THE BEAUTY OF THE LOWER ZAMBEZI ECOSYSTEM

The Lower Zambezi Ecosystem(LZE) is located in the South Central Part of the Republic of Zambia, bordered by the Zambezi River on the South and Muchinga escarpment in the North, the Luangwa and Lukusashi Rivers in the east and the Kafue River on the Western border. This vast and mostly mountainous area is approximately 18,545Km in size and comprising the following protected areas;

1. Lower Zambezi National Park

2. Chiawa GMA

3. Luano GMA

4. Kafue GMA

There is also a private owned conservancy called Rufusa Ranch which shares borders with the LZE on the North-Western boundary. The Lower Zambezi Ecosystem falls in the Kafue, Chongwe and Luangwa District of Lusaka Province and half of Luano GMA(Upper Luano) is in Mkushi District of Central Province. The Muchinga and Zambezi Escarpment are the most significant physical features besides the three main rivers (Zambezi, Kafue and Luangwa). The Zambezi escarpment has led to the establishment of the ZAMBEZI BIOSPHERE RESERVE.

The LZE falls under the escarpment unit of ZAWA with the unit Headquarters at Chirundu for its administration and operation in the management and conservation efforts in this area. The LZE is very rich in wildlife resources, more significantly the Impala and Elephants are among the most common species in the area. Chiawa and Rufusa GMAs have the rare opportunity of elephants hunting because of the healthy population of elephants in the area. Rufusa GMA was far a long time known as the cats GMA because of its Lion and Leopard population and Chiawa GMA was especially established as a Bird Sanctuary and Luano GMA is also home to the famous and Yet rare Zambian Parrot.

ACTING PRESIDENT, DR. GUY SCOTT VISITS LOWER ZAMBEZI NATIONAL PARK AND CALLS FOR INCREASED LOCAL TOURISM INVESTMENT.

Recently, the Acting President Dr. Guy Scott and his wife Dr. Charlotte Harland Scott, spent

their Christmas holiday in the pristine Lower Zambezi National Park (LZNP) on a working holiday. Dr. Scott noted Zambia’s huge potential for tourism development compared to some regional and competing destinations but wondered ‘why we are just busy mining copper’.

He observed that as a country, "We just have to put our house in order. We need to get ourselves organized. We have better National Parks, so let us develop what we have”.

We wish to add our support to the Acting President’s call to encourage indigenous Zambian’s active participation in the development of tourism in the country rather than concentrating on copper mining.

We further note that the local tourism market is not well developed. The private sector has an important role to play in this regard by, among other things, offering locally affordable tourist packages.

 

 

STOP OPEN CAST COPPER MINING IN THE LOWER ZAMBEZI NATIONAL PARK; ZAMBIA

By: Change.org

Petitioning The Ministers responsible for Environment Management and Mining in Africa

https://www.change.org/p/the-ministers-responsible-for-environment-management-and-mining-in-africa-stop-open-cast-copper-mining-in-the-lower-zambezi-national-park-zambia?just_created=true

ZAMBIAN MINE THREATENS WOLRD HERITAGE SITE

By Sipho Kings  - Mail & Guardian      

 

Zambia's High court is to decide on issuing a licence for a Copper mine in the game reserve bordering Zimbabwe's Mana Pools World Heritage.

 

Details: http://mg.co.za/article/2014-11-23-zambian-mine-threatens-world-heritage-site/

 

 



 

 

 

 

ZIMBABWE CIVIL SOCIETY SUPPORTS BID TO PREVENT LARGE SCALE COPPER MINING IN LOWER ZAMBEZI NATIONAL PARK, ZAMBIA

PRESS RELEASE

Representatives of Zimbabwean civil society have expressed support for their counterparts in Zambia who are opposing the Kangaluwi open-pit copper mining project (and associated road construction) slated for the Lower Zambezi National Park in Zambia. This lies across the Zambezi River from Mana Pools National Park, the Mana Pools/Sapi/Chewore World Heritage Site and the Middle Zambezi Biosphere Reserve) (see attached map).

 

They are calling on the Zimbabwean Minister of the Environment to engage with his counterpart in Zambia to encourage him to adhere to international law regarding Protected Areas and put a final stop to the controversial proposal.

 

Zambia’s Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA), the Zambian Ministry of Tourism, traditional leaders, communities, stakeholders and independent experts rejected the project. But in January 2014, Zambia’s then Minister of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection over-ruled this objection and allowed the project to go ahead. A court challenge was subsequently mounted by the Zambia Community Natural Resources Management Forum (ZCBNRM), putting the project on hold.

 

The Zambian Court is due to meet for a hearing on the subject this Monday ( 17th November), to decide if the mining company should be allowed to go ahead anyway, despite opposition.

