Good News for Zambezi

Protecting the Mighty Zambezi

The Protea Group of Hotels this month withdrew its proposal to develop a large hotel complex on the banks of the Lower Zambezi River in Zambia, heeding concerns raised by conservationists and local community leaders. “AWF believes the people of Zambia can and should benefit from increased tourism-related investment related to the country’s wildlife resources,” says AWF Zambezi Heartland Director Jimmiel Mandima. “But any such investment must result in a project that is properly scaled, designed, and located.” The original proposed site was located in the Chiawa Game Management Area, a pristine wildlife-rich expanse on the Lower Zambezi River that adjoins and supports the Lower Zambezi National Park (LZNP) ecosystem. AWF urges The Protea Group of Hotels from here to work with the Zambian authorities to design a downscaled facility that provides optimal benefit both to visitors and to the people and environment of Zambia.

Read more about the hotel controversy. http://www.awf.org/content/headline/detail/4378

WS