Living with wildlife –Living with wildlife
Sorris Sorris Conservancythe story of
Sorris Sorris – Khoekhoegowab for ‘an abundance of sunlight’
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Living with wildlife ‒ the story of SorriS SorriS CoNSErVANCY SorriS SorriS offers an enchanting mix of
charismatic, free-roaming wildlife – elephant,black rhino, giraffe, predators and plains game..
wildlife can generate a variety of benefitsfor local people
interesting cultures and dynamic communities committed to sustainability ¯ people living in
Sorris Sorris share a common vision formanaging their area and its resources
vast, diverse and spectacular landscapes –desert plains, granite formations, the Ugab River...
a healthy environment diversifies economic opportunities and drives economic growth
A CoNSErVANCY iS...• alegallyregisteredareawithclearlydefinedbordersandaconstituted
management body run by the community for the development ofresidentsandthesustainableuseofwildlifeandtourism
• managedbyagroupelectedtoservetheinterestsofallitsmembers• aplacewhereresidentscanaddincomefromwildlifeandtourismto
traditionalfarmingactivities• aplacewherewildlifepopulationsincreaseastheyaremanagedfor
productivegain• aplacewherethevalueofthenaturalresourcesincreases,enhancing
thevalueoftheland• aforumthroughwhichservicesanddevelopmentscanbechannelled
andintegrated• zonedformultipleusestominimiseconflictandmaximisetheinterests
ofallstakeholders
Conservanciesenable conservation and development over large areas...
MiLESToNES AND SUCCESSES
1996– policychangesallowcommunalarearesidentstobenefitfromwildlifeandtourismbyformingconservancies
1999– theSorrisSorriscommunitybeginstheprocesstoregisterasaconservancy
2001– SorrisSorrisbecomespartoftheannualNorth-WestGameCount
2001– SorrisSorrisConservancyisregisteredinOctober
2003– implementationoftheEventBookmonitoringsystemin SorrisSorrisConservancy
2006– agrantisreceivedforafeasibilitystudyonestablishingan environmentalinformationcentreintheconservancy
2006– Hartmann’szebraaretranslocatedintotheconservancytoboosttheexistingpopulation
08/09– hartebeestarereintroducedintotheconservancy
2010– throughagrantfromtheDanishInternationalDevelopment Agency,aprojectaimedatreducingelephantdamageto infrastructureisinitiated
2011– theSorrisSorrisInformationCentreisformallyopened
QUiCK FACTSRegion:KuneneSize:2,290squarekilometresApproximate population:1,300Main language:KhoekhoegowabDate of registration:October2001
A LiTTLE HiSTorYPrior to Namibia’s independence in 1990, communal area residents
hadfewrightstousewildlife.Wildanimalswereoftenseenaslittlemorethanathreattocrops, livestockandinfrastructure,aswellascommunitysafety. Ground-breaking legislation passed in the mid-nineties laid thefoundationforanewapproachtothesustainableuseofnaturalresources.By forming a conservancy, people in communal areas can now activelymanage–andgeneratebenefitsfrom–wildlifeandotherresourcesintheirarea,encouragingwildliferecoveriesandenvironmentalrestoration.Whileaconservancyisanaturalresourcemanagementstructure,itisdefinedbysocial ties.Conservanciesunitegroupsofpeoplewith thecommongoalof managing their resources. Today, over 60 communal conservanciesembraceoneinfourruralNamibians,underlininganationalcommitmenttobothruraldevelopmentandconservation.
Sorris Sorris embracesapopulationofaround1,300people,mostof whom speak Khoekhoegowab. Because of its arid environment on
the edge of theNamibDesert, settlement in the area has always beenlimited.TheDamarahaveoccupiedthisregionforavery longtime,withacentreatOkombaheslightlysouth-eastofSorrisSorris.Damaraoriginprior to settling inNamibia centuries ago is uncertain.Settlement in thelast century was heavily influenced by the German colonisation andlater South African administration of Namibia. During the 1950s, the/KhomaninDamarawereforciblymovedfromWindhoektoSorrisSorris,andthroughoutthecolonialperiodmuchlandwasdividedupaswhitefarmland,with some farms subsequently being reincorporated into the reshaped‘homelands’ created by theOdendaal Commission’s proposals of 1964.
