Eminently EveEcotourism is a form of tourism intended to support conservation efforts of wildlife, nature and environment.
In a country like ours where the majority of our tourism is based on wildlife and landscapes, the hosts of every destination we visit (including ourselves) should ideally push for ecotourism to ensure sustainability. Of all the subjects surrounding tourism, that of Ecotourism speaks more directly to my heart. Below I will be sharing 6 steps that we can take, as travellers, to support ecotourism in Zimbabwe
1. Support responsible, conservation oriented projects/ game parks/ nature reserves
By supporting projects that stand for ecotourism, we will be establishing a level of excellence in how tourism destinations should operate. As the consumers, we have the power to dictate how the tourism operators need to treat our wildlife and nature. If we pay to visit places that have proven to not care about the sustainability of their activities, or the welfare of the wildlife in their care, we will be essentially rewarding bad behavior. So let us be very mindful of where we put our money. At the end of the day, we want to be able to drive our children and great grandchildren to these destinations, finding them in the same state or even better than they are in today.
2. Reduce waste production
Waste contributes to the degradation of the environment and air regardless of the disposal methods used. Of course some waste disposal methods help to alleviate the impact waste has on the environment, however, that is still not good enough. It is therefore of paramount importance to pay attention to the amount of waste one accumulates during a specific trip. Examples of things to do to reduce waste include the use of reusable bags instead of buying a bag for each purchase made; where possible, purchase unpackaged goods and products, then pack them in a reusable bag. You can also bring reusables and recyclables from home to use during the trip instead of purchasing ‘one time use’ products or equipment during your trip.
3. Limit energy use
In Zimbabwe, the two main sources of electricity are the power plants in Hwange which use coal and the hydroelectric turbines in Kariba powered by water. The more energy we use, the more has to be generated. Now, considering the amount of destruction caused by the process of generating this energy, using too much is a luxury we can not afford because it has some serious repercussions. For example, in the case of the coal power plant, a lot of pollutants are emitted into the environment which contribute to global warming. Coal is also a nonrenewable energy source as it takes millions of years to form, and therefore the more energy we use, the faster we are depleting it. The coal used is also only accessed by causing serious land degradation. Massive tracts of land have to be dug up (in the case of surface mining) and huge amounts of earth and rock are brought up (in the case of underground mining). So, the more energy we use, the more land, vegetation and other wildlife forms are destroyed.
Some of the ways we can reduce energy consumption are by encouraging the destinations we visit to use low energy lighting, and energy efficient appliances in the form of refrigerators, freezers, televisions, washing machines etc. These may be a bit more expensive to purchase but will save up to 50% energy. Fridges should also be well maintained to ensure that door seals are tight and units are regularly defrosted with no ice build-up. The use of renewable energy systems such as solar where applicable can also be a great alternative. As visitors, we should also make sure that lights and any other equipment that use energy are turned off when not in use.
4. Limit water consumption
If you do a quick google search, you will read that water is a renewable source. However, that is not entirely true because it depends on the context. Water is a renewable source if we are considering only the fact that when it is in its liquid state, it has the ability to evaporate into vapor, then condense to form clouds, and finally precipitate back to earth in the form of rain.
The big part of the story that is not mentioned but is the most relevant part to you and me is that, when the water precipitates back down in the form of rain, it is stored on the Earth’s surface in rivers, dams and other forms of wetlands. And that surface water is what we are meant to utilize as humans and all the other life forms on this Earth. However, you will notice that, we have now resorted to borehole water (which is groundwater). And Why is that?!….
We have managed to pollute our surface water systems to alarming rates a) by having big and small industrial companies dispose of their untreated waste into the rivers, b) by disposing of our household waste into rivers, c) by extending residential areas but not putting in proper sewerage systems (if at all) resulting in too much raw waste finding its way to water bodies, d) by dumping litter and other waste through our vehicle windows (or just while walking), which then end up in the rivers (…the list is endless). We have also managed to significantly reduce the carrying capacity of our rivers by practices such as river/stream bank cultivation. As if that is not enough, we are destroying our wetlands at an alarming rate, to accommodate our ever growing (& in most cases greedy) population. Wetlands are supposed to help us in purifying the surface water. They also store large amounts of water during flooding and then release that water for us to utilize during droughts. So now, we have resorted to groundwater (via boreholes) because we have destroyed and polluted the surface water sources to the extent that the tap water (Harare for example) has become toxic to drink.
