Site: South Luangwa National Park
Type of Partnership: Community Development partnership
Website(s): Luangwa Integrated Resource Development Project
Contact Name:
Phone:
Email:
Address:
Description: The Luangwa Integrated Resource Development Project (LIRDP) arose out of efforts to reduce elephant and rhino poaching in the Luangwa Valley, in Zambia. Originally designed as an integrated development project, the LIRDP evolved during the 1990s into an initiative combining management of the South Luangwa National Park (SLNP) with a community-based natural resource management programme for 40-50,000 people in the Lupande Game Management Area. The SLNP is Zambia’s premier wildlife tourism attraction and is known internationally for its abundant wildlife and charismatic large animals such as elephants, leopard, lions, hippos, buffaloes, giraffe, and antelope. A key feature of the project in its later stages was the transition from managing wildlife for local people to managing wildlife by the people, driven by fiscal empowerment and democracy. In its later stages, the project focused particular attention on cutting costs and increasing revenues from tourism. Although total financial independence remains elusive, the project increased cost recovery from 7% to 60% in a period of four years, while at the same time improving park management and increasing local community participation in wildlife protection and sustainable use.

Source: Joshua Bishop, IUCN