October 2005 Th BIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENT FOR MALAWI is publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by Community Partnerships for Sustainable Resource Management (COMPASS II) staff. OCCASIONAL PAPER NO. 15 COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS FOR SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (COMPASS II) April 2006 This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by Stephen J. MILLINGTON, Biodiversity Analysis Specialist on contract to Development Alternatives, Inc ., and Madalitso KAFERAWANTHU, Biodiversity Analysis Specialist on contract to the Wildlife & Environmental Society of Malawi (WESM) AUTHORITY Prepared for USAID/Malawi under Contract Number 690-C-00-04-00090-00 awarded 30 April 2004, entitled Community Partnerships for Sustainable Resource Management in Malawi (COMPASS II) The views expressed and opinions contained in this report are those of the COMPASS II field team and are not intended as statements of policy of either USAID or the contractor companies. PREPARED BY: COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS FOR SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN MALAŴI AUTHORS: STEPHEN J. MILLINGTON AND MADALITSO KAFERAWANTHU CREDITS: COVER PHOTOS JOHN DICKINSON AND DON GREENBERG, TEXT EDITING, AND REPORT LAYOUT AND DESIGN: JOHN DICKINSON AND TODD JOHNSON COMPASS II IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS: Development Alternatives, Inc Private Bag 20, 1st floor Able House 7250 Woodmont Ave., Suite 200 #8 Hannover Ave at Chilembwe Road Bethesda, MD 20814, USA Blantyre, MALAWI Tel: +1-301-718-8699 Telephone: +265 (0)1-622-800 Fax: +1-301-718-7968 Fax: +265 (0)1 622 852 email: [email protected] email: [email protected] With: Wildlife & Environmental Society of Malawi (WESM) +265-1-643-502 Private Bag 578, Limbe, Malawi Spectrum Media +1-617-491-4300 271 Willow Ave., Somerville MA 02144 US DISCLAIMER The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. BIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENT FOR MALAWI i TABLE OF CONTENTS ACRONYMS.................................................................................................................................................................v PREFACE ..................................................................................................................................................................vii 1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................................1 2 STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY.................................................................................................................................3 2.1 MALAWI PHYSICAL AND ECOLOGICAL SETTINGS ................................................................................3 2.2 ECOREGIONS ..........................................................................................................................................4 2.2.1 Terrestrial Ecoregions.................................................................................................................4 (a) The Southern Rift Montane Forest-Grassland Mosaic ......................................................5 (b) South Malawi Montane Forest-Grassland Mosaic ..............................................................7 (c) Zambezian Miombo Woodlands .............................................................................................10 (d) Zambezian and Mopane Woodland .......................................................................................11 2.2.2 Freshwater Ecoregions.............................................................................................................13 (a) Lake Malawi ..................................................................................................................................14 (b) Lakes Chilwa and Chiuta..........................................................................................................15 (c) Mount Mulanje .............................................................................................................................15 2.3 SPECIES DIVERSITY .............................................................................................................................16 2.3.1 Flora................................................................................................................................................16 2.3.2 Fauna..............................................................................................................................................17 2.4 AGROBIODIVERSITY .............................................................................................................................19 3 LAND USE TRENDS..........................................................................................................................................21 4 PROTECTED AREAS AND AREAS OF BIODIVERSITY IMPORTANCE ...............................................................23 4.1 NATIONAL PARKS, WILDLIFE RESERVES AND NATURE SANCTUARIES ...........................................23 4.2 FOREST RESERVES..............................................................................................................................24 4.3 PROTECTED AREA COVERAGE OF ECOREGIONS IN MALAWI ...........................................................24 4.4 PRIORITIZATION OF BIODIVERSITY AREAS .........................................................................................25 4.4.1 Important Bird Areas .................................................................................................................25 4.4.2 Lake Malawi ..................................................................................................................................27 5 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC VALUES OF BIODIVERSITY......................................................................................29 6 INSTITUTIONS, POLICIES AND LEGISLATION ..................................................................................................33 6.1 GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS ...............................................................................................................33 6.2 POLICIES AND LEGISLATION................................................................................................................33 6.2.1 Water Resources.........................................................................................................................34 6.2.2 Forestry..........................................................................................................................................34 6.2.3 Environment.................................................................................................................................35 6.2.4 National Parks and Wildlife......................................................................................................36 6.2.5 Fisheries........................................................................................................................................36 6.2.6 Land Policy...................................................................................................................................36 6.2.7 Community-Based Natural Resources Management.......................................................36 6.3 INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENTS ..........................................................................................................37 7 THREATS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN MALAWI..........................................39 7.1 THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY .................................................................................................................39 7.1.1 The Need for New Agricultural Land by an Increasing Population. ............................39 7.1.2 Unsustainable Exploitation of a Variety of Forest Products for Domestic and Commercial Use, Notably Fuelwood and Charcoal..........................................................................39 7.1.3 Bush Fires.....................................................................................................................................40 7.1.4 Invasive Species .........................................................................................................................40 7.1.5 Increased Run-Off into Lake Malawi .....................................................................................41 7.1.6 Unsustainable Fisheries Management .................................................................................41 7.1.7 Wildlife Poaching........................................................................................................................41 7.1.8 Poor Natural Resources Governance...................................................................................42 7.2. OPPORTUNITIES....................................................................................................................................42 8 PROGRAMS & PROJECTS................................................................................................................................45 8.1 LAKE MALAWI: .....................................................................................................................................45 8.2 EC IMPROVED FOREST MANAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS PROGRAMME................46 ii 8.3 COMPASS II (USAID).......................................................................................................................47