Takingtheircuefromthefirstconservanciesformedinthemid-nineties,localfarmerssawthebenefitsofworkingtogethertomanageresourcesanddeveloptourism.Startingtheconservancywasnoteasyandthecommunityat first had no supporting agency.With assistance from the Ministry ofEnvironment&Tourism(MET),SorrisSorriswasregisteredin2001.
people are living with wildlife, are managing natural resources wisely and are reaping the benefits...
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Conservanciesare living landscapes...
TheDamarawereamongsttheearliestresidentsofwhatistodayNamibia.Their culture has undergone many changes, and was traditionallydividedintoanumberofgroupsthatincludedtheDãorén,orBrandbergDamara.TheDamarahaveasharedlanguagewiththeNama,butthelinguisticoriginofKhoekhoegowabisuncertain.Historically,theDamarawereahunter-gatherer society,but stock farmingstartedbecomingacentrallivelihoodactivityatleastacenturyago.
The ephemeral UgabRiver delineates the boundary between theKuneneandErongoRegions.Tothesouth,inErongo,Namibia’shighestmountain,theBrandberg,risesasanisolatedmassifoutofthesurrounding
rESoUrCES AND ATTrACTioNSTheconservancyalsoprovideshabitatformanyofthecountry’snear-endemic birds, including bare-cheeked babbler, Carp’s tit, rosy-facedlovebird, Rüppell’s parrot, Hartlaub’s francolin, violet wood-hoopoe,Rüppell’s korhaan, Damara hornbill, Monteiro’s hornbill, white-tailedshrike,Hererochatandrockrunner.Largeanatrees,camelthorntreesandmustardtreethicketsfringetheUgab.Mopanetreesaredominantthroughoutmuchoftheconservancy,givingwaytoopendesertplainswithasparsegrasscover.ThefamousWelwitschia mirabilis,anancientanduniquespecieswithcharacteristicsofbothfloweringandcone-bearingplants,growsalongdrainagelinesin some areas. Shepherd’s trees are conspicuous andCommiphoraspeciesgrowinrockyareas.Mopaneandcamelthornwoodishardanddurable,andisharvestedextensivelyforfirewood.
wonderful granite formations tumbling across vast desert plains of yellow grass, where herds of springbok graze;the hazy blue silhouette of the Brandberg towering above the Ugab River, where elephants feed on fallen ana tree shoots ...
Sorris Sorris is a magical forgotten corner where it is easy to spend a few quiet days exploring
desert plains. To the north lies Sorris Sorris, spread out under theNamibian sun. The tranquil landscape is interspersed with graniteoutcropstumblingacrosstheplainsinwonderfulbolderformations.Longbeforesheepwereintroducedtotheregion,peoplelivedontheseplainsandleftarecordoftheirtime,paintedinredochreonoverhangingrocksof thearea.Localguidesknowwhererockpaintingsare tobe found,someperhapsseveral thousandyearsold.Theyareaprelude to thenearbyrockartof theBrandbergandTwyfelfontein, twoof therichestrockartsitesintheworld.
SorrisSorrisstretchesalongtheeasternfringesoftheNamibDesertanditsenvironmentisheavilyinfluencedbytheNamib,whichissaidtobetheoldestdesertintheworld.ThecoldBenguelaCurrentflowingalong theNamibian coast inhibits cloud formation and influences theclimateofa largepartof thecountry.Averageannualrainfall inSorrisSorrisislowatbetween150and200millimetres.Rainfallisalsohighlyvariable,withmuchhigherthanaverageraininsomeyearsandbasicallynone inothers.Evaporation isextremelyhighand frequentprolongedperiodsofdrought requireahighdegreeofadaptability,puttinggreat
limitationsonagricultureinthearea.TheBrandbergrisestoover2,500metresabovesealevelwhilethesurroundingplainsinSorrisSorrisdescendtoaround500metresattheUgabRiver.Theephemeralriverisanimportantlifelineinthedesert,providingavarietyofresourcesforwildlife,aswellaspeopleandtheirlivestock.
