Matthews Elias Mumba (ELP 2024) | Park Manager - Malawi-Zambia (MAZA) TFCA National Focal Point, Department of National Parks and Wildlife, Malawi
My conservation journey began at the age of nine, living with my grandfather, who owned a 20-hectare forest with both indigenous and exotic species. Through tree planting and managing a natural fruits business, he instilled in me a deep love for nature, inspiring me to pursue a degree in natural resources management. However, after completing my undergraduate studies, I faced job scarcity and initially worked outside my field at Plan International Malawi. Driven by passion for conservation, I left after two years to join the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW), despite the lower salary.
In December 2018, I joined the Malawi Government's Civil Service as a Research Officer in DNPW. Over time, I advanced to the position of Park Manager for Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve in Northern Malawi. Throughout my career, I have participated in various trainings and conferences on biodiversity and climate change, both within and outside Malawi. One of my notable achievements was being the only Malawian awardee at the 2019 Global Biodiversity Conference in Leiden, the Netherlands.
In February 2023, I was nominated as the National Focal Point (Desk Officer) for the Malawi-Zambia Transfrontier Conservation Area (MAZA-TFCA), part of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Network. In this role, I oversee the collaborative management of these transboundary resources, a responsibility critical to advancing biodiversity conservation and fostering socioeconomic development.
As Park Manager, my duties include coordinating all activities related to the reserve, addressing stakeholders' concerns, and ensuring effective communication for landscape improvement. I am also responsible for bolstering wildlife law enforcement, which involves formulating and implementing strategies to combat illegal activities that threaten local flora and fauna. Additionally, I manage environmental education and wildlife research, ensuring a comprehensive approach to resource management and conservation. Infrastructure development within protected areas is another key aspect of my role, where I ensure that all developments align with sustainable practices. My involvement in tourism management focuses on balancing visitor attraction with preserving ecological integrity. A significant part of my work includes managing fence systems designed to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts, thereby ensuring the safety of both community members and wildlife, and fostering harmonious coexistence.
One of the major challenges I face is the pervasive issue of human-wildlife conflict, which demands immediate attention. Deploying rangers to protect communities from elephants and other wildlife is essential to safeguarding lives and properties. This challenge requires not only efficient conflict resolution strategies, but also a delicate balance between conservation efforts and the needs of human settlements, particularly in the context of climate change. Another critical challenge is the surge in poaching, driven by limited livelihood options for communities surrounding protected areas—a situation exacerbated by unreliable rainfall patterns linked to climate change. Addressing this issue requires a multifaceted approach that integrates community-based livelihood initiatives. Developing skills in environmental management, community engagement, and effective communication is crucial for tackling the root causes of poaching and implementing sustainable solutions. Encroachment and deforestation pose severe threats to wildlife habitats within protected areas, further contributing to climate change impacts.
The Beahrs Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) offered a unique opportunity to deepen my understanding of climate change issues affecting Malawi, such as El Niño, prolonged droughts, cyclones, and floods. Malawi, being a party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), developed a National Adaptation Plan Framework in 2021 to align efforts to address climate change. It has a goal of reducing the vulnerability of Malawians, ecosystems and socioeconomic development to the effects of climate change through adaptation and mitigation, technology transfer and capacity building (Republic of Malawi. “Updated Nationally Determined Contributions”).
With nearly six years of experience in Malawi's public conservation sector, I am committed to elevating both my work performance and that of the department in biodiversity conservation, contributing to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The ELP aligns with Malawi Vision 2063 Enabler 7 for Environmental Sustainability, focusing on sustainable natural resource management and addressing environmental challenges, weak institutional capacity and limited awareness of best practices. Strengthening government-community relationships, particularly with communities affected by climate change, will enhance support for conservation and mitigation measures. The ELP training provided me with knowledge and holistic approaches needed to tackle complex environmental issues and engage effectively with communities.
[The blog post image was first published on Flickr. Original image by Joachim Huber. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA 2.0).]