Secret of desert fairy circles uncovered

Gondwana Collection
April 29th, 2013
The bare circles in the grassy plains on the eastern fringe of the Namib have been a mystery for decades. Now it is clear what causes them: The ‘fairy circles’ are created by termites as part of a water storage system according to the findings of a long-term study conducted by German biologist Professor Norbert Jürgens and published in the latest edition of Science magazine.
According to the study the ‘sand termite’ Psammotermes allocerus clears the sandy soil of annual grasses so that rain water seeping into the ground is stored instead of being used by the grass. In areas with an average annual rainfall of 100 mm the sandy soil underneath the bare circles always holds more than five percent of water by volume – even after years of draught. Professor Jürgens obtained his data by taking readings in fairy circles found on the grounds of Namib Desert Lodge south of Solitaire over the course of several years. The lodge is part of the Gondwana Collection Namibia, which has supported the professor’s research projects for years.
The water storage system keeps relative humidity at 98 percent in the tunnels of the termites’ nest. This is essential for the survival of the insects. The storage system furthermore allows perennial grasses to take root around the circles. These grasses in turn are a secure food source for the termites in years of drought when annual grasses no longer grow because of lack of rain.
Psammotermes allocerus lives completely underground. Since it is active at night and early in the morning this termite is rather inconspicuous. This may explain why researchers did not solve the riddle of the fairy circles much earlier. Possible reasons that have been offered included theories of the ground being poisoned by Euphorbia and of natural gasses with the effect of herbicides. The circles even fuelled fantasies of little green creatures from outer space and dancing fairies from the realms of fairy tales.
The idea of termites causing the circles is not new, but so far the type of termite had not been identified and the presence of termites in the circles had not yet been proven. What is new and totally fascinating is above all the realisation that tiny, insignificant creatures are able to create an artificial eco-system and thus conquer a habitat which otherwise would be fatal for them.
Source: travelnewsnamibia.com
Information: Gondwana Collection
Photograph: Daily Mail

ZRA looks to new EIA for Batoka Gorge Hydro Electric Scheme

allafrica.com
24 April 2004

The Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) last week kick-started the process of the commissioning of an environmental impact assessment for the construction of the proposed Batoka Gorge Hydro Electric Scheme.

"The Zambezi River Authority is in the process of preparing for the developments on the Batoka Gorge Hydro Electric Scheme," ZRA said in a statement. "At these meetings, the stakeholders' inputs in the development of the terms of references (TORs) for consultancy services will be revealed. These TORs will be to carry out an environmental and social impact assessment for the proposed Batoka Gorge Electric Scheme on the Zambezi River," the Lusaka headquartered authority revealed. Meetings will kick off at the end of this month in Livingstone, Victoria Falls, Lusaka and Harare, ending mid-May.

The announcement signals the first serious step by the two southern African governments in 20 years to roll out the massive facility on the Zambezi River, three kilometres from Mwemba Falls and 54 kilometres east of Victoria Falls.

Read full article here

Greenpop aims to paint Livingstone green for UNWTO

The Post, Zambia
24/04/13
Greenpop, a South Africa based organisation last year extended its operations in the country through the launch of trees for Zambia, a reforestation and eco-awareness project which began with a three-week tree planting event and was followed by an ongoing campaign to inspire awareness about deforestation, climate change, tree planting, environmental sustainability and alternative energy sources.
Greenpop is trying to schedule a tree planting side event during the UNWTO general assembly to highlight the issues of deforestation and how it affects everyone in Africa. This year, over 5,000 trees are planned to be planted in Livingstone.
Q-Kindly update us on what Greenpop is all about and your objectives?
A-Greenpop is a social enterprise that believes green and sustainable living can be fun, popular and accessible for all. We believe in inspiring a greener, more conscious, inclusive movement and do this through tree planting projects, green action events, education, social media, volunteerism and activating people to do something. Greenpop started in September 2010 in South Africa and we have since planted over 18,000 trees in over 200 beneficiary schools, crèches, old-age homes, community centres as well as deforested areas in Southern Africa. Creative tree-care programmes have been implemented and children, community members and volunteers are getting their hands dirty, learning a lot and loving it. Greenpop is inspired by the exciting projects we have been coming up and the bright green future we see for Africa.
Q-What are some of the challenges you face in promoting green campaign?
A-The challenge is that people rely on charcoal for a livelihood and it is not acceptable to just tell people to stop. Sustainable projects are ones that offer alternatives and education do not preach about how people ‘should’ live. We are starting to include solar cooking into our project and continually looking into other solutions as well. We are so grateful for all the support from the authorities, schools, companies and partners in Livingstone – none of this would be possible without the Livingstone community
Q-What does the hosting of UNWTO mean to your organisation?
A-It’s a wonderful opportunity to showcase Livingstone as a green and eco-tourism hotspot. Globally people are looking for responsible tourism options and we’d like to be involved in promoting Livingstone in this way. We also feel, delegates should be invited to plant trees and are hoping to run a planting side event during the UNWTO as well as offer delegates chance to buy a tree for Livingstone to compensate for their travel footprint. We would like to highlight the issues of deforestation and how it affects all of us in Africa. It’s really important to work together (all of us in Africa) as this issue and issues of Climate Change are not country specific – we are all in this together. We would also like to highlight to tourism delegates that greening and green tourism is the way to go and it is the trend globally. Greenpop’s media partner Makhulu has also just won the United Nation forum on Forests Short Film Award for Africa – the film is about a Zambian forest hero Lloyd Maanyina from Livingstone who was a charcoal seller and is now a tree grower. We believe this video should be shown at the UNWTO. We would also like to have an exhibition space to sell trees that delegates can donate to Livingstone to compensate for their travel footprint.
Read full article here

