Conservation Areas

State Conservation Areas

Waterberg Plateau Park

Forming an important part of the Greater Waterberg Landscape, the Waterberg Plateau Park is managed by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism. Waterberg Plateau Park and some 405 km² of surrounding land was declared a Nature Reserve in 1972. Due to the inaccessibility of the plateau, in the early 1970s several of Namibia's endangered species were translocated there to protect them from becoming extinct through poaching and other threats.

The park consists of the sandstone plateau that rises 100-200m above the surrounding plain with near vertical cliffs on the east and west, forming natural boundaries. In the north of the park, the plateau gradually widens and dips to join the plain. A special conserved area of 753 ha is represented by the separated Waterberg plateau. Waterberg is an illustrative example of a natural boundary reserve, where a natural formation, the plateau escarpment, serves as the border for the restricted area. Park management objectives include species reintroduction that involve the costly process of monitoring and identification of individuals (based on target species, sex and condition) and animal treatment and adaptation prior to release on the plateau or elsewhere.

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Communal Conservancies

Four communal conservancies are members of the Greater Waterberg Landscape. A communal conservancy is a system of community-based natural resource management whereby local communities manage and benefit from their natural resources, under an innovative legislative framework. Read more about Namibia's communal Area conservancy programme.

African Wild Dog Conservancy

With an area of 3,824 km², African Wild Dog conservancy covers a large area in the south of the landscape. The conservancy was gazetted in 2005 and over 4,400 people live here. Annual rainfall is 350 - 400 mm.

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Okamatapati Conservancy

Okamatapati Conservancy was gazetted in 2005, covers an area of 3,096 km² and supports approximately 1,860 people. It falls within the Kalahari Sandveld landscape and has an average annual rainfall of 350 - 450 mm.

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Otjituoo Conservancy

Gazetted in 2005, Otjituuo Conservancy covers an area of 6,133 km² and approximately 5,800 people live here. Annual rainfall is 350 - 400 mm and the area falls within the Kalahari sandveld landscape.

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Ozonahi Conservancy

Gazetted in 2005, Ozonahi Conservancy covers an area of 3,204 km². Almost 11,000 people live here. Annual rainfall is 350-400 mm and the area falls within the Kalahari sandveld landscape.

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Freehold Conservancies

Waterberg Conservancy

Waterberg Conservancy was the second freehold conservancy established in Namibia, in 1995. The Waterberg Conservancy includes the Waterberg Plateau Park, Waterberg Guest Farm, the Cheetah Conservation Trust and several surrounding ranches and forms a combined natural habitat of over 150,000 hectares committed to the conservation of flora, fauna and fragile ecosystems. The Conservancy is an active member of CANAM, the Conservancies Association of Namibia.

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