Peace Parks Foundation is proud to launch Peace Parks Exclusive African Conservation Experiences (PEACE) in some of the transfrontier conservation areas of southern Africa where it operates.
CEO of Peace Parks Foundation, Werner Myburgh, leads the first contingent from Peace Parks – Francois, Lésa and Paulo and Nicole de Azevedo – on a mission to get behind the scenes and gain a greater understanding of Peace Parks’ work in Mozambique. Leaving Maputo by helicopter, the team flies over the stunning wetlands of the newly named Maputo National Park – which includes the old Maputo Special Reserve and Ponta Do Ouro Partial Marine Reserve. They keep an eye out for the large herds of elephant that graze on the open floodplains here. Over the next few days, the crew will spend time getting a closer look at the park and Peace Parks’ involvement in it.
The park has come a long way since 2002, when Peace Parks began supporting the area, with much achieved to restore the natural balance to this ecosystem. A partnership agreement with Mozambique’s National Administration for Conservation Areas (ANAC) has seen increased development in the area and huge rewilding efforts. Over 5 000 animals have been translocated into the reserve, including eight species that had become locally extinct. In order to mitigate the increased risk of wildlife crime, there has also been enhanced ranger presence too.
Key to successful conservation is the sustainable economic development of communities living in and around the park through nature-based tourism and conservation enterprises. Most residents here are small-scale farmers and subsistence fishers who use a wide range of natural resources including harvesting fish from the shore. Despite this, the coast here is largely undeveloped except for some local settlements and some modest tourism facilities. Flying over the landscape as the sun sets, pilot Uwe gives the guests an unforgettable show, flying low over the waves and high up over dunes, forests and bush.
Peace Parks Foundation is focused on protecting the region’s natural heritage and assisting the responsible development of sustainable eco-tourism.
