Miombo Ecoregion Vision Report - Biodiversity Foundation for Africa

Miombo Ecoregion Report, page 42
Infrastructural Development
Development of infrastructure is accompanied by destruction of flora and fauna and their
ecosystems, thus disturbing their processes. This threat is high in a region whose infrastructure is
still developing. Mappable infrastructural developments threatening the biodiversity of the
Miombo Ecoregion are:
� Lakes
� Cities and other urban and business centres
� Major roads and railways
� Electricity grid lines
� Mineral deposits.
Deforestation
Apart from agricultural expansion, deforestation arising from other socio-economic drivers is a
major threat to the ecoregion and its biodiversity. Examples of such drivers include:
� Charcoal and firewood making
� Illegal logging
� Fish smoking and tobacco curing (in some areas)
� Refugee areas
� Unsustainable wildlife levels, e.g. elephants
� Deforestation in dambos.
Competition for Water
The demand for water is going to increase in the foreseeable future as population and economic
development progress. As such, competition for water for both human and ecological functions is
forecast to increase. Competition will be high between upstream and downstream users and uses
of water, especially competition for uncontaminated water. The competition for water for
different uses is an important threat as water is critical for ecosystem functions. However because
of knowledge gaps, more information is required in identifying threatened areas.
5.3.4 Opportunities
In spite of the many threats to biodiversity conservation in the ecoregion, opportunities exist for
improving the current situation and for innovative approaches to be implemented. Socioeconomic
opportunities provide a niche and competitive edge against which conservation actions
can be implemented. Socio-economic factors that provide opportunities in priority conservation
areas enhance the implementation of initiatives. In fact, they lend themselves as platforms on
which conservation efforts may be built. Opportunities identified by the visioning process
include:
� Food security coping strategies among communities living with resources
� Increased capacity to build local level capacity to manage natural resources
� International, regional and sub-regional processes and agreements
� Sustainable use and expanded markets for non-timber forest products
� Non-agricultural forms of land use.
Food Security Coping Strategies
Food-coping strategies have the potential to reduce demand for agricultural land and excessive
demand for forest products. These include drought-tolerant crops, employment and income