Living with wildlife ‒Living with wildlife

Sesfontein Conservancythe story of

Sesfontein – Afrikaans for ‘six fountains’

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Living with wildlife ‒ the story of SeSfontein ConSeRVAnCY SeSfontein offers an enchanting mix of

charismatic, free-roaming wildlife –elephant, lion, leopard, diverse plains game, endemic birdlife... wildlife generates a variety

of benefits for local people

interesting cultures and dynamic communities committed to sustainability ¯ people living in

Sesfontein share a common vision formanaging their area and its resources

vast, diverse and spectacular landscapes –the Hoanib River, rugged mountains and endless

plains... 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

afterthesettlementofSesfontein,althoughthesprawlingvillageareaitselfisexcludedfromtheconservancy.Namedaftersixnaturalsprings,Sesfonteinhas always been a focal point for settlement, because of its abundantwatersupplyandfavourablelocation.Thenorth-westofNamibiahasbeentheheartlandofsemi-nomadicHimbapastoralistsforthelastfivehundredyearsormore,butSesfonteinhasbeenshapedbyagreatvarietyofforces,includingearlyhunter-gatherers,Damarafarmers,Namacattle-raiders,BoerDorslandTrekkers,Germancolonialforces,OwamboherdsmenandSouthAfricanadministrators.Alllefttheirmarkontheareaandcreatedameltingpot of cultural influences, resulting in the vibrant community living in theconservancy today.After theconservancy legislationwaspassed in1996,theneighbouringSesfonteinandPuroscommunitiesinitiallyintendedtoformone conservancy, but a variety of challengespersuaded the communitiesto register twoconservancies,whostillwork togetheronnatural resourcemanagementissues.

Conservanciesenable development and conservation over large areas...

MiLeStoneS AnD SUCCeSSeS

1996– policychangesallowcommunalarearesidentstobenefitfromwildlifeandtourismbyformingconservancies

1998– SesfonteinandPuroscommunitiesbegintheprocesstoregisterasoneconservancy

2001– SesfonteinConservancybecomespartoftheannualNorth-WestGameCount

2003– SesfonteinConservancyisregisteredinJuly,threeyearsaftertheestablishmentofthePurosConservancy

2003– implementationoftheEventBookmonitoringsysteminSesfonteinConservancy

06/07– implementationoftheHumanAnimalConflictConservancySelfInsuranceScheme(HACCSIS)

07/08– developmentoftheSesfonteinFigTreeandSesfonteinKanamubMountainCampsites(communitycampsites)

2009– SesfonteinConservancybecomesfinanciallyindependentandisabletocoverownoperatingexpenses

QUiCK fACtSRegion:KuneneSize:2,465squarekilometresApproximate population:2,500Main languages:OtjihereroandKhoekhoegowabDate of registration:July2003

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.

The Sesfontein Conservancy covers close to 2,500 squarekilometresandembracesaboutasmanypeople.Theconservancyisnamed

people are living with wildlife, are managing natural resources wisely and are reaping the benefits...

The beginnings of community conservation in Namibia:Deeply concerned by the uncontrolled poaching and rapid decline of wildlife in the north-west in the early 1980s, community conservation pioneer Garth Owen-Smith, local headman Joshua Kangombe and Department of Nature Conservation employee Chris Eyre initiated the first community game guard system in the Hoanib and Uniab River catchments with the assistance of the Endangered Wildlife Trust. Local people, who knew the area and its community best, were tasked to monitor wildlife and report poaching. The system was extremely successful and laid a foundation for today’s conservancy programme.

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Conservanciesare living landscapes...

Sesfontein has always been a place of cultural diversity andinteraction.Damarapeoplemayhavealreadyutilised theareabeforeHerero-speakingpastoralistsfirstsettledherearoundfivecenturiesago,havingmigrated from furthernorth.Around the1750s, themajorityofHererosmovedontocentralNamibia,whilesomegroupsstayedandlaterbecameknownastheHimba.Inthesecondhalfofthe1800s,well-armedSwartbooi andTopnaarNamaentered the region fromcentralNamibia,causingconsiderableupheavalamongsttheHimbaforalmosthalf a century, by repeatedly raiding their cattle and displacing themfrom their lands. The Topnaar made Sesfontein their base and their

ReSoURCeS AnD AttRACtionSand the conservancy provides habitat to many of the country’s near-endemicbirds.Theseincludebare-cheekedbabbler,Benguelalong-billedlark,Carp’stit,Damarahornbill,Monteiro’shornbill,Hartlaub’sfrancolin,rosy-faced lovebird, Rüppell’s parrot, Rüppell’s korhaan, violet wood-hoopoe,white-tailedshrike,Hererochatandrockrunner.

