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the role of tourism in natural resource management in the okavango ...

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The development <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Department <strong>of</strong> Wildlife and National Parks led to <strong>the</strong><br />

establishment <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> National Parks Act <strong>of</strong> 1968. The Department <strong>of</strong> Wildlife and<br />

National Parks drew its mandate and authority from <strong>the</strong> Fauna Conservation Act <strong>of</strong><br />

1967 and <strong>the</strong> National Parks Act <strong>of</strong> 1968. However, it was only <strong>in</strong> 1992 that <strong>the</strong>se<br />

laws were consolidated <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> Wildlife Conservation and National Parks Act <strong>of</strong><br />

1992. This Act provides regulations for hunt<strong>in</strong>g, national parks and game reserves<br />

(Campbell, 1997).<br />

In 1985, <strong>the</strong> Republic <strong>of</strong> Botswana Organisation and Review Report recommended<br />

<strong>the</strong> establishment <strong>of</strong> separate departments <strong>of</strong> Wildlife and National Parks and that <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>tourism</strong> <strong>management</strong> (<strong>the</strong> Department <strong>of</strong> Tourism) (Mbaiwa, 2002).<br />

5.4.2.4 The Department <strong>of</strong> Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP)<br />

The Department <strong>of</strong> Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) is one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most important,<br />

and sadly one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most <strong>in</strong>effective, government departments responsible for <strong>the</strong><br />

susta<strong>in</strong>able development and <strong>management</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>natural</strong> <strong>resource</strong>s and wildlife <strong>in</strong><br />

Botswana. Some 23 percent <strong>of</strong> Botswana's land is state owned, <strong>of</strong> which 17 percent<br />

is devoted to wildlife and national parks and game reserves, which are under <strong>the</strong><br />

jurisdiction <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Department <strong>of</strong> Wildlife and National Parks. Hence, <strong>the</strong> DWNP is<br />

responsible for 17 percent <strong>of</strong> Botswana's land area, which <strong>in</strong>cludes all state-owned<br />

national parks and game reserves, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Moremi Game Reserve <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Okavango Delta. These parks and reserves conta<strong>in</strong> most <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> prime wildlife areas<br />

and populations left <strong>in</strong> Botswana, upon which much <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> country's <strong>tourism</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry<br />

is based (Mbaiwa, 1999; Mbaiwa, 2002).<br />

The general objective <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Department <strong>of</strong> Wildlife and National Parks is to manage<br />

<strong>natural</strong> <strong>resource</strong>s found <strong>in</strong> protected areas, particularly wildlife (Mbaiwa, 2002). It<br />

sets as its ma<strong>in</strong> aim, <strong>the</strong> conservation, <strong>management</strong>, promotion and productive use<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> national wildlife <strong>resource</strong>s and <strong>the</strong> country's protected areas such as game<br />

reserves, national parks and wildlife <strong>management</strong> areas.<br />

Even though <strong>the</strong> Department <strong>of</strong> Wildlife and National Parks has sound aims and<br />

objectives, it has been unable to effectively carry out its mandate due to numerous<br />

limitations. These <strong>in</strong>clude:<br />

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