http://www.thezimbabwean.co/ne...-take-over-save.html



Govt to take over Save Valley Conservancies

The government will take over a number of Save Valley conservancies next month and pay compensation to owners protected by Bilateral Agreements when possible.
16.06.14
07:41pm

by Regerai Tututuku


Having failed to solve property disputes in the area, the Minister of Environment Saviour Kasukuwere said government would take over now and pay compensation “as and when money is available”. This includes all the properties in the sanctuary covered by Bilateral Agreements.

He was speaking on the side-lines of a fire-fighting awareness campaign in Gutu last week .


“We are going to maintain the fences around the sanctuary that were destroyed and we want to develop a large tourist attraction from the Save Valley all the way to Gonarezhou,” he said.

All those who had been given hunting quotas and leases under controversial circumstances would lose them, he said. “Government is not going to take over all sanctuaries, but those that have problems are the ones were are targeting. The Department of Parks and Wildlife will move into Save Valley conservancy and start work next month,” added Kasukuwere.

“We are going to follow the laws of the land and make sure that the country derives maximum benefits from its natural resources,” he said.

The minister’s remarks come in the wake of President Robert Mugabe’s recent directive that Zanu (PF) bigwigs and generals should vacate the sanctuary. But they have vowed to stay put saying they would only move out if a land audit was conducted.

Damage the image

The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Management gave leases and hunting quotas to several Zanu (PF) bigwigs, attracting a local and international outcry. They included senator Shuvai Mahofa, the late tertiary education minister Stan Mudenge, retired brigadier general Gibson Mashinagidze, and former Masvingo governor Titus Maluleke. Leading the chorus to spare Save Valley from being grabbed was then Minister of Tourism Walter Mzembi.

He said Zimbabwe was in the midst of trying to spruce up its image abroad and therefore the taking over of the sanctuary would further damage the image of the country.

“Hunting in the Save valley will continue but those who obtained hunting quotas and leases under unclear circumstances will lose them because we want to follow proper procedures,” said Kasukuwere.

Giant national park

Meanwhile, the minister has announced plans for a giant national park on the Tokwe Mukosi basin in order to promote tourism.

He said plans had already been made for National Parks to be capacitated to undertake the programme. Elephant, buffalo and rhino will be trans-located to populate the park. But this means more people will have to be moved to make space for the park – adding to government’s woes as it is already battling to compensate the hundreds of families moved off their land to make way for the Tokwe Mukosi dam. The minister said water in the giant dam was being drained in order for engineers to finish constructing the wall. “As I speak now that work is almost complete. Engineers will finish constructing the dam wall before the start of the next rainy season,” he said.

Say bu-bye. (Love the part about "because we want to follow proper procedures".)

This sucks, for all parties involved!

You can always rely on the bloody Afs to stuff up a good thing!

Can anyone on the ground in Zim interpret this for us? Will reputable outfits like Mokore lose their quota?

It sounds to me like they are targeting the likes of Savuli?

Guys,

I just Skyped with Gary Duckworth/Mokore Safaris. Nothing is in stone yet. Government says original safari operators, Parks and local communities are to share. Local communities do not want Parks involved. This plan for the SAVE may fall by the wayside with the others.

Mark

i feel very sorry for all , where there is smoke there is diffently fire , please guys from the conservancy DONT let your guard down, the legal route would be first option , DON'T make any "deals" you will see your ass, this is from a Zimbabwean EX farmer who is still living in Zim , Possibly get the ambassadors to put pressure on these guys the country needs forgien direct investment and it aint going to happen like this!!!!

http://www.herald.co.zw/new-parks-board-appointed/


New Parks board appointed
June 21, 2014 Local News

Herald Reporter

Environment, Water and Climate Minister Saviour Kasukuwere has appointed an eight-member board for Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.

The board, chaired by businessman Mr Alvin Ncube, was tasked to ensure the smooth integration of the Save Valley Conservancy into the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority’s Parks Estates and to lobby the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to enable the country to sell its huge stockpiles of ivory to support conservation efforts.

“You have come at a time when Save Valley Conservancy is now under Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and as such my expectation is to see a smooth integration of this area into mainstream Parks Estates,” he said.

Zimbabwe has around 70 tonnes stockpiles of ivory and five tonnes of rhino horn which it could not trade because of its international obligations under CITES.
“This is one area where I expect the board to lobby the world so that we can get some revenue from these stocks and be able to support our conservation efforts,” Minister Kasukuwere said.

The new board was appointed at a time when the sector was facing challenges related to mining activities, poaching, uncontrolled fires and illegal settlements within the Parks Estates.

“There is organised commercial poaching targeting species of high economic value such as elephants and rhinos. Only last year we lost over a hundred elephants to poachers in Hwange and I am happy that the perpetrators were brought to book,” the Minister said.

“What still worries me is that the major financiers for such operations are still out there.”
The new board was urged to oversee the implementation of the authority’s strategic plan and where necessary to review and align it with national aspirations spelt out in the Zim-Asset blue print.



In addition,the board was tasked to explore ways of growing the authority’s revenue base, expand and develop its strategic business units as well as strengthening its human resource base.

Minister Kasukuwere said the Government had engaged the US to lift its ban on trophy hunting which had affected the authority’s revenue generation efforts.
“I am pleased to say that we have made good progress (engaging the US) . . . Our teams have been visiting the US holding discussions with the US congress,” he said.

“We are at an advanced stage in terms of discussions and our director general is travelling next month to appear before the congressional panel which is looking at this matter.

“But we believe that the Americans will see the need to support the efforts we are taking in our conservation programmes which have actually assisted our communities and have basically seen our communities play a major part in looking after our animals.

“We are excited that engagement is bearing some fruit now,” he said.
Turning to the Save Valley Conservancy, Minister Kasukuwere refuted claims that he was tasked to remove individuals and companies that had occupied the conservancy.

“Evicting people, we failing, that is not possible, because all those people in those conservancies are there because the State allowed them to be there,” he said.
“We gave them the authority and once the State has directed them to move out, we are then going to transform its use. There is no doubt that they must comply and we have no problems.

“Those who break the law, we will not give them roses.”
Other members of the board include University of Zimbabwe Professor Gilbert Pwiti, Retired Air Vice Marshal Henry Muchena, Ms Nellie Janyika, a lawyer, Mr Wilson Mutinhima, an environmental consultant, Mr Tichafa Mundangepfupfu, a former permanent secretary, Environment, Water and Climate Ministry director Mr Irvine Kunene and the director general of the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority Mr Edson Chidziya.

Interesting how they will make the conservancy a success when they've destroyed most areas in Zim through poor management. Chirisa is a fine example.. They say they will put back the fence?? Only with aid money as the dept is broke through mismanagement. The fence was erected and properly managed by us before they destroyed it and now make out like they are the saviours ??? As it stands we hunt Umkondo a govt lease area with a permit ,Mokore still no permit yet but are a BIPPA property. No one can say for sure on the outcome of the SVC when you're dealing with people with forked tongues..

One of the best hunts I have ever enjoyed was in the SVC. My guide was Mush Nichols and we hunted Humani. Seeing this great conservancy carved up and destroyed by Zim authorities hurts me deeply. I am so sorry for the wonderful people who made this area great and for so many years called it home.