coming soon...
Lusaka
Branch Relaunched
Livingstone
Ndola
Chipata
South
Lunangwa Conversation Society
- Chili
Fences progress for South Luangwa Conservation Society
BRANCH NEWS
01/11/2006
Lusaka
A recycling point for cardboard
and paper has been opened at the national office, off Los
Angeles Boulevard. This is used by APTERS, “Appropriate Paper
Technology Group” based in the University Teaching Hospital
grounds. This group of people affected by polio make brightly
painted wares that can be seen for sale at the Craft Fair in
Kabulonga on the last Saturday of every month. Recently Kenneth
Habaalu and Darius Banda from APTERS assisted a Lusaka
Chongololo Club group to make a papier mache tree for one of the
floats used to commemorate World Environment Day on June 5.
A fund-raising event held at Green Acres in aid of the society’s
on-going campaign to protect forest reserve No. 27 generated K2
million . The lecture evenings continued with a talk by Hugh
Carruthers on the formation of copper ore.
As we near the onset of the rains, Lusaka Branch, in conjunction
with Lusaka City Council, will embark upon a street
tree-planting programme on selected road reserves in the city.
Trees available from council nurseries include Bauhinia
petersiana, Cassia siamea, Delonix regia and Trichilia emetica.
Although these trees and supervision by the council will be
given freely, the labour to plant and tend these saplings, fuel
and a bowser to water the trees for their first dry season will
be needed. If you are interested in helping out or are just
curious, contact the National Office for more information. Help
plant a tree and make Lusaka look pretty.
Livingstone
The Livingstone Branch of the Wildlife and Environmental
Conservation Society of Zambia held its Annual General Meeting
on April 22 2006 at the Livingstone Museum Education Hall. In
spite of the publicity, only eight members turned up. Five other
members gave apologies.
The chairman, Mike Musgrave, gave a report of the society’s
activities over the past year, saying that he felt that the
branch had been very successful in addressing its aims during
that period.
Member activities: Activities achieved for members included:
1) Two outings and four lectures;
2) Two issues of the branch newsletter;
3) Setting up of a society desk at African Visions, with
brochures and other society information.
Despite these activities, the chairman said the branch had not
managed to attract a lot of members. There was a need for a
stronger membership drive in the coming year.
Schools programme
The branch had interacted with four schools and taken a total of
65 children to the game park. Transport had been provided free
by local tour operators, while free entry to the park had been
provided by the Zambia Wildlife Authority.
Environmental and Conservation Activities
The branch had been involved with the baboon problem at Sun
Hotel, the issue of the proposed introduction of lion breeding
in Livingstone and with Birdlife Africa through its Important
Bird Areas programme.
Journal
One of the most ambitious goals, the project had not really
taken off, although a lot of articles had been collected for the
proposed popular and scientific journal. Meanwhile, Lusaka
Branch was reviving the Black Lechwe magazine, and the Zambezi
Society was interested in collaboration on a scientific journal.
National Executive Committee Meetings
The chairman had attended most of the National EXCO meetings in
Lusaka over the past year. The main issues addressed were the
leasing arrangements of society property around Chipata branch,
the financial position of the society, the electing of a new
national chairman, George Allison, and the formation of a Lusaka
Branch.
Involvement in the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation
Area (KAZA TFCA): The branch had become involved with projects
within the KAZA TFCA. This involvement had raised the profile of
the society and meant that the branch was now directly involved
at national level in determining environmental policy. A
memorandum of understanding was about to be concluded between
WECSZ (Livingstone) and the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF).
Application for funding from the British Ecological Society
(BES): The branch had submitted a proposal for a five-year
budget to fund an office and contact centre for a sub-group of
ecologists to be formed within the society. The money, if
received, would be used for the society to set up an office,
employ someone part-time and buy the basic equipment needed to
run an office.
Conclusion
The chairman stated that it had been a very busy year for the
branch, and probably the most successful in a long time. He
thanked everyone for the huge amount of work done by everyone
during the year.
Financial Report
Clare Mateke presented the financial report on behalf of the
treasurer. The branch had opened its financial year with
K1,645,219 in the bank. Total income was K3,206,820, and total
expenditure came to K2,491,408. This gave a surplus income of
K715,412. The closing balances in the bank and cash amounted to
K2,360,631. Payment of 50 per cent of membership dues for 2005
and 2006 to head office were still outstanding. This was due to
changing treasurer several times and delays in sorting out the
bank account.
General Comments: A few members commented that the year had been
good and there had been good commitment from almost everyone.
Elections: Many of the same officers were elected back into
office, although there were a few changes. The election results
were as follows:
Chairperson: Mike Musgrave; vice chairperson: Ali Shenton;
secretary: Clare Mateke; treasurer: Becks Whitefield; education
officer: Mea Norman. Committee members:Bob Stjernstedt, Nicholas
Chooma, Stuart Norman, Mrs Manyanina, Namutabo Situmbeko,
Mulyokela Kalaluka, Alan Sparrow.
Remarks by the incoming chairperson: Mike Musgrave said that
although his time was still limited, he had enjoyed working with
the society and was very keen to continue. He said there was
need for more emphasis on membership and to refocus the branch’s
activities.
Date: q406
