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Restoring the Kafue Flats: Communities Benefit from Controlling an Invasive Species

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Restoring the Kafue Flats: Communities Benefit from Controlling an Invasive Species Volume 38, Number 1 February 2012 RESTORING THE KAFUE FLATS: Communities Benefit From Controlling an Invasive Species By Griffin Shanungu, WWF-Zambia and Zambia Wildlife Authority and Rich Beilfuss, International Crane Foundation he Kafue Flats of Zambia are a rich mosaic of lush grasslands, deep blue lagoons, and palm savannas sustained by seasonal floodwaters of the Kafue River. The flats Tare home to the Kafue lechwe, a semi-aquatic antelope found nowhere else on earth, and the largest concentration of threatened Wattled Cranes in Africa (more than 3,000) ever recorded. Africa buffalo, zebra, wildebeest, hippo, and more than 400 bird species are found here. The flats also are vital to Zambia’s regional economy, providing for cattle ranching, tilapia fisheries, trophy hunting, commercial sugar production, and tourism. The Kafue Flats enjoy considerable protections. Two national parks – Lochinvar and Blue Lagoon – and the Kafue Flats Game Management Area cover much of the flats, and the site is designated as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention. Despite these safeguards, however, regional water resources development and Continued on page 2 Wattled Cranes depend on the Annual Midwest open, seasonally flooded plains Crane Count of the Kafue Flats. Photo by APRIL 14, 2012 Griffin Shanungu www.cranecount.org Continued from page 1 Directors Rich Beilfuss, Madison, WI invasive species are rapidly degrading this magnificent wetland. 2007 to 2009. The pilot project employed 220 field workers, all drawn (President & CEO) The trouble began in the 1970s, when the Kafue Gorge – located from local communities, to physically remove the mimosa with hand- Hall Healy, Glencoe, IL Notes from the President (Chair) immediately downstream of the flats – was dammed to generate held tools. The team first targeted small founder populations, aimed Leslie Coolidge, Barrington Hills, IL Conservation Leaders electricity for the copper mines of northern Zambia. Because high at preventing mimosa from spreading further into open areas of (Vice Chair) evaporation losses from the flats reduce the water available for power the floodplain, and then attacked and reduced the well-established Robert Dohmen, Mequon, WI generation at Kafue Gorge infestations. More than 800 (Secretary) George Archibald, Baraboo, WI By Rich Beilfuss Dam, a second dam was ha was cleared of mimosa and and Grey Crowned Cranes, Kafue lechwe, and Joseph Branch, Mequon, WI many other species of conservation concern constructed upstream of the restored to productive land Jim Brumm, New York, NY flats at Itezhi-tezhi Gorge to able to support biodiversity, Jane Dana, North Freedom, WI on the flats. Ursula Franke, who participated regulate downstream flows with a return of native plants, A. Sidney England, Davis, CA onservation leadership is at the heart of in our conservation training program here at Charles Gibbons, Jupiter, FL and prevent the spread of mammals, and breeding ICF’s global mission to save cranes and ICF’s headquarters last fall, heads the Highveld Ann Hamilton, Houston, TX the diverse ecosystems, watersheds, and Crane Conservation Project in South Africa. floodwaters from the river to waterbirds. The project also Mirabel Helme, United Kingdom Cflyways on which they and all of us depend. Ursula engages local landowners (more than its floodplains. This strategy generated meaningful benefits Heather Henson, Orlando, FL perhaps made sense from an for the local communities. Field Robert Hoguet, New York, NY We are dedicated to inspiring and empowering 70) in developing biodiversity stewardship engineering perspective, but workers received cash income in Paul King, Vancouver, WA leaders at all levels. We provide training agreements aimed at securing key wetlands Urban Lehner, Omaha, NE and practical experience for individuals and and grasslands for cranes and other species is a disaster for the people and an otherwise mostly subsistence Lalise Mason, Houston, TX wildlife that depend on the economy, enabling them to better Nancy Mathews, Madison, WI organizations engaged in community-based in this region. Last year, Ursula received annual pulse of floodwaters. support their families and invest Janet McKenna, Oconomowoc, WI conservation, education, and outreach at key the Conservation Achiever Award from the Long before the dams were in livestock and durable goods. Gerd Muehllehner, Wayne, PA crane sites, building on their knowledge of Endangered Wildlife Trust (ICF’s partner Margery Nicolson, Pacific Palisades, CA cultural norms and practices. We also facilitate in Africa), their highest accolade for a staff built, scientists predicted