Collaboration of appropriate authorities and creating a team
Visit of Officials to Lésio-Louna Reserve
The Aspinall Foundation
Effective collaboration with the relevant authorities in the Republic of Congo is a key element to the project. This is not limited to permission to carry out conservation work in country, but is also important for the long-term relationships required, including the joint patrols of the reserve and enforcement of laws and regulations that are essential for long-term management of a protected or conservation area. Team composition is also extremely important and the Aspinall Congo team are almost entirely Congolese.
A strong team formed of Congolese nationals who understand the systems and processes in country.
Good communication, and development of mutual trust and respect are important to successful relationships.
The fight against poaching, illegal trade and killing of wild animals.
The fight against the poaching of endangered species: here recovery of a Barbary macaque to return it to its group.
El Alami
Poaching poses serious threats to wildlife conservation and efforts at preserving wildlife through the establishment of protected areas are under threat by poaching of wildlife in the central High Atlas of Morocco. The enforcement of the existing law against illegal capturing, empoisoning and killing of wild encouraged the authorities to participate actively in the protection of wild species and to enforce the law in certain cases. Raising awareness among residents and creating jobs in ecotourism and geotourism also participate in the fight against poaching. For example, in the Ouzoud site, the fight against poaching and the trade of macaques was one of the main factors responsible for the Barbary macaque population increase. We have actively participated since 2008 in collaboration with local authorities in the fight against illegal work (poaching, tree felling, etc.). We worked with some residents to obtain the necessary information on this work. in this context, we took part in stopping certain wild animal capture operations and we released a large number of animals in their original habitats.
In recent years, local people have actively participated in the fight against poaching and the wildlife trade. The ecological and economical roles of wildlife in ecosystems have been more widely appreciated among local people in the central High Atlas of Morocco. The creation of employment in ecotourism and in the field of medicinal plants has encouraged the inhabitants to participate in the fight against work with a negative impact on ecosystems.
Poaching and trade in wild animals is practiced mainly by young habitats who have no work and who have no ideas about the consequences of these activities on wild populations. Integrating these people into development projects can transform them into protectors of wildlife. Helping people find jobs and helping them improve their ecological knowledge will help conserve habitats.
Scientific research benefits wildlife conservation
Sientific research and Wildlife conservation: Here we studied the impact of pollution on the Otter population.
El Alami
Sientific research on Lutra lutra
El Alami
Sientific research on the African wolf
El Alami
Sientific research on the Endangered Barbary Macaque Species
El Alami
Conduction of scientific research on the effects of human activities on wildlife allowed us to better understand the effects of humans on wild animal populations. Today, we are the only who carry out scientific studies on biodiversity in the central High Atlas. The solutions proposed consist in encouraging research institutions to participate in these scientific studies and to study other zoological groups.
Scientific research is essential for conservation as it helps establish solutions based on scientific results. For example, we have shown that hunting currently used in Morocco to limit the growth of wild boar populations has, on the contrary, a postive impact on wild boars and that the conservation of wild boar predators is the best method to regulate wild boar populations. We have also shown that poaching affects populations of the Barbary macaque, Cuvier's gazelle, and of other species. The prohibition of poaching and the sensitization of habitats were the main causes for the increase in the Barbary macaque population in the site of Ouzoud, Morocco.
The central High Atlas Mountains have a great diversity of habitats and of plant and animal species . This area is home to a variety of animal species, especially mammals with more than 24 wild mammal species and more than 120 birds.
Scientific studies allow us to understand the factors responsible for species declines and to develop appropriate solutions.
Education to raise the awareness of the local people about the wildlife conservation
El Alami
Education sessions at the Kharezmi High School, Souk Sebt, Morocco.
El Alami
Conservation behaviors are considered essential actions that tremendously influence ecosystems. Environmental behaviors are essential to ecological conservation and to environmental protection.It is important to involve the citizens in the domain of the conservation of the environment and biodiversity conservation. Our scientific studies revealed that the respondents reported a lower level of practices in the conservation of species. Solutions have been initiated, the most important of which is to educate the inhabitants to encourage them to conserve the species. Education sessions were carried out by the author and his collaborators during the two las decades with local inhabitants, students, associations and authorities. As part of their scientific research, they visited most of the villages. They discuss with people the ecological and economic roles of biodiversity and the importance of conserving it.
In recent years, the roles of wild animals in their ecosystems have been more widely appreciated and today, the management of biodiversity is a priority for the Moroccan Government, authorities, NGO and civil society.
The local people opinion plays a vital role in the conservation of biodiversity and environment. In general, when inhabitants understand the ecological and economic roles of wild fauna, they spontaneously participate in its conservation.
