Développement du réseau d'Aires marines éducatives

Le projet de création d’Aires Marines Educatives (AME) répond aux enjeux de dégradation du milieu marin par la sensibilisation des plus jeunes dans le cadre scolaire. Le réseau des AME contribue à les rendre responsables et conscients de leur environnement local pour mieux s’engager à le défendre.

Le projet financé par le programme européen BEST 2.0 a visé à étendre le réseau AME d’origine marquisienne à la Polynésie française.

Les activités prévues dans le projet ont coïncidé avec cette volonté de création d’AME comme la réalisation d’un état écologique initial, des interventions en classe, la fourniture de matériel pédagogique, la communication sur les actions réalisées.

Le projet a permis de faire participer les élèves de 5 écoles de Polynésie française à la gestion d’une AME. Ils ont ainsi été impliqués dans des actions liées à l’étude de l’environnement marin.

Les capacités des élèves ont été développées grâce aux différentes activités pédagogiques, scientifiques et de gestion.

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Social media increase interest and income on sustainable forestry in Lin'an, China

Lin’an Model Forest, located in northwestern Zhejiang Province, China, is rich in forest resources, with a forest coverage rate of 82.6% that covers 2,618 km² of woodland. Its dominant species include bamboo, pine, Chinese fir, hickory, and Chinese yew. Once dependent on unsustainable timber and bamboo harvesting, which led to ecological degradation and economic challenges, Lin’an transitioned to a sustainable forest economy through innovative cultivation of bamboo shoot and hickory. This shift led to its accession to the International Model Forest Network (IMFN) in 1999. Today, Lin’an is known as China’s “Hickory Capital” and “Hometown of Bamboo,” as well as a major producer of bamboo shoots. By leveraging e-commerce, regional branding, and community partnerships, Lin’an has enhanced product value, empowered farmers, and pioneered an innovative approach that integrates ecological protection with economic growth.

Improving sustainable agricultural development through research in Baisha Village, China

Baisha Village, in Taihuyuan Township, Lin’an District, Zhejiang Province, began forest landscape restoration (FLR) in the 1980s after severe ecological degradation caused by excessive logging. Early technical support focused on native tree species research, leading to breakthrough techniques in bamboo shoots and hickory nut cultivation. These innovations enabled the village’s transition from timber production to sustainable non-timber forest products (NTFPs), laying the foundation for Lin’an’s broader success. In 1999, Lin’an joined the International Model Forest Network (IMFN), and the Engineers’ Association was established to provide long-term technical assistance. With continuous support, Baisha’s forest coverage has rebounded to 90% in 2024 from 60.4% in 1985. In 2023, the Engineers’ Association deepened its partnership with the village by establishing the Wang Anguo Studio to tackle technical bottlenecks and enhance agricultural practices, further driving ecological restoration and socio-economic development.

Scaling-Up Sea turtle conservation through the establishment of a Local Marine Managed Area (LMMA) in Marereni

The project area exhibit an outstanding marine biodiversity with diverse coral reefs, mangrove forests, sea grass beds and a lucrative fishing industry that support livelihoods of the local communities. However, a lot of destructive cases have been witnessed, Key among these are; over exploitation of marine resources i.e. corals, pelagic fish, marine turtles, invertebrates, use of destructive and unsustainable methods for resource exploitation which in essence exacerbate the impoverishment of the biodiversity. The project was implemented in Marereni seascape where the rare and endangered green sea turtle are dominant and under threat of poaching. This project is part of the IUCN Save Our Species African Wildlife initiative, which is co-funded by the European Union. The project aim is to enhance sea turtle protection and build the capacity of community to effectively undertake conservation activities. Attitude change, LMMA established, poaching reduced and habitat health enhanced are the impacts.

Hydrological restoration of mangroves in saltpans of Jimbo

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Investigación de tránsito, conservación y monitoreo de megafauna marina

Debido a la pesca ilegal en el Parque Nacional Isla del Coco, en 2021, el Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía de Costa Rica amplió esta área marina protegida a 54.844 km2, así como el Área Marina de Manejo del Bicentenario a 106.285,56 km2. El objetivo es aumentar la conectividad entre estas áreas para proteger los montes submarinos que son hábitats de distintas especies de fauna. En este contexto, nació la iniciativa de investigar el tránsito, conservación y monitoreo de megafauna marina (grandes mamíferos marinos y peces pelágicos como tiburones, rayas y atunes), a través de la alianza entre Costa Rica, Francia y Reino Unido, cuyo objetivo es conservar el 30 % de la superficie terrestre y marina de Costa Rica para el 2030.