faint red ochre lines depicting hunters and wildlife, painted millennia ago onto overhanging granite,herds of goats and sheep and the humble homesteads of Damara farmers dotting the landscape...this is a land steeped in culture
Since the establishment of conservancies, wildlife numbersin communal areas have rebounded from historic lows prior toindependence.SorrisSorrisishometoavarietyofcharismaticgame,including desert-adapted elephant, black rhino, giraffe, mountainzebra, kudu, gemsbok, springbok, duiker, steenbok, klipspringer,ostrichandbaboon.Predatorsincludeleopard,cheetah,spottedandbrownhyaena,jackalandcaracal,aswellasoccasionalnomadiclions.
Around Sorris Sorris... The conservancy is completelysurroundedbyothercommunalconservancies,whichtogethercreatea vast contiguous conservation landscape.Theareaharbours greatattractions,includingthenaturalandculturalwondersoftheBrandberg,andtherenownedrockengravingsattheTwyfelfonteinWorldHeritageSite.SorrisSorrisliesbetweenthesedraw-cardsandhasalottooffertravellersalongtheway.
Overall Endemismof TerrestrialFauna & Flora
HighEndemism
LowEndemism
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is expensive. There are someearth dams in the north ofthe conservancy, but thesestore water for only a limitedtime after good rains. SomepermanentspringsintheUgabRiver provide localised waterpoints for both wildlife andlivestock.
Livelihoodsintheareagenerallyfocusonfarming,whichisinhibitedbylowrainfall.Mostfarmers
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LiVELiHooDS AND DEVELopMENT
Sorris Sorris can facilitate access to diverse training and capacity building, can empower individuals, especially women,to actively take part in decision-making, as well as instilling a renewed sense of pride in cultural heritage
the conservancy can create a range of new livelihood options for its residents, including employment and income from tourism, guiding, craft production and other sales and services based on the sustainable use of natural resources
Conservanciesempower rural people...
The Damara today live in many parts of Namibia, but make upless than tenpercentof thenationalpopulation.At the turnof the19thcentury, theDamaraweremarginalisedandoften impoverishedbyother languagegroups.Under theSouthAfricanadministrationofNamibia,theimplementationoftheOdendaalCommissioncreatedwhatwasthenknownasDamaraland.Anumberof formerlyprivatefarmswere incorporated into the homeland, and some infrastructure fromthesefarmsstillexiststoday.YetthehomelandscausedconsiderableculturalandsocialupheavalandoftenhadonlyverylimitedcorrelationtosettlementpatternspriortothearrivalofEuropeans.
Development wassorelyneglected incommunalareasduringthe German colonial period and the South African administrationofNamibiaprior to independence.Even today, thearid zoneon thefringes of the Namib has received less development attention thanotherareas.
While Uis, around 30 kilometres to the south-east, is the closesttown to the conservancy, the regional centre of Khorixas, around 50kilometres to the north, offers the greatest range of facilities and services forconservancyresidents.AprimaryschoolatAnixab, thelargestsettlementinSorrisSorris,providessomeaccesstoeducation,butsecondaryschoolstudentsleavetheconservancytostudyinKhorixasor furtherafield.AclinicatAnixabprovidesbasichealth care,and thenearesthospitalisinKhorixas.Limitedtelecommunicationinfrastructurehas been a problem for conservancy residents, but improved mobilecoverageisalleviatingthisandtheconservancymakesuseoftheinternetandemailthroughdonatedequipment.
Watersupplyisaninhibitingfactorintheconservancy.Yieldsfromboreholestappinggroundwaterreservesaregenerallylowanddrilling
focus on a mix of cattle, goats and sheep, and small gardens aremaintainedbymanyhouseholds.Incomefromemployment,pensionsandremittancessupplementsthefarmingincomeformanyresidents.
