In this new era of green-washing where some take extraordinary steps to be seen to be doing the right thing, a lesser number are actually doing the right thing.
 
 
The Cumings Family and Chiawa Camp have been doing their best for the wildlife and people of the Lower Zambezi since Chiawa Camp was established in 1989, bringing conservation, tourism and an economy - and a future with hope - to wildlife that was under siege to poachers and to people that had few options. The concept of responsible tourism emerged some decades ago, shortly after the concept of sustainable development, and is imbricated in the environmental movement. A definition, adapted from the report "Our Common Future" of the Brundtland Commission (1987), could be applied as "tourism in natural areas that meets the choices and the needs of the present and the future".
 
This tourism gives high priority to the role of preservation of the local ecosystem, sustainability of the well being of local communities, and for the guests the possibility to become immersed in the wilderness, in a safari camp in harmony with its natural environment.
 
Chiawa Camp has since its inception always understood its responsibility towards wildlife as the natural heritage of mankind: to live in harmony with the natural environment we have to help in deepening the commitments towards sustainable development at all levels, from local to global.
 
Chiawa Camp's basic ethos is to consider communities as stakeholders and ultimate beneficiaries of conservation. Its dedication to responsible tourism is more than just a marketing term. Grant and Dave Cumings became Honorary Wildlife Police Officers in the 1980's, when they first started exploring the Lower Zambezi National Park.
 
The whole area was totally devoid of any protective presence and the poaching was more serious than they ever could have imagined. It was during this time that Conservation Lower Zambezi was formed, to fill the gaps in conservation activity, and since then Grant has played an important role in the Board of CLZ.
 
In Chiawa Camp's philosophy, the priority is to conserve rather than to consume, thus the principles of sustainability are a main goal in order to respect and nurture the essence of the environment. It has affirmed its determination to promote the pillars of eco tourism inside Chiawa Camp and outside for the local human community and the wildlife, through conservation projects, through education and social development and through safeguarding the earth's natural resources by respectful practices for a green future.
 
This commitment has led to Chiawa Camp in 2010 being awarded 3rd place in Best Ecologocal Lodge in Africa and being acknowledged as One of Fifty Great Green Places To Stay Worldwide in the Responsible Tourism Awards 2006 At Chiawa Camp "conservation" is not just a word but a way of life.
 
Life in camp

• camp designed and built to the code of Environmental Council of Zambia and Zambia Wildlife Authority


• use of renewable materials in its construction, all natural materials locally purchased.


• considerate design of the camp which blends in with the environment rather than making a statement to stand out against it


• strict trash in/trash out policy


• 24 volt silent inverter power for camp to reduce fossil fuel dependence by 30%


• low energy light bulbs throughout to reduce fossil fuel usage


• provision of personal aluminium water bottles to all guests to reduce consumption of plastic water bottles which resulted in a reduction of waste by approx. 3000 plastic water bottles in 2009


• replacing of 2 stroke outboard boat motors to 4 stroke, reducing emissions and fossil fuel consumption by 50%


• use of recycled paper in all printing of promotional materials

 
Responsible activities, guests' education
considerate guiding; wildlife is observed not influenced or interfered with by Chiawa Camp's presence. Off road driving is kept to a minimum
 
Chiawa Camp designed code of ethics and safari guide training manual for all LZ safari guides in order to ensure more competent and appropriate guiding by all LZ guides
 
sensitive interaction of the camp, its owners and employees/guides with the habitat and wildlife of the LZ
 
guests are introduced to local, relevant principles of ecology & conservation so they leave empowered and with knowledge that their visit has been ""part of the solution, not part of the problem"".
 
offering non-motorised activities such as walks and canoeing to reduce emissions and fossil fuel usage
 
first operator to practice catch & release sport angling and subsequently successfully lobbied government to impose a ban on the killing of any fish species in the LZNP - this is a noteworthy conservation success
 
Conserving pristine wildlife areas means not only day-to-day direct actions of protection but also community involvement. Chiawa Camp has, since its inception, been focused on people through economic & education support and empowerment to surrounding communities.
 
