Gonarezhou National Park Genral Management Plan 2011-2021

This General Management Plan has been developed through a participatory process, involving a cross section of stakeholders for the Gonarezhou National Park. The planning process was conducted under the coordination of a Core Planning Team comprising representatives from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and the Frankfurt Zoological Society. Funding for the planning process was provided by Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and the Frankfurt Zoological Society.

This General Management Plan for Gonarezhou National Park is a product of the review of several previous management plans. The park has a long history that dates back to 1934 when it was first established as a game reserve and it currently is 5 053 km2 in size. This General Management Plan address the issues and threats facing the park through four interlinked programmes. These four programmes comprise Biodiversity and Natural Resources Management, Sustainable Tourism, Park Operations, Administration, Infrastructure and Collaborative Management and together they facilitate a holistic approach to the management of the park. The planning process was over three years and entailed a consultative process with stakeholders. All four programmes were formulated using working groups comprising of different experts. The plan has working life of ten years and it is supported by 3-year action plans that can be rolled forward with new activities being added as required. Of special interest is the realisation that this management plan attempts to address the challenges related to the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area (GLTFCA). The GLTFCA encompasses the management of Gonarezhou inline with Kruger National Park (South Africa), Limpopo National Park (Mozambique) and their surrounding areas as one large conservation area. The management plan includes a comprehensive tourism development and utilisation plan which zones the park for different levels of use. Through its objectives, targets, actions and monitoring programmes the management plan pays particular attention to the proper management of the Exceptional Resource Values for Gonarezhou which include the vast wilderness areas, large tusked elephants, Chilojo cliffs, Red Hills and the river systems. We envisage that the application of this management plan will enhance the conservation and management of Gonarezhou so as to sustain the desired state of the wilderness qualities and the exceptional resource values for the benefit of present and future generations.

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• Gonarezhou General Management Plan