How should we handle national parks to support tourism?

By Beatrice Philemon

31st December 2013

Elephants at the Tarangire National Park in Tanzania. (File Photo)

Farmers and livestock keepers across the country especially those nearing the national parks are vital components of tourism sector in the country. There is a need of training them on environmental conservation like tree planting and good environmental management…

According to statistics 80 percent of the world’s plants and animals are in forests and therefore once their environment is destroyed there is nothing that would be left in the form of fauna and flora.

Climate Change expert and Advisor of the United Nation Prof Willy R. Makundi said for example that some areas around Kilimanjaro National Park, have been disturbed and has caused effects on animals due to lack of water.

He warns that if people will not take serious measures to prevent deforestation in the area, animals such as elephants, buffaloes , leopards, bushbuck and others would soon disappear.

“Many tourists from different countries in the world are visiting Tanzania to see the natural resources that the country is endowed at Kilimanjaro National Park. However people are shamelessly destroy the environment for timber production and other agricultural activities,” he says.

According to him, Kilimanjaro is a hot spot of biodiversity with abundant fauna and flora estimated to approach 3000 plant species of which 2200 are vascular plant species and 140 mammals.

Mt Kilimanjaro has a rich diversity of ecosystems ranging from alpine to colline, particularly of vegetation types that mainly result from a wide range in altitude and rainfall.

The area provides a range of critical ecosystem services to over one million local inhabitants who depend on it for their livelihoods, as well as to the broader region that depends on water resources originating from Kilimanjaro.

Her ecosystems are subject to wide ranging impacts that may be more directly attributable to changes in temperature and precipitation patterns, and which may have far greater significance than the melting of the ice cap itself, the expert says.
He says that right now the mountain has lost over 90 percent of the glacier area in the last century.

“As symbolic as this loss may be, it is unlikely that the melting of the glacier will have a significant effect on the hydrology of Kilimanjaro since only two small rivers originate from the melting glaciers,“ he says.

The glaciers cover only one fifth of one percent of the forest area around the mountain, the source of more than 90 percent of the waters from Kilimanjaro.

Right now Mount Kilimanjaro is the tallest free-standing mountain in the world so it can truly be regarded as the roof of Africa and right now is a world heritage site, its outstanding features are its three major volcanic centres, Shira in the west, Mawenzi in the East and the snowcapped Kibo in the centre.

The forests of the surrounding national parks are inhabited by elusive elephants and other animals.

A report from the ministry of natural resources and tourism indicates that a total of 400,000 hectares of natural forests are lost each year due to charcoal production, wood fuel, and other domestic uses that cause floods and even climate change experts say.

On the other hand, right now many animals are being killed in various national parks with local communities because they are not educated on the environmental conservation. They do not know the importance of the wildlife and the benefits they have.

As result, there is need for all stakeholders engaged in tourism sector including Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) to involve farmers, pastoralists and other agencies to conserve the environment in the national parks and increase availability of water.

If people will continue to cut trees especially in the national parks, it will be a big problem for animals and people in the future. If there’s no rainfall animals will die.

The severe water shortage is posing a serious threat to animals because many are dying, having to walk long distances looking for water.

“In Manyara region for example, animals are moving from their areas to the residential areas looking for water and food because their environment has been destroyed for timber, charcoal production and agricultural activities,” the expert says.

Bee-keeping is important to the residents of Kilimanjaro as a source of medicine, sugars and supplemental income.

Fires also destroy plants that serve as forage for households as well as herbs for medicinal purposes. The mountainous forest is home to many of such plants. In addition, repeated burning also modifies the nutrient balance as well as structure of soils which affects the consequent vegetation and fauna.

Also the increase in fire intensity on the slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro has very significant impacts on both the natural and human systems that it sustains.

The most direct impact is a significant decline in water resources. Other impacts include effects on farming and other activity, as well as a loss of biodiversity.
Also in Kilimanjaro there has been a noticeable increase in rural-urban migration especially of the younger generations.

Farming practices and heavy reliance on forest resources have resulted in soil erosion and deforestation which have reduced water retention, increased flooding after rains and reduced water flow between the rains.

These environmental changes complicate living with increased climate variability in the future because reduced or significantly depleted natural resource base is unable to offer the demanded level of livelihood sustenance in times of environmental stress. As is typically the case, the most adversely affected are the poor and disadvantaged groups (women and children) especially those in remote areas and even animals live within Kilimanjaro National Park.

Also evidence of land degradation includes bare ground due to removal of vegetation cover including deforestation, highly eroded land, declining crop yields, cultivation of immediate riverbanks, drying springs and rivers – less water for irrigation furrows, and less natural vegetation (less fodder), drying water sources, and loss of agro-biodiversity in the agricultural landscape. Traditional irrigation systems have partly collapsed, and there is less water for irrigation.

Kilimanjaro is a hot spot of biodiversity with abundant fauna and flora estimated at 3,000 plant species of which 2,200 are vascular plant species and 140 mammals.

Mt. Kilimanjaro has a rich diversity of ecosystems ranging from alpine to colline, particularly of vegetation types that mainly result from a wide range in altitude and rainfall.