Poachers kill 25 elephants in Western Province

Zambia Daily Mail
12 April 2013
The killing of over 25 elephants by poachers in the past year is negatively affecting the tourism sector in Western Province.
Western Province permanent secretary Emmanuel Mwamba says over 25 elephants have been killed over a period of one year by poachers in Sioma Ngwezi National Park, and from Sesheke and Senanga districts.
Mr Mwamba said in a statement released from Mongu recently that the endangered species are being hunted and killed for their ivory tusks. He said the numbers of elephants killed so far is alarming considering it takes many years for an elephant population to grow to a sizeable number. "The provincial administration is promoting tourism and feared the criminal action of poachers is negating their efforts hence should be discouraged," he said.
Mr Mwamba said Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) had so far recovered 49 tusks weighing 267kgs and has since directed the authority area warden in the province to immediately halt the high cases of elephant poaching in the area... He urged the authority to pursue the court cases with keen interest, adding the recent cases involving suspected poachers found with 10 ivory tusks in Sesheke and those found with 18 pieces of ivory tusks in Senanga, must be prosecuted to their logical end. He said his office had taken interest in the cases to ensure justice was served and the rampant killing of elephants stopped. He urged ZAWA to tighten security control and searches in the region, especially on entrance and exit routes.
Read the full article here.

Too many elephants in African parks?

Source: www.aljazeera.com
Date: 21/04/13
Opinion by William G Moseley
Do high elephant numbers drive down total biodiversity, including other types of wildlife which tourists come to see?
Photo Credit: Pete Roberts
International environmental organisations have been working in southern Africa for decades to support parks and conservation efforts in the communities adjacent to them. While these efforts have been beneficial in some areas, an obsession with the protection of certain high profile species, such as the African elephant, has actually been counter-productive in some cases. While the numbers of African elephants are declining globally - and these animals certainly deserve protection in many regions - in other areas their numbers are so high that they are causing overall declines in biodiversity.
Botswana's Chobe National Park covers approximately 11,000 square kilometres and has an estimated elephant herd of 70,000. International visitors to the park are often treated to an amazing scene of hundreds of elephants bathing in the Chobe River or frolicking on nearby plains. But biologists estimate that the park actually has seven times the number of elephants it can reasonably support over time. The result is a landscape within the park that is heavily degraded as elephants - while a delight to those on photo safari - are incredibly destructive as they uproot trees and trample vegetation. High elephant numbers also drive down total biodiversity, including other types of wildlife which tourists come to see.
International conservation agencies have been working with communities around the Chobe National Park to encourage the conservation of elephants. In exchange for cooperation in elephant conservation, local communities receive a share of ecotourism revenues as a reward and to compensate them for crop losses due to raiding elephants. While support and collaboration with local communities is good and only fair, especially considering the costs people endure by living close to wildlife, the goal of protecting elephants at all costs seems misguided in this situation.
...So why do international conservation organisations and some governments, like that of Botswana, persist in the excessive protection of some sub populations of elephants even when it is bad for biodiversity and local livelihoods? The answer varies from an irrational obsession with - and narrow focus on - certain high profile species, to a more legitimate concern that the culling, or controlled killing, of elephants in some areas may foster hunting in other areas where elephant numbers are low.
Animal rights activists also decry the killing of any wildlife, much less elephants which are known to have strong familial bonds and mourn the loss of deceased members. Still others believe that culling will depress ecotourism revenues, either directly through a diminished safari experience or, indirectly, when international protests over controlled elephant culling dissuade tourists from visiting certain countries.
...Global conservation organisations, some governments and ecotourists must move away from a paradigm of preservation at all costs of certain high profile species and adopt more of an ecosystem perspective. We must also realise that some species may be endangered or threatened at the international or regional scale, but actually exist in too high a number in some parks and conservation areas. This blindness to "too much of a good thing" is often detrimental to the livelihoods of rural people who live near parks, diminishes the ecotourism experience, and destroys biodiversity, the very objective of conservation.
William G Moseley is a human-environment geographer and professor at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He formerly served as a visiting scholar in the Department of Environmental Science at the University of Botswana, Gaborone.
Read full article here.

'New Town' for Victoria Falls?

REPOST: UPDATED COMMENT

The Standard - www.thestandard.co.zw
14 April 2013

The Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry has secured prime land for a new 'Victoria Falls City' in the resort town.

