- Animal Shelter – Many animals in Kenya suffer from neglect, cruelty and abuse. We run a shelter for animals in need; such as lost animals or victims of cruelty. We provide care and a safe environment until animals are reclaimed or re-homed to carefully vetted new owners.
- Investigations and Rescue – We respond to over 6000 calls per year to give help and advice to owners on pet care.
- Education & Advocacy – We arrange and encourage school visits to the shelter to teach children about the importance of animal welfare.
- Spay/Neuter Campaigns – We feel strongly that overpopulation of cats and dogs should be controlled by sterilization rather than by the killing of healthy animals. The KSPCA conducts spay and neuter campaigns in lower income areas when funds are available.
- Humane Slaughter– KSPCA was instrumental in introducing humane slaughter of livestock to Kenya. After having seen the way animals suffer in abattoirs, we embarked on a humane slaughter programme promoting the use of captive bolt pistols. We import captive bolt pistols and blank ammunition, which are sold to abattoirs at cost price. Our inspectors teach slaughter house staff on proper use of captive bolt pistols and their maintenance.
Ajima Farms Energy Division is an exciting, young social enterprise located in Nigeria that seeks to promote energy access in rural off-grid communities. Their Waste-2-Watt project uses biogas to generate electricity. Through targeting energy access to productive activities, Fatima, the founder of Waste-2-Watt, seeks to ‘transform off-grid communities by expanding energy access for socio-economic development.’ We asked Fatima and Sabrina, from the finance advisory team at BfE, for some more insights into the journey that Ajima Farms has taken so far.
The Kibale Chimpanzee Project, established by Dr. Richard Wrangham in 1987, is a long-term field study of the behavior, ecology, and physiology of wild chimpanzees. Our researchers and field staff conduct daily behavioral observations on a group of approximately 60 chimpanzees in the Kanyawara region of Kibale National Park, southwestern Uganda. This research contributes to our understanding of primate behavioral diversity, human evolutionary ecology, and chimpanzee conservation. Please see our publications page for information about this research. On a daily basis, KCP field staff and researchers collect data on chimpanzee social behavior, party composition, ranging, feeding, and health. These observations are supplemented by collection of specialized data, including detailed records of play, tool use, hunting, aggression, and forest phenology. We also conduct non-invasive urine sampling, for hormonal analysis, and fecal sampling, for genetic studies.
The cause for this crisis is essentially the inappropriate and unsustainable exploitation of life support system, which is apparent in the incredible rate of loss of bio-mass cover, soil erosion, irregularity and lack of precipitation, climatic change and creeping desertification.
Therefore, there is not only a strong need to reverse this situation, but also that the demand for some important attitudinal shifts among farmers, entrepreneurs, planners, decision makers, research and development think-thanks, and the public at large has never been more acute.
This needs a rational base for policy development in the fragile area of natural resources management, alongside the responsibility and accountability one should assume.
It is against this background of, on the one hand the horrifying environmental degradation that has rendered life support systems in the country untenable and, on the other, the emergence of new development paradigms on sustainability that LEM, the Environment & Development Society (Lem Ethiopia) is being launched. Thus, Lem the Environment & Development Society of Ethiopia is a citizen’s movement inspired with the concepts of sustainable development and established in March 1992. Since its establishment Lem Ethiopia has entered into a voluntary partnership with communities, schools, civil societies, national & international NGOs, government institutions at different levels, etc. working on environment/natural resources conservation and promotion of alternative technologies to translate the noble ideas of sustainable development and livelihood security into everyday action. It has legally registered by authorized government body & renewed its license every year.
More importantly, LEM Ethiopia enters into a voluntary development partnership with communities, to translate the lofty ideas of a stable environment, sustainable development and livelihood security into everyday action.
ATE’s research arm, the Amboseli Elephant Research Project, has made many important contributions to elephant research over the years. The knowledge gained from the AERP team has profoundly altered the way we think about, conserve and manage elephant populations. Our research has highlighted the ethical implications of dealing with sentient, long-lived, intelligent and social complex animals and our knowledge base provides powerful and authoritative support to elephant conservation and advocacy campaigns worldwide. For more than four decades AERP’s presence has helped ensure the survival of the elephants as well as the Amboseli ecosystem.