Mopane savannah dominates some of the eastern parts of theconservancy,interspersedwithstandsofacacias.Theruggedmountainscoveringmuchoftheconservancysupportadiversityofinterestingplants,includingCommiphoraandEuphorbiaspecies,aswellasthedistinctivekobas.TheHoanibRiverislinedbyextensivesalvadorathicketsandhugecamelthornandanatrees.Ithasbeenestimatedthatwellover4,000anatreesgrowalongtheriver.Theseedpodsareanimportantsourceoffoodforlivestockandwildlife,withelephantsbeingparticularlyfondofthem.

Himba women anointed with butter fat and ochre, Herero women in colourful Victorian-style dresses and traditional headgear,the heritage of the Topnaar, Damara and Owambo; a historic fort and other relics of the German colonial period...

Sesfontein is steeped in history and is a melting pot of cultural diversity

descendantsstill live in thearea today. In1896, theGermancolonialadministration created a rinderpest (cattle plague) control station atSesfontein,whichwaslaterturnedintoamilitaryoutpostincludingafort,completedin1906.Thehistoricalmonumentwasrestoredaccordingtoitsoriginal layoutandturned intoa tourismlodgeafter independence.TheGermanpresencealsoincludedalargepolicestation,builtin1902.TheAfrikaans settlers of the ‘Dorsland Trek’, seeking new land afterleavingSouthAfricaduringthelatterpartofthe19thcentury,alsopassedthroughthisarea,settlingforatimeatKaokoOtavinorthofSesfontein.Duringperiodsofextremedroughtinthelastcentury,theOshiwambo-speakingUukwaluudhilivingnorthofEtoshawereabletomigratedowntheHoanibRiver toutilise theSesfonteinareaasemergencygrazingfor their livestock.Allof these influencescontributed to the interestingculturaldynamicsthatcharacterisemodern-daySesfontein.

Much of the spectacular environment of the SesfonteinConservancyisdominatedbytheHoanibRivervalleyandtheruggedmountainsintowhichitcarveditscourse.TheHoanibisanephemeralriver, carrying water for only brief periods after heavy rain, but it is

believedthatthepermanentflowofamuchlargerrivererodedmuchofthelandscapeweseetodayduringwetterperiodsofthearea’shistory.Thestunningmountains,ravinesandcliffsalongtheriverdisplaythesculptingforcesoferosionovertime.Inthewest,theriverislittlemorethan200metresabovesealevel,whilethemountainsintheeastoftheconser-vancyrisetoaround1,300metres.RainfallalongthesefringesoftheNamibislowandhighlyvariablewithanannualaverageofonly100to150millimetres.

desert-adapted elephant and giraffe, gemsbok, springbok and ostrich, black rhino and mountain zebra, nomadic lions...the Hoanib River valley and the Sesfontein conservancycreate a nucleus for wildlife viewing in the north-west

Since the establishment of conservancies, wildlife numbers incommunalareashavereboundedfromhistoriclowspriortoindependence.Sesfonteinishometoadiversityoflargegame,includingelephant,giraffe,black rhino, Hartmann’s mountain zebra, kudu, gemsbok, springbok,duiker,steenbok,klipspringerandostrich.Largecarnivoresincludelion,leopard,cheetahandcaracal,spottedandbrownhyaenaand jackal.AhighdegreeofendemismhasdevelopedalongtheNamibianescarpment,

Around Sesfontein... The conservancy stretches along thenorthern border of the Palmwag Tourism Concession, an importantwildlife refuge and travel destination. In the west, the conservancyreachestotheSkeletonCoastPark.Tothenorthandeast,morecommunalcon-servanciesbordereachothertocreateavastcommunityconservationlandscapethatreachesfromtheKuneneinthenorthtonearSwakopmundinthesouthandlinksEtoshawiththecoastalparks.

Overall Endemismof TerrestrialFauna & Flora

HighEndemism

LowEndemism

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while thenearesthospital is inthe regional capital ofOpuwo,around 135 kilometres to thenorth. People in Sesfonteinhave reasonable access towater, but beyond the settle-ment water availability is alimitingfactor.Boreholessupplygroundwatertomostresidents,butoftenyieldonlylimitedsuppliesandarecostlytodrillandmaintain.