Tourism minister Walter Mzembi said last week that the Ministry of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development had already transferred 1,200 hectares of prime land from the Hwange District Council to build the new city. 

"We are not going to interfere with the old Victorian setting, we will leave it intact. But going backwards towards the airport, 1,200 ha under the Hwange District Council has been transferred to us to create a new city," Mzembi said.

He said the prime land would be used to create a new city in the mould of the Niagara Park in Canada, a US$30 billion economy. ‘The gap between the current Victoria Falls economy between Zambia and Zimbabwe which is no more than US$1,5 billion can go and escalate up to US$30 billion if we close the infrastructural gap.' 

Meanwhile, President Robert Mugabe is expected to launch the Tourism Policy next month with a roadmap on how the industry operates.

Full story here.

UPDATE: Comment by Gill Standen, 22/04/13, www.eturbonews.com

Walter Mzembi, Minister of Tourism, stated that land had been allocated for a new Victoria Falls City. The city [is] to be modeled on Niagara Falls City and be home to hotels, theme parks, and casinos. 1,200 [hectares] has been allocated to the project on the road to the airport. There are also plans to develop Kariba and Masvingo for tourism.

I think we have heard all this before. When the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) meeting was announced to take part at the Victoria Falls, to be shared between Zambia and Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe government pledged to build massive infrastructure. It didn’t happen. It didn’t happen for two reasons. Firstly the government has no money, and secondly the private sector would not take on the challenge. The situation has not changed.

Until Zimbabwe sorts out its political situation and tourists feel comfortable visiting Zimbabwe, the tourism industry cannot be revived. So, the plan to build a new Victoria Falls City will be a pipe dream and maybe is just being mooted for political means.

Read full article here.

Kuomboka takes place amid tight security and delays

Kuomboka takes place amid tight security
The Post, Zambia
21 April 2013

Security was tight yesterday when Litunga Imwiko II accompanied by Vice-President Guy Scott kicked off the Kuomboka ceremony of the Lozi people in Mongu.

Several security officers surrounded the Litunga's palace while others positioned themselves on the periphery of Lealui Royal Village following threats of subversive acts by individuals opposed to the holding of this year's ceremony. Western Province police commissioner told The Post on Friday that some unknown individuals had been distributing flyers in Mongu discouraging people from attending this year's Kuomboka ceremony.

However, all was calm and serene when Vice-President Scott, who represented President Michael Sata at this year's ceremony, touched down at Lealui in the company of his wife, Charlotte, and was received by the acting Ngambela, Siisi, who is also Induna Kalonga within the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE)...

Litunga Imwiko and Vice-President Scott came out of the palace shortly after 11:00 hours and walked to the Nayuma Harbour where they boarded the Nalikwanda after a very short formal activity, where the Litunga was bidding farewell to Lealui Royal Village.

Police officers from the marine unit were on hand to ensure that there was order along the waterway between Lealui and Mongu.

Read full article here.

Tired Scott fails to read Sata’ speech at Kuomboka, dog thrown in canal to welcome Litunga
Zambian Watchdog
21 April 2013

Tired Scott fails to read Sata’ speech at Kuomboka, dog thrown in canal to welcome Litunga

...Vice President Guy Scott last night failed to read a speech on behalf of [President] Michael Sata and... abruptly ended the Kuomboka ceremonies saying he was too tired to continue with proceedings which took close to ten hoours from the time Litunga Lubosi Imwiko boarded the Nalikwanda in Lealui.

And in a dramatic development some Lozis opposed to the Litunga’s selfish and poor style pushed a dog at the receiving end of the canal just some few minutes before the the royal convoy arrived, while reliable sources from Lealui palace have told the Zambian Watchdog that some of the usual traditional drummers and paddlers of the Nalikwanda refused to perform their duties forcing the Litunga and his organising committee to pay for some paddlers and asking late Litunga IlLute Yeta’s two children to play the drums on the royal badge.

Scott, who was attending the ceremony for the first time as vice-president earlier delayed the ceremony at Nengwana where he is said to have asked the Litunga to make many turns around the Island in a tourism fashion for himself and his wife Charlotte. The Litunga only entered the Limulunga palace after 19:00hrs by which time Scott was too tired.

After reading a few lines of the speech that was initially supposed to be read by Sata, Scott told the gathering that it was too late to go through the speech but he would leave it and still be open for discussion. “Your royal Highness my government is committed to assisting traditional ceremonies like the kuomboka as they help maintain cultural heritage and are a tourism attraction,” said Scott before he excused himself to take his seat. Earlier he was seen making indications to the Litunga that he was tired and time was running out, making the Master of Ceremonies to shorten some of the procedures of the hastily organised ceremony.

Some traditionalists spoken to said it was not in order for the programme to be conducted in an alien manner just to please the Veep who was partly the causer of the delay. “We spent a lot of time in the water because he wanted to entertain himself and his wife, but at the end he decides to say it is too late to read the speech and shortens the programme,” said one of the traditionalists present.

Read full article here.