New Guide to Nyika now available! For more information click on Support Us/Merchandise.

Mission Possible Malawi A presentation of challenges and successes in wildlife conservation in Malawi 8 February 2017 at Ham Yard Hotel, London.

Apply for a research grant - go to www.nyika-vwaza-trust.org/News/Research Grants/Research_Grants.html

Support our London Marathon runner Juliet Cornelius-Rumsey. Go to www.nyika-vwaza-trust.org/2016-London-Marathon.html to find out more.

Please go to the News page to read about our current activities.

Announcing our summer event. The Nyika-Vwaza (UK) Trust will be holding an event on Saturday 7th June in Lincolnshire courtesy of Peter and Marianne Overton of Hilltop Farm, Welbourn, Lincs, LN5 0QH. If you would like further information and are interested in joining us please contact Peter Lawrance at sec.nvt@gmail.com.

Announcing our annual promotional and fund raising evening.

We hope you will be able to join us for our annual promotional evening at The Royal Over Seas League in London on Tuesday, 5 November. As you know, we rely entirely on your donations to fund our conservation work in Northern Malawi. So it is crucial that we update you on that work whenever we can. We’re sure you will agree there is no better way of doing this than meeting face-to-face! Tickets for the evening cost £16. They are available from Peter Lawrance (tel: 01483 714130; e-mail: sec.nvt@gmail.com; address: The Malt House, 50 Brewery Road, Horsell, Woking GU21 4NA). Application forms can also be found at www.nyika-vwaza-trust.org/ROSL-2013.html Please note the change of venue to The Royal Over Seas League this year (we are not at The Royal Geographical Society). Partly this is because the ROSL should provide a more intimate setting for our gathering. But also the new venue reduces the costs of running the event.

Welcome to our new managers!

We welcome Mike and Emma Rutter who replaced Geoff and Patsy Wooles as managers of the Nyika Vwaza Trust in Malawi.

In the UK Mike worked as a Chartered Building Surveyor being one of four partners in a medium sized mixed practice involved in construction and project management. They employed various Architects, Engineers, Quantity Surveyors based in the SW of England before he left to become self-employed about 5 years ago. His experience is with a wide range of construction projects from social housing to royal palaces, hotels and prisons and lots more besides. In the UK Mike and Emma live in a quiet part of Devon not far from Harry Foot as well as close to the Grimshaws  (former UK Trustees) – small world as they say. They run a smallholding using a variety of ancient tractors and machinery, keep various animals grow veg etc – all good experience which will come in useful working for NVT.

Mike and Emma are acting as interim managers until the end of September and we wish them well in this challenging role.

We are searching for Volunteer Trust Managers!

The Nyika-Vwaza Trust is looking for a couple to take up the position of Trust Manager for a term of two years starting on the 1st October 2013.

The Trust Managers are responsible for the day to day management of the trust’s work in both the Nyika National Park and the Vwaza Marsh Game Reserve in Northern Malawi, including liaison with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife.

The position demands a wide variety of skills, as the managers are responsible for both implementation of the management/conservation programme, and the administration of the trust. By any standards the position is challenging as the camp at Chelinda on the Nyika is in a very remote location.

The managers are provided with a house on the Nyika (at Chelinda), a vehicle and living allowances, as well travel costs to and from Malawi.

If you are interested in being considered for the post please send an expression of interest and CV to Chris Walker, Chairman, Nyika Vwaza Trust. E Mail address: panthunzi@Africa-Online.net


The closing date for applications is 15th June 2013.

Towards the end of 2012, a mammal survey by DNPW on the Nyika showed healthy animal numbers in the areas observed. A sighting of three wattled cranes near the Upper Chilinda Bridge was also good news.

At the end of 2012, work was continuing on the drainage between the Dams 2 and 3 roads, as well as the Runyina alternative route. The first phase of the new staff housing project was also completed. Special thanks to Vincent and Dixon, our local Malawian trainee builders, and to Texon Kapira, our master carpenter/trainer.

Knox Mhango has settled into his new position as administrative assistant to the Nyika-Vwaza Trust up on the Nyika, it's good to have him on board!

Before long, and once the worst of the rains are over, our team's thoughts will be turning to the 2013 works programme ...

The Nyika Vwaza (UK) Trust lecture and social evening was held at the Royal Geographical Society on 6th November. The big draw of the evening was the talk given by Jerry Kent and Lisa Holyhead's three year odyssey traveling around Africa in their trusty Land Rover. The talk included the showing of some 300 hundred stunning photographs drawing gasps of amazement from the audience of some 200 hundred people.

Jerry and Lisa invite you to visit their website at www.off2africa.org to discover more about their incredible journey.If you are planning on doing a similar trip then you can also email them at off2africa@ymail.com for advice.

The 2012 Nyika-Vwaza (UK) Trust lecture and social evening.
This year’s annual lecture and social event, hosted by The Nyika-Vwaza (UK) Trust, will again be at the Royal Geographical Society, Exhibition Road entrance, London SW7 2AR on Tuesday 6 November 2012. Doors open at 6pm. The lecture starts at 6.45 pm.


We are very pleased that this year’s lecture will be given by Lisa Holyhead and Jerry Kent, who did a superb job as volunteer Trust Managers based at Chilinda during their travels in Africa. Now back in the UK, the title of their lecture is “One Land Rover, Two Lawyers, Three Years – Our 70,000 Mile Journey Through Africa”.

To apply for tickets go to the Events/RGS 2012 page on our website.

