From each of the 6 PECC committees, 2 members were selected and brought to Dar Es Salaam, to visit several conservation organizations, as well as the Wildlife Division as the government institution directly dealing with protected area management (excluding national parks). This trip provided committee members with an overview on how protected areas are managed, and understand the regulations. It allowed them to discuss with key people about their concerns regarding Saadani NP, getting reactions on how these concerns are being addressed through national protected area policy. They also learned about commonalities with other parks, where adjacent communities struggle with similar challenges, and discuss some solutions that have been found elsewhere for addressing such challenges. The visit helped the committee members realize that many regulations are decided at a higher level than that of individual parks. This shifted their view about the ability of Saadani park staff to take action.
Since this activity was comparatively expensive, adequate available funding was an important enabling factor. An existing interest from the side of the hosting institutions to receive the community representatives and dedicate time and effort to meet with them was also crucial.
Committee members in Buyuni said that the visit led to a change in their mindsets – they understood that it is important to support conservation, and they came to believe that it is possible to align conservation and community development. Trip participants especially valued the visit to the Wildlife Division under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT), over the visits to nature conservation organizations, because it is in this government department that decisions about protected area management (albeit not about national park management, which is the responsibility of a separate agency: TANAPA) are taken. Thus, more time should be spent on this institution during future similar trips. From the perspective of Kesho Trust, it would be good to try and engage more strongly with other organizations involved in community and conservation engagement in Tanzania, next time such a visit is conducted.