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Namibia is one of few countries in the world to specifically address habitat conservation and protection of natural resources in their constitution.〔(Stefanova 2005)〕 Article 95 states, "The State shall actively promote and maintain the welfare of the people by adopting international policies aimed at the following: maintenance of ecosystems, essential ecological processes, and biological diversity of Namibia, and utilization of living natural resources on a sustainable basis for the benefit of all Namibians, both present and future.".〔 == History and developmentals == In 1993, the newly formed government of Namibia received funding from the United States Agency of International Development (USAID) through its Living in a Finite Environment (LIFE) Project.〔(USAID 2006)〕 The Ministry of Environment and Tourism with the financial support of organizations such as USAID, Endangered Wildlife Trust, WWF, and Canadian Ambassador’s Fund, together form a Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) support structure. The main goal of this project is to promote sustainable natural resource management by giving local communities rights to wildlife management and tourism.〔(UNEP et al. 2005)〕 In 1996, the Government of Namibia introduced legislation giving communities the power to create their own conservancies. The legislation allowed local communities to create conservancies that managed and benefited from wildlife on communal land while allowing the local community to work with private companies to create and manage their own tourism market.〔(WWF 2006)〕 As of 2006, there are 44 communal conservancies in operation,〔(Ministry of Environment and Tourism 2007)〕 in which the members are responsible for protecting their own resources sustainably, particularly the wildlife populations for game hunting and ecotourism revenues.〔 USAID began its third phase of CBNRM program in 2005, which includes expanding community management to include forest, fisheries and grazing land.〔 The third phase also puts an emphasis on community training for business and trade skills. The conservancies stress the importance of local community control, but do not place any pressure on becoming a member.〔 Communities that wish to apply to become a conservancy must apply through the Minister of Environment and Tourism office.〔(Community Based Natural Resource Management, Date unknown)〕 Requirements for the conservancy application include a list of local area people who are community members, a declaration of their goals and objectives, and a map of their geographic boundaries. Their plans must also be discussed with communities that surround their boundaries. Any funds that the community receives through their conservancy must be distributed to the local community.〔(Namibia MET date unknown; UNEP et al. 2005)〕 The conservancies in Namibia consist of various types,〔(Namibia MET date unknown)〕 including the following: ; Traditional villages : These villages attract tourists by displaying their traditional traditions for outsiders. They are conserving Namibia’s cultural heritage while being a source of employment and revenue for the local population. ; Community campsites : There are several community owned campsites that provide revenue for the communities that operate them. Staying at campsites is an accessible and affordable way for tourists to lodge in Namibia. ; Safari and trophy hunting : Conservancies can develop safari lodges for tourists to visit. Since it takes a great deal of capital to build lodges, conservancies can generate capital by entering in partnerships with private investors. Communities seeking to allow trophy hunting must apply at the same time to be registered as a hunting farm.〔(Ministry of Environment and Tourism, www.met.gov.na)〕 Conservancies that are home to wildlife can earn income by allowing tourists to pay for hunting privileges or photo tourism. ; Sale of crafts : Production and sale of local crafts creates income for local residents, especially women. Crafts are mainly manufactured from natural resources, and these need to be used sustainably if the industry is to continue to grow. NACSO partners provide support in terms of craft development, quality improvement and marketing. Alternative materials for craft making are also explored.〔(NACSO, www.nacso.org)〕 ; Community forests : In 2001, the government of Namibia approved the Forest Act No. 12. This act allows local communities to obtain forest management rights from the Ministry of the Environment and Tourism. In 2004, 13 communities signed the first community forest agreement with the Minister of the MET.〔(MET.gov)〕 The Community Forest Act focuses on the management of all types of natural vegetation. The term "forest" can include woodlands, grazing areas, farms, settlements, roads and rivers. The term "Forest Resources" refer to natural resources such as trees, fruits, shrubs, herbs, grasses and animals.〔 Profits from the conservancies are pooled together and used for the benefit of the community. The money can be used for projects such as building schools, daycare facilities or clinics. For example, the Torra Conservancy contributed $2,000 for school renovations, including buying a new photocopier.〔 The profits have also been used for purchasing equipment such as ambulances,〔(Stefanova 2005; WWF 2006)〕 while other funds are allocated to individuals as a payment for being a member of the conservancies.〔 Since the introduction of the conservation legislation in 1996, benefits to the local communities have greatly increased.〔(Weaver and Skyer 2003)〕 In 2004, the annual earnings for all 31 conservancies combined equaled $2.35 million, compared to $100,000 in 1995.〔 The first self-sufficient conservancy was the Torra Conservancy, and in 2003, the annual average monetary distribution to their members was about $75.〔 The progress of the CBNRM programs has been such that approximately 1 out of 12 Namibians is a member of a communal wildlife conservancy.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Communal Wildlife Conservancies in Namibia」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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