Planning education to care for the earth - IUCN Knowledge Network

Planning education to care for the earthcommunity discourages poaching and enhances the spirit of sharing. Thesemoves reflect the idea that the best hope for the long-term conservation ofspecies and eco-systems is found in satisfying legitimate human needs by thesustainable use of natural renewable resources.In contrast with past practice, CAMPFIRE gives local people the opportunityto make informed decisions on projects to implement. Needs pinpointed inthe wards and villages taking part in the programme are seriously consideredby District Councils. There is a reciprocal consultation which givesCAMPFIRE educative value; this is a process through which projects thatwork are promoted and those that do not are discarded.Training of cadres at village, ward and district levels is an important featureof CAMPFIRE. These cadres - community workers, monitors, problemanimal reporters, guards and professional hunters - are elected, and theirresponsibilities are determined by the local people. Rural development gainsfrom this form of transparency and accountability.There are training inputs from local people, with outsiders as facilitators.This relationship helps to bridge the gap between trainer and trainees and ismutually reinforcing. Most training has elements of book keeping (basicincome/expenditure relationships), project planning and implementation(how to establish priorities, assess risks and benefits), monitoring andevaluation (communities have a better sense of the social aspects than donoror implementing agencies), and meeting procedures.Partners in CAMPFIRECAMPFIRE is an adaptive rural development programme with several partnersassuming different responsibilities in the CAMPFIRE Collaborative Group.Zimbabwe Trust is involved in developing institution-building capacities, theCentre for Applied Social Sciences undertakes baseline social surveys andtraining for monitoring, and the World Wide Fund for Nature carries outecological surveys. The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Training isconcerned with technical and policy training, and the Africa Resources Trust isinterested in international linkages. Action Magazine is involved inenvironmental curriculum development. The Ministry of Local Government,Rural and Urban Development provides basic policy guidelines on ruraldevelopment through Rural District Councils.This multi-faceted, multiple-accountable programme in which the drivecomes from the rural people and in which outside agencies are catalysts,called for an umbrella organization to link local demands with national andinternational networks. The CAMPFIRE Association was formed in 1989and given a secretariat in 1991. The association’s CAMPFIRE Newsletterenables local people to disseminate their know-how. Communities sendarticles for publication in the newsletter, which serves as an effectivecommunication link at all levels. The association encourages research anddocumentation and represents local communities in Zimbabwe atinternational meetings.70