AERP research covers many areas including: social organization, behavior, demography, ecological dynamics, spatial analyses and mapping, communication, genetics, human-elephant interactions and cognition. Our long-term datasets underpin all these research topics.
CORE RESEARCH
Our team of Kenyan research assistants and visiting scientists are in the field at least six days a week. We record all demographic events in the population; births and deaths, musth, oestrus and mating. Our routine daily observations note associations between family units and independent males, geographic location, group size, composition, activity and habitat type. Within families we monitor female affiliation and the dispersal of young males from their family to analyze family dynamics. We have systematically monitored the size and growth of over 600 individuals from 1976 to the present. Since 1999 we have collected dung samples for genetic analyses of population origins, paternity and within- and between-family relatedness. We are constantly maintaining and updating our individual records, and we also carry out basic ecological monitoring through vegetation plots, water table measurements and rainfall.
COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH
ATE hosts visiting researchers who contribute to the growing understanding of African elephants in general, and the knowledge base for the sustained future of the Amboseli population in particular.
Researchers interested in collaborating with ATE should address their enquiries to our Director of Science, Prof. Phyllis Lee (phyllis.lee@stir.ac.uk). ATE has always enjoyed a dynamic collaboration network and we welcome the opportunity for new partnerships to continue that tradition. Our collaborations extend across many subject areas:
Communication
Communication is the glue that binds the social network of an intelligent species. Joyce Poole and Petter Granli recorded and analyzed Amboseli elephant vocalizations as part of the work of their NGO ElephantVoices. Their aim is to build our scientific understanding of the intelligence and social complexity of elephants and enhance the toolbox for their conservation and management. At the same time they act as a voice for elephants in a strong advocacy component. You can follow some of their work and activities on the ElephantVoices Facebook page. Other communication studies have focused on elephants’ capacity for individual recognition: Karen McComb pioneered the playback approach and demonstrated that each female elephant recognizes around 100 other females from voice alone.
Elephant Life Histories and Reproduction
Ongoing studies provide vital information on how elephants grow, mature and learn to cope with their physical and social environments. This work, guided by Phyllis Lee asks how longevity and developmental processes contribute to fitness and reproductive success. The four-decade-long Amboseli dataset is now yielding exciting insights into these questions; Phyllis’ work has recently demonstrated that early life experiences have survival and fitness consequences across individual lifetimes. The role of old, experienced females in guiding family decisions has become apparent: families with older matriarchs have improved calf survival and shorter inter-birth intervals for all females in the family. An extreme drought event in 2009 caused the death of many of these important leaders. Vicki Fishlock’s work, supported by the International Fund for Animal Welfare, aims to assess the social and reproductive effects of these losses. As a result of Vicki’s work, we are developing further studies into what leadership and negotiation means for elephant families.
Human-elephant conflict and co-existence
ATE is bringing its specialized knowledge of elephant behavior and society to bear on developing conflict-reduction strategies that are consistent with rural agriculture and Maasai livestock husbandry (see also Community Outreach). Work by Kadzo Kangwana, Christy Browne-Nunez, Patrick Chiyo and Winnie Kiiru has guided and developed our approach to conflict and coexistence.
Genetic analysis
Scientists from Duke University have mapped DNA profiles in order to define family relationships and origins of the Amboseli population. Cross-referenced to behavioral observations, the DNA analysis by Beth Archie examined survival strategies based on relatedness. Beth’s student Patrick Chiyo studied the socio-ecology of crop-raiding elephants using genetic techniques. Patrick’s work expanded to examine male association patterns and the impact of these on high risk activities such a crop-raiding.
