Go Back   Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB > Regional Forums > sub-Saharan Africa
Petition against a ghastly new development on the Zambezi, Zambia Petition against a ghastly new development on the Zambezi, Zambia
Register FAQ Calendar Today's Posts
sub-Saharan Africa Topics specific to sub-Saharan Africa. (Includes all countries South of 17 degrees latitude)
Photo by Sean Howman, The Pamir highway in an unseasonably cold late October, Tajikistan

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Sean Howman,
The Pamir highway in an unseasonably
cold late October, Tajikistan



Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 26 Mar 2010
Registered Users
HUBB regular
  
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Suffolk, UK
Posts: 21
Petition against a ghastly new development on the Zambezi, Zambia
HI,

I have set up an online petition against a proposal by Protea Hotels to build a huge ultra-modern new hotel in the pristine Zambezi Valley, opposite the Mana Pools World Heritage Site............and I would greatly appreciate you spending a minute or two signing it and passing the link on to your friends. Facebook and Twitter would be a big help.

Here is the petition

Many thanks

Mike

Here is the text of the original Cape Times article on the matter, written by Tony Weaver (a member here):

THIS is an African fable. Once upon a time, there was a glorious, unspoilt wilderness teeming with elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard and other game. The inky blackness of the night sky, and the brilliance of the stars was undimmed by city lights. The occasional camp fire or paraffin lamp cast a soft glow under the spreading acacia albida trees.
In the north west, a steep escarpment rose from the hot, steamy river valley below, its thickly forested broadleaf woodland slopes a haven for myriad bird and small game species. To the south east of the river, the mopane forest-fringed flood plains rolled into a series of depressions formed by the old water course, and which filled up with water during the rainy season, giving the area its name, Mana Pools.
On the western bank, the Zambian side, lay the Lower Zambezi National Park and the adjacent Chiawa Game Management Area (GMA). A few low key, eco-friendly lodges lay hidden in the riverine forest, built out of local materials.
The lodges respected each other, and tried not to interfere with each other’s clients. There was just one main track through the wilderness area, with a handful of side tracks, all of them four wheel drive only. The rough air strip could handle small aircraft only.
And that’s where the fable ends. As reported elsewhere in today’s Cape Times by my colleague, Melanie Gosling, Protea Hotels Zambia, which operates under franchise from the South African parent company, plans to build an “ultra modern” 144 bed hotel which will have six double-storey blocks of rooms, a parking lot for 40 vehicles, and boat moorings on the river just 12km from the confluence of the Chongwe and Zambezi Rivers, the park’s boundary with the Chiawa GMA (there are no lodges inside the park - they are all in the GMA).
This is sheer lunacy. As it is, the area barely sustains the existing lodges. Almost all of them are only open from April to November, because it is too hot and too wet in December to March to be there. The roads become impassable and the river floods. As Grant Cumings, vice chairman of Conservation Lower Zambezi (CLZ), and whose family owns the low key and gorgeous Chiawa Lodge told Melanie, the Protea Hotel would double the number of hotel beds in the valley - and the existing lodges already operate at below 50 percent occupancy.
A few years back, I was in the Lower Zambezi documenting a Peace Parks elephant collaring exercise, in which we were fitting GPS transmitters to the elephants in order to understand better their migration patterns. We had had a long day out in the thick jesse bush working in humid weather, hot, dangerous work.
That evening, around the fire at the CLZ camp, Grant, the collaring team, Ian Stevenson from CLZ and a couple of other lodge owners and I sat with ice cold Mosi oa Tunya s. It was a brilliant African evening. Earlier, a young bull elephant had wandered through our camp and scratched his rump against the boma upright.
Earlier, we had taken the CLZ boat out and done a slow drive along the Zambezi, doing an elephant count as we went. The banks were full of crocs, and pods of hippo guarded the shallower areas. Ian kept the speed of the boat low, explaining that they and the lodges had agreed to a “no-wake” policy to prevent erosion of the banks.
Around the fire, Grant told of their long battle to secure the area for conservation, and once they had done that, their battle to keep development low-key and appropriate to the wilderness. In particular, he said, they had fought against light pollution from large-scale electrical lighting plants. And now Protea Hotels wants to put in an “ultra modern” 144-bed hotel, which will presumably have ultra modern facilities like bright lights, aircon, discos, a speed boat marina - and no doubt they will then demand that the diabolical, four wheel drive only approach track be tarred so their guests don’t get dusty?
And Mark O'Donnell, chairman of Protea Hotels Zambia’s holding company says he believes the hotel is “appropriate” for the area?
They paved Paradise and they put up a parking lot.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 27 Mar 2010
Registered Users
HUBB regular
  
