Parque Nacional da Gorongosa Moçambique

 

Gorongosa National Park's Scientific Services program, a branch of the Department of Conservation, collects and analyzes scientific information about the Gorongosa ecosystem.  The activities of Scientific Services include routine research tasks such as monitoring and analysis of active fire and the impact of fires, species monitoring (new invasive species or locations of infestation, diseases, census), vegetation change monitoring (soil moisture records, greenness plots), hydrometric and weather data (online as well as ground data), and animal monitoring (problem animals, animal tracking).

We study the complex interrelationship between the ecosystem and the many traditional communities living in the region that affect it and depend on the area's natural resources for their livelihoods. We work with other Park departments to build support for conservation and improve the lives of local people. Our principal long-term goal is to inspire and train Mozambican students, managers, and technicians interested in conserving biodiversity and implementing sustainable development projects. We hope that the Gorongosa Research Center will become a model for similar research centers elsewhere in Africa.

View a list of research activities completed in 2007:

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View a list of student research conducted in 2008 and research planned for 2009:

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Prospective Researchers

Prospective researchers should review the strategy documents corresponding with our selected research priorities and assess the appropriateness of their research:

1) Fire Management  [Read Strategy Document]
2) Re-introduction of Wildlife  [Read Strategy Document] 
3) Hydrology of the Lake Urema Floodplain System  [Read Strategy Document]
4) Invasive Plant Management  [Read Strategy Document 1; Document 2]   

If you feel that your research aligns with our selected research priorities, please fill in the Application for Research Permit and Data User Agreement and follow instructions for submission.  Gorongosa National Park reserves the right to deny research requests for any reason, particularly those requests which are incomplete, scientifically unsound, or do not address the priorities outlined above.  We may also ask interested researchers to re-programme their research request (i.e. to a later time or to work in collaboration with additional partners). 

Transparency, regarding data/info ownership and the linkage to an institution, as well as timing regarding the availability of results, are important concerns for Gorongosa National Park.  Applicants should also take into consideration the understanding that research in our context often deals with animal and plant
specimen and/or diseases which require special treatment (legally and ethically). Researchers should expect time for the evaluation of their research request and allow time to programme the activities within our other work being conducted. This could mean that a researcher may only be permitted to conduct research several months after the submission of the documents (please make special note of this if your research is time-sensitive or seasonal).