Overview of major conservation and development issues in the upper Save catchment, Zimbabwe and proposals for research and project implementation
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1985
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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
Nestled along the Kenyan coast, the Vanga, Jimbo, and Kiwegu Community Forest Association (VAJIKI CFA) focused on the sustainable mangrove conservation in Vanga Bay, Kwale in response to frequent cholera outbreaks that threatened the local fishing community due to pollution, deforestation and land use changes. 2004 Tsunami spurred them to use traditional knowledge in restoring degraded mangrove areas through planting initiatives. In Jimbo, salt mining in 1990s occupying about 10 hectares led to mangrove degradation, high salinity and stunted growth. VAJIKI CFA thus implemented a hydrological restoration approach after unsuccessful attempts to rehabilitate by planting. This solution involved training the community to restore natural water flow within the salt pans by creating a network of channels. This reduced salinity levels by improving water circulation, encouraging healthier mangrove growth. The successful restoration of channels revitalized the ecosystem and equipped community members with essential restoration skills.
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
Developing a community conservancy in the Iyendwe Valley
The Iyendwe Valley runs along the South-East border of Nsumbu National Park, and unlike many areas bordering a national park in Zambia, Iyendwe is not part of a Game Management Area (GMA), nor has a Community Resource Board (CRB) that manages the area. In 2020, the Nsumbu Tanganyika Conservation Programme (NTCP), a conservation partnership between the Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) and Zambia’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) and the community living around a proposed conservation area in Iyendwe committed to collaborate on the development of the Chitimbwa Iyendwe Conservation Project (CICP), to provide the community with a means of self-determination.
Alongside work to support capacity development and map out the conservation area, the NTCP supported the CICP to establish a feedback mechanism. The purpose of the feedback mechanism is to provide a transparent and efficient process for receiving, evaluating and addressing feedback raised by stakeholders related to CICP and NTCP activities and operations.
Conservation Finance for Community Fisheries in Cambodia
Cambodia’s inland fishery is one of the world’s largest and provides food and livelihoods for millions. Over 500 Community Fishery Organizations (CFi’s) – local fishers with a government mandate – nominally manage over 1 million hectares of fishery resources. Unfortunately, even among the few CFi’s that function well, most are underfunded. Reliance on limited funds from their members and external grants results in sporadic CFi management. Conservation International has provided 15 CFis with conservation trust funds and supports Women’s Saving Groups with capital grants. Each CFi’s US$5000 trust fund is invested as an interest generating term deposit. Saving group grants range from US$1000 – 1500 and are loaned out to members to support their small business activities. The interest of both the CFi and Saving group grants provides CFi’s with a consistent supply of funds that allows them to manage their local fishery resources.