“We are just insisting on educating these people to plant trees before cutting them in order to protect the natural populations of plants, animals and endangered species in the village and thus prevent the current unsustainable charcoal production,” According to him if people will continue to cut trees and destroy the environment especially in the national parks especially in Kilimanjaro region where Kilimanjaro National Park is situated will be a big problem for animals in the future.

He said although the forests of the surrounding national parks are inhabited by elusive elephant, leopard, buffalo, bushbuck, the endangered Abbott’s duiker and numerous other small antelopes, primates and rodents, still people are cutting trees for timber production and destroy animal environment.

“National parks preserve environment for a wide range of indigenous plants and wildlife, Parks maintain biodiversity and protect endangered species,” says the Tanzania Touris Board Managing Director Dr Aloyce Nzuki
They provide people with opportunities to learn on natural vegetation and fauna as well as to explore and admire the beauty of diverse environments.

National Parks are also important tourist attractions that stimulate local economies. And many tourists from different countries flock to the parks each year to see the country’s exceptional blend of scenery of wildlife and human culture.

National parks protect the historic buildings in which Tanzania’s history was made. These places are like Independence Hall and other issues relating to historical sites.

An official from an independent consultancy firm Rodrick Lwakatare said that for many years tourism has been the main contributor to the country’s foreign currency and this has helped to lower down the level of dependency on foreign countries grants and loans in financing the annual budgets.

Therefore it is important for each and everyone in the country not only to conserve the national parks and wildlife that we have in Tanzania, but also to make sure that the resources which act as tourists attractions are highly conserved.

Resources in parks and game reserves includes both vegetation and the wildlife this brings to the ecosystem. Ecosystem refers to the interdependence of organisms together with the enrolment that they inhabit and depend on.

It is of high importance to conserve the resources in parks since humans are not self sufficient and so are the animals in parks.

Tourism exist only when and where the tourists attractions are present and so tourism is an economic activity that lower down the level of employment in the country. Thus if the resources in the parks are exploited sustainably then there is the assurance of employment opportunities of today and tomorrow’s generation.

The main issues currently affecting the national parks in Tanzania are funding for conservation and use of motorized vehicles, wildlife management, foreign and local invaders for elephant-poaching, climate change that has been occurred especially at Mt Kilimanjaro and changes in temperature and precipitation has pushed species out of their previous environment.

Presently tourism s considered as a significant part of the economy contributing a great deal to the developing countries and presently most of these developing countries support the tourism industry as they believe that it stimulates their economies.

Tourism is one of the activities that have best withstood the onslaught of the crisis and one of the principal sectors for the creation of wealth and employment in the world, especially in developing countries.

According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) statistics, tourism is the primary sources of foreign earnings for the world’s 49 Least Developed Countries and in some developing countries, notably small island states, tourism can account for over 25 percent of GDP.

In Tanzania tourism is one of Tanzania’s fastest growing economic sectors, with 782,669 arrivals worldwide in 2010, representing a 9 percent increase over 2009 and right now Tanzania tourism continues to show tremendous growth with more visitors flocking in due to the international tourism promotional campaign conducted by Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) and other stakeholders in the travel industry intend to promote Tanzania as a unique tourist destination.

Others include tour operators and their association TATO, hotels, lodges, airlines from Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar including other government institutions includes Tanzania National Parks (Tanapa), Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) officials from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism and Zanzibar Commission for Tourism.

In the US, Tanzania’s number-one source of tourism, tour operators reported a tremendous increase in bookings in 2011, 2012 and for 2013.

The result of this growth is an increased demand for expanding hotel capacity as well as flights, especially to Kilimanjaro International Airport, which is the gateway to the famous icons in the North, Mt. Kilimanjaro, Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater.

Tourists eager to visit in Tanzania, Tanzanians are warm and friendly. They speak English, which together with Kiswahili are the two official languages. The country is an oasis of peace and stability with a democratically elected and stable government.

Presently Tanzania focuses on wildlife conservation and sustainable tourism, with approximately 28 percent of the land protected by the government, the largest percentage of any country in the world.

Currently it boasts of 15 National Parks and 31 game reserves and it is the home of the highest mountain in Africa, the legendary Mt. Kilimanjaro; The Serengeti National Park, home to the "Great Animal Migration" that was named the New 7th Wonder of the World by USA Today and ABC TV's Good Morning America; the world acclaimed Ngorongoro Crater, often called the 8th Wonder of the World and Olduvai Gorge, the cradle of mankind.

Others include Selous Game Reserve, the world’s largest game reserve; Ruaha National Park, now the second largest National Park in Africa; the spice islands of Zanzibar; and seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Ruaha National Park, is now the second largest National Park in Africa, the Spice Islands of Zanzibar and seventh Unesco World Heritage Sites.
Most important for visitors, the Tanzanian people, with a rich history and diverse blend of cultures, are warm and friendly.

In a bid to reduce deforestation and help animals to live in a conducive environment we can educate people on tree planting campaign in many areas that has been destroyed, try to educate people on the importance of trees in today's environment condition and tell them to plant trees or at least 'replace' them.  

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN