Blog

A crowd poses on a green hillside.

Mobilising the youth and planting trees in the Democratic Republic of Congo

The Academia Group of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) organised two major events during the second half of 2024 to raise environmental awareness. The first activity was organised around International Youth Day on the 12th of August, which was used to remind young people that the future of humanity rests on their shoulders. The second activity was dedicated to National Tree Day on the 10th of October, which was designed to highlight the role of trees and their relationship with all ecosystems, and to draw attention to the urgent need for action on climate change and the need for sustainable development in our country. 

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in Blog / DRC
A dirt road through a woodland.

Enabling Conditions for effective Community-Based Natural Resource Management in Magoe National Park, Mozambique

Placing communities at the heart of conservation efforts involves not only acknowledging their role as guardians of biodiversity but also recognising them as active participants in conservation initiatives. 

In Mozambique, where communities reside in and around all protected areas—covering 25% of the country’s territory—community engagement is critical for supporting the implementation of management plans and enhancing benefit-sharing. For this engagement to succeed, communities must be properly identified, organised, and recognised as institutional partners capable of collaboration.

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in Blog / CBNRM / Mozambique

Misguided Melanie Verwoerd Does Not Speak for Africa: Communities Defend Conservation Rights

The Community Leaders Network of Southern Africa (CLN), representing over 20 million
individuals across twelve Southern African nations, stands as the authentic voice of the
communities engaged in and affected by sustainable conservation practices. CLN operates with
the vision that wildlife resources should directly benefit the rural populations who share their land
with and steward these resources. Trophy hunting, when ethically managed, is integral to this
vision, as it provides essential socio-economic benefits and finances local conservation efforts.
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in In the Media / Press Releases / Rights, Resources & Livelihoods
The OCT welcome sign.

How community conservation works in Botswana’s Okavango Delta

Viewed from space, the world-famous Okavango Delta looks like a large pan attached to a handle – the Okavango River. The ‘pan-handle’ area includes villages along the western and eastern banks of the river – those on the west are located near a tar road that connects Namibia with northern Botswana. Those on the east have a dirt road that connects with the west over one river crossing, which until very recently (a bridge built in 2022) involved crossing the Okavango River using a pontoon. 

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in Blog / Botswana / Community Voices / Human Wildlife Conflict
Ten people posing with certificates.

Recognising Madagascar’s Ocean Defenders

Nature conservation is driven by passionate individuals who see the dangers of unsustainable and destructive human activities more clearly than others. When these people are recognised and empowered, their efforts can change local practices and perceptions that create a sustainable future for all.

Natiora Defenders, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) founded in early 2024, champions and showcases the work of conservation leaders and heroes in Madagascar. In May 2024, the first cohort of Ocean Defenders was announced. This cohort, comprising seven men and three women, was named Akio Foty – Great White Shark – for their relentless, fearless defence of the ocean.

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in Blog / Madagascar