CONSERVATION AND ECONOMIC LESSONS LEARNED FROM MANAGING THE NAMIBRAND NATURE RESERVE

The NamibRand Nature Reserve, located in southern Namibia, is a private nature reserve established to protect and conserve the unique ecology and wildlife of the southwest Namib Desert. At 172,200 ha, NamibRand is one of the largest private conservation areas in southern Africa. The reserve consists of 13 former livestock farms rehabilitated into a continuous natural conservation area and shares a 100 km border with the Namib-Naukluft National Park. The reserve is a model for private conservation in southern Africa, as it demonstrates holistic biodiversity conservation balanced with financial sustainability. Innovative approaches to resource management ensure that this critical area bordering on the national park is effectively conserved. Research conducted on the reserve aims to directly benefit management of the reserve and to contribute to the national scientific knowledge base. The project is financially self-sustaining mainly through high-quality, low-impact tourism. Partnerships with local and regional neighbors, and government and other organizations, connect the reserve to a larger conservation landscape throughout Namibia, forming the foundation of the national tourism economy.