Cognition
Dick Byrne and Lucy Bates have examined elephants’ formidable reputation for memory and intelligence by investigating specific cognitive skills designed to probe elephants’ ability to manipulate and respond to their world and each other. Karen McComb and Graeme Shannon have expanded Karen’s early work on elephant communication and vocal recognition into the cognitive sphere by presenting elephants with a series of acoustic “threats” via playback experiments. Their studies show that elephants and discriminate and appropriately respond to varying levels of threats from lions and from humans, and that these abilities are strongest amongst experienced (older) elephants.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
The long-term survival of elephants can only be assured by creating a niche for free-living elephants that is compatible with the needs and aspirations of the surrounding human communities. Elephants and humans have shared the Amboseli landscape for approximately 500 years. With the expansion of settlement, agriculture and livestock numbers inevitably encounters between people and elephants are increasing. ATE’s approach is aimed at maintaining the conservation ethos which has been part of Maasai tradition, but which is increasingly threatened by the pressures of 21st century human society.
Community Relations
Our field staff maintains daily contact with the surrounding Maasai community. This friendly interaction is essential to ensure that landowners maintain a tolerant attitude to the presence and passage of elephants on their group ranch land. We estimate that at any one time 80% of the wildlife in Amboseli is using community lands; without community participation there is simply no future for wildlife. Our approach is to allow a two-way exchange of understanding with communities. Concerns are aired in constructive dialogue, not in retaliatory killing of wildlife. We had proof of the value of this approach in 2012, when a local Maasai man waited for five hours beside an elephant calf trapped in a well. He patiently protected the little calf until he could reach ATE staff via an unreliable mobile phone network, and we then rescued the calf with the help of DSWT staff. Without this man’s care and respect, the calf, who we called Lemoyian, would certainly have died.
Consolation
ATE has an innovative and successful consolation scheme to assist members of the community who lose livestock to elephants. Started in 1997 the program pays an owner of a cow, sheep or goat a set amount when an elephant kills any livestock on community lands. Previously, Maasai custom dictated an elephant had to be speared and killed in retribution for livestock deaths. The number of elephants speared dropped by more than half after the initiation of the consolation scheme. This scheme has since become a model in other areas and for other species.
Maasai Elephant Scouts
ATE operations outside the park include employing fifteen Maasai elephant scouts who patrol the ecosystem on foot, reporting elephant presence and signs, injured elephants and conflicts, as well as signs of poaching and the bushmeat trade. Their work is coordinated with that of the Amboseli-Tsavo Game Scouts Association (ATGSA) and the Big Life Foundation. The ATE scouts support our monitoring work by augmenting our elephant sightings data, especially during the wet season when elephants range widely. Scouts also assist in verification of consolation claims. Support to the scouts contributes to improved community participation and understanding of human-wildlife interaction as well as providing employment in a depressed rural area. We are also beginning a collaboration with the Lion Guardians programme to fund the work of two conflict mitigation scouts, at the request of the Kaputei community.
Indigenous Information Network (IIN) works on both Development,Conservation of Our Environment with a focus on several multilateral agreements, rights issues for women children and for pastoralists and forest- dwelling groups in Kenya. It is a non-profit, volunteer-run non-governmentalorganization (NGO) registered in the Republic of Kenya. The organization was founded in 1996 by a group of professionals in response to addressing needs for information through media and other channels about Indigenous Peoples, their livelihoods, and the challenges they face as they struggle to exist. The organization has been involved in dissemination of information, environmental conservation activities, community development, and advocacy activities to support of Indigenous Peoples, women, girl child, youth and other isolated minorities in the region.
IIN works directly with indigenous groups from rural areas to address issues in the following areas:
- Environmental conservation- With a focus on different multilateral agreements, at the local, national, regional and international levels.
- Health issues, including sexual reproductive health,
- Women’s rights and gender mainstreaming
- Education which includes Girlchild education
- Water issues promoting access to clean water by harvesting the rain, Protecting natural source. We strongly believe without clean water no good health for the communities.
- Economic Empowerment which include fundraising, for both the communities we work especially women and the youth.