dire Our top priority now is Harry Peterson, Middleton, WI ecological impacts would to resume and expand this Regina Phelps, San Francisco, CA international leadership on key cross-cutting member. Ursula writes about her ICF visit on result, including a dramatic successful community-based Jeanne Prochnow, Milwaukee, WI issues that affect cranes, such as sustainable page 5 of this issue. reduction in breeding and restoration model for the Kafue John Shepard, St. Paul, MN water management. And sometimes Dr. Su Liying has been at the forefront of our Bill Smith, Shell Lake, WI conservation leaders find us, and together conservation efforts in China for three decades. feeding grounds for flood- The invasive shrub Mimosa pigra is displacing habitat for the Kafue lechwe, Flats. Mimosa is a very resilient Richard Steeves, Madison, WI we tackle challenges beyond the reach of ICF Since initially working as a researcher of Red- dependent species such as Wattled Cranes, and many other species in the Kafue Flats. Photo by Rich Beilfuss plant that requires sustained Jeffrey Sundberg, Libertyville, IL Wattled Cranes and Kafue control efforts – monitoring Ginny Wolfe, Madison, WI alone. In this issue, we share stories from crowned Cranes at Zhalong Nature Reserve lechwe. Pre-dam studies indicated, for example, that whereas 40% surveys indicate that most of the areas cleared are being rapidly Other Officers conservation leaders who are on the front in 1982, now as an adjunct professor at the of Wattled Crane pairs attempt to breed in years of normal flooding recolonised by mimosa and in a few years could revert to their previous Richard Fox, Winnetka, IL lines of saving cranes and their landscapes Northeast Forestry University in Harbin, Liying (Treasurer) on three continents. engages and inspires university students to conditions, only 3% of pairs breed in a year of negligible flooding state or worse. In close collaboration with ZAWA and other partners, Jim Harris, Baraboo, WI and Harbin, China conditions. And as expected, the Wattled Crane population declined ICF and WWF will develop and implement a long-term management (Senior Vice President) In Africa, Griffin Shanungu brims with develop conservation skills and ethics through – from more than 3,000 individuals prior to river regulation to fewer plan to control mimosa and other emerging threats and monitor David Koehler, Madison, WI passion for the natural world and has worked their shared passion for cranes and wetlands, than 1,000 today. During this same time period, the population of wildlife recovery on the Kafue Flats. (Vice President-Advancement) tirelessly to save the Kafue Flats of Zambia, one a vital step for the next generation as China’s Julie Langenberg, Madison, WI of the world’s most important wetlands. Griffin global influence increases over time. Liying Kafue lechwe plummeted from about 95,000 animals to less than half This action is supported by our regional efforts to restore annual (Vice President-Conservation Science) that total today. flooding on the Kafue Flats for wildlife and local communities – one Marie Ruetten, Sauk City, WI spearheaded international efforts to control brings these cadres of inspired students to As is often the case when we alter natural processes such as flooding of our Seven Rivers stories. Based on key studies indicating that the (Vice President-Finance and Administration) the invasive shrub mimosa that is destroying the wetlands to monitor changes and to share that sustain ecosystems, other unexpected consequences soon threatened economic value of annual floods for fisheries, tourism, livestock, and vast areas of this diverse wetland, and spent their knowledge and enthusiasm with the local the Kafue Flats as well. By the early 1980s, the aggressive shrub Mimosa wildlife outweigh the benefits of strict hydropower production, we are countless hours in the field documenting people who live near the cranes. Read about pigra began encroaching upon the floodplain at an alarming rate. working in partnership with the Ministry of Water and the Zambia numbers and movements of vulnerable Wattled their adventures on page 6. Continued on page 4 Mimosa is a tropical/sub-tropical spiny shrub that has invaded large Electrical Supply Company to release well-timed environmental Follow Us like us, tweet us, watch us! areas of Asia, Australia, and Africa. Mimosa forms thick, impenetrable flows from Itezhi-tezhi Dam to the Kafue Flats. Collectively, we hope stands that exclude other plants and most animals. In the Kafue Flats, these efforts will chart a different future for one of the world’s most it started with a small infestation of about 2 ha and quickly spread to important wetlands. at least 2,900 ha by 2005 – and is still spreading. Mimosa now occupies ICF’s official airline a significant proportion of the protected floodplain, affecting wildlife,
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