Theestablishmentoftheconservancyisprovidingnewlivelihoodchoices by encouraging tourism, as well as enabling other naturalresource use options. While the conservancy is currently not in aposition to distribute cash payments to residents, it is generating avariety of benefits. The conservancy has created a number of jobs
andisfacilitatingemploymentinthetourismand
trophyhuntingindustries.
Gamemeatisdistributedtoresidents,andtrophyhuntingandshootand
sellhuntinggenerate
important income for the conservancy to cover running costs. Theconservancy has also used some of its income to fund hospitalitytraininginordertoboostemploymentprospectsinthetourismindustry.
Goodaccess for visitors to the conservancy is provided bytheC35gravelroadfromHentiesbaaionthecoastorfromKhorixasinthenorth.ComingfromOmaruruintheeast,visitorscantravelalongtheC36gravelroadviaUis.Severalfour-wheeldrivetrackswithintheconservancyprovideoptionsforexploringtheareawiththeassistanceofalocalguide.Therecently-openedSorrisSorrisInformationCentreprovidesinformationontheareaandcreatesavarietyofopportunitiesforincomegenerationandemployment,suchasimprovingtheinformalsaleofcraftsandsemi-preciousstones,whichprovideonlysporadic
income at the moment. The only other tourism facilities in SorrisSorrisarecurrentlyofferedbyaprivately-ownedcampsitearound20kilometres from the information centre. Investors are exploring thepossibilityofdevelopingajoint-venturelodgeinSorrisSorris,whichwouldprovidetheconservancywithincomefrombenefit-sharingagreements,andwouldcreatemuchneededemployment.TheBrandbergWhiteLadyLodgeonthesouthernbanksoftheUgabRiverinneighbouringTsisebConservancy,aswellasanumberoflodgesintheTwyfelfonteinareaofferfurtheraccommodationoptionsthatbenefitneighbouringconservancies.
Because income from tourism is limited at themoment, huntingrevenuesarevery important to theconservancy.SorrisSorrishasaconcessionagreementwithaprofessionalhunter,withaguaranteedincomefromtrophyhuntingbasedontheminimumnumberoftrophiestaken. In 2010 the overall income from trophy hunting was almostdoubletheguaranteedamount.Inaddition,theconservancyisallowedtoshootgameforitsownuseandformeatsales.Thisiscarriedoutbytheprofessionalhunter,inordertoensurethattherightanimalsareculled,andhighqualitytrophiesarepreservedforpayinghunters.
Shoot and Sell
Trophy Hunting
Trophy Hunting Game Meat
Conservancy Income
Other Benefits Household Meat
Jobs
Conservancy Expenditure
Other Benefits
CombinedCashIncomeandIn-kindBenefits
Benefits to the conservancy and its members come from a variety of sources. Sources and amounts vary from year to year,depending on factors such as agreements with private sector partners, and market fluctuations.
The pie chart shows the main benefit sources in 2010.
The conservancy spends money and provides community and individual benefits in various areas. Areas and amounts vary from year to year, depending on factors such as conservancy income and priorities.The pie chart shows the main expenditure and benefit areas in 2010.
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MANAgiNg NATUrAL rESoUrCESConservanciesfacilitate sustainability...
The management structure of the conservancy consists ofamanagementcommitteeofninemembers,abouthalfofwhomarewomen,reflectingtheempowermentofpreviouslymarginalisedgroupsthatconservanciesenable.Employeesincludefourcommunitygameguards,acoordinatorandanadministrativeassistant.Thebeginningsof conservancy management were not easy, with staff working outofacaravandonatedbytheMET. In2007,SorrisSorriswasoneof16conservanciestoreceivesupportfromtheIntegratedCommunity-BasedEcosystemManagement (ICEMA)projectof theMET, fundedbytheGlobalEnvironmentFacilitythroughtheWorldBank.Thesmall
managementteamwasabletomoveintoapurposebuiltoffice,andtrainingwasprovidedinfinancialmanagementandgovernance.Witha grant from theSpanishCooperation, theSorrisSorris InformationCentrewasbuiltoppositetheofficein2011.
