The Parks and Buffer Zones Management (P&BZM) Programme focuses on Biodiversity, Conservation and Rehabilitation in the Horn of Africa region. Currently, we are most active in southern and south-western Ethiopia in Gambella, Omo and Nech Sar National Parks and their surroundings. Our main partner is the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority (EWCA) 

The P&BZM Programme co-ordinates and manages a task force involved in an important Trans Frontier Conservation Initiative (TFCI) that aims to conserve the vital ecosystems, goods and services of the Omo-Gambella landscape. A key goal of the TFCI is to establish a cross-border, protected area connectivity between south-western Ethiopia and South Sudan that effectively links Gambella and Boma National Parks. This border witnesses the 2n  largest wildlife migration in Africa, namely that of the White-eared kob, which in size and spectacle is comparable to the great wildebeest migration in Tanzania and Kenya.  Safeguarding the migration of 800,000 White-eared kob requires a meaningful collaboration between stakeholders in both Ethiopia and South Sudan. To this end the TFCI works closely with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Southern Sudan Country Program. 

More recently P&BZM Programme has become involved in the Kipini Wildlife Botanical Conservancy on the east coast of Kenya, thus progressing our conservation efforts further to embrace marine environments.     

• To develop and implement a holistic and integrated Land Use Plan for the Omo-Gambella Landscape to ensure a sustainable flow of economic and environmental benefits.
• To sustainably manage and develop the Gambella, Omo, Nech Sar National Parks and the Kipini Wildlife and Botanical Conservancy and their respective buffer zones. 
• To support a strong conservation movement in Ethiopia by encouraging concerted environmental management and assisting this by establishing a wildlife and biodiversity conservation, informatics  centre.
• To disseminate insightful information to relevant end-users and the general public and reliable research data legislators to facilitate policy-making decisions that will further promote sustainable development. 
• To develop the overall capacity of staff working in the Protected Area  system of Ethiopia.
• To support the establishment of a trust/endowment fund for Protected Areas in Ethiopia in order to promote sustainable financing.

 

• We exchanged tours  in Ethiopia, Tanzania and South Sudan for representatives from government, conservation organisations and higher learning institutes. The missions were organised to stimulate interaction between different stakeholders and to boost cross-border collaboration between Ethiopia and South Sudan. The missions successfully enforced numerous ongoing collaborations. 
• We organised and co-funded a wet season (November 2009) and dry season (March 2010) aerial survey in the Gambella Region. This confirmed that the White-eared kob migration is very significant. The seasonal presence/absence, distribution and density of other wildlife species was also determined, as well as the extent of human activities .
• We put in place an Omo-Gambella Land Use Planning Steering Committee concerned  with integrated land use planning of the Omo-Gambella Landscape, involving ministers, state-ministers and experts from conservation/environmental organisations.
• Parks and Buffer zones, together with other programs of HoA-REC, secured funding from the Royal Netherlands Embassy to support the management and development of Nech Sar and Omo National Park. We provided technical and financial support to Nech Sar National park and formed a tentative consortium comprised of the Wasmoeth Wildlife Foundation, Punt Lodges Plc. and HoA-REC, which aspires to manage and develop both parks in a long term collaboration  with EWCA. 
• We organised a feasibility study for the establishment of a trust/endowment fund for the protected areas system of Ethiopia. The study indicated that the establishment of a fund is feasible, and the establishment thereof will be pursued by HoA-REC and partner organisations.
• We became involved in the sustainable management and development of Kipini Wildlife and Botanical Conservancy. 

• We are continuing with fundraising for the P&BZM Programme and its projects and further promoting conservation in Ethiopia.
• We will coordinate the TFCI Task Force and further our understanding of the dynamics of the Omo-Gambella Landscape. We would like to put in place permanent field teams.
• Feeding relevant planning information to the Omo-Gambella Land Use Planning Steering Committee and to ensure that HoA-REC becomes a valued member of this steering committee. 
• Advancing the consortium concerned with the management and development of Nech Sar and Omo National Parks, and supporting EWCA in the park boundary re-demarcation of both parks.
• We will continue providing support in the establishment of a trust or endowment fund for the protected area system of Ethiopia. 
• We want to establish a comprehensive and standard wildlife and biodiversity conservation informatics centre for Ethiopia.