Mozambique Plans Rebirth of Wildlife Reserve
4/24/98
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Title: Mozambique Plans Rebirth of Wildlife Reserve
Source: Reuters
Status: Copyrighted, contact source to reprint
Date: 4/24/98
Byline: Iain Christie
MAPUTO, April 24 (Reuters) - The Mozambique government expects a redeveloped
wildlife and forest reserve abandoned during its civil war to be opened to
foreign tourists later this year, luring visitors bringing hard currency.
Deputy Agriculture Minister Isidora Faztudo told a news conference on Friday
the government had approved a new plan for managing the Niassa Reserve in the
far north of the country, on the border with Tanzania.
Sixteen years of civil war destroyed most of the country's infrastructure, but
since peace deals in 1992 Mozambique has been making efforts to rebuild and to
lure foreigners with its natural beauty.
The reserve, which was mapped before Mozambican independence from Portugal in
1975, will be used exclusively for eco-tourism, but hunting will be allowed in
buffer-zones on its borders.
The nature park will also include special sanctuary zones, especially in areas
where the black rhinoceros has been spotted. It was once thought extinct in
Niassa province.
Tracks have now been reopened, 150 game wardens trained, and an inventory of
fauna and flora drawn up.
Faztudo said the government had approved a management plan drawn up by a
private firm, Madal, which was contacted to plot the development.
The company running it will initially be 51-percent owned by the state, with 49
percent held by the private Niassa Investment Company.
In a second phase, new partners will be brought into the management company,
including communities living in the reserve area.
The original Niassa reserve covered 15,000 sq km (5,600 sq miles) between the
Ruvuma river on the northern border with Tanzania and the Lugenda river to the
south. The new plan adds a further 7,000 sq km (2,600 sq miles) to the reserve.
In addition, the five buffer zones in which hunting safaris will be allowed
cover another 17,000 sq km (6,400 sq miles).
Faztudo said total investment in the area would be $7.3 million, of which $4.5
million would be for eco-tourism infrastructure.
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