Fall Field Report: Rangelands, Women, and Community Resilience on the Rise

Restoring Rangelands, Building Resiliency

Our rangeland restoration strategy continues to focus on community-powered efforts in the fight against climate change. Over the last few months, the Sustainable Rangelands Initiative has made significant progress by building capacity for conservation among traditional leaders, empowering people with skills and tools to monitor rangeland health, and actively restoring vital grazing lands supporting wildlife corridors to Tarangire and Lake Manyara National Parks. Get the details in our recent rangeland restoration blog post.

Below: The dividing line of restoration. After uprooting invasive plants, controlled fire helps eliminate the species and suppress the further spread of their seeds.

On a Mission for Coexistence Around Mikumi

In May, the APW team, led by Neovitus Sianga and Elvis Kisimir, journeyed south to lands around Mikumi National Park to assess and address human-wildlife conflicts in Kilosa district. Alongside the Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA) and local authorities, we visited villages plagued by livestock loss to examine the landscape, determine the best ways to collect wildlife conflict data, and identify potential sites for Living Walls. 

Returning in September, we introduced our Human-Wildlife Coexistence program and recruited four dedicated Warriors for Wildlife. In partnership with TANAPA and Mikumi district, we also installed two Living Walls, our signature eco-friendly corrals that are 99% effective at protecting livestock from lions, cheetahs, hyenas, and other predators. Preventing the ability of wild carnivores to prey on cattle, goats, and sheep saves them from potential retaliatory killing.

With the demonstration Living Walls now in place thanks to impressive community effort – both planting trees and installing fencing – there is significant interest in this win-win solution coming from nearby homesteads and neighboring villages.

ACTIVE™ on the Rise

From Uganda to Angola and across Tanzania, the ACTIVE™ Community Engagement program continues to influence the way conservation efforts work with local people on environmental challenges. We hosted groups from the Wild Bird Trust and Cotton Made in Africa in recent months, and the ACTIVE™ team is growing to help build on the momentum.

Ngoley Women Buzzing With Excitement

Protecting communal rangelands and forests is in the hearts and minds of community members in the village of Ngoley – the newest location for our Women’s Beekeeping Initiative. Empowering the women of Ngoley through beekeeping goes beyond economic growth. Beekeeping nurtures biodiversity, creates sustainable livelihoods, and fortifies community resilience.

Recently, our beekeeping program officer, Samson Beah, conducted a training session on beekeeping skills and entrepreneurship for 100 women at APW’s Community Technology Center in Ngoley. The group’s enthusiasm was shown in smiling faces and thoughtful questions, and we look forward to next providing startup equipment and support to five women's groups in the area thanks to support from the UK’s Darwin Initiative and The Nature Conservancy.

Bridging the Gap: Women in Conservation

Despite women's growing interest in conservation, their representation in Tanzania's wildlife governance remains limited. In collaboration with The Open University of Tanzania, the College of African Wildlife Management, and the Tanzanian Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, a new and first-of-its-kind analysis sheds light on the factors affecting women's participation and leadership in the country’s wildlife sector. A summary of findings and recommendations is available on our website, including key takeaways that can be applied in other industries and institutions.

Sparking Camper Passion for Conservation

The Noloholo Environmental Center was electric with youthful enthusiasm during our environmental camp in September. Six secondary schools from our wildlife club program participated, and 36 campers eagerly learned about wildlife and habitat data collection using APW’s mobile tech platform—clearly a camp favorite. Students also explored the diverse array of conservation professions, while climate change discussions sparked their interest in proactive, youth-led mitigation. To top it off, award-winning documentaries by storyteller and APW Board Member Hans Ngoteya lit up the night!

Quick Bites

Triumphs for Community Game Scouts | APW-supported Community Game Scouts displayed exceptional strength and determination in this year’s Wildlife Ranger Challenge, clinching both first and second place and taking the top spot for the second time in three years

How Yamat Lengai Fosters Coexistence | Learn how Yamat works to engage and empower communities on their paths to coexistence in a new blog post for Conservation Nation.  

‍Using GIS to Reach Conservation Goals | We spoke with the hosts of Esri’s Field Notes Podcast about APW's use of geographic information systems (GIS) technology to power community-based conservation. Listen now!

Shop to Support Conservation

Help spread the word about African People & Wildlife with new logo wear and special offerings like the Mama Asali Beekeepers and Coexistence collections! Show your support when you shop in our online store, where 100% of profits benefit our mission.