CSL & Sungani: Community Conservation Awareness

CSL & Sungani: Community Conservation Awareness

For the third year running, Sungani have once again pledged to match donations to Conservation South Luangwa (CSL) in the hope of raising over $50,000! This year for the first time, Sungani funding will focus on supporting CSL’s human-wildlife coexistence programmes, helping bridge the gap between communities and conservation.

Since starting to build their remote properties in early 2019, the Davy family and their Sungani team have been dedicated to local job creation, upskilling local craftsmen and the conservation of wildlife in the far south of the South Luangwa National Park. It is this commitment that has seen Sungani help raise over $130,000 for CSL’s work on top of their infrastructure and logistical support for anti-poaching efforts in this remote sector of the Park. This collaborative partnership has seen animals return in large numbers to the area, evidence of poaching activity declining.

For over twenty years, CSL has worked in partnership with Zambia’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) to protect the wildlife and biodiversity of the South Luangwa ecosystem, covering over 1.4 million hectares of protected area, home to Zambia’s flagship elephant, lion and wild dog populations. For the last 16 years, CSL has recognised the importance of supporting communities living along the boundary of the Park to not only minimise the risk of conflict inevitable when living in close proximity to wildlife but to actively and positively engage in wildlife conservation and the protection of Zambia’s natural heritage.

This year, Sungani have committed a further $25,000 towards a match funding campaign. These funds will support large-scale community conservation awareness programmes across seven Chiefdoms bordering the Park, as well as projects specifically designed for residents of the Malama Chiefdom, Sungani’s closest neighbours on the south-east border of the Park and where over 80% of their staff originate from.

Sungani’s commitment to conservation is all-encompassing and never-ending: it is their aim to demonstrate that if we touch the earth gently and with respect, we will pass on a better future for the people, flora and fauna of one of the few remaining places of natural wonder.

Human-Wildlife Coexistence in South Luangwa

For 16 years, the CSL HWC team has worked hand-in-hand with the rural farming communities located within the Game Management Areas (GMAs) surrounding the South Luangwa National Park. The programme initially started small, with one dedicated staff member focussing predominantly on supporting farmers to grow and harvest chilli as both an elephant deterrent and a source of alternative income. This team has since grown to 10 full-time staff members plus 11 community volunteers and 30 chilli patrollers, working on multiple projects across seven Chiefdoms. Sungani support will contribute to the delivery of CSL’s first annual conservation ‘roadshow’, reaching an estimated 10,000 people across human-wildlife conflict hotspots in seven Chiefdoms through speeches, competitions, dancing, singing and drama performances celebrating wildlife. These roadshows are the perfect opportunity for CSL, alongside field partners Chipembele Wildlife Education Trust and the Zambian Carnivore Programme, to deliver key conservation messages, strengthen relationships with community stakeholders and create a platform for dialogue and exchange regarding human-wildlife coexistence and wildlife conservation.

In addition, Sungani will support bespoke conservation awareness and human-wildlife conflict mitigation activities in Malama Chiefdom. This will include key mitigation strategies such as solar and ‘smelly’ fencing and improved conflict data collection as well as large-scale community events celebrating wildlife and community awareness activities such as game drives, radio broadcasts and community meetings.

Find out more at www.cslzambia.org and www.sungani.com

Please note, while Sungani’s match funds will focus on community conservation work, other donations may be allocated to other areas of CSL’s work.