The Nyika-Vwaza (UK) Trust Royal Geographical Society event - 8th Nov 2011

This is just a brief note to let those of you who were unable to attend our promotional and fundraising evening at the Royal Geographical Society in London on 8 November know how the Evening went.

We were delighted to welcome the Malawi Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Culture, the Honourable Mr. Daniel Liwimbi, together with the Charge D'Affaires at The Malawi High Commission in London, Mr. James Ali and his wife Bridget.

Prof. Jeff Burley, speaking on the topic "The changing role of forestry in conservation and development : why trees are good for Malawi" gave a wide-ranging and lucid explanation of how the environmental, economic and social spheres need to connect for forestry policies to become sustainable. He also made the important point that foresters – and other scientists – must present their arguments not merely for peer review but, just as vital, must connect with policy-makers and the media so that they can influence change. Copies of the lecture in booklet form can be obtained from Harry Foot, Stowford Farm, Harford, Ivybridge, Devon, PL21 0JD. Cost £6 including p&p.

Our Chairman, Tom Lupton, reported several important developments:

He congratulated the Hon. Minister and the Malawi Government for signing the long-awaited Nyika Trans Frontier Conservation Area project Financing Agreement with the World Bank, the Zambia Government and other participants. The NTFCA project will secure the continued sound management of the Nyika and Vwaza, together with adjacent protected areas in Zambia, for at least the next five years. It will also support the socio-economic development of the surrounding communities in both countries. Our Trusts have played an important part in advancing this project through advocacy and by demonstrating our effective operational capabilities within the parks. This culminated in our commitment to the World Bank to continue our funding at current levels for the next five years.

On the conservation front, a spate of orchid poaching is a real concern. On the plus side, two recent sightings of wild dogs on the Nyika, which haven’t been seen there for many years, suggests that the stock of animals is healthy.

In the last financial year, the UK Trust provided the Malawi Trust with over £53,000 to fund conservation work on the Nyika and in Vwaza – the largest amount we have provided to date in a single year.

The UK Trust has launched a prospectus, “Supporting our Projects”, that describes the purposes for which money is required. For more information on this, go to www.nyika-vwaza-trust.org/support/Projects-Funding.html

Peter Lawrance has been appointed as the UK Trust's next Hon. Secretary and Treasurer. Peter has long experience with the Commonwealth Development Corporation in Malawi (especially the north) in senior managerial and financial positions, and his wife Jane was born in Malawi. Peter will take over during 2012.

For a fuller account of the Evening, including the social elements, please see our website www.nyika-vwaza-trust.org

Finally, please note that we meet again at the RGS on Tuesday 6 November 2012.

NV(UK)T launches the "Supporting our Projects" prospectus.

Over the last seven years, the Nyika-Vwaza (UK) Trust, through its Malawian sister charity, the Nyika-Vwaza Trust, has actively supported the work of Malawi’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife in the Nyika National Park and Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve.

Looking forward, we will remain a strong advocate of the Nyika and Vwaza. One way we can do this is by securing funds to support their conservation. To this end, we have launched our prospectus, “Supporting our Projects”. It contains detailed funding proposals for 15 essential projects.

In the longer term, we must also grow our Endowment Fund sufficiently to support the Nyika-Vwaza Trust’s day-to-day activities in Malawi, leaving us to look only for additional funds for capital expenditure and new activities.

If you can help fund one of these projects, or know of others whom we might approach, please contact either me (my details are below) or Harry Foot, our Hon Secretary and Treasurer at Stowford Farm, Harford, Ivybridge, Devon, PL21 0JD; Tel: (0)1752 892632; Email: mailto:stowfoots@southdevon.org. Similarly, if you would like to know more about our Endowment Fund, please do contact us. Thank you.

• 
  New Nyika-Vwaza Trust volunteer managers.
  
  We are very lucky to have two new volunteer trust managers recently arrive on the Nyika. They are Patsy and Geoff Wooles. At the moment, they are going through the process of settling in and getting to know the their new surroundings.
  
  
• The Wooles’ initial tasks over the next few months include:
  
  · Getting to know our eight permanent members of staff on the Nyika, as well as the rest of the guys, and building a team spirit;
  · Preparing the maintenance programme for 2011 – fire control, roads, bridges, invasive species and the like;
  · Re-establishing walks and signs in Chowo Forest and maintaining those in Zovo Chipolo;
  · Arranging the erection of the last few road signs in the Park and maintaining those that have been there for a while; and
  · Getting to grips with the Malawi trust’s various project proposals.
  
  There is a lot for Patsy and Geoff to do and we wish them every success! Chris Walker, chairman of the Malawi trust, has commented of our new couple: “The Nyika is a paradise for Geoff’s botanical background and Patsy has already joined in with life at the school whilst reorganising the homestead! They deserve our full support in any and every way we can give it.” We fully endorse that final statement!