World Wildlife Fund

Namibian game guards are seen here tracking rhinos. Such work is responsible for increasing wildlife populations.
© WWF-Canon/Edward Parker

In the last 15 years, the WWF-supported LIFE Project has helped Namibian partner organizations form 52 communal conservancies. Twenty more are in development. LIFE, or Living in a Finite Environment, is a model for the empowerment of local communities who now have a say in their own destiny - and the potential to achieve conservation and community economic development on an unprecedented scale.

Notable Accomplishments

1990s

• Drafted conservation policies that transfer the right to manage and benefit from wildlife and tourism from the government to rural communities.
• Initiated local-level land-use planning to establish core wildlife and tourism areas, providing jobs and revenue to communities.
• In communal conservancies, achieved dramatic increases in wildlife populations including black rhino, cheetah, elephant and zebra.

2000s

• Reached milestone of 50 registered communal conservancies, with 20 more under development.
• Established over 29 million acres of conservancies, enhancing the viability of Namibia's protected area system.
• Created private sector partnerships to allow conservancy members to receive benefits from wildlife management and tourism development, with significant portions of the funds generated being reinvested in the community management of resources.