Preserving the Pulse of the Delta: Rufiji’s Community-Led Initiative to Safeguard Mangrove Ecosystems

In Tanzania’s Rufiji Delta, mangroves cover over 53,000 hectares and sustain thousands of people with food, fuel, timber, and coastal protection. Yet, heavy dependence on these forests and weak enforcement of regulations have caused widespread degradation. To address this, communities in Nyamisati, Kiomboni, Mfisini, and Mchinga established the Salale Collaborative Mangrove Management Area under a Participatory Forest Management approach. This grassroots solution empowers local people to co-manage resources, strengthening governance, stewardship, and resilience. With support from partners such as USAID, UNEP, and the Nairobi Convention, communities have restored 10 hectares of mangroves and are actively involved in conservation planning. The initiative addresses habitat loss, livelihood insecurity, and climate threats by ensuring that local stakeholders are at the center of decision-making. The result is both ecological recovery and improved livelihoods, proving that community-led action can safeguard vital ecosystems.

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From Field to Data – Farmers Supporting Wildlife Conservation in Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary-Bhutan

Wildlife plays a critical role in maintaining ecological balance, yet many species face increasing threats from poaching and the rising demand for their body parts for food, medicine, and trade. To address these challenges, Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary (SWS) established a Wildlife Conservation Committee, a volunteer group made up largely of herders and farmers living close to the forest. Members are trained to document wildlife presence and detect signs of illegal activities using the NoteCam mobile application, which enables standardized data collection with GPS coordinates. This community-based monitoring approach strengthens early detection, supports informed conservation management, and empowers local people as active stewards of biodiversity.

Committee members share their observations with forestry officials and the SWS management team through a designated WhatsApp group. Officials verify and maintain the data, ensuring timely action, better monitoring, and stronger community involvement in wildlife conservation.

UNITED FOR THE CONSERVATION OF MARINE MEGAFAUNA IN SAN JOSE, LAMBAYEQUE

This initiative was born from the vision of David Sarmiento, IMARPE field observer and renowned 2023 Leatherback Champion, who decided to go beyond his job. David realized that, in order to achieve effective marine conservation, it was important to build bridges with artisanal fishers, based on mutual trust and respect. Using everyday tools such as local radio stations, social media, and training spaces, David forged an authentic connection with the crews of fishing boats in the cove of San Jose (Lambayeque). His approach combined scientific expertise with a deep human sensitivity. By listening, valuing, and exchanging ideas with the fishers, he enabled them to take the lead in bringing about change. Today, they are the ones who share recordings of rescues, reflections, and data on marine megafauna. Experience shows that conservation is most effective when it stems from strong human relationships and committed local leadership, generating sustainable learning and trust among stakeholders.

Embedding Integrated Water Resources Management in Rwanda's Sebeya Catchment

The Sebeya catchment in Western Rwanda, once prone to recurrent flooding, erosion, and landslides, was transformed through the “Embedding Integrated Water Resources Management in Rwanda (EWMR)” project. Led by Rwanda Water Resources Board and partners, the project applied Nature-based Solutions (NbS) to restore 7,700 hectares using terraces, trenches, riverbank protections, and afforestation. The approach combined land rehabilitation with innovative financing, value chains, and inclusive planning. Over 35,000 green jobs were created, alongside improved soil health, aquifer recharge, agricultural productivity, and livelihoods. By integrating community-driven land use planning into district-level governance, the project laid the foundation for long-term resilience and scalability.

Jabal Shada Protected Area – Where Nature and Communities Thrive Together

Jabal Shada is an isolated twin-mountain granite massif with spectacular scenery characterized by jagged spires, pinnacles, and traditional agricultural terraces. Located in the Al-Baha region in southwestern Saudi Arabia, it supports exceptionally rich floral diversity (nearly 493 recorded plant species) and traditionally important highland crops notably Shadawi coffee. The mountain is both an ecologically isolated element and a cultural landscape. It was declared as a protected area in year 2002 to secure unique biodiversity while supporting local livelihoods and providing nature-based tourism opportunities. Recent management planning emphasizes biodiversity monitoring, community partnerships (including agricultural support and farm-experience tourism), and identification of hiking/ecotourism trails to deliver conservation and socio-economic benefits.

Laws on Paper, Loss on the Ground: Turning Mangrove Laws into Action in Tanzania

The “Sustainable Use of Mangroves in the WIO Region” project, funded by BMZ through WWF Germany, brings Tanzania’s dormant mangrove laws to life. In Kilwa and Pemba, the project supported villages and shehias to register or revitalize Village Natural Resources Committees (VNRCs) and Community Forest Management Areas (CoFMAs). Within 2 years of the project, 7 CoFMAs were established and 2 revived in Pemba; 3 VNRCs were established and 3 revived in Kilwa District. The project capacitated these local mangrove management institutions to develop and enforce mangrove management plans, establish nurseries, and launch restoration and monitoring efforts to recover degraded mangrove zones and address drivers of loss. While VNRCs and CoFMAs are now leading mangrove conservation and management in their areas, two and three mangrove CBOs were established in Pemba and Kilwa, respectively, and are now operational. This scalable solution shows that when laws move from paper to practice, blue forests and coastal livelihoods thrive together.