In February 2009 Chiawa Camp established and implemented the Lower Zambezi Conservation Collection in order to raise additional funding towards environmental education and conservation activity through Conservation Lower Zambezi.
 
Chiawa creates employment as 75% of its staff are hired locally, creating an economy and opportunity for otherwise impoverished communities.
 
It provides training for employees so that they can grow within the company or branch out and establish their own businesses. Many aspects of education are developed to help the local poor communities and makes them part of beneficiaries of tourism. Chiawa has raised funds and designed a Safari Guide Training course available at subsidised rates for all Lower Zambezi trainee guides; it thus helps train other guides as well as their own too. This is focused on practical and theoretical training for locals particularly in guiding and hospitality and locals can benefit from Chiawa's renowned in-house training program that has brought together and created an award winning "Best in Africa team of guides".
 
Through their support of CLZ Chiawa Camp's involvement towards communities aims to provide sustainable living and farming practices. People are encouraged to not farm near or denude riverbanks, not only of the Zambezi but also its tributaries and to show them how to terrace fields if they must farm close to the river. This not only prevents erosion and run off but also better ensures rural communities get crops and vegetables in times of heavy rain and flood.
 
In the same way communities are discouraged from littering and from polluting the river with human waste, detergents and fertilisers. Visits are regularly paid, leaflets and posters distributed in order to help people understand the importance of these simple actions too often ignored.
 
In 2003 Chiawa Camp introduced a joint program with a Swiss charity for Aids Education to CLZ's Environmental Education Program. Since then more than forty one villages have been visited in a very large area, the actions include as well as Aids awareness and STIs, pregnancy prevention and Mother To Child Transmission (MTCT) of HIV/AIDS, malaria and sanitation promotion. More the 10.000 children, teachers and community people have been taught the importance of health. A three-day camp is offered to some children at the CLZ's centre the include HIV/AIDS and health education combined with environmental and preservation programme.
 
Medical kits have been distributed to local clinics and education material is given through Chiawa and guest donation for 300 primary students; each Spring time Chiawa Camp purchases and distributes school uniforms and stationery for approximatively 140 students in 1st & 2nd grade of two community primary schools, Chiawa and Mugurameno, through Swiss charity SidEcole.
 
Chiawa Camp donates about 20 bed nights per year (raising some $25,000+ annually) to charity and these are auctioned off to raise funds for orphanges, children's hospices and other charities within Zambia that assist its most vulnerable people, wildlife and habitats.
 
Chiawa's main priority is to protect the biodiversity, which means to provide the wildlife with a safe refuge. When Chiawa, which was the first safari camp ever awarded tourism rights in the LZNP, opened in 1989 the Lower Zambezi National Park had no road access and no parks personnel in the area - opening trails into the park and bringing in personnel to accompany them heralded the first conservation activity seen in the area in decades: bush meat, rhino, elephant poaching was in full force and it took the best part of a decade to make significant victories against the poaching. Since then the owners have become personally engaged in intelligence gathering and strategy planning of law enforcement activity in the LZ. They constantly lobby all levels of government and private sector for improved conservation measures and more sustainable use for the LZ.
 
They are thus involved in many activities, which include for example:
 
In February 2009 Chiawa Camp established and implemented the Lower Zambezi Conservation Collection in order to raise additional funding towards environmental education and conservation activity through Conservation Lower Zambezi.
 
Support to the Africa Wild Dog Conservation program which was based for one year at Old Mondoro whilst Dr Kellie Leigh was monitoring the endangered Wild Dog population. Chiawa still assists AWDC where and when it can by sending them reports on all wild dog sightings and large carnivore information for the LZNP.
 
Chiawa Camp provided strategy, funding an