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LiVeLiHooDS AnD DeVeLopMent

Sesfontein facilitates access to diverse training and capacity building, empowers individuals, especially women,to actively take part in decision-making, as well as instilling a renewed sense of pride in cultural heritage

the conservancy is enabling 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...

Sesfontein lies in the Kunene Region, were Otjiherero andKhoekhoegowab are spoken by around 42 and 36 percent of thepopulation, respectively.The two languagegroups togethermakeupabout20percentof thenationalpopulation.Framingand incomefromemploymentmakeuprelativelyequalportionsoflivelihoodsintheregionandaccountforover70percentofoverallincome.Sesfonteinhas always had a special status within historic land allocation andwasthefirstareainthenorth-westtoreceiveofficialcommunal landstatusinthe1930s,duringtheSouthAfricanadministrationofNamibiaafterWorldWar1.TheimplementationoftheOdendaalCommission

of 1964 created various ‘homelands’, and drew a circle aroundSesfonteintoincludethesettlementinDamaraland,whiletheHoanibRiver delineated the remaining border with Kaokoland to the north.LivestockmovementoutoftheareawasalreadyrestrictedduringtheGermancolonialperiodtopreventthetransferofanimaldiseasessuchas rinderpest and foot-and-mouth to commercial farmland in centralNamibia, economically isolating the important agricultural sector ofthe region. The liberation war further segregated the area prior toindependenceand theSouthAfricanmilitarypresencehadprofoundeffectsonthelocalenvironmentandculture.

Development wassorelyneglected incommunalareasduringGermancolonialruleandtheSouthAfricanadministrationofNamibiaprior to independence, an imbalance still evident today. Sesfonteinis the largest settlement in the conservancy, yet provides a limitedrangeoffacilities and services.Afewsmallshopsofferabasicselectionofgoodsandacombinedschoolprovidessomeaccess toeducation.Sesfonteinhasapolicestation,aswellasthenorthernmostpetrol station in the north-west.A clinic offers basic health services,

The livelihoods of most conservancy residents are based onfarming,consistingofamixoflivestockherding,supplementedbysmallscalecropcultivation.ThespringsatSesfonteinhavesuppliedwaterforavarietyofcropsinthepast,includingwheatandtobacco,butprolongeddroughtshaveofteninhibitedcultivation.Incomefromwages,pensionsand remittances provides additional income to most residents. Theconservancyhasfacilitatednewjobsinthearea,andgeneratesavarietyof further benefits.Gamemeat from own-use and trophy hunting is

distributedtoresidents.Trophyhuntingandshootand

sellhuntinggenerateimportantincometo

coversomeoftherunning

costsofthecon-

servancy. Roadside craft sales provide important income, and thissector can be developed to increase benefits. The use of indigenousplantsprovidesfurtheropportunities,withtheharvestingofCommiphoraresinfortheperfumeindustryprovidinganimportantsourceof incomeforHimbawomen.TheHimbahave traditionally collected the resin tomakescent,andoilextractedfromitisnowexportedtoFrancewhereitisusedasaperfumeingredient.Theconservancysupportseducationandsports,includingannualcashawardstothetopthreegradetenlearners,a monthly cash allowance to pre-primary school teachers and prizemoneyforquarterlyconservancysportstournaments.Theconservancyalsoprovidesfuneralassistancetoresidents,supportsgardeningprojectsandculturalfestivals,createsHIV/AIDSawarenessandmakesanannualcashcontributiontothetraditionalauthorities.

Goodaccess for visitors is provided by thewestern fork ofthe C43 gravel road between Palmwag and Opuwo. Sesfontein isthe tourism gateway to western Kaoko and destinations such astheHoarusibRiveraroundPuros,andtheMarienflussandHartmannValleys.ThescenicD3707leadingfromSesfonteintoPuros,andfromthereontoOrupembe,requiresfour-wheeldrive.Anumberofunmarkedfourwheel-drivetracksalsoallowvisitorstoexploretheconservancyalong the Hoanib River and adjacent areas, but these should onlybe explored in the company of qualified guides. The PalmwagTourism Concession is a popular travel destination and generatessignificantincomeforSesfonteinandneighbouringAnabebandTorraConservancies throughabenefitsharingagreementwithWildernessSafaris.FortSesfonteinLodgeoffersexcellenttourismaccommodationandgeneratesconservancyincome,aswellasprovidingemployment.TheSesfonteinFigTreeandSesfonteinKanamubMountainCampsitesarerunbythecommunityandofferbeautifulcampingfacilitiesbeneathhugefig trees inSesfonteinandatastunningsitealong theroad toPuros,respectively.