- Traditional Knowledge, and protection and preservation of our cultural
- Land rights
- Sustainable development with a focus on sustainable development goals (SDGs)
Communication Strategies:
Indigenous Information Network IIN, believes that information is empowering. Un informed community is like someone in darkness. Engaging the communities and keeping them informed on different development around them is crucial. We do this by helping to set recourse centers and conducts person in every community that we work with so that they can help reach out and share any development issues. IIN also engages in networking and information sharing between the indigenous peoples of Africa and worldwide via electronic and print media. IIN continues to use the social media and other forms of communication and information sharing – Nomadic News and other updates and promotes different communities to make use of local radios around them to share information among themselves. Nomadic News and environmental news. Nomadic News focuses on the struggles of Indigenous Peoples in Africa and makes connections between grassroots, national and international politics.
Geological Survey of Ethiopia (GSE) was set up in 1968 as a Department within the Ministry of Mines (MM), and became the Ethiopian Institute of Geological Surveys(EIGS) in 1984, an autonomous federal government agency accountable to MM.It was recently renamedas GSE in 2000.
The GSE has been generating , collecting and managing geoinformation of the country for the last 4 decades.
Currently the Survey manage, store and process its volumes information using digital systems to satisfy the increasing users’ demand.
VISION To facilitate the utilization of the geoscience data of Ethiopia for developing the country’s mineral resources, so as to contribute as much as possible to its economic growth.
MISSION To carry out geoscientific surveys of Ethiopia so as to produce high quality geodata in a format suitable for easy utilization by end –users, thus enabling rapid development of the mining sector.
GOAL To improve the quality and coverage of the geoscience data of the country.
The GSE is responsible for collecting of basic geoscience information from the whole country and disseminate to all stakeholders. The GSE carries out geological mapping and investigations related to mineral resources, oil and natural gas, hydrogeology and engineering geology. It has well equipped laboratories capable of undertaking geochemical analysis of solid and liquid samples, physical property testing, and petrographic and mineralogical studies.
Plans are in-hand to enhance the capacity of the GSE in order to ensure that they meet the highest international standards and provide an efficient and effective service to potential investors, both foreign and domestic.
Sources of information
Many of the reports and data generated by commercial and Government mineral surveys in Ethiopia can be obtained free of charge from the national Geoscience Information Centre at the GSE or direct from the Ministry of Mines and Energy. Some digital geochemical data and a comprehensive digital mineral deposits database are also available. Geophysical surveys have been flown over most of the greenstone belts. In addition, particularly in the Southern Greenstone Belt, a substantial amount of ground geophysical data is available. Full details of these surveys can be obtained from the Geoscience Data Centre.
Organization Chart
Objective
Generally GSE Carry out geosience mapping activities to produce detail maps and reports used in various undertakings. Evaluate the economic mineral potential of the country by conducting reconnaissance, follow-up and detailed exploration; Provide an assessment of groundwater situation by preparing hydrogeological maps at 1:250,000 and larger scales; Give geotechnical information essential to designs of all types of civil works and investigate natural hazard such as, landslide, slope instabilities and volcanic activities ; Explore for geothermal resources potential of the country; Conduct geophysical surveys ; Identify, analyze and interpret data from geological samples such as mineral, rock, soil, stream sediment, and water etc.; Collect, classify, store, display, publish and disseminate user oriented geoscience data of the country including museum-piece specimens; Carry out core, water well, and geothermal deep well drilling and associated geotechnical works; Provide consultancy service in the areas of hydrogeology and engineering geology etc. to government and non-governmental organizations; and Collect and own information related to earth science studies.
Objectives
- Carry out regional geological and geochemical mapping activities to produce detail maps and reports for use in various undertakings;
- Evaluate the economic mineral potential of the country by conducting reconnaissance, follow-up and detailed exploration;
- Provide an assessment of groundwater situation by preparing hydrogeological maps at 1:250,000 and larger scales;
- Give geothechnical information essential to designs of all types of civil works and investigate natural hazard such as, landslide, slope instabilities and volcanic activities;
- Explore for geothermal resources potential in the country;
- Conduct geophysical surveys;
- Identify, analyze and interpret data from geological samples such as mineral, rock, soil, stream sediment, and water etc;
- Collect, classify, store, display, publish and disseminate user oriented earthscience information of the country including museum-piece specimens;
- Carry out core, water well, and geoghermal deep well drilling and associated geotechnical works;
- Provide consultancy service in the areas of hydrogeology and engineering geology etc. to government and non-governmental organizations;
- Collect and own information related to earth science studies;
The 400km electric fence is a conservation tool put in place to help resolve multiple challenges facing the Aberdare Range ecosystem. These challenges included poaching, bush-meat hunting, snaring, illegal logging, charcoal burning and encroachment. These activities, by the 1980’s had almost decimated the population of critically endangered black rhino in the ecosystem.
