US Person has posted before about the critical concept of transboundary conservation in which ecosystems are preserved intact regardless of their location in two or more nations. To preserve migratory animals or those using large hunting territories, national boundaries must give way to the natural landscape. Elephants are the epitome of an animal that lives large. Historically, elephants wandered across the entire African continent on ancient routes to water and food. Those days are no more. However, the presidents of five southern African nations have taken an unprecedented and historic preservation step. The nations of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe signed a treaty establishing the
Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area in August of this year. The 109 million acre Area is within the borders of those nations and encompasses the famed Okavango inland delta
[photo], a unique ecosystem of exceptional wildlife richness. It is the home of an estimated 325,000 elephants or 44% of the remaining African elephant population
[photo]. The Area is larger than the state of New Mexico, and will allow elephants and the wild creatures that live with them to live on the land in a more natural way. The Conservation Area will allow sustainable development with emphasis on creating a world class tourist
destination. Local human inhabitants will benefit from the increased economic activity. WWF intends that its positive experience with Namibia's community based natural resource management will be applied to provide technical training and assistance to local communities. In Namibia, about 12% of the population have the right to manage and economically benefit from wildlife. The goal in the world's largest transnational conservation area is to promote a peaceful human culture of shared resources while at the same time preserving the landscape's biological integrity for future generations of humans and wild creatures.
GREEN KUDOS!
destination. Local human inhabitants will benefit from the increased economic activity. WWF intends that its positive experience with Namibia's community based natural resource management will be applied to provide technical training and assistance to local communities. In Namibia, about 12% of the population have the right to manage and economically benefit from wildlife. The goal in the world's largest transnational conservation area is to promote a peaceful human culture of shared resources while at the same time preserving the landscape's biological integrity for future generations of humans and wild creatures. GREEN KUDOS!