Shoot and Sell

Own-Use Hunting Game Meat

Trophy Hunting

Trophy Hunting Game Meat

Joint Venture Tourism

Craft Sales

Campsites & Cultural Tourism

Conservancy & Household Income

Other BenefitsPrivate Sector Jobs

Household Meat

Social Benefits

Running Costs

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. Private sector jobs are created through agreements with private sector partners.The pie chart shows the main expenditure and benefit areas in 2010.

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MAnAging nAtURAL ReSoURCeSConservanciesfacilitate sustainability...

Themanagement structure oftheconservancyconsistsofamanagement committee of ninemembers. Employees include eightcommunity game guards, a field officer, a receptionist, a financialadministrator, four campsite staff, a guard and a cleaner. Theconservancy has its own office, beautifully located amongst largetreesinSesfontein,andownsafour-wheeldrivevehicletocarryoutitsactivities.AvarietyoftechnicalsupportisprovidedtotheconservancybytheNGOIntegratedRuralDevelopmentandNatureConservation(IRDNC). The conservancy also has strong backing from the fivetraditionalauthoritiesinthearea.

Activities...WorkingwithcommunityconservationpioneersGarthOwen-SmithandChrisEyre,localheadmanGoliatKasaonaappointedthe first community game guard in the Sesfontein area in 1982, longbeforetheformationofthefirstconservancy.Conservancygameguardscontinue to undertake active natural resource monitoring throughoutthe conservancy, including monthly fixed route patrols. The gatheredinformationisenteredintotheEventBookmonitoringsystem,recordingavarietyofdatasuchasgamesightings,humanwildlifeconflict,poachingincidents,gameutilisationandanyotherdatadeemedimportantbytheconservancy.Thedataisaggregatedintomonthlyandannualreportingchartsthatfacilitateadaptivemanagement.

The conservancy is part of the annual North-West Game Count,carriedoutbytheMinistryofEnvironment&Tourism(MET)incollaborationwith the conservancies andwith the support ofNGOs.The census isthe largestannual road-basedgamecount in theworld,coveringover7,000kilometresofroadtransectsinanareaofaround70,000squarekilometres.TheMETworkswiththeconservancyandotherstakeholdersto set annual quotas for usingwildlife, based on information from the

gamecountsandtheEventBook.Thisallowstheconservancytocarryoutown-usehuntingtosupplyresidentswithmeat,toorganiseshootandsellhuntingthatearnsimportantconservancyincome,aswellasenteringintotrophyhuntingconcessionagreementswithhuntingoperators.

The conservancy strives to mitigate human wildlife conflict, whichmainly consists of livestock losses to predators, with occasionalincidentswithelephantsandotherwildlifealsobeingrecorded.Thelargecontingentofpredators,includinglion,leopard,cheetah,spottedhyaena,caracalandjackal,certainlydoesn’tmakelifeeasyforlivestockfarmers.Mitigationmeasurescan includeclear zoningof farmingactivitiesandcorewildlifeareas,herdinglivestockandkeepingitinsecureenclosuresat night. In 2006,Sesfontein implemented theHumanAnimalConflictConservancySelfInsuranceScheme(HACCSIS)toprovidesomeoffsetsforlossesfromwildlifetoconservancyresidents.Whiletheconservancywasnotabletopayoutthefullvalueofincurredlosses,fixedamountswereset forvarious typesof lossandadditionalfinancialsupportwasreceivedfromdonorsviaIRDNC.ThroughtheNationalPolicyonHumanWildlifeConflictManagement,anewsystemofprovidingfinancialoffsets

the Sesfontein Conservancy provides vital structures for managing the communal natural resources of the areain a way that enhances development and ensures sustainability

forlossesisnowbeingimplemented.TheconservancyreceivesafixedlumpsumfromtheMETandisresponsibleforpayingoffsetstoresidents.Claimsmustbeaccompaniedbyareportfromgameguardsinvestigatingtheincident,andallclaimsarereviewedbyapanelbeforeanypaymentscanbemade.

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

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CHALLengeS, oppoRtUnitieS... ... AnD tHe fUtUReConservanciesare full of opportunities...

The environmental resources of Sesfontein Conservancy,complemented by wonderful cultural dynamics, provide untappedpotential.

