Walia Special Edition on the Bale Mountains (2011) - Zoologische ...

Problems and Issues
A problems and issues analysis was conducted to identify those factors threatening the ERVs and,
ultimately, the park’s purpose. These were grouped into themes which translated into management
programmes (see below). Working groups were selected to tackle each of these themes by developing
the strategies and actions in each of the five management programmes.
BmNP problems and issues by theme:
• Unsustainable human impacts
• Lack of stakeholder participation, community-park relations, livelihoods, benefit-sharing
• Unclear policy, legislation and institutional arrangements
• Weak Park operations and capacity
• Poor ecosystem management and lack of research
• Tourism underdeveloped
Proposed Zonation
The single most important cross-cutting issue for the BMNP was, and still is, the expansion of
human activities in and around the park, particularly the unsustainable use of natural resources and
forest clearing for agriculture and settlement. To secure the long-term future of the BMNP, it is
critical to strike a balance between human needs, natural resource use and the conservation of the
BMNP’s ERVs (see also Tadesse et al. this edition).
Thus, to immediately bring the expansion of human settlement and the unsustainable and
unmanaged use of natural resources under control, a management zoning scheme was developed.
This provided a framework for securing the park and protecting its resources whilst allowing the
use of these resources by communities and tourists. It was important to note that conservation of
biodiversity and ecosystem processes would remain the primary management objective, irrespective
of zone. The two designated zones with associated prescriptions are described below:
1. Conservation Zone (CZ): This zone was to comprise just over 50% of the BMNP and
was made up of areas with relatively little permanent settlement that are high in biodiversity and
important for the conservation of the ecosystem’s Principal Ecosystem Components (PECs; see EM
programme). No damaging use would be permitted, no settlement or cultivation would be allowed
and development would be strictly regulated and would need to meet with the BMNP’s environmental
impact prescriptions for energy and material use, aesthetics and waste disposal. Access by tourists
and local people would be allowed to sites of natural, scenic or cultural significance.
2. Conservation and Sustainable Natural Resource Management Zone (C&SNRMZ):
At the time the GMP was developed, it was agreed by stakeholders that use of natural resources
and settlement would be restricted to designated Conservation & SNRM Zones. Sustainable use
of natural resources would be allowed under negotiated management agreements between rightful
users and park management (see SNRM programme) within this zone. Settlement, infrastructure
development and cultivation would only allowed within these SNRM agreements and would need
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