Activities... Sorris Sorris is divided into four zones in order toreduceconflictsbetweenwildlifeandfarmingactivities.Thereisabufferzonebetween the farmingareaand theexclusivewildlifezone.As theconservancy is not fenced, farmers may graze their livestock in thebufferzoneintimesofdrought,andwildlifecanwanderthroughout theconservancy.Nonewsettlementisallowedintheexclusivewildlifezoneand the fewfarmersdispersed throughout thisareapose little threat towildlife,whilesufferingconsiderablelossesfromelephantsandpredators.A rhino sanctuary adjacent to the exclusive wildlife zone adjoins therhinosanctuaryofDoro!nawasConservancy.SorrisSorrisownsafour-wheeldrivevehicle,yetgameguardsoftenpatroltheconservancywithdonkeycarts,asthelimitedconservancybudgetresultsinsometransportchallengesanddonkeycartsofferanenvironmentallyfriendlyalternative.ThegameguardsusetheEventBookmonitoringsystemtorecorda
varietyofdatasuchasgamesightings,humanwildlifeconflict,poachingincidents, gameutilisation andany other data deemed important bythe conservancy. The data is aggregated into monthly and annualreportingchartsthatfacilitateadaptivemanagement.TheconservancyispartoftheannualNorth-WestGameCount,carriedoutbytheMETincollaborationwiththeconservanciesandwiththesupportofNGOs.Thecensusisthelargestannualroad-basedgamecountintheworld,coveringover7,000kilometresofroadtransectsinanareaofaround70,000squarekilometres.TheMETworkswiththeconservancyandother stakeholders to set annual quotas for usingwildlife, based oninformation from the game counts and the Event Book. This allowstheconservancytocarryoutown-usehuntingtosupplyresidentswithmeat,aswellasenteringintotrophyhuntingconcessionagreementswithhuntingoperators.
The conservancy strives to mitigate human wildlife conflict andworkswithfarmersonavarietyofmitigationmeasures.Predatorsareabigproblemforfarmerswithlivestockandelephantscausedamageto gardens andwater infrastructure.Through theNationalPolicy on
the Sorris Sorris Conservancy provides vital structures for managing the communal natural resources of the areain a way that enhances development and ensures sustainability
guards investigating the incident, andasystem for reviewingclaimsandensuringfinancialmanagementmustbeinplace.
the conservancy uses a mix of modern technologies and traditional knowledge and skillsto enable healthy wildlife populations, a productive environment, and the effective management of natural resources
HumanWildlifeConflictManagement,asystemofprovidingfinancialoffsetsforsuchlossesisbeingimplemented.TheconservancyreceivesafixedlumpsumfromtheMETandisresponsibleforpayingoffsetstoresidents.Claimsmustbeaccompaniedbyareportfromthegame
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CHALLENgES, opporTUNiTiES... ... AND THE FUTUrEConservanciesare full of opportunities...
ThevarietyofenvironmentalassetsandculturalresourcesintheSorrisSorrisConservancyprovidesuntappedpotential.
Challenges...SorrisSorrishasanabundanceofsunlight,aswellasavarietyofresourcesandattractions,yetincomefromtourismhasbeenlow,astheareahasbeenusedaslittlemorethatatransitroute.Theconservancyhas thusnotbeenable todistributemanybenefitsand faces high community expectations. The conservancy has firstendeavouredtogetavarietyofmanagementsystemsinplace,initiallywithlimitedexternalassistance,andcannowbegintocapitaliseonits
Sorris Sorris harbours great potential to overcome some of the development challenges that the area faces ‒and the conservancy is the ideal structure to coordinate many of the developments
excellent location.An issue thatneeds tobeaddressed is the illegalcutting of firewood.Acacia and mopane trees have excellent wood,usedforfirewood,andinthecaseofmopanealsoasabuildingmaterial.But the trees grow slowly due to the aridity of the area.An informalindustrythathasgrownuparoundthesupplyoffirewoodtotownsandthetourismindustryneedstobestrictlycontrolledthroughtheexistingpermitsystemtoavoidtheover-utilisation.
