A New Frontier: WLT-backed bridge opens up conservation future for Zambia’s Kasanka National Park
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New pontoon allows rangers to cross the Luwombwa River. Image credit: Kasanka Trust.
World Land Trust supporters have delivered a “new conservation frontier” to Zambia’s Kasanka National Park; a river crossing that has upgraded accessibility within the park.
The Luwombwa River that flows through Kasanka National Park provides water and habitat for many of its inhabitants but also an obstacle for Kasanka Trust – a barrier restricting the ability of its conservation rangers to manage the area west of Luwombwa.
Workers installing the new pontoon. Image credit: Kasanka Trust.
The good news is the construction of a new pontoon is now complete, enabling our partner to easily cross the river along with Zambia’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife, who co-manage the park. “With the support of World Land Trust, the Kasanka Trust has launched a pontoon that will enable vehicle crossings year-round and open up a new conservation frontier,” says Richard Peel, Manager of Kasanka Trust.
Not only can rangers patrol the park with improved accessibility but also, and in a first for the National Park, a further 10,200 hectares can now be protected.
This is fantastic news for Kasanka, one of Zambia’s smallest national parks – a habitat that makes up in biodiversity what it lacks in size. According to Kasanka Trust’s most recent population checks, 114 mammal species and 480 bird species call the National Park home, together with the world’s densest population of the rare Sitatunga antelope and also the small but growing population of African Elephant.
New pontoon provides enhanced accessibility for workers in the Kasanka National Park. Image credit: Kasanka Trust.
Rangers are the lifeline of any conservation organisation, and any boost to their facilities and infrastructure enables them to carry on working hard for the local animals and ecosystems they hold close to their heart. WLT works with Kasanka Trust through our Keepers of the Wild programme, funding two rangers who keep the park safe from poachers, provide education for local schools and monitor the wildlife of Kasanka.
Conservation wins like this one would not be possible without the support from our donors, thank you!
By continuing to support the Keepers of the Wild programme you can help to safeguard land and species in Kasanka and other project sites around the world.
