The critical importance of landscapes and seascapes for humankind to survive is underlined by powerful global movements like the ’30 x 30’: a conservation commitment to conserve 30% of the world’s terrestrial, inland water and marine habitat by 2030. The core message is that if we don’t change what we do now, we’re not going to have a planet to live on. Our focus in this area is to improve the conservation effectiveness of the protected areas &Beyond controls or supports and to ensure that our partner communities are actively advocating for, and supporting, the restoration and conservation of their wild landscapes and seascapes.
What value is there in barefoot luxury if Mnemba Island’s real treasure, her exquisite marine life and reefs, are plundered? We believe in collaborating with all stakeholders to do all we can to care for Zanzibar’s threatened reefs.
In partnership with park authorities and &Beyond, this programme actively supports a range of initiatives aimed at safeguarding biodiversity, including habitat restoration, the conservation of IUCN Red List species, and targeted habitat and wildlife management. Our work spans key areas like rhino translocations, pangolin reintroductions, giraffe monitoring, and elephant contraception, ensuring the protection of vulnerable species and habitats. With a focus on supporting improved management of the areas where &Beyond and Wild Impact operate – spanning over 340,000 hectares of &Beyond owned / leased land and an additional 12,900,000 hectares managed by park authorities – our goal is to ensure that 100% of the protected areas associated with our operations achieve a management effectiveness score of over 70% by 2030. Through these efforts, we aim to support the long-term survival of these wild areas.
Aders’ duiker, from 5 reintroduced in 2005
Artificial coral reef structures established
Rhinos translocated in collaborative programme
Fish catch surveys, Bazaruto Archipelago
Revitalizing critical ecosystems to ensure long-term ecological balance. Our activities include coral monitoring, the establishment of coral nurseries, and the creation of artificial dive sites to support marine biodiversity. These efforts aim to protect and regenerate key ecosystems, fostering resilience in the face of environmental pressures.
Safeguarding critically endangered species through targeted conservation efforts. This includes rhino translocations to secure safe habitats, pangolin reintroductions to bolster populations, and ongoing monitoring of Ader’s Duiker and Dugong to track their status and ensure their protection. These projects are designed to prevent further decline in these vulnerable species, enhance their chances of survival, and contribute to the overall health of the ecosystems they inhabit. By prioritizing IUCN Red List species, we preserve biodiversity and protect these iconic creatures for future generations.
The Habitat and Wildlife Management initiative under Wild Impact’s Protected Area Conservation program works in close partnership with the management of protected conservation areas to maintain and enhance biodiversity. This includes a range of active management projects such as elephant contraception to control populations and reduce human-wildlife conflict, lion serology to monitor disease and health, cheetah metapopulation management to ensure genetic diversity, and giraffe monitoring to track populations and movement patterns. These efforts are designed to support the long-term viability of key species and their habitats, ensuring the continued health and balance of ecosystems in protected areas.
This programme is at the heart of Wild Impact’s vision for a future where local communities actively advocate for and support the restoration and conservation of the wild landscapes and seascapes we work in. As part of our Vision 2030, we aim for 40% of partner community residents to support the conservation of the areas they are associated with. Key initiatives include habitat restoration, wildlife awareness through camera traps and communication forums, and sustainable natural resource harvesting, ensuring both environmental protection and community prosperity.
Indigenous saplings propogated; Nyekweri Forest nursery
Motion-sensitive camera traps deployed within the Nyekweri Forest
Camera trap images processed for research and monitoring
Community & Conservation rangers employed
Empowering local communities to restore and protect critical ecosystems. This includes reforestation efforts in Nyewkeri, adjacent to the Masai Mara, aimed at regenerating native vegetation and enhancing biodiversity. By engaging local communities in habitat restoration, this programme fosters long-term environmental stewardship and strengthens the connection between people and their natural surroundings.
Addressing the challenges faced by partner communities living adjacent to wildlife reserves, where predators and elephant threaten livestock and crops. Our awareness initiatives engage with community leadership to improve the understanding of the scope and scale of the problem, using tools like Cameras for Conservation to monitor wildlife movement and identify conflict hotspots. By fostering greater awareness, the programme helps communities better anticipate and manage these challenges, ultimately reducing conflict and building stronger, more informed relationships between people and wildlife.
Empower our partner communities by providing economic benefits through the sustainable extraction of natural resources, such as grass or fish, from protected areas. The primary objective is to ensure that these activities contribute to local development while remaining consistent with conservation goals.
Wild Impact is a Public Benefit Organisation registered in South Africa. Reg. No.: 930002115