Chumbe Island Coral Park Conservation and Education Status Report 2013
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Chumbe Island Coral Park Conservation and Education Status Report 2013 Zanzibar, Tanzania Index Foreword………………………………………………………………………………… 3 Part II: Environmental Education……………………………………………………... 25 Introduction CHICOP…………………………………………………………………... 4 Management Plan 2006-2016…………………………………………………… 26 Chumbe Field Excursions………………………………………………………… 27 Part I: Conservation Programs………………………………………………………. 5 Educational Outcomes……………………………………………………………. 28 Management Plan 2006 – 2016…………………………………………………. 6 The Chumbe Challenge………………………………………………………….. 29 Key Values of the MPA…………………………………………………………… 7 Community Outreach …………………………………………………………….. 30 Chumbe Reef Sanctuary (CRS) ………………………………………………… 8 Island Ranger Training……………………………………………………………. 31 Borders of the CRS ………………………………………………………………. 9 Chumbe aims Zero Waste………………………………………………………... 32 Tresspassing ……………………………………………………………………… 10 Celebration of International Events……………………………………………… 33 Fauna in the CRS…………………………………………………………………. 11 Monitoring Programs……………………………………………………………… 12 Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………………... 34 Coral Reef Monitoring…………………………………………………………….. 13 References………………………………………………………………………………... 35 Monitoring results: Fish communities ………………………......……………… 14 Appendix: Species Lists……………………………………………………………….. 36 Monitoring results: Sea urchins …………………………………………………. 15 Monitoring results: Crown-of-thorns starfish …………………………………… 16 Seagrass monitoring……………………………………………………………… 17 Closed Forest Habitat (CFH) ……………………………………………………. 18 Ader’s Duiker………………………………………………………………………..19 Coconut Crab………………………………………………………………………. 20 Birds………………………………………………………………………………… 21 Other Fauna in the Forest…………………………………………………….…. 22 Chumbe Reef Sanctuary, Photo by Markus Meissl Conferences………………………………………………………………………. 23 Research…………………………………………………………………………... 24 To be cited as: Kloiber, U. 2013. Chumbe Island Coral Park - Conservation and Education, Status report 2013. 1-43, Zanzibar, Tanzania. Foreword Chumbe Island Coral Park, Ltd. (CHICOP), established I started to work on Chumbe as a marine park ranger in 1992 as a private non-profit company, just off in September 1992. At that time the Chumbe project Zanzibar Island in Tanzania, is a unique example of was just a concept with its main dream to protect the successful Marine Protected Area (MPA) management reef and the forest for conservation and education through income generation from eco-tourism. Even activities. Twenty years later I am happy to say that though our nature reserve is small, many interesting the dream has become reality. After years and years projects have been implemented by CHICOP’s educating fishermen about the benefits of protecting Conservation and Education team and are presented a coral reef, we have observed an increase in in this status report. The framework of this report was awareness amongst fishermen. The Chumbe Reef developed in 2010 and we are happy to present Sanctuary has remained as one of the most up-dates and new initiatives for the Status Report spectacular coral gardens in the world, and we are 2013. proud to present our conservation efforts within the following status report. One thing that differentiates Chumbe from most projects with social, rather than financial goals, is that Omari Nyange Ame we don’t receive donor funds for our core activities. Chumbe Island Head Ranger Therefore, I would like to thank all our guests that decide to visit our project - without them there would be no conservation and education programs! Over the last two years Chumbe has further evolved in A major part of sustainable conservation of nature is response to our ever changing, dynamic world. Our the education of people that live in and next to it. In research findings suggest that through our Zanzibar, there is a big lack of knowledge about the conservation efforts, the Chumbe Reef Sanctuary has importance of environmental issues. Within the been able to maintain it’s health and biodiversity Chumbe Education Program, we strongly support status, and we are also proud of our education efforts: Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), over 1200 students have visited Chumbe Island for which is a lifelong learning process. Through ESD, education purposes since 2010. We can not think of a CHICOP helps students and community members to better location to educate and inspire our future develop the knowledge, skills and action leaders about environmental conservation. competence needed to create and sustain a viable future for human and all forms of life in Zanzibar and An exciting season 2013/14 is ahead of us and it is the on the planet. Thus the Chumbe Education Program collective passion of each one of our team members contributes to the millennium