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Leonard Ncube in Hwange

COMMUNITIES living near game parks and protected forests have been urged to actively participate in environmental and wildlife conservation to promote consumptive and non-consumptive tourism in their areas.

Painted Dog Conservation (PDC) in Hwange is spearheading a volunteer community anti-poaching unit where communities in Mabale, Nabushome and Dopota, all near Hwange National Park organised themselves into groups and were trained in patrolling nearby wildlife sanctuaries and removing wire snares and preventing poaching activity.

Their activities are mostly in the areas managed by the Forestry Commission between the game park and communities where villagers graze their cattle and harvest timber and wood.

Mr Fanuel Ncube, one of community Anti Poaching Unit members in Dopota

The programme started in 2015 and to date more than 100 volunteer anti-poaching units.

The anti-poaching units have recovered more than 5 000 wire snares from the bush.

Small game that had migrated from near communities is slowly making its way back because of reduction in poaching activities.

Tourists visit game parks to view animals and experts believe village tourism can be promoted where clients can visit communities for cultural exchange programmes and at the same time view small game.

Communities sometimes endure human-wildlife conflict especially in encounters with elephants, lions, hyenas and buffalos but believe they can co-exist with animals if they get value from these natural resources.

“Yearly, animals pass through our area going to drink water in Gwayi River. With this programme we have managed to reduce the prevalence of ensnaring of animals and we have seen small game coming back. We wish we could have photographic tourism here where clients can come to view game right in communities and this can help develop our areas,” said Mr Fanuel Ncube, chairperson of Dopota group of volunteer rangers.

In many cases, tour operators take clients to communities for village tours but without monetary benefits to villagers. PDC education and community programmes manager Mr Wilton Nsimango said the volunteer programme has helped change behaviour in the community as villagers are now responsible and respect natural resources.

“The objective is to have a generation of community members that actively participates in conservation. This volunteer programme has reduced poaching and snaring of animals. This will benefit the community through development programmes and also attract tourists especially as this area will be a corridor with animals going to Lake Gwayi-Shangani,” he said. -@ncubeleon