How an Event Book Powers Namibian Conservation

The Event Book is a simple, powerful tool that allows communities to monitor their natural resources in a scientifically rigorous manner regardless of educational level. This data in turn allows the Namibian government to attract investment in tourist lodges and set sustainable quotas for hunting game. The money and meat from tourism and hunting then go back into the community, funding the game guards who use the Event Book and providing conservancy-wide benefits like craft centers, school buildings and other infrastructure to help the community develop.

The Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation organization (IRDNC - http://www.irdnc.org.na/) in Namibia, together with the World Wildlife Foundation (http://www.worldwildlife.org/places/n...) and others have pioneered this Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) strategy. In this video we look at how the Salambala Conservancy in the Zambezi region of Namibia have implemented this technique, with enough detail for other conservancies in the KAZA region -- the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area -- to learn from their years of experience.

In a second video, we look at how the Event Book is used to resolve human-wildlife conflicts by fairly compensating farmers and ranchers who are affected by wildlife, and to come up with mitigation strategies like relocating communities to create wildlife corridors (   • How Namibian Conservancies Handle Human-Wi...  ).

This video, filmed entirely in the siLozi language widely spoken in northeastern Namibia, was made by ChangeStream Media (http://changestreammedia.org/). We are a Seattle-based nonprofit that uses digital storytelling to share transformative information, like how to manage natural resources in rural Sub-Saharan Africa.

Thanks to all the people and organizations who made this video possible:
Steve Felton and the World Wildlife Foundation, Namibia.
Salambala Conservancy leaders Raymond Kwenani, Margret Mutya, Boniface Saisai, Michael Sibeso, and Botha Sibungo.
Martin Mushabati, Martin Ñandu, James Thalubenegwa, Charles Sisinyize and all the other Salambala Community Game Guards.
Salambala Community Members Ireen Ilukwi, Dominic Machili, Richard Malambo, Merina Matengu, and Zatrick Mbanga.
IRDNC members Bennety Likukela, James Maiba, Janet Matota, Dominic Muema, and Beavan Munali.
Greg Stuart-Hill and Dave Ward from the NACSO CBNRM group.
Super Volunteer Kai- Peter Koenig.
And Chester Walusiku, translator and voice actor.

Filmed, directed and edited by Sean Koenig.
Music courtesy Mwedzi Muchena Arts Ensemble (  / mwedzi-muchena-arts-ensemble-1432340907032623  .