The Namibia Protected Landscape Conservation Areas Initiative (NAM-PLACE) has developed a network of “protected landscapes” spanning five sensitive ecosystems and a total area of 15,550km2, with the aim of making land use practices outside protected areas more compatible with biodiversity conservation objectives.
May 2015: The Namibia Protected Landscape Conservation Areas Initiative (NAM-PLACE) has developed a network of “protected landscapes” spanning five sensitive ecosystems and a total area of 15,550km2, with the aim of making land use practices outside protected areas more compatible with biodiversity conservation objectives.
Implemented as a public-private partnership with support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP), NAM-PLACE has developed a set of practical guidelines and incentives to ensure “mutual, compatible land use” by protected areas and adjacent land users, while contributing to new market opportunities for local communities and the country as a whole. Context-specific options being explored by the different Landscape Conservation Areas include: increasing security; creating wildlife corridors; tackling water scarcity and pollution; incentivizing game meat production; promoting integrated water and fire management; and ensuring sustainable mining practices.
In addition, the project has supported the creation of collaborative management frameworks such as the National Policy on Protected Areas’ Neighbors and Resident Communities to roll out incentives and cost-benefit-sharing arrangements among stakeholders. Local management committees are responsible for commencing, inter alia: business plans for wildlife stocking; guidelines on biodiversity-friendly production systems; and a certification and verification system for game supply chains. [GEF News Story] [GEF Video: Namibia – Living in Balance with Nature] [NAM-PLACE Project Website]