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Port Harcourt, RS, Nigeria
Posts: 89
Just wondering......

Would the new development create jobs and (any) improvement for the people living in that area?

I look at various maps, data etc. and sadly, there is a very high positive correlation between bright lights, air pollution and development + a high standard of living.

Seems its quite an act to have development without bright lights and its attendant despoiling of 'nature' so to speak.

Tough for the visitors though.
__________________
inyang

Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 28 Mar 2010
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
  
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Posts: 17
Inyang asked: "Would the new development create jobs and (any) improvement for the people living in that area?"

The area is relatively lightly populated, with most of the locals living outside the Game Management Area, closer to Chirundu. Many of the locals are already employed in tourism and conservation, at the very low key, eco-friendly lodges that are already there (none of which are on mains electricity). If anything, the hotel will have a negative effect on tourism, because travellers go there for the Lower Zambezi's incredible sense of place, and to get away from the bright lights.
Livingstone already has plenty of bright lights mega hotels, so it's beyond me why Protea would want to build in the Lower Zambezi, where, besides anything else, they will have to install more than 30km of power cable just to run the air conditioning etc.

Tony
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 29 Mar 2010
Registered Users
HUBB regular
  
Join Date: May 2007
Location: a place far far away
Posts: 42
Little things like sewage, garbage, staff quarters, Road improvement that will also bring traffic and the air noise trash and chemical pollution that accompanies this, utilities, more planes flying in, more speed boats - canoe companies will love that. All so we can enjoy another eco-friendly lodge in a remote wilderness with gobs of gameviewing..... that is if they don't beat feet across the river. So who is profitting from this development? The lodges and camps that operate 1/2 the year and can't fill their beds? Not the wildlife, not the environment, the tourists -- cheaper accommodations maybe?

Almost forgot. I wonder how the Zambezi River and fishing will be effected?
__________________
Zikomo Safari Camp
Camp Maikaelelo
Reply With Quote
Reply

« Previous Thread | Next Thread »

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 Registered Users and/or Members and 1 guests)
 

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
RUPP Petition - UK Gipper 4 wheel Overland Travel 13 3 Mar 2007 10:26
RUPP Petition - UK Gipper Europe 4 15 Feb 2007 23:38
road pricing - uk petition bikerz Travellers' questions that don't fit anywhere else 4 9 Feb 2007 21:33
Tibesti tourism development??? qwer1234 North Africa 2 2 Apr 2006 18:52
Slides in Africa: storage and development mertens_k Photo Forum 9 4 Sep 2004 03:07

 
 

Announcements

Thinking about traveling? Not sure about the whole thing? Watch the HU Achievable Dream Video Trailers and then get ALL the information you need to get inspired and learn how to travel anywhere in the world!

Have YOU ever wondered who has ridden around the world? We did too - and now here's the list of Circumnavigators!
Check it out now, and add your information if we didn't find you.

Next HU Eventscalendar

25 years of HU Events
Be sure to join us for this huge milestone!

ALL Dates subject to change.

