Okavango Delta Management Plan - Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

Parks and Game Reserves provide for total preservation and protection of wildlife resources
while sustainable utilization of wildlife resources is encouraged in WMAs.
The activities within the Moremi Game reserve are non-consumptive, i.e. do not involve
natural resources off-take but include photography, education, game viewing and
accommodation.
WMAs are located on the margins of National Parks and Game Reserves where they serve
as buffer zones between incompatible land uses particularly livestock and wildlife and in
some cases, they also serve as migratory corridors for wildlife. Within these land parcels,
both consumptive (trophy hunting) and non-consumptive (photographic) based commercial
wildlife operations are executed and these are classified as tourism land use. Figure 2-12
illustrates the different land use parcels.
The WMAs are divided into Controlled Hunting Areas (CHAs). Of the fifty-two CHAs within
the Ngamiland District, thirty-seven are located within the ODRS. Tawana Land Board has
leased out these units to either Community Trusts or individual concessionaires at a
nominal land rental paid annually.
Each Controlled Hunting Area (CHA) has been zoned according to the prevailing factors,
such as ecology, soils and natural resource endowments in the area. WMAs in the ODRS
are located in wildlife rich areas which offer some of the most conducive environment for
sustainable utilization of wildlife resources under the Community Based Natural Resource
<strong>Management</strong> (CBNRM) system
2.4.2.2 Community Based Natural Resources <strong>Management</strong> (CBNRM)
One of the programmes put in place in the <strong>Ramsar</strong> site for natural resources is the
Community Based Natural Resource <strong>Management</strong> (CBNRM). The programme is a joint
approach towards rural development and natural resources conservation. It is based on the
need for the promotion and empowerment of the local communities, by linking economic
and social development to natural resource management. CBNRM is founded on the
premise that all members of the community share an interest in improving their livelihoods
whilst at the same time managing and using natural resources in a sustainable way.
The CBNRM programme in the ODRS is undertaken within the CHAs. The programme is
run through community trusts. There are 12 registered trusts in Ngamiland. Their activities
include sub-leasing their concessions to safari companies, managing cultural tourism,
marketing baskets and crafts, photographic tourism, and marketing reeds and grasses.
Table 2-8 shows the community trusts and their associated activities.
These tourism activities within the WMAs are given a lease period of 15 years (Tourism
Lease) renewable every 5 years as a measure of monitoring whether what is enshrined in
the respective management plans is adhered to. Those that fall outside the WMAs are given
a lease period of 50 years (Common Law Lease).
48