US embassy cable - 04HARARE2051

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 002051 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/S FOR BNEULING 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR C. COURVELLE, D. TEITELBAUM 
USDOC FOR ROBERT TELCHIN, TREASURY FOR OREN WYCHE-SHAW, 
STATE PASS USAID FOR MARJORIE COPSON, STATE PASS USDOI/FWS 
FOR RICHARD RUGGIERO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV, EAID, ECON, PGOV, ZI, Land Reform 
SUBJECT: SAVE VALLEY: STRUGGLING TO HOLD ON 
 
SUBJECT: SAVE VALLEY: STRUGGLING TO HOLD ON 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: Hammond Ranch, an American-owned property 
in a southeastern Zimbabwe nature conservancy, remains 
threatened by the continuing encroachment of settlers 
encouraged by GOZ land reform policies.  The conservancy 
still hopes to reach an agreement with the settlers that will 
save one of Africa,s key wildlife sanctuaries.  End Summary 
 
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SETTLERS AND LAND REFORM 
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2. (SBU) EconOff recently spent two days with George Hulme, 
the manager of Hammond Ranch (one of 27 properties which make 
up Africa,s largest private wildlife sanctuary, Save Valley 
Conservancy).  Hulme explained that settlers from local 
communal lands and beyond now control conservancy lands on 
two sides of Hammond Ranch.  Although the GOZ has not 
advocated the takeover, settlers have been encouraged by the 
general tenor of GOZ land reform policies. However, due to 
their inability to grow enough food to subsist on their new 
farms, Hulme said the settlers frequently cross onto Hammond 
Ranch property to poach, including setting fires to limit the 
ground where the animals can forage, making poaching that 
much easier. 
 
3. (SBU) Beyond Hammond Ranch, Hulme said, settlers now 
threaten to split the Save Valley Conservancy (SVC) in two as 
those who settled on the eastern and western sides have 
migrated toward the SVC,s center.  If this occurs, wildlife 
would have less space in which to live and the southern 
portion of SVC would be in danger of complete takeover by 
settlers.  (N.B. Thus far, no settlers have moved into the 
northern section of the conservancy.). 
 
4. (SBU) Hulme said another trouble spot is the Sabi River, 
which runs the length of SVC,s Eastern edge.  The SVC and 
the commercial farmers who had owned the land East of the 
river came to an agreement that the entire river would belong 
to SVC.  The commercial farmers had had their own irrigation 
systems and did not need the river for their crops.  However, 
the new settlers on these properties now demand access to the 
river.  Hulme expressed optimism that Hammond Ranch,s 
historic good ties with the local communal peoples will stall 
any takeover, and noted that SVC as a whole continues to 
assist local communities and even settlers to eke out a 
living. 
 
5. (SBU) Commenting on the GOZ,s new wildlife policy 
announced earlier this year, Hulme said a 25 year lease-hold 
was too short a time for anyone to recoup a profit from the 
massive investment needed.  The GOZ recently set up a 
committee from Masvingo province (where the SVC is located) 
to negotiate new terms.  However, according to Hulme, these 
negotiations have now broken down with no new talks scheduled 
before the March parliamentary elections. 
 
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ELEPHANTS AND OTHER ANIMALS 
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6. (SBU) While a longer-term problem, Hulme noted that the 
burgeoning elephant population was also a threat to the 
conservancy.  With no real natural predators and long life 
spans (50-60 years), elephants eat a disproportionate share 
of the food base and have begun crowding out other animals. 
Hulme told EconOff that no general SVC policy is in place, 
but SVC technical committees are working on potential 
solutions- that may include culling the herd or sending 
elephants to other conservation areas in Zimbabwe or other 
countries.  However, he said culling the herd would only 
occur if Zimbabwe could export the ivory from the tusks 
(which would require a special exemption from the Convention 
on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna 
and flora).  (N.B. Most other parks in Zimbabwe also have too 
many elephants and the costs of transporting them outside of 
Zimbabwe are astronomical.) 
 
7. (SBU) Like other SVC properties, Hammond Ranch survives on 
hunting safaris.  Hulme told EconOff that many of the 
individual property owners would prefer to conduct only 
photographic safari tourism, but that those tourists are just 
not coming in sufficient numbers.  In fact, he said, Hammond 
Ranch,s only photo tourism business for 2004 consisted of 
friends of the owners and Embassy personnel. 
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COMMENT 
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8. (SBU)  With invading settlers and falling tourism 
squeezing them, the managers and owners of SVC are 
nonetheless continuing their passionate efforts to save 
African wildlife.  In the end, Hulme and others can only hope 
that a negotiated settlement will be reached before it 
becomes too late to save the conservancy. 
DELL