At the same time, regular crop damage by wildlife, especially elephant, was a major problem for the farmers residing next to the Aberdare protected areas. Encounters between farmers and wildlife occasionally led to human fatalities, and served to heighten tensions between humans and wildlife.
Construction of the fence began in 1989 and was completed in August 2009.
Today, in spite of the dramatic decrease in black rhino number in the 1980s, the ANP still hold a small and genetically viable population of native black rhino. This is largely due to the building of the fence.
To maintain the fence in good working condition, a team of fence scouts based in “Fence Energizer Stations” patrol the fence line daily to carry out maintenance work.
The project is a partnership between Rhino Ark, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Kenya Forest Service (KFS) and the local communities. Rhino Ark and the Kenya Government provided the funds while KWS oversaw the construction work.
The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) was established by the National Biosafety Management Agency Act 2015, to provide regulatory framework to adequately safe guard human health and the environment from potential adverse effects of modern biotechnology and genetically modified organisms, while harnessing the potentials of modern biotechnology and its derivatives, for the benefit of Nigerians. The Act came into force in April 2015, with the appointment of a Director General and Chief Executive Officer. The UN international agreement known as Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety which Nigeria signed is an environment protocol and it requires members to domesticate the agreement through a law. The Biosafety Act is therefore to domesticate the Protocol and address our National Biosafety requirements.
The National Biotechnology Development Agency has currently a biotechnology bill before the NASS. Its mandate is to promote biotechnology development in all sectors of the Nigeria economy. It is to promote indigenous acquisition and development of easy and affordable requisite biotechnology in Nigeria and Indigenous R & D to generate copious innovations in biotechnology as well as for the sustenance and growth of the biotech industry.
The National Biosafety Management Agency regulates modern biotechnology activities and the release into the environment, handling and use of genetically modified organisms which are products of modern biotechnology to prevent adverse impact on the environment and human health. On the other hand the National Biotechnology development Agency promotes modern biotechnology activities and GMOs.
The Biosafety protocol which Nigeria signed, requires a biosafety management and Regulatory Agency separate from biotechnology promoting Agency for transparency and to avoid biosafety being compromised and to also avoid the promoter being a judge in its case. This is the situation in other countries where there are biosafety laws and agencies.
Global Hand is a matching service: a non-profit brokerage facilitating public/ private partnership.
Although today’s world sees many parties wishing to respond to global issues, the problem they often face is connectivity. Who should they partner with and how?
Global Hand is designed to bring together people from all parts of the spectrum. You can use this site to find partners wherever you fit. Your area of interest may be:
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Philanthropy
- Disaster response
- Poverty alleviation
- Advocacy
- Microcredit
- Job Creation
- Guidelines/Best Practice
- Doing business with the poor
- Sustainable Development
- Corporate Social Responsibility
- Gifts-in-kind
- Services-in-kind
- Humanitarian Aid
- Fair Trade
- Corporate Volunteering
SPANA has worked with ANAW since 2012, delivering humane education through our network of animal welfare clubs.
Last year, 2,050 children took part in the clubs. 41 teachers attended training sessions, with 31 achieving an ICHE qualification.
Partner: University of Nairobi
Project type: Veterinary and education
Location: Nairobi
SPANA is working with the University of Nairobi to:
- provide free veterinary treatment for 300 working oxen
- evaluate owner knowledge and attitudes in order to design effective training
- train 10 animal health professionals
- provide community training for at least 500 people
Tsavo Trust is a field based, Kenyan not-for-profit conservation organization working towards protecting wildlife and its habitat.Tsavo Trust believes in conserving the vast wilderness of the Tsavo Conservation Area, that encompasses Kenya’s biggest Protected Area, is home to Kenya’s largest elephant population, several iconic Tuskers, numerous high value species and one of the few truly wild places with significant wildlife left in Africa.
