The Plan
Unlike a Conservancy which focuses on the preservation of wildlife to the exclusion of man, the Shangani Sanctuary concept seeks to achieve a balance where people and the natural environment coexist and mutually benefit from one another.
FENCE IN THE ENTIRE SANCTUARY
This is to secure the wildlife and wilderness within and keep the poachers and detrimental forces out
Fencing – The only fencing permitted will be the 165 kilometre sanctuary boundary fence encircling the entire 89,000 hectares
Inhabitants may encircle their homes, crops and livestock bomas with boundaries of wire or thorn scrub for crop protection at their own expense.
EMPOWER THE INHABITANTS
The residents will be encouraged and assisted to improve their lot in life using four income producing strategies:
Livestock – Cattle, sheep and goats are herded during the day and corralled in enclosures – bomas – at night.
Shangani Sanctuary will assist with upgrading existing indigenous breeds to commercial standards with better bulling and management.
The Pezulu abattoir facilities within the Sanctuary will render a vital service to the farmers
Using the Pezulu abattoir will substantially reduce costs for the farmers as they will be able to sell their stock without the requirement for sourcing transport, paying veterinary fees, or paying cattle auction commission fees.
Crops – Crops – dryland or irrigated – will be grown with sufficient fertilizers and other vital inputs to stop nutrient denudation of the soil, thus increasing yields and improving the fields for future rotational cropping.
Pecan Nuts – Sanctuary farmers have been invited to become outgrowers for Pezulu Pecans. The farmers manage and maintain the trees, while Pezulu Pecans establish 50 trees per farmer, then water, fertilize and reap the annual nut crop.
Eco-tourism – Wildlife will occupy the entire Sanctuary, and the six camps will accommodate up to 80 persons at any one time.
Jabulani Safaris – The role model for the Sanctuary is already well established and viable, and has been in existence for over 20 years. Jabulani Safaris operates an eco-tourist facility on 1400 hectares within the sanctuary where visitors are encouraged to walk, hike, ride horses and mountain bicycles amongst the wildlife. It’s all part of the eco-adventure – people and nature co-existing in harmony.
ESTABLISH THE ECO-TOURISM SANCTUARY
Once game-fenced, the internal game-fenced 1400 hectares of Jabulani Safaris will be opened, and with donor funding more animals will be captured and translocated to the Shangani Sanctuary to add additional species, or increase numbers of existing species.
Jabulani Safaris will become one of six tourist camps within the park. Shangani Sanctuary seeks to construct five eco-tourist camps with a different theme in each camp, namely:
- A Tree Top Camp – to be constructed in the style of tree houses;
- An Infinity Camp – to be constructed on a granite whaleback complete with an infinity rock pool, already in existence;
- A Safari Camp – to be styled in the manner of a 1920’s “Out of Africa” East African Safari Camp;
- A Lakeside Camp – to be constructed on the banks of a local dam and complete with a floating bar/dining area;
- A Spiritual Camp – to be constructed in the style of a traditional Matabele Village.
Each camp will be exclusive, catering for a maximum of 10 persons.