance of SANParks' own operations.
One such partnership was bolder and more innovative than any previously attempted. It involved a public private partnership with Dutch businessman Paul Fentener van Vlissingen who was willing to finance the development of the partially complete Marakele National Park. With a substantial investment, the necessary land was purchased, rehabilitated, fenced and stocked and is now managed by van Vlissingen in accordance with the park management plan. The formula proved very successful, completing a process in 18 months that may otherwise have taken 20 years to conclude.
Today, the technical expertise and vision of experienced conservationists have been integrated with the business acumen and financial resources of Paul Fentener van Vlissingen to form the core of the African Parks Foundation. A concept that was hatched in Africa as a solution to some of Africa's challenges has been made possible with the management expertise and financial resources of international businessmen.
But, African Parks' own financial resources will only go so far. They are being used to develop the management model in the three parks for which we have long-term agreements and to develop the long-term funding approaches for these and subsequent parks. Now that the success of the model is being proven, other parties, organisations and individuals are being sought to take over financing some of Africa's national parks, which have been referred to as the museums of the world.
Contact details
African Parks Network
P.O. Box 313
3940 AH Doorn
The Netherlands
Telephone: 0343 - 565013
Fax: 0343 - 565022
Website: http://www.african-parks.org
E-mail: nithak@african-parks.org
Calling for volunteers
If you are interested in volunteering for African Parks Network for a minimum of three months, please send your CV with a letter explaining your experience to date and your reasons for volunteering to nithak@african-parks.org
African Parks Network offers a once-in-a-life time opportunity to experience what it is like to work for a rapidly growing and almost unique organisation in any one of the beautiful and important parks we manage.
Volunteers for African Parks Network are expected to pay for their own return air tickets but accommodation is provided free of charge.
Vacancy in Malawi
Tourism and Marketing DevelopmentProject: Majete Wildlife Reserve
Year: 2012
Position: Tourism and marketing development
Location of position: Majete Wildlife Reserve, Malawi
Starting date: January 2012
Qualities: The job requires a person who can work in a remote area in an African village setting. It requires the ability to forecast resources, self-motivate, prioritise and delegate and a knowledge of, and/or interest in and sensitivity to local customs and cultural issues. Proven experience in tourism and marketing are also required.
Length of stay: Twelve months
More information
Please send your application and CV to: Nitha Keulemans, Recruiter/Coordinator; African Parks nithak@african-parks.org
Please do not hesitate to call Nitha if you have any more questions on +31 6 10967291.
General information about living conditions, health, insurance and financial issues can be found on the website: www.african-parks.org
Vacancy in Zambia
Trainer/coach mechanics
Project
Liuwa Plain National Park
Year
2011/2012
Position
Trainer / coach for the mechanics in the workshop
Location of position
Kalabo Village, Zambia
Starting date
As soon as possible
Qualities
The job requires a person who can work in a remote area in an African village setting with minimal supervision and limited communication. It requires the ability to forecast resources,to self-motivate, prioritise and delegate and aknowledge of, and/or interest inand sensitivity to local customs, cultural issues
Length of stay
Three months
More information
Please send your application and CV to: nithak@african-parks.org, Volunteer Coordinator; African Parks and operational manager Liuwa Plains National Park, Craig Hay.
Please do not hesitate to call Nitha if you have any more questions on +31 6 10967291.
General information about living conditions, health, insurance and financial issues can be found on the website: www.african-parks.org.
Photo's
West Lunga National Park
Thursday, September 04, 2008 by Francien Keyzer.
It is with great pleasure that we announce that African Parks has recently concluded an agreement for the management of West Lunga National Park in Zambia. The West Lunga National Park is situated in north western Zambia and is a pristine area of unique dry evergreen forest, wide grassland plains, crystal clear rivers and miombo woodland covering 1 684 km2 (168,400 hectares).
Two of the major tributaries of the Zambezi, the West Lunga River and the Kabompo River form the park boundaries on three sides. The biological importance of West Lunga is largely due to the presence of dry evergreen forest dominated by Cryptosepalum exfoliatum, which is found only in a limited area in the heart of Africa. The forest has a distinctive avifauna, with many birds unique to this habitat, and it is the major stronghold in Zambia of the Yellow-backed duiker.
In the past West Lunga had a wide range of other large mammals, now much depleted through many years of intensive poaching. Among the many species of game animals which were present in large numbers in the past are elephant, buffalo, lion, sable antelope, roan antelope, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, eland, zebra, Defassa waterbuck, puku, impala, bushbuck, sitatunga, oribi and red lechwe. Remnant populations of many of these species still occur in the area, and some like sitatunga, impala and puku are still relatively abundant.
Adjoining the national park are three Game Management Areas (customary land) covering an additional 7 790 km2 and one forest reserve making an ecosystem in excess of 10,000 km2. The agreement anticipates that African Parks will also be responsible for the management of these additional areas, once the necessary consultations have been concluded with the forestry department and the respective traditional authorities. This process is expected to take six to nine months to conclude, but management of the actual park will begin immediately. To get an impression of the Park, please find attached two pictures.
From our Park Coordinator in Liuwa Plain National Park, Craig Reid, we received this fantastic news: “29 August 2008 started off as a fairly ordinary day – up early to head into the Park to locate and treat an injured Eland. Together with the local state vet and a community scout I, crossed the pontoon at Kalabo as the sun was rising. The drive into the Park was fairly routine, thick sand and little sign of life until they reached the beginning of the plains where they encountered herds of zebra, lone wildebeeste bulls and plenty of oribi.
We were due to meet up with the tracking team at Matamanene so hurried along towards the camp. Out of the corner of my eye I caught sight of something unusual that did not immediately rouse his curiosity. Some 50 meters along something made me stop and reverse to investigate further. Amazingly, there, in the middle of the road was the track of a bull elephant! Further investigation revealed tracks of three others, some smaller than the first one he had seen (probably an adult bull group of various ages). We all stood there, stunned – elephant last passed through the Park in 2005 and here they were, just a few hours behind them!
The team continued to Matamanene where they were greeted by an incredulous camp attendant, the animals had been right through the camp in the early hours of the morning! Later in the day the team heard reports from community scouts who had seen the animals. They had moved some 30km from Mishulundu in the south east to beyond Matamanene. Unfortunately the injured eland precluded us from investigating further.
It is hoped and anticipated that as time goes on these movements will become more regular and, hope against hope, some of these amazing creatures will eventually make Liuwa their permanent home!” I have added two pictures, one of the elephant track seen on August 29th, and one picture of three elephants made by Craig while he was flying above Liuwa Plain last Tuesday.