Sichuan Hua'e Mountain National Nature Reserve: Integrated Strategies Guarding the "Species Refuge"

Sichuan Hua’e Mountain National Nature Reserve, confronting severe challenges in biodiversity conservation, has implemented an integrated species conservation solution that combines scientific research, habitat protection, targeted species conservation, and community participation. Grounded in comprehensive baseline resource surveys, the solution safeguards species habitats through a coordinated system of “Zoned Management + Community Patrols + Digital Surveillance”. It carries out specialized conservation programs for very small populationsand rare species, such as Thuja sutchuenensis , Cypripedium henryi , and incorporates sustainable community livelihood projects to mitigate conservation-development conflicts. The core value of this solution lies in its systematic, adaptive, and collaborative nature. It has not only ensured the survival security of 2,825 vascular plant species and 414 vertebrate species within the reserve but also provides a replicable model for biodiversity conservation in other similar nature reserves.

Alpine Habitat Management in Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park

The Alpine Habitat Management initiative in Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park, Bhutan, tackles juniper and shrub encroachment that has degraded alpine grasslands vital for wildlife and yak-herding communities. Covering 50 hectares in the Wangjela region (3,300 m asl), the Park applied a participatory restoration approach integrating traditional pastoral knowledge with scientific assessment and adaptive management. Using a “de-branching” technique on juniper trees, combined with the cutting and thinning of juniper bushes and other shrub species. Removing lateral branches of juniper up to 2.5 m above ground while retaining the main stem. The intervention allowed sunlight penetration, encouraging grass regrowth without harming the trees. Yak herders contributed to implementation, monitoring, and feedback. Within six months, palatable grass species increased, improving forage availability. This low-cost, replicable model enhances ecosystem resilience, wildlife habitat, and cultural livelihoods across Bhutan’s alpine landscape

Enhancing the biodiversity impact of local budgets in Mongolia: implementation of the Law on Natural Resource Use Fees

In Mongolia, 77% of the soil is degraded due to activities such as agricultural expansion and mining, while poaching has threatened the snow leopard and other native animals. Insufficient spending on biodiversity largely contributed to this. Although the 2012 Natural Resource Use Fees Law (NRUF) states that a minimum share of the revenues from fees for using natural resources must be spent on conservation and restoration, the law was not effectively implemented by local governments. In 2021, Mongolia only spent 0.2% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on biodiversity.

Amid this scenario, BIOFIN supported Mongolia in strengthening the implementation of the NRUF. This process included 1) analyzing existing regulations and drafting new ones; 2) creating a public database to track environmental expenditures; and 3) building capacity and raising awareness.

As a result, Mongolia spent USD 13.98 million on biodiversity in 2024, an increase of 225% compared to 2021, and more than doubling the projected USD 5-6 million per year.

Hands for Habitat: Communities and Rangers Restoring the Wild

Communities and park officials in Jomotsangkha Wildlife Sanctuary are working hand-in-hand to restore and sustain important wildlife habitats. The sanctuary faced challenges such as declining grasslands, scarce water sources, and growing pressure on natural resources. In response, a participatory habitat management approach was introduced, engaging local people in grassland improvement, construction of waterholes, and development of mineral licks for wildlife. This collaboration has strengthened community ownership, encouraged youth participation, and deepened understanding of conservation. As a result, habitats are healthier, wildlife now has better access to food and water, and people have become active partners in protecting the landscapes around them. The Solution demonstrates how shared responsibility between communities and park authorities can create resilient ecosystems and long-lasting conservation impacts, inspiring continued stewardship.

The Green Project Model: Regreening Rwanda Bugesera for People and Nature

The Green Project in Gashora Sector, Bugesera District, Eastern Rwanda, transformed the country’s driest agro-ecological zone through regenerative, farmer-led land restoration. Facing severe land degradation, poor soil fertility, and widespread poverty, the project implemented agroforestry-based conservation agriculture using shrub-tree hedgerows, rotation cropping, and organic mulching. Designed as a low-cost, inclusive and replicable model, the project improved soil health, enhanced biodiversity, increased yields, and diversified household incomes. Starting with just six farmers, it now engages over 1,000. The intervention shows how Nature-based Solutions (NbS) tailored to local conditions can reverse degradation, boost resilience, and uplift rural livelihoods.

Community-Based Bat Conservation and Ecotourism Development at the Three Sisters Giant Caves, Fikirini Village (Kwale, Kenya)

The Three Sisters Giant Caves are located in Fikirini Village, near Shimoni in Kenya’s coastal Kwale County, within a 10-hectare Kaya Forest of both ecological and cultural importance. Three caves serve as vital roosting sites for several bat species, including the Endangered Hildegarde’s tomb bat (Taphozous hildegardeae), while a fourth cave is reserved for community spiritual practices. Degradation from deforestation, fires, and unsustainable guano harvesting has threatened the site’s integrity. In response, the Tswaka Three Sisters Giant Caves Community-Based Organization (CBO), supported by Bat Conservation International (BCI) and local partners, initiated a community-led effort to restore habitats, enhance protection, and develop eco-tourism as an alternative livelihood pathway that links biodiversity conservation with local economic and cultural resilience. This activity was financed under the GIZ-led IKI Kwale – Tanga Transboundary protection and sustainable management of the marine and coastal regions project.

2025

Unite for Nature on the path to 2045

Unite for Nature on the Path to 2045: A 20-Year Strategic Vision for the Union articulates IUCN’s commitment to “a just world that values and conserves nature” and establishes a clear direction for the next two decades. It guides collective efforts to safeguard biodiversity, inspire societal engagement, and drive transformative change toward a sustainable future.