Our organizations have extensive experience in community-based conservation, fostering equitable benefit-sharing, and researching inclusive conservation strategies. Our approach includes exploring convivial conservation, addressing vulnerabilities, and upholding environmental justice. We emphasize creating harmonious relationships between humans and wildlife, focusing on understanding and mitigating local communities’ social and ecological vulnerabilities. Our goal is to ensure fair and sustainable conservation outcomes. By integrating these principles, we aim to develop a model that protects biodiversity while uplifting and empowering neighbouring communities.
The Rewilding Reserve model will be driven by a commitment to actively involve local communities and enhance educational opportunities. Bring the Elephant Home has coordinated community-based conservation and educational programs for over 18 years and has published eight scientific papers highlighting the importance of inclusive conservation practices (see papers by van de Water et al. in the section “Relevant publications from coalition organizers”).
Key initiatives include:
Access for Community Members
We are committed to providing community access to the elephant rewilding reserve through regular community and educational game drives for local schools. Participatory workshops will engage neighbouring communities in identifying sustainable natural resource harvesting opportunities, acknowledging the historical use of the land for gathering resources like wood, firewood, medicinal plants, herbs, elephant dung, water, and thatch. We will facilitate access to designated natural areas for cultural and economic practices, including the sustainable removal of invasive plant species. In South Africa, invasive plants such as prickly pear (Opuntia spp.), lantana (Lantana camara), and eucalyptus species pose ecological challenges and provide valuable resources. For instance, prickly pear can be used for its fruit and pads, lantana for medicinal purposes, and eucalyptus for timber and essential oils. This initiative supports ecosystem restoration while enhancing community livelihoods and preserving cultural traditions.
Support for Meaningful Community and Livelihood Development
We will create job and business development opportunities and acquire community development funding to support meaningful community and livelihood development.
Community Voice and Good Governance
We will hold regular community meetings to assess residents’ needs and aspirations, ensuring open and ongoing communication. These meetings will also discuss African conservation approaches based on Ubuntu, promoting a deep respect for all forms of life and advocating for just and equitable relations between humanity and the natural environment. We will ensure good governance through a multilevel co-management approach guided by equity, transparency, responsiveness, collaboration, and effectiveness.
Educational Opportunities, Awareness, and Capacity Building
We will organise inclusive workshops about wildlife in the reserve. Educational game drives will be provided for schools, elders, and community groups. Additionally, we will train community members in the skills needed for jobs within the reserve, fostering capacity building and local engagement.
Cultural Activities
We will incorporate cultural activities within communities in our ecotourism programs, such as cooking courses and craft making, to preserve local traditions while fostering community engagement and benefit sharing.
Seeking Local Resources
We will involve local resources whenever possible at all project levels, such as sourcing locally grown fruits and vegetables and engaging builders, transportation providers, craft makers, and other local entrepreneurs to support local economies.
Advancing Elephant Conservation
We will commit to advancing elephant conservation in Africa by offering lodging and access to selected African researchers. This initiative will help study and progress scientific knowledge on elephant well-being and rewilding.
Interactive Elephant Museum
We will establish an interactive elephant museum accessible to community members, highlighting the evolution, biology, sentience, intelligence, and the vital role of elephants in the environment.
Rewilding Elephants 