At the invitation of the Zimbabwe CBNRM Forum and The Zambezi Society, a group of 40 Zimbabwean Civil Society representatives met on 13th November at a briefing workshop in Harare, Zimbabwe and agreed to submit an urgent petition to their Environment Minister.

 
They support the Zambian opposition to this mine for the following reasons:-

 

1. The project ignores the customary international law obligation arising from Principle 21/2 of the Stockholm and Rio Declarations respectively, which provides that “States have sovereignty over their natural resources and the responsibility not to cause environmental damage to the environment of other states or of areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction”. It also ignores similar requirements in several SADC Protocols (e.g. Mining, Biodiversity, Shared Watercourses, Wildlife Conservation, Forestry etc). The Lower Zambezi National Park lies within the ZIMOZA Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA). Yet there is little evidence of consultation with Zimbabwe or other neighbouring states (e.g. Mozambique) on the potential impacts of this project on them.

 

2. A dangerous precedent is being set in the region if this mining project is allowed to go ahead.
• The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA or EIS) for the mine has been independently and expertly reviewed and found to be fundamentally flawed. It was also rejected by Zambia’s Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA). Going ahead with the project undermines the principles of the EIA process.
• International and national legislation has been ignored (even abused) in this case. The mining company (Australian) appears to be attempting to exploit Africa’s resources by taking advantage of loopholes in national legislation and avoiding the accountability that they would face back home.
• An open-cast copper mine allowed to proceed in a major National Park/TFCA in the region and potentially impacting on a neighbouring UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve opens the door to future mineral exploitation of Protected Areas throughout the region.

 

3. Apart from impacts within the Lower Zambezi National Park in Zambia, this proposed mine would bring high, long-term risks to the health and well-being of communities, wildlife and environment in Zimbabwe (and Mozambique)
• The scenic, wilderness values of the Zambezi Valley (which have been the base of 50+ years of tourism development in this area on both sides of the river) would be reduced by visual and sound impacts from the mine and associated road infrastructure, spoiling the tourism experience.
• Pollution of ground and surface water by the mine could result in run-off into the Zambezi River, to the detriment of areas and populations downstream, including Zimbabwe’s World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve and Lake Cabora Bassa.
• An increased human population into the area from mine and road development will increase human-wildlife conflict situations. Stressed animals are not confined by international boundaries.
• More people in the area will increase wildlife poaching/snaring which is already a cross-boundary problem.
• The position of the mine will block the movement of animals such as wild dog and elephant along the corridor between the Lower Zambezi and South Luangwa National Parks, forcing them into settled lands (increased conflict) or into Zimbabwe or Mozambique.
• All these above impacts would prejudice the UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve status that Zimbabwe’s Zambezi Valley areas currently enjoy, leading to a loss of almost 50 years of investment towards their ecological integrity. It would also destroy any chance of Zambia succeeding in its bid to achieve similar world recognition for the Lower Zambezi National Park.
• The envisaged life span of the project is about one decade, so the envisaged benefits to the Zambian people are short lived. However, the likely environmental damage to the whole trans-frontier area would be long lasting. This is economically and developmentally irresponsible for the region.

Background documents with more detailed information attached herewith:-
 

For more information, please contact the following:-
Dr Cecil Muchena (Zimbabwe CBNRM Forum) +263 772 233315
Mrs Sally Wynn (Zambezi Society) +263 772 254462
Prof Chris Magadza (Chair UNESCO Man & Biosphere Cttee, Southern Africa)

LOWER ZAMBEZI NATIONAL PARK PROPOSED KANGAWILU MINE IN COURT

The proposed Kangaluwi Open-Pit Copper Mine in the Lower Zambezi National Park sets a precedent for international large scale mining inside national parks in Zambia. Communities, Civil societies, different stakeholders and independent experts have expressed concerns that have led to the court proceedings.

 

The proposed Kangaluwi mine raises the following concerns;

·       The mining license was obtained before the approval of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

·       The proposed mine Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) statement did not adequately address environmental concerns according to ZEMA.

·       The technical quality of the EIA and environmental management plan falls way short of national and international quality standards.

·       The Lower Zambezi National Park is rated fourth among the twenty (20) national parks and rated as a Prime Touristic destination by Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA.)

·       The proposed large scale open-pit mine threatens the status of the Lower Zambezi National Park as a protected area and it would completely destroy 50% of the park.

·       The project threatens irreversible damage to an ecologically sensitive landscape and loss of habitat for globally endangered species.

·       The benefits from the proposed five (5) year mine project cannot outweigh the long term ecological benefits.  

·       The threats of the mining activities on the Zambezi River system are trans-boundary and a recipe for regional conflict.

In view of the above concerns, a need for responsible mining and protection of sensitive eco-systems for present and future generations is imperative.