Ecotourism makes good business sense

THE NamibRand Nature Reserve in southern Namibia has succeeded in achieving a financially self-sustaining private conservation area, says its chief executive officer, Nils Odendaal.

‘Funds for conservation can be earned by charging tourism operations using the environment as the basis for their products,’ he said.He said the reserve is a model for private conservation in southern Africa as it demonstrates ‘holistic biodiversity conservation balanced with financial sustainability’.In a paper he presented at a recent international symposium on grassland held in Nebraska in the United States, Odendaal said low-impact, high-quality eco-tourism is a means towards sustaining conservation efforts through park fees.In 2007, the reserve collected N$1,9 million in revenue, Odendaal said. Of this, N$1 million was used to cover operating expenses and N$500 000 was used for capital expenditure while N$400 000 was posted as a surplus to be used for game re-introduction, land acquisition and satellite monitoring collars.Odendaal said the reserve has come up with innovative approaches to resource management that have ensured that this critical area bordering on the Namib-Naukluft Park is effectively conserved.’The reserve maintains a conservation policy of minimal interference with constant monitoring, implemented through an environmental management plan,’ said Odendaal.A road count is conducted annually to monitor game populations and the 2008 game census indicated that there are 3 258 gemsbok and 12 451 springbok in the reserve.Its other projects focus on conservation of the critically endangered lappet-faced vulture and cheetah, while outreach efforts focus on predator management on neighbouring farms.With a size of 172 200 hectares, the NamibRand Nature Reserve is one of the largest private conservation areas in southern Africa. It consists of 13 former livestock farms and shares a 100-kilometre border with the Namib-Naukluft Park.