Gosho Park

Gosho Park is a conservation area of approximately 340 hectares (840 acres; 3.4 km2) of land on the Springvale Estate (it is adjacent to Peterhouse Girls' School and Springvale House), situated in Mashonaland East, Zimbabwe. The park, named after Patrick Gosho and owned by the Peterhouse Group of Schools, is enclosed by a 2.3 metres (7.5 ft) game fence.[4] The park is an area of Brachystegia woodland with two streams, their associated grasslands and rocky outcrops (some with Bushmen paintings). 237 species of birds have been recorded by the Mashonaland East Birding Group with a variety of Brachystegia species such as the spotted creeper, miombo and rufous-bellied tits. There are 72 species of trees in the area as recorded by the Tree Society.[2]

Gosho Park
A map showing the location of the Park in Zimbabwe
A map showing the location of the Park in Zimbabwe
Gosho Park in Zimbabwe
LocationMashonaland East, Zimbabwe
Nearest cityMarondera
Coordinates18°11′11.58″S 31°38′0.0954″E[1]
Area340 hectares (840 acres; 3.4 km2)[2]
Established1984[3]
OwnerPeterhouse Group of Schools
Websitewww.phg.co.zw/environmental-parks.html

History

In 1984 Peter Ginn, the well known bird photographer and Geography teacher at Peterhouse Boys' School, approached The United Bottling Company, Mr Daryl Mitchell from Rakodzi farm and several others and a fence was erected.[5] The park comprises land from Rakodzi farm and Springvale Estate. Later on in 1984, a pond was built and some game (nine impalas and several sables) was introduced. It was named after Patrick Gosho, a former Estate Manager at Springvale House with a history of running the Springvale Estate and being Springvale School's first employee.[4][6]

During the 1980s builders and groups of schoolboys at Peterhouse worked to create roads, trails, picnic sites, the Bush Camp and other facilities.[3] More game was introduced over the years.

See also

It was rumoured among the indigenous African Peterhouse Cohort of the late 1980s that Mr Gosho was in fact the rightful owner of the land that now constitutes Gosho Park.

References
  1. "Birding in Zimbabwe - Gosho Park". BirdLifeZimbabwe.org. BirdLifeZimbabwe.org. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  2. "Environmental Parks". Peterhouse Girls' School. Peterhouse Girls' School. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  3. "Environmental Parks". Peterhouse Boys' School. Peterhouse Boys' School. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  4. "Gosho Park". Springvale House School. Springvale House School. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  5. "Flora of Zimbabwe: Location details: Gosho Park". Flora of Zimbabwe. Flora of Zimbabwe. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  6. Sylvester, Penny (2003). "Springvale School 1953-1979". The Petrean Society. The Petrean Society. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
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