development goals that drives Chumbe and inspires our guests, especially on resource management and strategies regardless if they are tourists, Zanzibari students or for addressing poverty. We are happy to present you community members. the proceedings we have achieved during the past We hope to see you soon! two years. Ulli Kloiber & Team Khamis Khalfan Juma and Enock Kayagambe Conservation and Education Manager Environmental Educators 3 Introduction CHICOP Chumbe Island is situated 12 km Southwest of Stonetown, Unguja, Zanzibar and 6 km from the nearest point on the Unguja coast (Chukwani). From left to right: hermit crab and the education centre, Chumbe flag, sunset over the education centre. Photos by Oskar Henriksson Latitude/Longitude: 6 16' S; 39 10' E. It is one amongst several MPA’s in 39 ° 30' E Tanzania, but the only MPA amongst four conservation areas in Zanzibar. The Chumbe MPA closely borders the Menai Bay Conservation Area. Chumbe Island Coral Park Ltd (CHICOP) has been registered in Zanzibar in 1992 for the sole purpose of establishing and managing the park. Company A f r i c a objectives are non-commercial, while operations follow commercial principles. N CHICOP is registered as a MPA with the UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC) in Cambridge/UK and was also distinguished as Member of the UNEP Global500 Forum in 2000. The nature reserve includes the Chumbe Reef Sanctuary (gazetted in 1994), a Closed Forest Habitat, a Visitors Centre and an Eco-Lodge. Management is 6 ° S 6 ° S based on consecutive Management Plans 1995-2005 and 2006-2016 (for project details see www.chumbeisland.com ). Unguja A key reason for CHICOP's early establishment, investment proposal and campaigning to gazette the Chumbe MPA was the observation of high biodiversity value s, in both the reef and forest habitat. Permitted uses of the marine park include recreation (swimming, snorkelling, underwater photography), education and research. Extractive and destructive activities, such as fishing, anchorage, collection of specimen (even for research) are not allowed. Research is co-ordinated with the Institute of Marine Sciences of the University of Dar es Salaam and regulated by the Chumbe Island Management Plans 1995-2005 and 2006-2016. Mission statement for Chumbe Island Coral Park : 0 10 “To manage, for conservation and educational purposes, the Chumbe Km Island Reef Sanctuary and the Forest Reserve. This is also supported by eco-tourism activities which are directly related to the non-consumptive 39 ° 30' E uses of the natural resources.” Unguja Island, Chumbe Island is marked with a red circle. Drawing by Anders Knudby 4 Chumbe Island Coral Park Ltd (CHICOP) was registered in Zanzibar in 1992 for the sole purpose of establishing and managing the nature reserve. On 3rd January 1994 an agreement was signed between the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Natural Resources and CHICOP, declaring the reef to the west of Chumbe as the Chumbe Reef Sanctuary (CRS) by virtue of section 6 (1) (e) of the 1988 Fisheries Act, Legal notice no. 99 of the 24th December, 1994. This made Chumbe Island Zanzibar’s and Tanzania’s first MPA (IUCN, 2001) and gave CHICOP responsibility for preserving, controlling and managing the Reef Sanctuary for an initial period of 10 years. On 3rd January 2004 this arrangement was reviewed and extended for a further period of ten years. Under article 8 of this agreement, reference is made to the Chumbe Management Plan which will “be approved by the Advisory Committee, will be adhered to [in order to] ensure that the company is managing, controlling and preserving the CRS in a manner befitting a Marine Sanctuary.” On 22nd July 1995 an agreement was signed between the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Natural Resources and CHICOP which declared the land area of Chumbe Island, excluding the area leased to CHICOP, a Closed Forest Habitat (CFH) in accordance with the provisions of Wood Part I: Cutting Decree Ch. 121 and which entrusted management, including efficient control, conservation management and culturing of the natural resources, to CHICOP for a period of 33 years. Conservation Chumbe is classified as a Class II protected area under IUCN’s WDPA listings. This is defined as a: National Park / Protected Area managed mainly Programs for ecosystem protection and recreation: A natural area of land and/or sea, designated to (a) protect the ecological integrity of one or more ecosystems for present and future generations, (b) exclude exploitation or occupation inimical to the purposes of designation of the area and (c) provide a foundation for spiritual, scientific, educational, recreational and visitor opportunities, all of which must be environmentally and culturally compatible (Spalding et al., 2001). The Chumbe Reef Sanctuary has been declared as