Challenges...Sesfonteinfacesthechallengeofbalancingfarmingactivitieswith theenvironmental limitationsofanaridecosystem,aswellasoptimisingbenefitsfromnaturalresourcesamongstasocietywithalongtraditionoflivestockherding.Thedensityofcattleandsmallstock in the Sesfontein valley is amongst the highest in the region,causingovergrazingandrelatederosion.Itisalsodifficulttoreconcile

Sesfontein 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

livestock farming and large predators, and humanwildlife conflict isa significant challenge formost conservancies.This tends to be thecasewhere ever people coexist with wild animals, especially if theseincludelargepredatorsandelephants.Elephantsmostlydamagewaterinfrastructureinanattempttoreachdrinkingwater,andattimescauseextensive damage to crops. The high number of incidents caused by

Plentiful wildlife in the wonderful settings that Sesfontein offers isattracting increasing visitor numbers, many of whom utilise the areawithout leavinganybenefits for thecustodiansof the land― the localcommunity.Thisistrueforbothself-drivetouristsandmanytouroperators,andanincreasedawarenessoftheconservationrolethatconservanciesplaywillhelptochangethesituation.

strategic development that maximises the potential of the area’s natural resources while mitigating pressures on the environmentcan facilitate a bright future for Sesfontein Conservancy

The variety of resources and attractions that Sesfontein offersprovides diverse opportunities for the conservancy and itsresidents,aswellasthetourismindustry.Whilebenefitsfromnature-based tourism need to be shared more equally and can still beexpandedconsiderably,theculturalresourcesoftheareahavebeenlargelyoverlooked.ThevibrantculturalhistoryofSesfonteincanbeof

great interest tovisitors,butonlyonceit ismadeaccessiblethroughqualifiedguidingandinterpretivematerials.Culturesaredynamicandsusceptibletonegativetourisminfluences,anddevelopmentsshouldsafeguardagainstalossofheritage.

Conservancy plans include a variety of tourism developmentsto generate more tangible community benefits. Planned tourismdevelopments in the Palmwag Concession, including possible newaccommodationfacilities,willbenefitSesfontein,aswellastheothertwo conservancies involved in the concession agreement, Anabeband Torra. Sesfontein also hopes to control visitor access to theHoanib River, as current activities there are not sustainable in thelonger term and community benefits from visitors enjoying the area

are minimal. The conservancy is seeking to increase benefits fromlodgeaccommodation,aswellasincreasingtheutilisationofcampingfacilitiesintheconservancy,whilereducingtheimpactsofuncontrolled‘wildcamping’.

Private sector engagement is a key to maximising benefits inconservancies ― to the local community, the tourism operators, thevisitor,andtoconservation.OptimisingthisinteractionintheSesfonteinareacancreateabrightfuturefortheconservancyanditsresidents.

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Number of incidents

Lion

Jackal

Hyaena

Leopard

Cheetah

Caracal

Elephant

Baboon

cheetahs in the conservancy indicates a relativelyhealthypopulationofthesleek,globallyendangeredcats. The human wildlife conflict data is in generalindicativeofarecoveryoflargepredatorsinthenorth-west.This trendhighlightsan increasedwillingnessofcommunalfarmerstolivewithwildlifeaslongasitgeneratestangiblebenefits.Predatorsandelephantsareofgreatvalue,bothtotheecosystemandtourism,and in the long run the benefits gained from themmustoutweighthecostsoflivingwiththem,ifpeopleoutsidenationalparksaretocontinuetotoleratethepresenceofdangerouswildlife.

Come to Sesfontein ―be part of the future...

Human wildlife conflicts are monitored using the Event Book and clearly indicate the main conflict species.

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Hoanib River

Warmquelle

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Puros

Hoanib River

Fort Sesfontein Lodge

Sesfontein Figtree Campsite

Conservancy Office

Hoarusib River

Sesfontein Kanamub Mountain Campsite

Hoanib River

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Ganamub

Gomatum River

Giribes Plain

PALMWAG TOURISM CONCESSION

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Hoanib River

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Hoarusib RiverGomatum River

Sesfontein

For more information and updates: Sesfontein Conservancy

P.O. Box 39Kamanjab

Telephone: +264 (0)65 275502Copyright©NACSO2012;AllphotostakeninSesfontein&PalmwagTCbyHelgeDenker;Text&layout:HelgeDenker;

Maps:SylviaThompson;Backcovermap:RAISON;Charts:AliceJarvis;Printing:JohnMeinertPrintingCopyright © NACSO 2012; All photos taken in Sesfontein & Palmwag TC by Helge Denker; Text & layout: Helge Denker;

TheproductionofthisbrochurewasjointlyfundedbyMCA-Namibia,NoradandWWF

www.namibiawildlifesafaris.com | www.nacso.org.na