Activity update

Up on the Nyika, the road grading season is under way. The Trust has had positive comments on the work so far. Mr Mteto, the Nyika National Park manager, has said of one section that it's "a dream - like a tarmac road"! Great praise indeed and well done to our team for their efforts! Meanwhile, the early controlled burn programme started at the end of May. Our team of permanent staff have greatly benefited from attending The Mount Mulanje Fire Training Seminar, which was led by members of the US Fire Service. Thanks to the Mount Mulanje Conservation Trust for inviting us along! And finally, Trust manager Geoff Wooles is cautiously optimistic about the several juniper transplants growing in the trial indigenous tree nursery.

Tropical Agriculture Assocation Seminar May 2012

TAA-SW Seminar at Bicton College on Thursday 10 May 2012.


Agriculture in Malawi.

Report by Harry Foot on the Nyika Transfrontier Conservation Area.

After reminding participants of the role of the two Nyika-Vwaza Trusts (one in Malawi and one in the UK) HF recalled the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in 2004 at Chilinda in the heart of the Nyika National Park by Ministers of the Malawi and Zambia Governments expressing their intention to develop a TFCA between their two countries. He was delighted that after almost eight years of negotiations this objective had at last been achieved and the Nyika Transfrontier Conservation Area (NTFCA) was now in being. This was a 5-year project involving the participation of the two Governments, the World Bank, Peace Parks Foundation and Norway (Malawi) with the NVT (Malawi) being an implementing agency.

During the eight years of negotiations the original vision of a project area of some 20,000 square kms has been modified to approx. one third that size but happily both the Nyika National Park and the Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve still form part of the NTFCA. The Zambia section of the NTFCA has been reduced and now comprises the Zambia Nyika National Park, the Mitengi National Forest Reserve, and sections of the Lundazi National Forest Reserve part of which is proposed as the new Chama Nature Park. The original concept of a central Foundation with co-ordinating powers has been replaced with specific NTFCA departments within the relevant Ministries of both Governments.

Within the NTFCA project, NVT (Malawi) will continue to implement its established annual programme of conservation works as agreed with the Malawi Government’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife and the NV(UK)T will continue to provide funds for that programme. NVT (Malawi)’s responsibilities are being increased as the NTFCA budget includes some US$ 800,000 worth of new projects entrusted to NVT (Malawi) to implement, some of which are across the international border in the Zambia Nyika National Park Some help will be provided by the appointment of an Assistant Manager who will be funded through the NTFCA budget. This person will be based in Mzuzu with prime responsibility for Vwaza thus enabling NVT’s volunteer Managers to concentrate on the operations in the two Nyika National Parks. These developments provide the NVT (Malawi) with new challenges, especially working for the first time within an international project, but it is encouraging that an additional source of funding is now on stream enabling the conservation programme to be expanded. It is also gratifying that NVT(Malawi) is trusted to be an implementing agent of the NTFCA project in both Malawi and Zambia.

An interesting consequence of these developments is the boost that is being given to the movement towards a scientific approach to conservation issues. Already, as NTFCA requirements, environmental impact studies are being required before some projects are implemented and, very significantly, the NTFCA project includes funding for the establishment of a Research Centre at Chilinda. These changes chime well with the policy of the Nyika-Vwaza Trusts which have already moved to make informed decisions on scientific rationale by securing the support and involvement of 17 Patroni Naturae, all scientists or experienced nature conservationists.

Thus, with the reaffirmation by the two Governments of their commitment to the conservation of the NTFCA the future for its precious fauna and flora looks hopeful.

Welcome to the Nyika Vwaza Trust’s second blog entry for 2012.

Nyika is looking beautiful and green at this time of year. The pastures are attracting large herds of eland (200+) and are seen only 3 kms from the Chilinda camp. The zebra are always nearby to greet us as we come and go from home. It is pleasing to note the number of young with the eland, zebra and roan.

There are plenty of beautiful orchids to be seen edging the dambos and settled in attractive
clumps on the northern and eastern slopes of many of the ridges.

When our chairperson Chris Walker and Geoff visited Lake Kazuni at Vwaza Marsh, game was
plentiful, including: a herd of 11 elephant, a small pod of hippos near the shore, a large number
of kudu and impala. Wart hogs were seen trotting into the undergrowth.

At the end of 2011, there were no less than FIVE sightings of African wild dogs on the Nyika! – they have not been seen for many years. Meanwhile, preparation for the indigenous tree nursery has begun, despite the onset of the rains on the Nyika. Brick-making for the new permanent housing for local NVT staff has also started. Silt excavated from Dam 1 is being used to make vegetable gardens for our permanent and casual workers and we continue to clear tourist road drains to prevent unnecessary water-fed erosion. Our volunteer manager, Patsy, continues to work with the local school at Chilinda, sharing new ideas with the teachers, and language lessons for our workers will begin again shortly.

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!

Volunteer Trust Manager Vacancy

The Trustees of the Malawi- based Nyika-Vwaza Trust invite applications for the post of Volunteer Trust Manager which will become vacant at the end of December 2010. The post is best suited to a couple sharing the responsibilities who commit to work for a minimum of 12 months, but preferably 2 years. Free accommodation is provided in a purpose built log cabin located at Chelinda in the heart of the Nyika National Park. Return air fares UK to Malawi on commitment to 12 month’s service and thereafter each 12 month’s service. Moderate subsistence allowance.

For full details apply with information about yourselves to the Secretary of the Nyika-Vwaza Trust, Carl Bruessow [Email: carl@mountmulanje.org.mw Tel: +265 (0)1466 282/179]