African Parks 2 African Parks African Parks is a non-profit conservation organisation that takes on the total responsibility for the rehabilitation and long-term management of national parks in partnership with governments and local communities. By adopting a business approach to conservation, supported by donor funding, we aim to rehabilitate each park making them ecologically, socially and financially sustainable in the long-term. Founded in 2000, African Parks currently has 15 parks under management in nine countries – Benin, Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda and Zambia. More than 10.5 million hectares are under our protection. We also maintain a strong focus on economic development and poverty alleviation in neighbouring communities, ensuring that they benefit from the park’s existence. Our goal is to manage 20 parks by 2020, and because of the geographic spread and representation of different ecosystems, this will be the largest and the most ecologically diverse portfolio of parks under management by any one organisation across Africa. Black lechwe in Bangweulu Wetlands in Zambia © Lorenz Fischer The Challenge The world’s wild and functioning ecosystems are fundamental to the survival of both people and wildlife. We are in the midst of a global conservation crisis resulting in the catastrophic loss of wildlife and wild places. Protected areas are facing a critical period where the number of well-managed parks is fast declining, and many are simply ‘paper parks’ – they exist on maps but in reality have disappeared. The driving forces of this conservation crisis is the human demand for: 1. High-value commodities 3. Demand for energy Elephants, rhinos and now even lions are being killed across Energy requirements are a basic human necessity, the demand their range by increasingly militarised poaching networks, for it in the form of firewood and charcoal is a critical challenge driven by the $20 billion a year illegal wildlife trade. and causes significant habitat and species loss. 2. Protein 4. Land The demand for protein in the form of bushmeat and fisheries Conversion of land for human development and agriculture is escalating as the human population increases. Where there is resulting in an unprecedented rate of habitat loss and is an absence of either formal law enforcement or strong fragmentation. Once habitats have been destroyed it is near traditional sanctions against extraction, large areas of Africa impossible to return them to their natural state due. are being emptied of wildlife and other natural resources. Cover image: An elephant in Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Congo © Scott Ramsey | Love Wild Africa 3 Our Current Footprint Across Africa CHAD Ennedi Natural Siniaka Minia &Cultural Reserve Wildlife Reserve Zakouma Pendjari National National Park BENIN Park CENTRAL Chinko AFRICAN REPUBLIC Garamba National Odzala-Kokoua Park National Park RWANDA CONGO DEMOCRATIC Akagera REPUBLIC OF THE National CONGO Park Bangweulu Wetlands Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve MALAWI Liwonde National Park Liuwa Plain ZAMBIA & Mangochi Forest Reserve National Park Majete Wildlife Reserve African Parks currently has Bazaruto 15 parks under management MOZAMBIQUE Archipelago National Park in nine countries, spanning 10.5 million hectares. Our goal is to manage 20 parks by 2020, protecting one of the largest and the most ecologically diverse portfolio of parks under management by any one organisation across Africa. 4 Our Model African Parks pioneered the concept of Public- 1. Mandate: This is the long-term contractual agreement Private Partnerships (PPPs) in protected area (20 years or more) with the government, which grants management. Central to the concept of a PPP is us total management and operational responsibility for a separation of responsibilities between the State the national park to counter all threats and manage all and African Parks. The State is the owner of the revenues. park and is responsible for legislation and policy. African Parks is responsible for the execution of 2. Money: We put in place critical funding solutions management functions and is accountable to the required to effectively manage a park. Managing a single State for performance. park will typically cost between US$1M and US$3M per annum depending on scale and complexity. This is This is achieved through long-term agreements with alongside park revenue generated from tourism or other governments to take total responsibility for management. associated enterprises. We establish a board-based governance structure, strict financial management, and rolling five-year business plans. 3. Management: Good governance is critical. Each Revenue is optimised and reinvested in the park, reducing park is established as a separate legal entity registered in donor dependency over time. the host country, with a Board of Directors representing partner institutions, key stakeholders, and African Parks We require that the following three core principles are met is responsible for the management team, developing the before committing to a protected area: business plan and determining the budget. All operations are conducted in accordance with African Parks’ standard operating procedures. Rangers in Garamba National Park in the DRC © Marcus Westberg 5 The Five Key Pillars of Our ImpactWork Defined With the mandate, money and management in place, African Parks implements the following five pillars in order to achieve long-term protected area sustainability. Founded in 2000 in response to the conservation crisis, African Parks 1. Law pioEnforcementneered the concept of Public Private Part3. Communitynerships (PPPs) Development for the delegated Law enforcement is a critical and foundational component Parks are a choice of land-use and local people need to value for themana long-termge sustainabilityment of state of any park.protect Withe thed alargestreas. Centraland to benefit this from con themcept in isorder th fore sepa them rtoation survive. o f We work counter-poaching force of any one NGO across Africa, our with local partners and communities to build a constituency rangersresponsibilities, provide safety and w securityhere tforhe both state people is tandhe wildlifeown er offor th conservation.e park and This r resultsesponsible in a range for of sociallegislatio and economicn surroundingand policy, the park while and in theAfri broadercan region.Parks This is stabilityresponsible benefitsfor the andexecution reinforces long-term of the manasupport forge mtheent park. o f enables economic development and biodiversity conservation. the park. This separation of functions is essential4. Tourism for accountability and Enterprise and for African 2. Biodiversity Conservation National parks are able to contribute directly to local and WeParks actively to manage deliver wildlife results. populations This and r theireport habitats, aims to shownationalcase economiesthe rang whene of effectivelyour work managed. and Weoutput create s including reintroducing species where they have previously revenue through tourism and associated enterprises compatible becomef orlocally 2016, extinct. all This of is whichdone to restore are necosystemsecessary that for long-termwith conservation, protect aidinged a inre economica sustainability development. and ensure healthy watersheds, clean air, carbon sequestration, generating income for the park. food security and overall health of wildlife and people. 5. Management and Infrastructure To enable effective park management, core infrastructure The Five Key Pillars, Actions andis required, Ou includingtcom parke headquarters,s of Ou housing,r W roado rk infrastructure, telecommunications and fencing (where required). Key Pillars Actions Outcomes Law • anger patrols • abitats secured Enforcement • nare removal • Prevention of illegal wildlife • Arrests trade Over • onfiscations • afety and security for people • anger training and wildlife all Impact Biodiversity • eintroductions • ncreased wildlife populations Conservation • ollaring of animals • pecies representation • Wildlife census • anduse planning • Alien vegetation removal • mproved scientific knowledge • esearch and monitoring Long Term Community • stablishment of community institutions • ommunity support for Development • ocal representation on AP oards conservation Protected Area • ducational support and interventions • ncreased incentives to conserve • Park visits • mproved levels of education • ommercial enterprise development Sustainability Tourism & • ourism enterprises • Contribution to national fiscus Enterprise • ommercial harvesting • Increased levels of employment • ocal sourcing of goods and services • Park revenue generated • Active partnerships • Enhanced impacts through the multiplier effects all Impact Management & • Applied technology • Enabling effective park Infrastructure • ommunications infrastructure management Over • Park infrastructure and fencing • Reduced humanwildlife conflict • raining and capacity building • mproved human capacity • oard meetings, auditing and • mproved governance reporting • Ongoing donor support The ultimate goal of our work is to achieve the long-term sustainability of national parks and protected areas under management. As illustrated in the following pages, and in each park section, the impact of our work goes far beyond managing six million hectares. Our law enforcement work provides security across more than eight million hectares; almost 50% of our total