This national heritage is under threat and faces multiple challenges including wildlife crime, climate change and habitat loss.
Tsavo Trust works on a unique strategy, in partnership with Kenya Wildlife Service and other partners on direct wildlife conservation projects as well as engaging specific local communities in the stewardship of community conservancies, so as to encourage participation in conservation activities that bring many varying benefits to those marginalised people that border the formal Protected Areas.
The Northern Rangelands Trust is a community conservancy membership organisation. Our mission is to develop resilient community conservancies, which transform people’s lives, secure peace and conserve natural resources.
We do this by supporting communities to:
- Develop locally-led governance structures that complement traditional systems
- Run peace and security programmes
- Take the lead in natural resources management
- Manage sustainable businesses linked to conservation
We fundraise for our member conservancies, and provide advice and guidance on management. We support a wide range of training, monitor performance, and work as an independent third party in support of conservancy partnerships with county and national government, investors and development partners.
Guardianship – We are caretakers of the land, safeguarding endangered species and ensuring the openness and accessibility of conservation for all.
Innovation – An innovative attitude is part of our make-up, we empower our people to think the same way and embrace new approaches to conservation.
Authenticity – We provide natural wilderness experiences, backed up by scientifically credible conservation and genuine interactions with wildlife.
The African Biodiversity Network (ABN) is a regional network of individuals and organisations seeking African solutions to the ecological and socio-economic challenges that face the continent. The ABN was first conceived in 1996 in response to growing concern in the region over threats to biodiversity in Africa and the need to develop strong African positions and legal instruments at the national, regional and international level. Currently, ABN has 36 partners drawn from 12 African countries: Benin, Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
ABN strives to ignite and nurture a growing network of change agents working passionately at all levels, in the face of injustices and destruction arising from the current industrial development model, to enable resilient local communities to govern their lives and livelihoods rooted in their own social, cultural and ecological diversity. We focus on indigenous knowledge, ecological agriculture and biodiversity related rights, policy and legislation. We pioneer culturally-centred approaches to social and ecological problems in Africa through sharing experiences, co-developing methodologies and creating a united African voice on the continent on these issues.
Africa is at a crossroads, trying to reconcile the conservation and recuperation of its vast cultural and natural heritage and meet the many needs of a growing population. Powerful external forces continue to divert us from solutions that come from within Africa as they push for the privatisation and industrialisation of land, knowledge and biodiversity in the name of poverty alleviation. Together, the African Biodiversity Network is finding innovative and pioneering pathways and solutions to the challenges which face the continent. We thank you for supporting this journey.
Digital Tools: Connecting Smallholder Farmers with Smart, Sustainable Solutions
he Tanzania Conservation Resource Centre is a non-profit organization which supports researchers and students working in natural resource issues in Tanzania. We have a resource centre in Arusha providing services and information to anyone involved in research and natural resource conservation.
CRC has an office behind the AICC Hospital, on a road opposite the Kibo Palace Hotel. Click here for the map to the office.
CRC is registered as a non-profit organization in Tanzania and in the United States. We rely on contributions from our members as well as in-kind and cash donations from supporting individuals and organizations both locally and internationally.
Terramanzi Group is a leading South African based multi-disciplinary environmental firm. We provide specialised, professional consulting services to clientele across Africa through our dedicated green building and environmental business units and our extensive and accredited network of industry leading experts. We thrive on providing personalised service excellence, bringing a wealth of knowledge and innovation to each customer experience, first time, on time, every time.
With over 500 successful Projects and 15 years of industry experience across both government and private sectors, backed by our industry leading reputation for service excellence, we help to enable your business to thrive with the comfort of knowing that your Project is in trusted hands.
