UNESCO World Heritage Siteauthorities have expressed concern at the environmental impacts of plans to reportedly increase the number of lodges in the Serengeti National Park by 250 and the number of permanent tented camps by 300.
The World Heritage Centre WHC and the International Union for Conservation on Nature conducted a reactive monitoring mission to the UNESCO World Heritage Site in January, raising red flags about the growing impacts of tourism inside the property.
The mission noted that the increasing density of lodges, tented camps and other tourism infrastructure in the property and along the migration routes in the wider Serengeti ecosystem is increasingly likely to impact the wildebeest migration, one of the main attributes of the Outstanding Universal Value OUV.
In February, Tanzanias Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism submitted a report on the state of conservation in the property, asserting that the construction of tourism accommodation facilities has been strategically planned and implemented in line with the national parks General Management Plan GMP.
Most of the facilities located along the migration routes are seasonal camps that stay temporarily three to six months with less impact to OUV. The State Party will continue to monitor and act accordingly, in case of any impact including relocation of the seasonal camps where necessary, the Ministry added.
