Conservation / Wilderness Safaris Related Projects / Doro !Nawas Conservancy

The development of the Doro !Nawas Conservancy follows on the success of Damaraland Camp in the neighbouring Torra Conservancy. Here Wilderness Safaris and the community members have cooperated in a joint venture that is acknowledged as a shining example of modern community-based ecotourism.

In return for responsible management of wildlife populations, the Namibian government gives communities the rights to consumptive and non-consumptive use of this natural resource. The community members elect a representative committee to effect these rights, to equitably distribute income and to negotiate with third parties such as Wilderness Safaris. The formation of the conservancy has resulted in substantially increased numbers of desert wildlife and in upliftment of the local community.

Doro Nawas Camp is a joint venture between Wilderness Safaris, the Doro !Nawas community and a Namibian empowerment company. The enormous Doro !Nawas Conservancy is 407 300 hectares and represents some 450 community members who, in addition to acting as landlords in the conservancy, together hold a 40% share in Doro Nawas Camp. As with Damaraland Camp, all camp staff are intended to be sourced from the community and trained by Wilderness Safaris with revenues flowing from the camp to the community through significant bed-night levies, the provision of services, secondary businesses and salaries. The community earns a percentage of the camp's bed-night accommodation revenue.

The aims of this venture can be summarised as follows:

To create a high-income, low-impact tourism camp for sustainable tourism
To train members of the local community in all aspects of tourism
To create immediate employment in a previously low-employment area
To uplift the local area financially and socially
To allow local wildlife numbers to increase and stabilise.

In 2007, Wilderness Safaris and the Doro !Nawas Conservancy made history when representatives signed one of Namibia's first Joint Ventures with a conservancy. The venture is a pioneering project which supports Vision 2030 goals set to ensure effective management of the nation's natural and human resources critical to economic development.