Our Projects in Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve

Lake Kazuni Bund

Every year during the dry season the water levels in Lake Kazuni drop to a critical level making it difficult for the hippotamus population to survive. In 2005 the Trust has constructed a dam (bund) across the outflow of Lake Kazuni into the South Rukuru River. This helped to stablisise the water levels in Lake Kazuni which helped hippotamus and other species to survive until the wet season. The bund is now reconstructed by the Trust every year as part of our on going reserve management.

Hewe Channel

In 1999 the local communities to the north of the Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserved diverted the Hewe River, by channelling, for fishing and agricultural purposes. This caused considerable drying of the marsh with subsequent impact on animal and waterfowl species with a significant reduction in both.

Through a collaborative management approach the local communities agreed to reverse this harmful effect by re-channeling the flow into the wetland ecosystem. They approached the Department of National Parks and Wildlife with proposals for opening up the original water course for a two kilometre stretch. DNPW approached the Trust for funding the project to the tune of US$ 1,000. The Trust agreed to provide the funding and the work was carried out during January 2007 by a local contractor. The budget was increased by 50% so the Trust ended up providing US$ 1,500 of funding.

The project helped to:

• Conserve wetland biological diversity

• Improve wetland habitat for waterfowl species

• Improve aquatic species particularly fish, otters and crustaceans

• Act as a water reservoir for hippo

• Maintain spiritual links with the surrounding local communities with their ancestors

• Improve continuous flow of water along the Luwewe river resulting in sufficient water at Lake Kazuni and Zara pool which dries up in the dry season

Elephant Monitoring
The Trust was an integral part of the Peace Parks Foundation project to monitor elephants in southern and central Africa.This was a two year project to provide evidence of animal movements along wildlife corridors. This helped to justify the creation of Trans Frontier Conservation Areas. The Trust assisted in the collaring of elephant on the Nyika NP and Vwaza Marsh. The Trust now had the responsibility of producing quarterly reports on the movement and activity of six collared elephant.
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Anti-poaching
The Trust provided a VHF radio network covering most of the Nyika NP to assist Malawi's Department of NationalParks and Wildlife in co-ordinating and supporting anti-poaching patrols. The network is now supported by the PPF Law Enforcement project and has been extended with further base stations on the Nyika NP and in the Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve.
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Vwaza Marsh
The local communities around Nyika NP and Vwaza Marsh need help. Theirs is a subsistence way of life. This puts pressure onthe resources of both areas. Access to clean water is in short supply. The Trust employs staff from the local villages giving a direct benefit.  The Trust also identifies projects that have an immediate impact such as the water borehole at Chigwere Cultural Village adjacent to Vwaza Marsh. The borehole has proved such a success that the elders of the village have asked the Trust whether another borehole could be sunk in the same area. The Trust is looking for a donation of £3,000 to carry out the work necessary to provide another source of water for Chigwere Cultural Village project.
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