“Conservation in Africa is failing. An upsurge in poaching and wildlife
trafficking has made headlines, but comparatively little attention has been
paid to the wider, systematic decline of many large mammal populations
across large areas.1 There are many underlying drivers of this decline, but
poor wildlife governance is a common, critical factor.2 Strong local and
national civil society organisations can drive much-needed reform, but their
critical role has yet to be widely recognised or effectively supported.
A growing number of local organisations are proving increasingly influential
in a number of African countries, often through their role in leading
community conservation initiatives and reform movements. Finding ways to
better support the growth and development of these organisations will be
key to improving existing conservation strategies and restoring wildlife
populations over the longer term.”
