Parks and Poverty Saadani National Park and Its Impacts on Surrounding Communities Melissa Thaxton Population Reference Bureau July 13, 2006

Saadani National Park Gazetted as a game reserve in 1962 Upgraded to national park in 2003 Total area of 1000 sq km 24 large mammal species Several endangered and rare animal and plant species

Saadani National Park (SANAPA) vicinity includes Maziwe Marine Reserve and two collaborative fisheries management areas SANAPA straddles Pangani and Bogomoyo coastal districts 10 bordering villages Population 13,000 Geographic Area

Population, Equity, AIDS and Coastal Ecosystems (PEACE) Project Implemented by: URI Coastal Resources Center Tanzania Coastal Management Partnership (TCMP) Population Reference Bureau (PRB) IUCN Funded by USAID/Washington Implemented in: 8 villages in northern Bagamoyo and southern Pangani districts, Tanzania

PEACE Project Goal To understand and mitigate the impacts of HIV/AIDS on biodiversity in the project area using integrated coastal management (ICM) processes, while mainstreaming gender and population dimensions.

To Understand the Links Threats Assessment Conducted Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) Key informant interviews Interviews with AIDS-affected households Scenario interviews

Main Findings of Threats Assessment: HIV/AIDS Impacts on Environment Overuse of natural resources (esp. over-fishing and deforestation) Loss of human capacity and labor Increased food insecurity Loss of traditional knowledge Gender inequity, population dynamics, and poverty are critical factors SANAPA adds to the complexity and, in some cases, the severity of these critical factors

SANAPA’s Negative Impacts on Communities Increased food insecurity Increased wildlife- human conflict Increased community-park conflict

SANAPA’s Negative Impacts on Communities Decreased mobility Decreased access to natural resources Decreased access to health services and schools

SANAPA’s Positive Impacts on Communities Support for construction of secondary school and health dispensary Construction of wells and water pumps

To Mitigate the Impacts Raise awareness about HIV/AIDS, and the disease’s impact on natural resources Decrease stigma associated with HIV/AIDS Reduce poverty Reduce gender inequality Decrease rate of deforestation

To Mitigate the Impacts Identified “doable” actions in consultation with villagers: AIDS “theater” Paprika farming Milkfish farming Poultry raising Fuel-efficient stoves

Parks and Poverty In the short-term, poverty appears to have increased due to the establishment of Saadani National Park But there are many opportunities for SANAPA to initiate and/or support positive change in the medium- and long-terms