West Mvuvye...

COPY OF E-MAIL BEING SENT
21 October 2003
TO:
Bwalya Chendaoke
Provincial Forestry Officer (Eastern Province)
Chipata,

Dear Mr Chendaoke,
re WEST MVUVYE NATIONAL FOREST #54
I am glad I was able to speak to you in person today, and to learn that our application is timely given the recent lifting of a ban on forest utilization and your office now receiving applications for logging.

It is essential that the Luembe Trust is able to secure rights to the forest which will safeguard the biodiversity and allow for the greater conservation controls necessary. Although our immediate wish is to protect the area and develop its eco-tourism potential, we would also - working under a joint-management agreement with the Forestry Department, wish to utilize sustainable timber resources so as to provide the basis for a local industry for the community. Essentially, this would be done through the Luembe Natural Resources Committee soon to be registered as a Society with the Registrar of Societies, as part of the Conservancy Trust. It is essential, therefore, that no permits are issued which might threaten the integrity of the Conservancy and the income to the development fund for the area. Moneys received from the fund would be used for both Luembe and Mwape, according to traditional territorial rights in existence. We therefore wish to enter into an agreement for a concessionary use of the forest as a whole - bearing in mind that a large part of it to the west of the Luembe-Mwape road is being populated.

I shall endeavour to obtain a signature or letter to this effect from the Chairman of the Nyimba District Council (Councillor Whiteson Njobvu), and one from Senior Chief Luembe - although the latter might take a little longer.

I would appreciate a copy of draft guidelines which you and your committee have drawn up on co-management agreements. As I have helped ZAWA with guidelines on PPP national policy having to do with similar arrangements for national parks, you might find it useful.

I greatly look forward to meeting with you shortly.
Sincerely,

Ian Manning CBiol
Trustee



LUEMBE CONSERVANCY TRUST COMPANY LIMITED
(Company limited by guarantee presently under registration by Registrar of Companies)