Okavango Delta Management Plan - Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

2 = Moderate social benefits
3 = Low social benefits
Economic and financial returns
1 = High economic/financial returns
2 = Moderate economic returns
3 = Low economic returns
Projects which score higher should be discouraged and it is also recommended that
the three criterion be weighted to enhance decision making process. Projects which
would contribute to the maintenance of the wetland ecosystem should carry a
higher weight.
3.7.2.5 Demonstrations/Pilot activities
The hotspots approach is a method used to identify ideas which canbe tested in
pilot projects that address some of the key issues. The approach in this respect
took into consideration the following key elements: devolvement of management
responsibilities to communities, capacity building, enhanced level of understanding
of the ecosystem dynamics, potential for sustainability, enhanced livelihood status,
potential for resolving conflicts, opportunities for learning and replication. Table
3-6 and Figure 3-1 describe and illustrate the ten chosen interventions and their
locations respectively.
Table 3-6: Pilot projects to test management options
Theme Key Issues Proposed Pilot Sites
Improved Fisheries
<strong>Management</strong>
98
Conflict emanating from uncoordinated use of common fishing grounds
by both commercial and angling lodges as well as the perceptions on
the status of the <strong>Okavango</strong> fish stocks. An improved fisheries
management system will be developed and tested which will include
conflict resolution and monitoring of fish stocks.
Veld Resources <strong>Management</strong> Veld product harvesting for both commercial and subsistence use in
concession and communal areas is highly unregulated and as a result
creates conflict among users. The conflict leads to over-harvesting of
resources and hence impacts negatively on biodiversity.
Riparian Woodland Monitoring
(Intervention by OWBC
project
Monitoring of the tourism
impacts
There is a concern that riparian woodlands are being affected by
anthropogenic factors, herbivory and other natural processes such as
climate change. A pilot project to establish baseline, monitoring indices
and carry out monitoring of riparian woodlands (recruitment rates,
structure, composition, crown cover, etc.) will be developed to address
this concern. Monitoring is to be carried out by the tourism
establishments and local communities.
The Governement of Botswana (through the ODMP) will provide funds
to develop a comprehensive District Tourism Strategy that
encompasses tourism guidelines, and Limits to Acceptable Change
(LAC) criteria. GEF funded BIOKAVANGO project will complement the
tourism private sector and GOB resources to strengthen capacity of the
tour operators to incorporate biodiversity considerations in systematic
monitoring of impacts and adapt management practices at the CHA
and district level. This will include identification of biodiversity indices
and training of tour operator personnel in monitoring. In community
concession areas monitoring is already being carried by DWNP through
<strong>Management</strong> Oriented Monitoring Systems (MOMS) which are being
piloted in community managed CHAs.
Panhandle up to
Samochima
1. Tubu/area NG 25
2. Shorobe/area NG 32
1. along the Boro River
2. Chitabe/Santawane area
(Gomoti/Santantadibe
channels)
Sites to be agreed upon
with the tourism operations