Dedza-Salima Forest Reserve Malawi
In October 2007, the Wildlife Action Group in Malawi
received funding to start an conservation project in Dedza-Salima Forest Reserve.The "Dedza-Salima Forest Reserve Eco-system Rehabilitation Project" is the second major project of the Wildlife Action Group and is essentially an expansion of our Thuma Forest Reserve Project. The main objective of the Dedza-Salima Project equals the objective for the Thuma Project and is the protection of the reserve's flora and fauna and restoration its ecological balance in co-operation with the communities around the Reserve.
Dedza-Salima Forest Reserve is located south-east of Thuma Forest Reserve with the Linthipe River being the boundary between the two reserves. The Dedza-Salima Forest Reserve covers an area of roughly 32.000 ha (320 km²) . Generally the topography, landscape and vegetation is equal to what is found in Thuma Forest Reserve and the separation by name of the two reserves is therefore only administrative; from the more important ecological point of view, the two reserves form one unit and are both vital water catchment areas for Lake Malawi.
However, despite the above mentioned similarities, the differences in wildlife (mammal) species and numbers are shocking; years of almost total lack of law enforcement in the reserve have had a devastating effect on its wildlife. Thuma Forest Reserve was in an equally bad state when the Wildlife Action Group started working there. Now however, it is one of the best protected reserves in Malawi and wildlife numbers are reaching the levels only constrained by the carrying capacity of the area and not by the poaching pressure.
Despite having to start from scratch in Dedza-Salima Forest Reserve, the Wildlife Action Group is convinced to achieve its objectives as in Thuma. On the mid-term this should result in one protected area range of over 500 km² (Thuma F.R. and Dedza-Salima F.R. together) with the potential to serve as one of the top strongholds of the African elephant and other wildlife in Malawi
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