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Online, India - The African Art Elephant list in the RoomHammer Simwinga provides alternatives to African elephant list poaching24 Apr 2007 found at grist.org
In the 1970s, one of the densest populations of elephants on the African
continent roamed the Luangwa Valley of Zambia. By the end of the next decade,
massive poaching for the ivory trade had decimated herds throughout Africa,
and the elephant population in North Luangwa National Park had plunged from
17,000 to 1,300. Though international authorities shut down the ivory trade in
1990, poaching remained a way of life for many in the Luangwa Valley.
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Photo: Goldman Environmental Prize.
Hammerskjoeld Simwinga -- known as Hammer -- has helped to change that.
Simwinga, who grew up in the valley, began his work with the North Luangwa
Conservation Project, founded by American zoologists Mark and Delia Owens.
With small loans, Simwinga encouraged villagers to open general stores and
grinding mills, providing economic alternatives to poaching. He also helped
farmers switch to protein-rich, high-yield crops, reducing their dependence on
bushmeat.
Q: What are the biggest threats to wildlife and human
welfare in the valley?
A: In the past it has been the unsustainable
harvesting of resources from the national park, that is, the killing of the
animals. On the plateau, which serves as a buffer zone for the national
park, people have been unsustainably using trees -- our form of agriculture
is slash and burn, so people will cut trees, collect them, and burn them. So
the environment in the valley and on the plateau has been under great threat
because of human interference.
Q: How did you get involved with the North Luangwa
Conservation Project?
A: Initially, [the Owenses] were doing a study [of
lions] in the valley. Their study was interrupted because of the heavy
poaching, so they decided to add another thrust to their project -- a
community development program for wildlife conservation. When I was hired
on, my role was to introduce a more sustainable life strategy within the
community, addressing hunger and poverty so that the wildlife would be given
a chance to regenerate.
![]() Photo: John Antonelli
Q: What attracted you to this sort of work?
A: I knew that the rate at which we were killing
animals was not going to see us through, that [if we had continued] we would
not see North Luangwa Park in existence today. The [human] population was
growing and more animals were dying, so we had to inflict more pressure on
the limited resources we had. So I knew we had to come up with a program to
protect the park, so that other people would have the opportunity to see the
goodness and wonders of nature and what it can give.
We've also been hearing that in other countries, a national park can quickly
improve local economy, so we're working toward that. We're happy that now
the park itself is repopulated, regenerated, that we have seen tourists
coming into our area, bringing a form of employment to our guides, and we've
also been selling a few crafts to them. So that has motivated us.
Q: What were the most effective strategies you used to
reduce poaching?
A: When I looked at the whole thing, I found that the
human being was the most important partner -- the local people needed to be
given an opportunity to conserve. So we introduced small businesses [and]
technologies like beekeeping, so people could continue using the forest, but
in a sustainable way. Involving the people in conservation reduces the
pressure on the government [to protect the park]. If everyone around the
park is involved, and another person tries to trespass into the park, people
will be cautioning him or restricting him.
Q: I understand that you continued your work even
after the NLCP cut funding for its village development programs. What was
that like?
A: I knew that it was very important to keep working,
because if you have that local support, conservation becomes so much easier.
The only things that were difficult [without funding] were logistics, things
like transportation. I did a lot of walking, but I developed an extension
system where trained local community members continued working when I was
not there. This helped a lot, to establish these institutions within the
community.
Q: Did you experience opposition or criticism from the
communities you work with?
A: Yes, but in North Luangwa, people have seen the
benefit, and they're our greatest supporters. From the people who are more
involved in the illegal activities, there's a lot of opposition. We had of
course threats from commercial poachers who didn't want our influence in the
villages. But we didn't relent, and we also managed to get friends along the
way.
Q: What are the greatest challenges you still face?
![]()
Photo: John Antonelli
A: Within my district we have three national parks,
and two of those are still under threat. I'm happy to report that the North
Luangwa has been rehabilitated and the community is now fully aware of the
importance of conserving. But I have another, bigger challenge in the other
part of the district -- there's another park that is quite rich in unique
habitats, but it's being trespassed, and people have no other source of
income. More and more youths are involved in illegal hunting. I was invited
by the community to introduce this program -- they are waiting for it -- but
because of limited resources I was unable to heed their invitation.
Q: What does this prize mean to you?
A:It means that this great work has to continue.
It means we have to reach more people, cover more areas, and do more
research on what other alternatives can quickly expand the rural economy so
pressure is reduced on the already diminishing resources of the world.
I think this award will bring me into the limelight, so that I can talk more
about the environment -- especially global warming, which has affected us in
Africa, particularly in Zambia. In the last six years we've seen the rainy
season shortening up -- we used to have a prolonged season, which we needed
for crops like maize and cassava. Year after year, we're having reduced
yields, and our seed security is being threatened.
I know I'll have attention from the local people and the local media, so
this will be an opportunity for me to mention some of these important things
that we should be taking action on now.
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