The First Community Nature Reserve in Mozambique

Once poorly governed and torn apart by civil war, Mozambique is rebuilding itself and embracing sustainable tourism as an important driver of economic growth. With beautiful beaches, open savannas, and a culture that blends native African and Portuguese influences, the country has huge tourism potential. Through a combination of initiatives, including rehabilitation of Banhine National Park, working with marginalized communities, and training conservation leaders, the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) is playing an important role in refurbishing this jewel on Africa’s southeast coast. AWF’s work with three communities at the southern edge of Limpopo National Park exemplifies the long struggle but high pay-off of conservation in this region.

AWF has been working with communities along the edge of Limpopo National Park, finding opportunities to set aside privately held land to extend the effective reach of these protected areas. Great strides have been made in the Cubo community in Mozambique.

Just a week after the Mbindhzo community celebrated obtaining legal rights to ancestral lands, the Chivovo community followed suit. Now these two communities, along with the Cubo community, have the opportunity to manage their own natural resources and participate in conservation and tourism development.

The conservation pay-off of this land deal is great. The Cubo community and their neighbors have set aside 53,000 hectares (131,000 acres) of prime savanna woodland habitat as a Community Nature Reserve. This area, just to the south of Limpopo National Park, represents critical wildlife habitat and is in good condition. This will be the first Community Nature Reserve to be established in Mozambique. And, outside the reserve, agro-forestry techniques have been introduced to improve fodder for livestock in the remaining land.

Communities now have the right to use their land as collateral in negotiating joint business ventures such as environmental tourism with private investors. Potential investments include sport fishing, surfing, boating, and lodge or tented camp development.

AWF’s follow-up assistance to the communities of Cubo will include introduction of complementary livelihood alternatives and delivery of ecotourism business ventures, in partnership with private investors. AWF will also support capacity building of communities in areas such as negotiation, entrepreneurship, marketing and resource management.

The development of the Community Nature Reserve has demanded complex negotiations with multiple stakeholders. Mobilizing and facilitating community groups, working through complicated legal frameworks and land zoning restrictions is difficult work, but it is among the most important work AWF does. Persistence and planning are keys to establishing sustainable conservation efforts that will protect African wildlife and the livelihoods of local people.