Cabe señalar que en este país se implementa desde 2017 un plan para monitorear mamíferos marinos, con protocolos diseñados para evaluar su estado de conservación y distribución en áreas costeras.

Catalyzing Community Action for Resilient Grasslands

African People & Wildlife’s Sustainable Rangelands Initiative restores northern Tanzania’s grasslands so livestock, wild herbivores, and predators can share shrinking forage. From 2019 to present, the organization has partnered with 50 villages to manage 324,000 ha and actively revive 8,100 ha through invasive-bush removal, erosion control, and flexible, data-led grazing plans. Elected grazing committees and habitat monitors record monthly pasture data on mobile apps; quarterly forums convert real-time evidence into rapid action that keeps corridors open and builds climate resilience.

An IUCN Save Our Species grant (2019-21) accelerated scale-up to 15 new villages, training 30 monitors and adding 253,700 ha under improved management. Using their own data, communities refined grazing zones, cleared 231 ha of invasive plants, and posted signed livestock corridors — showing how timely evidence can turn forage competition into collaborative stewardship.

Revitalization of pastures in the Vršac Mountains

The project’s main goal was to restore 10 hectares of meadow and steppe habitat within the protected area Landscape of Exceptional Features “Vršac Mountains” in Northeastern Serbia. The absence of extensive grazing had led to the degradation of once-vibrant meadow and steppe ecosystems. This decline in meadow habitat through ecological succession is threatening the populations of local fauna and flora. The project successfully removed invasive plants and established conditions for the subsequent scale-up initiatives of bringing back extensive grazing to this area. The project also created two freshwater ponds with minimal interventions in the field, for the purpose of ensuring the presence of water in critical periods for amphibian reproduction and at the same time providing watering holes for local wildlife. The applied active protective measures are regularly monitored by the protected area manager and nature guards.

Community-based management: An approach to sustainable growth

The Global Programme “Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture” is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. Its aim is to increase the fish supply from sustainable and resource-friendly fisheries and aquaculture, thereby promoting a healthy and diverse diet.

To protect rural livelihoods, it is essential to restore fisheries resources. This requires a holistic approach that includes stakeholder engagement, a variety of skills, time, and other resources, as well as collaboration with other sectors such as agricultural development and water resource management. This solution explores the community-based approach to managing fisheries resources, highlighting the importance of voluntary community involvement. By employing participatory rural assessment techniques, the strategy fosters a strong sense of community ownership in fisheries management, which enhances the availability of fish and boosts income.

Effective Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation in MBOMIPA Wildlife Management Area through Community-Led Response Teams

Funded by BIOPAMA and implemented by the Southern Tanzania Elephant Program (STEP) and MBOMIPA Wildlife Management Area (WMA), this project enhances Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) management in the Ruaha-Rungwa ecosystem. Established in June 2023, MBOMIPA’s first HWC Response Unit comprise of 12 Village Game Scouts – VGS (40% women) + 2 drivers tackles human-elephant conflict (HEC) using non-lethal deterrents (HEC Toolkit, Noisy Balls) and EarthRanger technology. The unit responds to community alerts, protecting crops while ensuring elephant safety. Challenges addressed include recurring crop losses (averaging 2.3 incidents/farm/year) and farmer-wildlife tensions. Results show 176 incidents managed in 2023-2024 with 68.8% prevention rate, zero elephant fatalities, and 89% farmer satisfaction.

Professionalizing Wildlife Management Areas’ Governance: The MBOMIPA Model for Sustainable Conservation

MBOMIPA Wildlife Management Area (WMA), a key conservation site in Tanzania’s Ruaha-Rungwa ecosystem, faced governance and management challenges, including unclear oversight roles and limited capacity. Supported by the European Union and the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States through the BIOPAMA Programme, STEP and its partners implemented a project in 2023–2024 to strengthen the WMA. This included recruiting a professional management team, training 150 leaders (Authorized Association members, Board members, and village officials), and developing 10 governance tools. Key reforms focused on clarifying roles, improving financial oversight, and enhancing stakeholder engagement. These efforts led to significant conservation and economic gains, attracting two investors and increasing revenue by 25% compared to pre-project levels. Community benefits also grew substantially, with village dividends rising from $500 in 2023 to ten times that amount in 2024, funding schools, clinics, and women’s groups

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