The programme’s third objective is
crosscutting, and specifies the steps that need to be taken in
order to address critical MMNR human resource
requirements, and in particular to meet the capacity needs that
the implementation of this plan entails. Importantly, this includes
the recruitment of a variety of specialist staff that will be
essential for leading the implementation of a number of the
management programmes in technical areas that have not
traditionally been a strong of focus of MMNR management (such as a
Community Warden and a Reserve Ecologist).
As is typical for many protected areas, MMNR
staffing and infrastructural development priorities have
traditionally
focused on ensuring and enhancing the protection
of the area’s natural resources, and in
maintaining
a safe and secure environment for visitors to the
Reserve. As a result, the vast majority of MMNR staff
are
currently assigned to the Reserve’s security
sections, and most management infrastructure has been
developed
to support resource protection operations. While
this remains an essential part of MMNR
management
(as discussed above under Objective 2 above),
protected area managers are increasingly having to operate
in
an ever more complex environment, and are required
to address an increasing variety of issues and
threats
that are impacting on the areas for which they are
responsible. The MMNR is no exception to this, and
this
management plan sets out a series of management
programmes that are designed to assist MMNR
management
to address a wide variety of emerging management
issues. Of particular importance in this regard
are
the ecology and tourism programmes, which set out
a detailed set of objectives and actions that need to
be
achieved and implemented in order to ensure the
continued conservation of the MMNR’s exceptional
resources
and the enhancement of the area’s tourism
product. In addition, the Community Programme
deals
with the growing pressures the Reserve is coming
under from surrounding human populations, and
the
growing requirement for the MMNR’s managers
to liaise and cooperate with these adjacent
communities.
The extension of management activities into these
new areas will require dedicated and appropriately
trained
human resources, and increased and diversified
investment in specialised management infrastructure
and
equipment.
This objective therefore sets out a number of
actions that have been developed to ensure that MMNR
management
have sufficient, trained staff to implement key
aspects of this management plan, and that
management
facilities and infrastructure are of sufficient
quality and suitably located to ensure managers can
effectively
carry out their duties. These management actions
are elaborated in the following sections
