Mozambique expands nature park
2010-07-21 19:04
Maputo - Mozambique has expanded Gorongosa National Park and created a "buffer zone" to limit human activity near the park which was badly damaged during the country's civil war, a spokesperson said on Wednesday.
The new boundaries gave some park land to nearby villages, but overall expanded its size by about 10% to 4 067km², said government spokesperson Alberto Nkutumula.
A new buffer zone of 3 300km² was also created, allowing local populations limited farming, hunting and mining near the park, Nkutumula said.
"They can only perform sustainable activities there because the impact of human activity outside the park can have an influence on the park," he said.
The park in central Mozambique once had one of Africa's densest wildlife populations, which was slashed by 95% during the 15-year civil war which ended in 1992, according to park authorities.
In recent years, wildlife groups have begun reintroducing animals into the park, which the government hopes to transform into a tourist attraction.
The decision was taken in consultation with local villages, and people have already starting moving from the newly protected areas, Nkutumula said. The new boundaries take effect in two weeks.
Government also hopes to develop tourism in the park as a way of creating jobs.
"We will open (the park) to the private sector to create infrastructure for tourism for people there to get jobs," said Nkutumula.
- SAPA