If you do a second quick google search but this time searching specifically for groundwater, you will find out that it is a nonrenewable source. Meaning, if we do not use it sparingly, we will deplete it. You know that is true because the area where you used to drill boreholes 20 years ago and reach water in just 40m, you were told 10years ago that they now had drill 80m down. Then just a few months ago you were told, actually, there is no water anymore – they have to now look for another area where they can find the water.
I could go on and on on this topic… But the bottom line is, all our natural resources are finite and that includes water. No matter where we are, we have to use it sparingly. I put emphasis on this because when we go on trips we tend to become reckless – showering for hours, forgetting taps open, etc – because in those circumstances, the water bill is not our responsibility. Unfortunately, there is no amount of money that can buy natural resources once they are gone.
In addition to the above, we can also reduce our water consumption by utilizing the dual flush system (the one shown in the image). If the smaller button is pressed, then less water will be used. It is therefore perfect when flushing the liquid waste; while the bigger button can be used for the solids. If/when you visit destinations which are still using the single flush systems, reach out to the management team and encourage them to introduce the dual flush system at their resort. Each time we flush the toilet, a minimum of around 4.5 litres of water is used (in some older model cisterns , pre 1980 this volume can reach over 20 litres). And an interesting fact to note is that, with the dual flush toilets 60 – 70% more is actually saved.
5. The use of proper sewerage
Most environmentally inclined facilities are only happy to share what goes on behind the scenes as it gives them an opportunity to impart some environmental lessons to their guests. So when you visit do not hesitate to ask some questions, respectfully of course. For example, do ask questions about the sewerage system they use. When it comes to sewerage disposal, most game parks and nature reserves are fairly remote. They therefore have to be self sufficient in providing waste disposal for their guests and staff. Poor sewerage disposal means can lead to raw untreated sewerage leaching into the soil and into the aquifers, resulting in the contamination of the groundwater (water under the Earth’s surface). This is something you do not want happening because it is the same water being cooked with and you are also being provided with to drink in most cases. In addition to the health implications this has, the destinations also end up being unnecessarily expensive to try and cushion the high cleanup costs, and high costs of getting alternative water supplies. Unfortunately, we also have aquatic animals (like fish, toads, crabs), which do not have the luxury of finding alternative sources of water.
The most common environmentally friendly sewerage disposal system, in those circumstances, is the one where raw sewerage enters a septic tank and the solids remain there, getting broken down by Anaerobic bacteria. The liquid waste flows out of the septic tank into a large underground area (commonly called a French drain) where aerobic bacteria further decomposes the waste, leaving clean water to leach back into the soil and ultimately enter underground aquifers. Destinations that pay attention to ensuring that their septic tanks function well are easy to identify because the cleaning materials and or detergents that will be used will not be the standard ones we are used to seeing in the shops – they will buy only septic tank friendly cleaning agents which are designed to clean but not harm the anaerobic or aerobic bacteria in the septic tank and drainage systems – remember, if those bacteria die, then basically raw untreated sewerage will leach into the soil.
6. Promote environmental education
It is important that your trips are not just empty but are filled with informative parts to them. Being that most of our lives centre around urban living, most of us are pretty clueless with regards to many aspects of the natural world that exists outside of our cities, towns, villages and growth points. Think of how admirable our parents and grand parents’ level of wildlife general knowledge is. I never had any challenges at primary and secondary school when it came to those topics. In fact, a simple question always ended up turning into a 2 hour wildlife lecture. I can only imagine what the situation is like now with our generation as parents. How much are we truly able to share and pass on to the young ones when it comes to our wildlife and environmental heritage?!
Game park visits should not be just about braaing, seeing an animal which you can not even identify and going home. It should be about taking pride in your heritage being that we actually have so much to be proud of and to show off to the whole world. The process starts by being patient and being observant in the wild. Always have a question when you leave and ask it to social media wildlife groups or to google. I promise you, the answers you will get will just blow your mind away. There is a lot of information freely available on the Internet which will add an extra element of fun when visiting the natural world. You will be surprised how something as apparently insignificant as a large beetle flying past can turn into an hour spent watching what you have now identified as a dung beetle going about its fascinating life! Some people are more interested in larger animals, others in birds, butterflies or even trees and/or grasses. Unfortunately,many of them have to fly across the world to experience that.
Guess what?!
In Zimbabwe we are blessed to still have these areas that can offer us a full palette of living organisms to look out for and enjoy observing. Let us take care of it and make sure our children and our children’s children can enjoy them too. If you visit a game park that offers tour guides, take advantage of them and learn as much as you can. Those tour guides are walking wildlife encyclopedias :).
Remember to always have a little intimacy in your life, & as always I’m talking about intimacy with nature.