Developing effective local people-wildlife conflict mitigation strategies
Carcass of a the the African wolf Canis lupus lupaster killed by inhabitants and and involvement of residents raising awareness of their ecological consequences.
El Alami
Biodiversity in the central High Atlas proteted areas
El Alami
The human-local people conflict may act as factors in the decline of biodiversity. Our scientific studies showed that there is an increasing in the local people-wildlife conflict in the central High Atlas.The predation of livestock (carnivore species) and Crop raiding (wild boar, Barbary macaque, etc.) are the main causes of the local people-wildlife conflict and of negative attitudes toward the wild species. Several techniques were proposed to reduce the risk of depredation of livestock by wilds predators and and the risk of crop damage by Herbivorous species:
- 1. Education to raise the awareness of the local people about the ecological and economical roles of wildlife and provide the public with information on the benefits of wild animals and their ecological and economical roles.
2. Encourage residents to use some techniques to protect livestock and to keep wild animals away, such as a livestock guard dogs, prompt and proper disposal of livestock carcasses to eliminate attractants that could draw carnivores, and monitoring and pasturing of livestock and fields.
3. We are currently preparing a compensation programs to assist local people by reimbursing them for losses attributable to wild canids.
1. The contributor is a researcher who was born and lived in the central High Atlas for 40 years. He is known in the region, which facilitates the transmission of messages about biodiversity conservation. He communicates with the local inhabitants through the Tamazight language, which is the native language of the contributor. He also participates in several educational, cultural and scientific activities in this region.
2. The central High Atlas encompass an area of 10 502 km² and have a rich and varied biological diversity.
Education and the awareness-Raising Session for Local Officials and Communities on the Importance of wildlife conservation, and the use of possible and simple techniques to keep wild animals away mitigate the conflict between local people and wildlife and and it resulted the conservation of species and habitats .
Role of ecosystem service in the restoration process
Intergovernmental communication and partnership
Canadian Forces Base Shilo
Government of Canada
As protected areas must have conservation outcomes as their primary objective, many 'unconventional' mechanisms that are creating conservation outcomes have historically been overlooked. In 2019, when Canada embraced the concept of OECMs, efforts that are creating positive biodiversity outcomes, regardless of their primary goal, began to be actively discussed. Canadian Forces Base Shilo was one such site.
Even thought the Department of National Defence has specific, secondary objectives for its sites focused on the conservation of biodiversity, it has rarely received public recognition for its conservation successes.
Creating this recognition required collaboration between the provincial (sub-national) government of Manitoba and the federal Department of National Defence to foster a broader understanding of OECMs and their value as well as to highlight the outcomes of the sound management of Canadian Forces Base Shilo. This is the first Canadian military base to receive this recognition; opening the door for additional, future collaboration.
Conservation targets
In 2015, Canada released a suite of biodiversity targets. Target 1 set out the need to conserve 17% land and freshwater area and 10% of marine area – this led to the creation of a federal, provincial, territorial, Indigenous and municipal collaborative initiative, where topics such as OECMs received much attention.
Pan-Canadian definition for OECMs
In 2019, Canadian governments embraced the international OECM definition. This helped create a common understanding of the OECM concept between governments and generated discussion on the topic.
Across Canada there is a strong desire to ensure that nature is conserved for future generations. This desire, if acted upon, has the potential to make substantial positive change. Recognizing efforts that are already creating positive outcomes creates the conditions for this good work to continue.
Atypical conservation – it’s the outcomes that matter!
Canadian Forces Base Shilo
Government of Canada
In the Shilo landscape, military training exercises have proven to mimic some of the natural history of the area - recreating now-rare habitat. This controlled activity is creating positive in-situ biodiversity outcomes.
The high-intensity, short-duration disturbances created by military training activities create habitat conditions no longer found in the larger landscape. These disturbances include prescribed burns and artillery practice, which enhance biodiversity by preventing tree encroachment on areas of mixed-grass prairie and mimicking historical disturbance regimes such as wildfire or bison activity.
In addition, for security and safety reasons, the Department of National Defence prohibits unauthorized access. Closure to the public restricts activity on the site, eliminating many activities that could have a negative impact on biodiversity.
The primary mandate of Canadian Forces Base Shilo is to provide a space for military training. This mandate takes priority in a case of conflict with conservation objectives, although measures are taken to mitigate possible impacts on biodiversity.
Sustainable management practices: Department of National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces put a high priority on environmental stewardship. These measures help achieve the Department’s environmental and energy goals.
Many conservation tools are available beyond legislation and policy that specifically target biodiversity conservation.
Positive impacts on biodiversity from indirect conservation strategies are not always apparent. It is important to look at a site from a broad lens; considering the biodiversity outcomes at the site and whether management practices are such that conservation will be maintained over the long term.
