|
| Laurie Marker |
| Executive Director, Cheetah Conservation Fund |
| A Study of Cheetah Habitat Restoration in Namibia Using Bush Harvesting |
| Location: Namibia |
| Species: Cheetah |
 |
| Abstract: The Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) is examining different methods of extracting invasive acacia bushes in Namibia in an effort to reverse the damage caused by bush encroachment on cheetah and cheetah prey habitat. CCF has been harvesting bush on the organization’s property and using the mulched bush for a variety of purposes, including BushBlok, a clean-burning fuel log that will reduce people’s dependence on charcoal and firewood, and as a source of biomass energy. To ensure that bush harvesting does indeed restore habitat and does not further harm the landscape, this study will look at two different methods of harvesting to determine whether a growth inhibitor is necessary and if grassland savanna species, including cheetahs, are returning to bush-harvested areas. Data acquired from this study will greatly influence the future harvesting of millions of hectares of bush-encroached grasslands in Namibia. |
|
|
