La Cusinga's Local Influence

Our family has resided in this beautiful land for over 40 years and has witnessed the myriad socio-economic and environmental changes that have accompanied the area's developmental path.  Despite having proudly collaborated with local and national government representatives in the creation of this zone's national parks, we firmly believe that sustained human growth must form an integral part in any legitimate conservation strategy.  Local communities represent the key to the preservation of an area's natural resources, as town members can either be the greatest stewards or the biggest destructors. 

Tourism, especially with an ecological or sustainable focus, is widely regarded as one of the business models of lowest environmental impact.  While hiking through the trails and wildlife observation affect a natural area but minimally, the local community and its members must perceive at least part of the economic benefit of this activity.  Small-scale sustainable tourist operations have the ability to cause a remarkably positive change within local residents and their relationship with these incredible ecosystems.  Despite a history of harmonious living within the jungle, recent population expansion along with other factors have placed increasing pressure on the area's natural resources over the past 30-40 years.  Through “ecological tourism”, once again we begin to see the value of the forests and oceans in their entirety, rather than the extractable price of specific resources.