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.

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  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]

The Malawi Trust has completed the new bridge at Dam 3 at Chelinda. Our guys are now camping out, doing vital road slashing and firebreak cutting in the Nyika National Park.

Bridge over the River (North) Rumphi

Hi,

This is our first blog so I will keep in short.

Attached is a picture of the new bridge built by the Trust over the North Rumphi river in mid-September.

We had planned to build a steel bridge but scrap steel truck chassis are in short supply in Malawi. Poaching has been increasing in the north east of the Park and access by patrols has been made difficult by the lack of a bridge.

The killing of two roans at the end of August was the final straw. We cut down some blue gums to make the beams and collected some pine off-cuts and took them to North Rumphi - the blue gums had to be dragged down the steep slope to the river!

It took less than two days and a lot of hard work (the picture just shows myself, Charles Chihana from DNPW and the two carpenters who put the finishing touches to the bridge after the main work force had left) to rebuild a bridge destroyed over a decade ago.

Over the next few days Trust workers led by Jo Kapira cleared 18km of road beyond the bridge which had become overgrown. This should now enable the poaching patrols to access areas of the Park previously inaccessible to vehicles and will hopefully give the poachers something to think about!

Regards,

Jerry & Lisa

The Bund (dam) at Lake Kazuni

Every year the Nyika-Vwaza Trust builds a dam across the outflow at Lake Kazuni to ensure the water level in the lake stays at a level that supports the wildlife, especially the hippopotamus.

Welcome to the Nyika Vwaza Trust blog!