The Namche Conference: May 24-26, 2003 People, Park, and Mountain Ecotourism Participants and Presentations: Dr. Marthe Kiley-Worthington

Dr. Marthe Kiley-Worthington (Cambridge, UK); email: mk420@cam.ac.uk Abstract The Worthington Eco Agriculture & Wildllife Conservation Project. M.Kiley-Worthington & C.C.Rendle, Eco Research Centre, Devon & Girton College, University of Cambridge. New ideas on integrating food production & wildlife management of large mammals in Africa. We have successfully run self-sustaining ecological farms for 30 years, and in the last 10 have been teaching large mammals, African elephants, Cape buffalo and zebra to be able to work on ecological farms run by women. In this way food production and wildlife management can be integrated for the poor who do rarely benefit from tourists. We are starting an ecological farm surrounded by a nature reserve where small breeding herds of large mammals will breed and some of whom will be taught to work on the farm safely. This project will have local people coming to learn about ecological agriculture, see it in practise and about large mammals and how to integrate them and train them to act as ambassadors for wildlife among the voters. After setting up, the project will be financed by eco tourists who will come to live on the centre in huts made from local material, study with the local people, learn and help on the farm. All building materials, energy & food will be produced on the farm. This is the result of 30 years developing and running similar farms in UK, studying and teaching in Africa, & consultancy work worldwide. Photographs & video will illustrate the projects including working wild animals

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