Chris Eyre recognised for conservation work

RETIRED conservationist Chris Eyre was awarded the Ministry of Environment and Tourism’s Lifetime Achievement Award at a function in Windhoek last week.

It is the most prestigious award given by the Ministry for dedication to conservation. Eyre joined the Directorate of Nature Conservation in 1971.He worked at the Von Bach Dam, at Ganab in the Namib-Naukluft Park and at Otjovasandu in the Etosha National Park before being appointed as Principal Nature Conservationist at Khorixas in November 1980.He worked in the north-west during the time when poaching was rife, a devastating drought led to a crash in wildlife populations and the desert rhino was close to extinction.With fellow conservationists such as Lucas Mbomporo and long-time friend Garth Owen-Smith, Eyre contained poaching by working closely with traditional leaders and pioneered the community game guard system.When the Ministry promoted Eyre to Chief Warden at Ondangwa in 1993, he worked on the establishment of the Uukwaluudhi conservancy.The conservancy was gazetted in 2003 and his work was later recognised by becoming a joint winner of the Namibia Nature Foundation Go Green Environmental Award with King Josia Shikongo Taapopi of Uukwaluudhi in 2004.The Chief Control Warden of the Sperrgebiet National Park in the south, Trygve Cooper, was the runner-up for the Lifetme Achievement award and received a certificate.Johnson Vejorerako, a ranger in Etosha, walked away with the Welwitschia Award.The first runner-up in this category was Andreas Niklaaste while Julias Johannes was the second runner-up.The Welwitschia Award is given to the Ministry’s field workers who have demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities.The Khaudum National Park in the Kavango Region was the recipient of the Incident Book Award, a new category added to the MET Field Awards this year.Eyre joined the Directorate of Nature Conservation in 1971.He worked at the Von Bach Dam, at Ganab in the Namib-Naukluft Park and at Otjovasandu in the Etosha National Park before being appointed as Principal Nature Conservationist at Khorixas in November 1980.He worked in the north-west during the time when poaching was rife, a devastating drought led to a crash in wildlife populations and the desert rhino was close to extinction.With fellow conservationists such as Lucas Mbomporo and long-time friend Garth Owen-Smith, Eyre contained poaching by working closely with traditional leaders and pioneered the community game guard system.When the Ministry promoted Eyre to Chief Warden at Ondangwa in 1993, he worked on the establishment of the Uukwaluudhi conservancy.The conservancy was gazetted in 2003 and his work was later recognised by becoming a joint winner of the Namibia Nature Foundation Go Green Environmental Award with King Josia Shikongo Taapopi of Uukwaluudhi in 2004.The Chief Control Warden of the Sperrgebiet National Park in the south, Trygve Cooper, was the runner-up for the Lifetme Achievement award and received a certificate.Johnson Vejorerako, a ranger in Etosha, walked away with the Welwitschia Award.The first runner-up in this category was Andreas Niklaaste while Julias Johannes was the second runner-up.The Welwitschia Award is given to the Ministry’s field workers who have demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities.The Khaudum National Park in the Kavango Region was the recipient of the Incident Book Award, a new category added to the MET Field Awards this year.