Zambia Community-Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) Governance Manuals
The Wildlife Act (14 of 2015) indicates that Community Resources Boards (CRBs) are co-responsible for management of natural resources in Game Management Areas (GMAs). One of the important aspects of this responsibility is the community management of wildlife and other natural resources. This management includes the monitoring of animal numbers, protecting wildlife from illegal activities, managing the co-existence of wildlife and human beings and making sure that the wildlife resources are
used in the correct way.
The Board carries out the day to day running and administration of the CRB and is responsible for implementing the decisions on behalf of communities of the Chiefdom. The Board has sub-committees, one of which is the Natural Resources Committee (NRC) which is responsible for activities required to manage and protect wildlife resources. This sub-committee has to work closely with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) officers in charge of the GMA.
While the NRC members cannot be expected to carry out the management activities themselves, they are responsible for making sure that the activities take place and are reported to the Board and the DNPW. The NRC of the CRB supervises the employment of community scouts (CSs) who work in the GMA under the supervision of a Wildlife Police Officer (WPO) in carrying out patrols for the monitoring and protection of wildlife. The success of these activities can be measured by the wildlife numbers in the GMA and the extent of the benefits they generate.