Serengeti National Park

a) Potential impacts of a hydro-electric project in Kenya;

b) Poaching;

c) Reduced and degraded water resources;

d) Potential impact of optical cables’ installation;

e) Proposed road crossing the northern part of the Property 

At the 35th session of the World Heritage Committee (UNESCO, 2011), the State Party announced its decision to reconsider the North Road and to maintain the stretch of 53 km from Kleins Gate to Tabora B traversing the northern wilderness area of the property as a gravel road under the management of the Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) and reserved for tourism and administrative purposes. This decision was welcomed by the World Heritage Committee, who called upon the international community and the donor agencies to consider providing support for the construction of a southern alignment, which avoids Serengeti National Park.

On 1 February 2012, the State Party submitted a report on the state of conservation of the property. This report includes an update on the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the North Road proposal and on the implementation of the 2011 World Heritage Centre/ IUCN reactive monitoring mission recommendations, as requested by the Committee at its 35th session (UNESCO, 2011).

a) North Road and railway proposals

The State Party reports that following the Government’s decision to abandon the part of the road project initially planned to traverse the property, the finalization of the ESIA for the revised North Road proposal has been slowed down. It notes that to conduct the larger Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment (SEA) for the northern Tanzanian road network recommended by the Committee, the State Party is looking for outside funding. The report does not provide information on the plans for the southern alignment.

The World Heritage Centre and IUCN note that in December 2011, Uganda and Tanzania entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a China-based company for the development of three ports and a railway line linking the coast via Musoma to Kampala. The MoU enables the Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company to conduct a feasibility study for the proposed railway route, which forms part of the East African Cooperation transport strategy and regional road sector development programme. Following press reports that the planned railway could traverse the north of the Serengeti, Government and East African Cooperation officials have stated that the route will go south of the property and will not traverse it.

They also note that on 15 March 2012 the East African Court of Justice ruled that a legal case against the North Road proposal across the Serengeti will proceed to a full trial. The suit seeks to permanently restrain the construction of a trunk road or highway across the property and to prevent de-gazettement of the property for the purpose of road construction, among other points.

b) Poaching

The State Party reports a rise in elephant poaching in recent years, with 33 elephants poached in 2011 compared to 12 in 2010 but notes that long-term data over 20 years indicate a demographically healthy and increasing elephant population of over 3000. No case of rhino poaching was recorded in 2011. Another 19 mammal species, including wildebeest, are stable or increasing. The State Party notes that about 40% of the park’s budget is normally spent on anti-poaching efforts, and that in 2011 the Department of Law Enforcement was allocated 42% of the budget, with a separate budget committed to protecting rhinos. Forty-three new rangers were employed during 2011 and the ranger force now constitutes 57% of the total 422 staff. Overall, the State Party considers that its anti-poaching commitment is adequate to respond to the recent rise in elephant poaching. The report also highlights the active involvement of Tanzania in different international and regional agreements to combat illegal harvesting and trafficking of wildlife resources and notes the launch of a new Elephant Management Plan 2010-1015. The State Party also reports that alternative livelihoods have been promoted and supported since 1992, with mixed results, through the Park’s Community Conservation Programme. During 2011 a total of 180,350 USD was allocated to community support. However, the State Party considers that it is difficult to determine whether community support is helping to reduce poaching.

The World Heritage Centre and IUCN note that populations of key species have been stable and are currently not threatened but also note that subsistence poaching, poaching for commercial meat markets, and high-value poaching for ivory and rhino horn within the property have all increased in recent years. IUCN notes that there may be opportunities for park management to collaborate with private concessionaires of neighbouring game reserves on law enforcement.

c) Management of the Mara River Basin

The State Party reports that the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) is undertaking studies to determine the most effective options for implementing the Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (BSAP) for the Sustainable Management of the Mara River in a transboundary context (Kenya/Tanzania). Based on these studies, detailed action plans and budgets will be developed.

d) Implementation of other recommendations

The State Party report also provides details on progress in the ongoing implementation of the mission’s recommendations in relation to managing human-wildlife conflict, controlling the spread of alien invasive species, dialogue with communities in Speke Gulf, determining the maximum carrying capacity of water use in the property and to developing a comprehensive plan to address water shortage issues,  evaluating options to improve the road from Naabi Hill to Seronera, strengthening funding for the General Management Plan, and re-activating the Serengeti Ecosystem Forum. 

The World Heritage Centre and IUCN recall the State Party’s announcement at the 35th session to reconsider the North Road, but note that the current report does not provide any details on concrete plans to develop the southern alignment. They welcome the commitment of the State Party to seek funding for a Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment of the northern Tanzania road network. The World Heritage Centre and IUCN also take note of the announcement by the State Party that the route of a planned railway connection linking the coast to Musoma will go south of the property and will not traverse it.

The World Heritage Centre and IUCN further note that the State Party has made susbtantial efforts to implement Decision 35 COM 7B.7 and some of the recommendations of the 2011 mission and consider that the World Heritage Committee might encourage the State Party to continue its efforts to fully implement them.

The World Heritage Centre and IUCN wish to highlight the rise in poaching within the property and recommend that the Committee request the State Party to continue strengthening its anti-poaching efforts, by increasing the resources allocated and by improving their efficiency. They request the State Party to provide poaching statistics in its next state of conservation report.

The World Heritage Centre and IUCN note the worrying reports received by IUCN of ongoing deforestation of the Mau catchment area of the Mara River and other rivers vital to the northern Serengeti ecosystem and recall that substantial progress has been achieved by the State Party of Tanzania in addressing water management in the Mara Basin, in cooperation with the State Party of Kenya. They consider that the timely implementation of the Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (BSAP) for the Sustainable Management of the Mara River is key to address this threat.