Our
The Sierra Club is the most enduring and influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. We amplify the power of our 3.5+ million members and supporters to defend everyone’s right to a healthy world.b
SABIC is composed of four strategic business units – Petrochemicals, Specialties, Agri-Nutrients, and Metals – each headed by an Executive Vice President. They support customers by identifying and developing opportunities in key end markets such as construction, medical devices, packaging, agri-nutrients, electrical and electronics, transportation and clean energy.
What do we do?
We provide specialised support services and expertise aimed at adding value and filling gaps in existing capacity. Specialising enables us to keep abreast with emerging international best practice, and to continually build our hands-on skills and practical experience. We are continually striving to introduce new approaches and methodologies that respond to rapidly changing realities, and we are always keen to work with our customers to explore new opportunities and directions. Our four main current areas of expertise are outlined below.
Conservation planning
Planning for conservation – whether for an ecosystem or natural landscape, a national park or a community wildlife area – is a vital yet underutilised tool for achieving the delicate balance between preservation and use of an area’s natural resources. We believe that planning provides the means to build stakeholder consensus around the conservation and development goals of an area, and to overcome sometimes divergent and conflicting needs. We also believe that management plans not only provide a vital framework for the long-term management of a conservation area, but can also be used by stakeholders as a yardstick to measure progress. All our plans are developed using participatory planning techniques which allow stakeholders to contribute fully to their development. They have a simple logical structure which keeps technical language to the minimum to ensure the plans are easy to understand and straightforward to implement.
Programme and project design and evaluation
Good programme and project design is the cornerstone for achieving tangible and lasting conservation impacts. Crucially, this requires developing an understanding of the underlying processes that lead to the unsustainable use of natural resources, and how these processes can be influenced and reversed. This provides the basis for developing a “Theory of Change” of how the programme or project can best achieve tangible outcomes and ultimately realise conservation and sustainable development impacts, by identifying and addressing the necessary drivers of change, including factors such as financial sustainability, institutional capacity, socio-economic conditions, and legal and governance systems.
Impactful project design also relies on a good understanding of what can be practically achieved on the ground, not just in theory on paper. To strengthen our understanding of the factors that enable a realistic project intervention, we have also built up strong skills in the evaluation of a wide range of conservation and development projects, both as evaluation team leaders as well as in specialist capacities.
Wildlife law enforcement and trafficking
Illegal killing and trade in African wildlife, especially of iconic species such as elephants and rhinos, has now reached crisis proportions. Illicit wildlife trafficking is now the fourth largest illegal trade internationally after arms and drugs trafficking, and trafficking in human beings. In recent years, tens of thousands of elephants have been killed every year for their tusks. Faced with this unprecedented level of poaching and organised wildlife crime, many conservationists now fear that species such as elephants and rhinos may disappear in the wild within our lifetime.
CDC is assisting international, national and site-level efforts to address this crisis in several ways. Firstly, we are working with key agencies to develop new project initiatives designed to bolster efforts to combat wildlife crime and to strengthen law enforcement efforts at both site and national levels. Secondly, we are assisting in the identification and promotion of wildlife law enforcement best practices, in order to ensure that interventions are based on the best available knowledge of what works and what doesn’t. And thirdly, we are helping to understand the status of law enforcement and wildlife trafficking prevention measures, so that national governments, conservation organisations and donors know how best to focus their resources to stem the tide in wildlife losses.
Conservation and sustainable development governance
Across Africa, there is a growing disparity between the livelihood needs of a rapidly expanding human population and the conservation needs of Africa’s outstanding but increasingly vulnerable biodiversity and habitats. From our experience over the years, we believe that natural resource governance systems are especially important for reconciling conservation and human development needs. This includes aspects such as natural resource institutions and legal frameworks, resource ownership and use rights and responsibilities, and mechanisms for equitably distributing the costs and benefits of conservation. CDC’s work in this area has focussed on developing an understanding of the socio-economic factors at play in unsustainable resource use and biodiversity loss, as a basis for designing more effective natural resource governance mechanisms. We have also provided practical support for the development of natural resource governance approaches that respond to changing socio-economic and environmental circumstances and increasing human development expectations.