Chiawa Camp & Old Mondoro Become Africa's First Carbon Neutral Safari Camps

In 1989, Grant Cumings brought eco-tourism to the Lower Zambezi National Park (LZNP), committing to protect wildlife and habitats; help the local economy, and empower local communities through education, employment and health care. Luxurious but unpretentious Chiawa and rustic but charming Old Mondoro, were established to attract tourists to the Lower Zambezi to see and appreciate its unparalleled beauty, its abundant wildlife, and its hospitable people and, through proceeds, to help sustain them all.

Since all camps use generators for electricity, vehicles for game drives and boats if the camp is on a river or lake,
Chiawa and Old Mondoro purchased carbon credits from the Lower Zambezi REDD+ project, using internationally accepted values for fossil fuel use, to offset any carbon emissions the camps create.

Even without the carbon credits, which are independently audited and issued through Africa's first Climate, Community and Biodiversity Standard (CCBS), a triple-gold-certified project (the second project in the world to achieve international certification), Chiawa would still support the Lower Zambezi REDD+ Project because of the vital role it plays in protecting the habitat and securing the northern boundary of the Lower Zambezi National Park (LZNP), one of the most game-rich parks in Africa.

The project which Chiawa is supporting shares a massive boundary and much of the same eco-system as the LZNP. Thus, not only is Chiawa offsetting carbon emissions, it is also protecting trees, wildlife and habitat from the threat of utter devastation, via a project that can be monitored closely and which has already demonstrated success in reducing deforestation. It has also been successful in anti-poaching activities – this year it captured ivory, a rifle and other contraband used to kill or maim animals.

So far, Chiawa Camp has purchased carbon credits with its own funds, because of its belief in protecting LZNP's formerly exposed northern frontier. For 2016, Chiawa will be adding $5 a bednight to what will become their Park Fees, CLZ Conservation & Community and Carbon Collection.

For more information or bookings: res@chiawa.com or info@chiawa.com or visit: www.chiawa.com