Zambia
A Thriving Floodplain for All
The health of Zambia’s Kafue Flats—a 6,500 square kilometer area of wetlands, lagoons, grasslands, and floodplains—is critical to the region’s people, wildlife, and national prosperity. Featuring Blue Lagoon and Lochinvar National Parks, the Kafue Flats Game Management Area, and four surrounding chiefdoms, the Kafue Flats is a landscape of astounding natural beauty and striking biodiversity. More than 470 bird species, including the biggest population of one of Africa’s rarest birds, the Wattled Crane, as well as Endangered Grey Crowned Cranes and many other species of conservation concern, have been recorded on the Kafue Flats. The vast plains support many large mammals, including the semi-aquatic Kafue Lechwe, an antelope species found nowhere else on Earth, as well as African buffalo, zebra, hippo, and many others. The annual pulse of Kafue River freshwater across the floodplain supports a bounty of fish, amphibians, and reptiles.
More than 300,000 people also call the Kafue Flats home. The people of the Kafue Flats rely directly on the floodplain for fishing, water supply, building materials, food production, and grazing lands. Their societies are profoundly intertwined with the seasonal rhythms of the floodplain, making a healthy Kafue Flats region critical to their ways of life and their culture. The low-lying flooded plains are an oasis of life-giving waters for thirsty people and wildlife during the prolonged dry season that desiccates the surrounding landscape.
Unfortunately, the ecological integrity of the Kafue Flats is at risk from overgrazing, excessive wildlife hunting, overfishing, and water diversion for hydropower generation—threatening the diversity of this complex ecosystem and all who depend on its natural resources.
Our team engages community members — from children to elders — through fun and educational activities. Children enjoy drawing and painting while learning about crane conservation and the importance of protecting our natural heritage.
Our Innovative Approach
The Kafue Flats Restoration Partnership is a 20-year co-management agreement between the International Crane Foundation, the Government of Zambia (Department of National Parks and Wildlife), and World Wide Fund for Nature of Zambia to restore abundant wildlife and thriving communities on the Kafue Flats for
the long term. The International Crane Foundation is the implementing partner for this innovative agreement, covering both national parks and the game management area. The motto of our partnership is “A Thriving Floodplain for All.”
From these exchanges, the International Crane Foundation, our trusted partners, and community leaders have developed an innovative approach for restoring and sustaining the Kafue Flats: engage community members in all aspects of protecting, managing, and benefiting from the Kafue Flats. Our approach features four pillars of integrated action:
Community Engagement & Livelihoods | Improve basic human needs and income opportunities for local communities as incentives for ecological sustainability and environmental stewardship.
Law Enforcement | Strengthen protected area regulation and management to reduce illegal activities and recover wildlife populations.
Ecological Restoration | Safeguard critical wildlife habitat by removing invasive species, controlling fires, and improving water conditions.
Research and Monitoring | Generate knowledge to support adaptive management and informed decision making.
Top photo: An aerial view of Zambia’s Kafue Flats wetlands.
With generous support from The Elephant Charge, the International Crane Foundation in Zambia recently conducted a series of community radio awareness campaigns to raise understanding and appreciation of the Kafue Flats ecosystem.
A newly commissioned modern office block at Blue Lagoon National Park Headquarters at Naleza will serve as a vital hub for Wildlife management, research, and community engagement in Zambia’s Kafue Flats.
Zambia holds a special place in global crane conservation. The country hosts more than half of the world’s Vulnerable Wattled Crane (Bugeranus carunculatus) population, alongside the Endangered Grey Crowned Crane (Balearica regulorum). These iconic birds depend on vast wetlands such as the Kafue Flats, Bangweulu Wetlands, Liuwa Plain National Park, Busanga Swamps, and Barotse Floodplains for their survival.
