Our expertise helps local leaders, business owners, and community members make win-win decisions for their community and for wildlife. We organize inclusive local groups with representation from communities, government, NGOs, the private sector, and other local stakeholders to envision a sustainable, prosperous future—then, we develop land-use plans and strategies to get there. These consensus-driven plans consider local livelihoods, habitat, and areas important for ecosystem services like clean water, and the plans are informed by AWF-led resource mapping and spatial analyses. In this way, rights holders are empowered to make decisions about their future and find ways to achieve their aspirations while protecting and restoring nature. We also engage with businesses and advise them on sustainable agriculture and production techniques, as well as profit-increasing strategies.

Ilima, a remote village in northern DRC, is in a wildlife corridor between two nature reserves. In 2013, with the support of the Nancy and Charles Wall Family Foundation Fund, AWF constructed a primary school for the village in exchange for conservation commitments from the community. Since opening in 2015, Madina Conservation School has educated 1,400 children in grades 1-6. Students learn why it is important to protect their environment, and they bring this knowledge home, contributing to a community-wide understanding of conservation. Explore how Madina students in the 2023-2024 school year see nature.