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Zambian Ornithological Society IBA Projects
What are we doing in Zambia?
Zambia's IBA programme was officially launched in August 2005.
However, it actually started in March 2004 when the Birdlife Africa Secretariat based in Nairobi, in conjunction
with ZOS, successfully applied for a grant from NORAD to establish a Pilot Project of one year duration (2004).
The main purpose of the NORAD Pilot Project was to provide funds to develop a longer term IBA conservation and
education programme for NORAD financing. In conjunction with the Norwegian Ornithological Society (NOF) and
Birdlife, we completed this exercise in September 2004, and successfully applied to NORAD for funding
for a three year project (2005-2007).
1. Together for Birds and People in Zambia - local participation in conservation of key biodiversity areas (2005-2007)
Our aim was to bring 11 IBAs to a higher conservation status by the end of 2007. These IBAs were
Imanda Forest, Chisamba, Mutinondo Wilderness, Nyika National Park, Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park
and Batoka Gorge, Chimfunshi, Mutulanganga forest, Wonder Gorge, Jimbe Drainage, Hillwood, and Kafue Flats.
Our IBA coordinator, Pius Lilanda is coordinating ZOS's conservation efforts. A Current Status Report
(CSR) was produced for each IBA. The main reason for producing a CSR is to establish a baseline dataset of
the physical, biological and human parameters that define the unique biodiversity of an IBA, as well as to
identify any threats to the IBA. This information will be used in future to measure changes in
these parameters in order to track changes in habitat or in biodiversity.
A second important function of the CSR is to guide the deliberations of the Stakeholders Workshop
which follows as soon as possible after the publication of the CSR. The purpose of the
Stakeholders Workshop is to elect (or nominate) a Site Support Group, draft a Conservation Action
Plan for the IBA and select IBA Schools. IBA schools should be located within or close to the IBA,
and will receive support from the ZOS IBA Schools Programme. This programme aims to give students
the opportunity for hands-on conservation activities, such as monitoring IBAs, and provide them
with a sense of pride to be participating in a highly targeted and yet world-wide conservation
programme. We hope that the experiences gathered by these school children will instil a sense of
ownership of conservation initiatives and improve protection of natural resources in Zambia.
Between 2 and 5 IBA schools can be chosen within an IBA.
With support from ZOS members, local communities and other conservation organizations, our IBA programme
is well on schedule. We have produced CSRs for 9 IBAs (namely Mutinondo Wilderness, Imanda
Forest, Batoka Gorges, Chisamba, Wonder Gorge, Mutulanganga, Hillwood, Jimbe Drainage and Chimfunshi) and have held stakeholders
workshops in these IBAs.
2. Local participation in the sustainable use of selected important biodiversity areas in Zambia - working together for birds and people (2008-2010)
Under Construction
3. EC IBA Monitoring Project (2007-2011)
Under Construction
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