The conservancy has a variety ofopportunities to increasebenefitsfromexistingtourismtraffic,aswellastodevelopnewventuresinthearea.Elephant,blackrhino,giraffeandotherwildlifewithinthestunning landscapesof theconservancycanattractpeople tospendtime in the area, rather than just passing through. The informationcentre is at the cross roads toKhorixasandTwyfelfontein, and is a
strategic development, sensitive to cultural dynamics as well as the environment,can ensure that the residents of the conservancy benefit from their communal resources without compromising their heritage
naturalstop-overforvisitors.Thereisspaceattheinformationcentretoexpandthesmallcraftmarketandtodevelopotherenterprises.
Conservancy plans include the development of a café at theinformation centre, as well as offering guiding services to attractionssuchasrockartsites.Theconservancywouldalso like tooperate itsowncampsite,andcouldbenefitsignificantly fromplans todevelopa
luxurylodge.TheconservancyplanstoturnasitecalledDeccaStation,currentlyusedasabaseforgamecounts,intoatrainingcentre.Anotherideaistodevelopabreedingstudforqualitybullsandrams,whichcouldbringincomeaswellasbetterqualitylivestocktothearea.
Theconservancystandsatacrossroadsinmorewaysthanone.Foraruralcommunitythathasreliedonagricultureinanaridenvironmentforgenerations,newsourcesofincomesuchashuntingandtourismofferexciting opportunities.Through strategic developments, these sectorscan generate widespread benefits, ensuring long-term conservancysuccessandthesustainableuseofresources.Bybalancingthecostsoflivingwithwildlifewiththesuiteofbenefitsthatcanbegainedfromnaturalresourceuse,andbyenablingnewincomestreams, theconservancy
canrevitalizethecommunity.Huntingalreadyprovidesasteadystreamof incometoSorrisSorris.Theproposedlodgeandtheprospectsofincreasedemploymentandcraftsales,aswellaspotentiallystrongermarkets for livestock, canallow theconservancy toprovideabetterstandardoflivingforitsinhabitants.
Andthesunshine?Thatwillalwaysbethereinabundance.
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Humanwildlifeconflictisachallengewhereeverpeoplecoexistwithwildanimals,especiallyiftheseinclude elephants and large predators. Elephantconflicts have been reduced in the conservancythrough dedicated waterholes for wildlife and theprotectionofwaterinfrastructure.Predatorproblemscanbereducedthroughzoningandkeepinglivestockinenclosuresatnight.Importantly,thesespeciesareofgreatvalue,both to theecosystemandtourism,andinthelongrunbenefitsgainedfromthemshouldoutweighthecostsoflivingwiththem.
Human wildlife conflicts are monitored using the Event Book and clearly indicate the main conflict species.
Come to Sorris Sorris ―be part of the future...
NODATA
AVAILABLE
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For more information and updates: Sorris Sorris Conservancy
P.O. Box 84Khorixas
Telephone: +264 (0)60 8068361Copyright©NACSO2012;AllphotostakeninSorrisSorrisbySteveFelton,exceptpg.11topbyHelgeDenker;Text:HDenker&SFelton;Layout:HDenker;Maps:SylviaThompson;Backcovermap:RAISON;Charts:AliceJarvis;Printing:JohnMeinertPrinting
For more information and updates:
Doros Crater
Goedgenoeg OpstalVegkop Opstal
Sorris SorrisHoumoed
Vaalhoek
Losberg
BrandbergHuab River
Goantagab River
Ugab River
Conservancy Office
White Lady Painting
Twyfelfontein
North
Ugab River
Copyright © NACSO 2012; All photos taken in Sorris Sorris by Steve Felton, except pg. 11 top by Helge Denker; Text: H Denker &
TheproductionofthisbrochurewasjointlyfundedbyMCA-Namibia,NoradandWWF
www.namibiawildlifesafaris.com | www.nacso.org.na