AFRICAN PARKS FOUNDATION OF AMERICA

AFRICAN PARKS IS A NON-PROFIT CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION THAT TAKES ON DIRECT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REHABILITATION AND LONG-TERM MANAGEMENT OF PROTECTED AREAS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GOVERNMENTS AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES. IN 2023, AFRICAN PARKS MANAGED 22 NATIONAL PARKS AND PROTECTED AREAS IN 12 COUNTRIES COVERING OVER 20 MILLION HECTARES IN: ANGOLA, BENIN, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC, CHAD, THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, MALAWI, MOZAMBIQUE, THE REPUBLIC OF CONGO, SOUTH SUDAN, RWANDA, ZAMBIA, AND ZIMBABWE.IONA NATIONAL PARK, ANGOLA:LOCATED WITHIN THE REMOTE IONA-SKELETON COAST TRANSFRONTIER CONSERVATION AREA IN ANGOLA, IONA NATIONAL PARK IS HOME TO MANY UNIQUE SPECIES OF FLORA AND FAUNA. SINCE 2019, EFFORTS TO CONSERVE AND RESTORE THIS ICONIC LANDSCAPE HAVE BEEN UNDERWAY. IN 2023, A FOUNDER POPULATION OF ANGOLAN GIRAFFES WAS REINTRODUCED TO THEIR HISTORICAL RANGE AS PART OF THE RESTORATION PLAN, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GIRAFFE CONSERVATION FOUNDATION. BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION EFFORTS HAVE BEEN STRENGTHENED WITH THE FIRST AERIAL SURVEY SINCE 2019, PROVIDING CRITICAL DATA ON WILDLIFE POPULATIONS. THE DEPLOYMENT OF GPS COLLARS ON SPRINGBOK, ZEBRA, AND ORYX, ALONG WITH THE INSTALLATION OF CAMERA TRAPS, HAS OFFERED VALUABLE INSIGHTS INTO WILDLIFE MOVEMENT AND BEHAVIOR. COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH PROJECTS, INCLUDING A WATERBIRD SURVEY AND PARTICIPATION IN THE MENA EDNA PROJECT, HAVE FURTHER ENHANCED UNDERSTANDING OF THE PARK'S ECOSYSTEM. FURTHERMORE, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN A KEY FOCUS, WITH EXTENSIVE CONSULTATIONS TO ESTABLISH A LAND USE PLAN AND UNDERSTAND LOCAL NEEDS. ENGAGEMENTS WITH VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS, ALONG WITH STUDIES ON LIVESTOCK MIGRATION AND A COMMUNITY CENSUS, HAVE INFORMED CONSERVATION STRATEGIES. EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES HAVE INCLUDED SCHOLARSHIPS, PRIMARY SCHOOL SUPPORT, AND ENVIRONMENTAL TRAINING FOR TEACHERS. ADDITIONALLY, EFFORTS TO BOOST PARK REVENUE AND INFRASTRUCTURE, SUCH AS THE ADDITION OF GATE OFFICERS AND ROAD IMPROVEMENTS, HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCED THE PARK'S MANAGEMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY, CONTRIBUTING TO ITS LONG-TERM RESTORATION AND SUCCESS. FUTURE PLANS INCLUDE COMPLETING AND MOVING INTO PEDIVA HQ, REINFORCING THE GIRAFFE POPULATION AND PREPARING FOR RHINO REINTRODUCTION, STARTING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT PLAN, AND STRENGTHENING RELATIONSHIPS WITH NAMIBIAN OFFICIALS FOR CROSS-BORDER CONSERVATION EFFORTS.PENDJARI NATIONAL PARK, BENIN:PENDJARI NATIONAL PARK, PART OF THE W-ARLY-PENDJARI (WAP) COMPLEX IN WEST AFRICA, IS A CRITICAL STRONGHOLD FOR BIODIVERSITY AND SUPPORTS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. OVER THE PAST DECADE, MILITANT ACTIVITY IN THE SAHEL HAS SPREAD INTO BENIN AND THE WAP COMPLEX, BUT DESPITE HEIGHTENED RISKS AND INCREASING MANAGEMENT COSTS, AFRICAN PARKS DECIDED TO CONTINUE THEIR LONG-TERM OPERATIONS AFTER EXTENSIVE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE GOVERNMENT, FUNDERS, AND LOCAL TEAMS, RECOGNIZING THE ECOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE OF THE PARK AND ITS ROLE IN LOCAL GOVERNANCE AND REGIONAL STABILITY. CONSERVATION EFFORTS HAVE INCLUDED AERIAL SURVEYS TO MONITOR HUMAN-ELEPHANT AND LIVESTOCK INTERACTIONS, REVEALING SIGNIFICANT AGRICULTURAL ENCROACHMENT AND POACHING INCIDENTS. HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICT MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS WERE COORDINATED WITH W NATIONAL PARK, IMPROVING COMMUNITY SUPPORT. PARK RANGERS RECEIVED SPECIALIZED TRAINING TO OPERATE SAFELY IN HIGH-SECURITY AREAS, ENHANCING THEIR CAPABILITY TO PROTECT THE PARK'S WILDLIFE. