About “Save Awash National Park”

What is SANP?

”Save Awash National Park” (SANP) is a not for profit project, established in 2009 by the Filoha Hamadryas Project, to facilitate the conservation of Awash National Park’s natural heritage. With the backing of park management and the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority, SANP is working to tackle the issues facing Awash National Park and the local pastoralist communities to ensure the long term survival, prosperity and health of both.

Goals of Save Awash National Park

To work with park management and park-associated communities to:

1. bring currently unmanaged use of resources under control and develop alternate sustainable conservation friendly livelihoods
2. provide strict protection of exceptional ecosystems
3. develop park management capacity for secure and efficient running of ANP
4. develop and manage tourism in ANP in a culturally and environmentally friendly manner so that revenue generated contributes both to conservation management and diversifying the livelihood opportunities of park-associated communities in the area
5. build positive and constructive partnerships that enhance dialogue and participatory management, strengthen the global image of ANP and facilitate livelihood development.

Ultimately, the aim is to ensure the long term protection, survival, prosperity and health of ANP and the park-associated communities.

Challenges facing Awash National Park

The biggest challenge facing ANP is the increasing presence of humans within the park and their unsustainable and unmanaged use of natural resources. Having resided in the area for centuries, the nomadic pastoralists were cleared – by force – from the park at its inception in 1966. However, due to population growth and the conversion of alternate grazing land into farms, the nomads and their animals had little other option but to re-enter the park about 25 years ago. Sadly, their return has had a devastating impact on the wildlife, particularly the larger mammals, with an estimated five of the 80 recorded mammal species in the park either extinct or extremely vulnerable and the populations of many others in serious decline. The birds (452 species) and reptiles (43 species) have fared much better with ostriches being the only reported species to become locally extinct.

Nearly half of the forest that once bordered the park has been, and continues to be, converted into sugar plantations. While the plantations are important to the Ethiopian economy, its location right along the border of the park and, in some instances, inside the park, has meant a massive loss of valuable habitat buffer zones and the creation of isolated pockets of habitat and wildlife. Moreover, the loss of adjoining habitat has forced the wildlife and livestock that once there to move into the park creating even greater pressure on its limited resources.

The loss of land outside of the park has led to a recent spate of land clearing inside the park. Established acacia forest are being cleared for charcoal production and small scale farming.

Prosopis juliflora, an invasive tree species from Central America, has established a foothold along the eastern side of the park and is continuing to spread. Parthenium hysterophorus, another invasive plant species from the America, has become established in the park's south.

Illegal shooting of wildlife occurs at low levels within the park. Large predators, such as lion, hyena, leopard and cheetah are often shot on sight by nomadic pastoralists as these animals are considered to be a threat to livestock. Illegal poaching occasionally occurs in remote parts of the park with greater and lesser kudu, waterbuck, oryx and gazelle shot for their meat and baboons and warthog shot for pleasure.

The park management currently lacks the funding, resources and capacity to properly tackle these challenges.

Current Projects

Waterbuck Warden Program

Funded by the Austrian Embassy, the Waterbuck Warden Program focuses on monitoring and protecting the remaining Defassa Waterbuck and their habitat. A seven lesson education booklet entitled 'Caring for our environment' has been developed SANP band will be incorporated into the education program of schools neighbouring the park.

Prosopis juliflora Control Program

Spread primarily by wildlife, livestock and running water, the invasive tree species Prosopis juliflora has entered the park via its eastern border. A problem species because it spreads quickly and inhibits growth in other plant species by denying them sunlight and water, SANP is working ANP and the local community to bring it under control in the north-eastern section of the park. The program is being funded by the Ethiopian Wildlife and Natural History Society.

Strengthening Local Schools

Limited resources make it difficult for the local schools to provide the community with adequate education. SANP has teamed up with the German NGO "Hilfe fuer Afrika e.V." (Help For Africa) to strengthen the schools surrounding Awash NP by providing them with the resources they need and request. So far four schools (Wasaro, Doho, ,Alibetti and Sobure) have been assisted through the provisioning of solar powered lighting, books and the maintenance of existing classrooms.