In 1966 the Gonarenzhou National Park was designated as a refuge for wildlife, in the process displacing the traditional communities of the Ndale, Chitsa and Chibhememe people who had lived there for generations. These communities are now fighting to reclaim some of their land and its resources, which have proved so lucrative for private safari and ecotourism companies. Under the Communal Area Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (CAMPFIRE) that was created in 1982, tourist companies must share profits and game with the villages that neighbor the park, but many feel this program falls short. Some members of the Ndale community have illegally moved back into the park, while other community leaders lobby for the right to control revenue-generating activities in the park. These issues concerning the protection of wildlife and the interests of indigenous people will be addressed at the upcoming World Parks Congress that meets in South Africa this September. The Congress meets once every decade.