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES WERE ALSO PRIORITIZED, WITH AWARENESS-RAISING SESSIONS, ESTABLISHMENT OF WILDLIFE CLUBS, AND HEALTH AND AGRICULTURAL PROJECTS AIMED AT SUPPORTING LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES. ALTHOUGH THERE IS A SUSPENSION OF TOURISM AND HUNTING ACTIVITIES DUE TO SECURITY CONCERNS, PENDJARI NATIONAL PARK HAS MAINTAINED ITS INFRASTRUCTURE TO RESUME OPERATIONS WHEN CONDITIONS IMPROVE. THE REDD+ CARBON AUDIT WAS COMPLETED, AND MECHANISMS FOR MANAGING COMMUNITY SHARES OF CARBON REVENUE ARE BEING DEVELOPED. PARK MANAGEMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDED UPGRADING FACILITIES, EXTENDING COMMUNICATION NETWORKS, MAINTAINING ELECTRIC FENCES, AND ENHANCING ROAD AND WATER INFRASTRUCTURE. THESE EFFORTS ARE CRUCIAL FOR ENSURING THE PARK'S OPERATIONAL READINESS AND SUPPORTING ITS CONSERVATION GOALS AMIDST ONGOING CHALLENGES.AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK, RWANDA:SINCE AFRICAN PARKS BEGAN MANAGING AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK IN 2010, THE PARK HAS MOVED CLOSER TO COMPLETE FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY, ACHIEVING 92% SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN 2023. THE PARK CONTRIBUTED OVER $316,000 TO RWANDA'S TOURISM REVENUE SHARING SCHEME, BENEFITING LOCAL COMMUNITIES THROUGH FUNDING INFRASTRUCTURE AND MICRO-BUSINESSES. WITH A RECORD 54,000 VISITORS, INCLUDING A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF RWANDAN CITIZENS, AKAGERA CONTINUES TO PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN LOCAL DEVELOPMENT, SUPPORTING COMMUNITY PROJECTS VALUED AT $650,000. A WORLD BANK WORKSHOP HELD IN AKAGERA SHOWCASED THE PARK'S EFFECTIVE CO-MANAGEMENT MODEL, REINFORCING ITS GOAL OF ACHIEVING FULL SELF-SUSTAINABILITY BY 2025. CONSERVATION EFFORTS AT AKAGERA HAVE SEEN CONTINUED GROWTH IN BLACK AND WHITE RHINO AND LION POPULATIONS. A COLLABORATION WITH THE GIRAFFE CONSERVATION FOUNDATION ESTIMATED 110 GIRAFFES, UP FROM 54 IN 2013. THE PARK WORKED WITH GLOBAL UNIVERSITIES AND CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS TO ENHANCE UNDERSTANDING OF ITS ECOSYSTEMS, INVOLVING RWANDAN AND AFRICAN STUDENTS IN CAPACITY-BUILDING ACTIVITIES. THIRTY NEW RANGERS, INCLUDING THE PARK'S FIRST FEMALE RANGERS, WERE RECRUITED AND TRAINED, MAINTAINING LOW POACHING RATES THROUGH EFFECTIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE K9 UNIT. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT REMAINED STRONG IN 2023 AS WELL, WITH OVER HALF OF 172 COMMUNITY MEETINGS ORGANIZED BY THE COMMUNITIES THEMSELVES, REACHING NEARLY 8,000 PEOPLE. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS EXPANDED, PROVIDING FREE PARK ENTRY TO THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. ADDITIONALLY, AKAGERA ADVANCED COMMERCIAL PROJECTS LIKE FISHERIES AND BEEKEEPING, TRAINING LOCALS IN SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES. THE PARK'S TOTAL REVENUE EXCEEDED $4.8 MILLION, WITH INCREASED VISITOR NUMBERS AND IMPROVED GUEST EXPERIENCES. INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENTS INCLUDED NEW CONSERVATION OFFICES, LODGE UPGRADES, AND ECO-FRIENDLY POWER SOLUTIONS, FURTHER REDUCING OPERATIONAL COSTS AND ENHANCING SUSTAINABILITY. MOVING FORWARD, THE 2024 OBJECTIVES INCLUDE ENSURING THE SUSTAINABLE PROFITABILITY OF GISHANDA FISH FARM, ACHIEVING OVERALL SELF-SUSTAINABILITY, AND MANAGING THE LION POPULATION THROUGH GENOME SEQUENCING.