Insight into my research [Namibia Part II]

Greetings Everyone:

Many of you are probably wondering what I’m obligated to do while I’m over here in Namibia, when I’m having such a great time seeing wildlife, shooting video with ABC news guys of the largest game count in the world, visiting communal conservancies and freehold operations, and jumping out of air planes. I have been busy with crunching the recent data we have from hunting and conservancy incomes, but new developments are forming around my future survey work.

This survey process has been a long work in progress, and started back in Nebraska while I was working for the Grassland Foundation and thinking about how our neighbors, Calamus Outfitters and our family ranch Gracie Creek Ranch, can bring things to a new level with cross property natural resource management across borders that brings eco-income to keep families on the land. One thing led to another, and I met Chris Weaver, we kept talking about things on Skype and email and now we're all excited about collecting current economic research. This survey fits into one of WWF Namibia's new strategic planning goals. Its just great timing for everyone involved.

I came over here wanting to gain a better understanding of the various economic returns of different land use options. Just recently, ectourism has taken over the ag sector as the 2nd GDP generating sector in Namibia only behind mining [gold, uranium, ect.] There are some incredible stories to be told about this recent development, but a better understanding of the various returns is still needed.

With this kind of information, landowners can make better informed decisions about going into conservancies/tourism operations both here and back home in the states. In the states, of course the system is quite different, but there are similar questions both systems need to ask to see if venturing into tourism based activities can work with your current ranching operations and neighbors.

The time line of my survey will last from the last week in August till early December, and possibly close to Christmas time. Before I start my surveys, my return flight to Africa stops in Joberg, so I'll be able to spend some time touring the museums, botanical gardens, the universities, and soccer stadiums before I bus to Windhoek.

I'm VERY excited about this opportunity and what it means for bringing ideas back to the states and with my graduate thesis ideas [along with shooting more photos].

WWF, a South African profess, and I are going to try and gain a better understanding of the land-use transition in Namibia and how landowners are supplementing their incomes from wildlife, tourism, hunting in comparison with ag and other land uses. Many are completely converting into only wildlife and tourism as the main land-use, especially in the freehold conservancies. In some instances, fences drop between neighbors and wildlife run around in a large area surrounded by a game fence. When we say freehold, its basically like your private landowners back in the states.

Recently, WWF Namibia has worked in the communal areas and helping communities develop healthy relationships with supporting agencies. But across the board, there are major opportunities for the private, communal, state, and even parks in neighboring countries to share borders, thus providing large scale conservation. Its important to think about building scale, because natural migrations and land bases are regained giving threatened species an advantage.

Presently, there are massive conservation benefits coming from the freehold lands in Namibia’s overall conservation movement and its not properly understood [lack of research] and hasn’t fit into the recognized conservation efforts on various levels. The farmers here remind me of the true independent spirit out in the Great Plains where you don't wait for governments and ect. you just sit down and "get r done." Its amazing to see how freehold conservancies [not recongnized as conservancies by government yet] still form and market everything themselves.

So, to better understand what drives people to convert and the benefits of the various land uses, I will be conducting surveys in Loxodonta [scientific name for elephant] and the Etosha Conservancies [the ones close to communal conservancies and the Etosha National Park] to help WWF and the landowners better access documentation and data on the contributions of wildlife and tourism to the livelihoods of the farming community living on freehold land. This area of Namibia is absolutely beautiful and full of many wildlife.

The economic survey will for sure collect data from both conservancy and non-conservancy members to see if there are differences between wildlife and tourism-related income and if any differences also exist between individuals who participate in a conservancy compared to those who do not enter into a conservancy constitution/agreement.

This work will be done in conjunction with Dr. Peter Lindsey, a professor from South Africa, who has been selected to conduct research by TRAFFIC to survey freehold land and look at how game meat and wildlife incomes are contributing to rural economies and development. One can sell game meat here in Namibia, unlike the states, and its a huge support mechanism for people to enter into markets, because the meat will find a higher value use thats often greater then then hunters valued use, so all things equal, the meat finds itself going to higher valued uses like in restaurants and conservancy kitchens. The survey also looks at poaching, which is still occurring.

Between WWF, Dr. Lindsey, and myself we hope to provide data that’s useful for many various parties. I hope to run with this research back in the states and make a great thesis that will apply to both the NGP and Southern Africa. I'd love to promote rural economic development back home, while also working to promote CBNRM in other countries in Africa and Namibia as an ecnoomic consultant. We'll see what happens!

I hope this provides more insight. I'm certainly excited about everything just a little bit! 8D

I'm also going to change the style and shorten up my posts... things just look intimidating and I need to learn how to re size photos and jazz things up. So expect changes and more of the day to day "email" type posts.

Cheers,

A. E. Price