2025 Confirmed Events:

Virginia: April 24-27
Queensland is back! May 2-5
Ecuador June 13-15
Germany Summer: May 29-June 1
CanWest: July 10-13
Switzerland: Aug 14-17
Romania: Date TBC
Austria: Sept. 11-14
California: September 18-21
France: September 19-21
Germany Autumn: Oct 30-Nov 2

Add yourself to the Updates List for each event!

Questions about an event? Ask here

See all event details

 
World's most listened to Adventure Motorbike Show!
Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...

Adventurous Bikers – We've got all your Hygiene & Protection needs SORTED! Powdered Hair & Body Wash, Moisturising Cream Insect Repellent, and Moisturising Cream Sunscreen SPF50. ESSENTIAL | CONVENIENT | FUNCTIONAL.

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

"Ultimate global guide for red-blooded bikers planning overseas exploration. Covers choice & preparation of best bike, shipping overseas, baggage design, riding techniques, travel health, visas, documentation, safety and useful addresses." Recommended. (Grant)



Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance.

Led by special operations veterans, Stanford Medicine affiliated physicians, paramedics and other travel experts, Ripcord is perfect for adventure seekers, climbers, skiers, sports enthusiasts, hunters, international travelers, humanitarian efforts, expeditions and more.

Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance™ combines into a single integrated program the best evacuation and rescue with the premier travel insurance coverages designed for adventurers and travel is covered on motorcycles of all sizes.
(ONLY US RESIDENTS and currently has a limit of 60 days.)

Ripcord Evacuation Insurance is available for ALL nationalities.


 

What others say about HU...

"This site is the BIBLE for international bike travelers." Greg, Australia

"Thank you! The web site, The travels, The insight, The inspiration, Everything, just thanks." Colin, UK

"My friend and I are planning a trip from Singapore to England... We found (the HU) site invaluable as an aid to planning and have based a lot of our purchases (bikes, riding gear, etc.) on what we have learned from this site." Phil, Australia

"I for one always had an adventurous spirit, but you and Susan lit the fire for my trip and I'll be forever grateful for what you two do to inspire others to just do it." Brent, USA

"Your website is a mecca of valuable information and the (video) series is informative, entertaining, and inspiring!" Jennifer, Canada

"Your worldwide organisation and events are the Go To places to for all serious touring and aspiring touring bikers." Trevor, South Africa

"This is the answer to all my questions." Haydn, Australia

"Keep going the excellent work you are doing for Horizons Unlimited - I love it!" Thomas, Germany

Lots more comments here!



Five books by Graham Field!

Every book a diary
Every chapter a day
Every day a journey
Refreshingly honest and compelling tales: the hights and lows of a life on the road. Solo, unsupported, budget journeys of discovery.
Authentic, engaging and evocative travel memoirs, overland, around the world and through life.
All 8 books available from the author or as eBooks and audio books



Back Road Map Books and Backroad GPS Maps for all of Canada - a must have!

Your ad could be here, on EVERY page of the HUBB, or the whole website, or as many as you like!

New to Horizons Unlimited?

New to motorcycle travelling? New to the HU site? Confused? Too many options? It's really very simple - just 4 easy steps!

Horizons Unlimited was founded in 1997 by Grant and Susan Johnson following their journey around the world on a BMW R80G/S.

Susan and Grant Johnson Read more about Grant & Susan's story

Membership - help keep us going!

Horizons Unlimited is not a big multi-national company, just two people who love motorcycle travel and have grown what started as a hobby in 1997 into a full time job (usually 8-10 hours per day and 7 days a week) and a labour of love. To keep it going and a roof over our heads, we run events all over the world with the help of volunteers; we sell inspirational and informative DVDs; we have a few selected advertisers; and we make a small amount from memberships.

You don't have to be a Member to come to an HU meeting, access the website, or ask questions on the HUBB. What you get for your membership contribution is our sincere gratitude, good karma and knowing that you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive. Contributing Members and Gold Members do get additional features on the HUBB. Here's a list of all the Member benefits on the HUBB.



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 03:28.

Contact Us - Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Travellers Website - Archive - Privacy Statement - Top