Usaid tourism for biodiversity program

To help animals migrate freely and safely, the project supported the adoption of wildlife corridor regulations in The plan included a list of priority corridors and tasks to guide future efforts to secure wildlife connectivity in Tanzania.

This adoption was crucial, as Zanzibar was previously a wildlife trafficking hub. In the Ruaha landscape, the project has reduced human-wildlife conflict by 99 percent by supporting the construction of 39 wire bomas across 16 villages to protect the livestock those villages rely on. The project also helped the Ruaha Carnivore Project RCP collar five lions and three spotted hyenas to track their movements on village lands.

RCP also documented and collected detailed data on the deaths of ten carnivores, five of which involved animals getting caught in snares and later being killed. The project also supported Sea Sense to conduct intensive monitoring of green turtle nesting as part of its annual population census through training sessions with the turtle tagging teams.

This partnership supported marine conservation awareness campaigns for the Pemba communities of Shehias, Makoongwe, and Shidi. The project also helped wildlife training institutions update their curriculums, guidebooks, and field equipment. The Likuyu Sekamaganga Conservation Training Centre is one example; the project supported the institution to finalize a new curriculum and provided a pedagogical training for faculty members.

Good journalism is crucial to stopping wildlife crime. They interviewed conservation experts, government officials, community leaders, and representatives of other organizations involved in combating the wildlife trade. As a result of this effort, more than 80 stories were published on wildlife crime. This exchange program gave journalists the opportunity to learn more about wildlife crime and poaching, as well as learn from other journalists from across the globe.

The Activity helped build capacity within law enforcement to improve the rate of successful prosecutions of wildlife traffickers. To strengthen the judicial handling and sentencing of wildlife crimes, the project supported training for more than 80 judges and magistrates using in-person and online courses on wildlife crime. We not only worked with organizations that specialize in wildlife conservation but also engaged the private sector, supporting the development of biodiversity conservation policies and building the capacity of these institutions.

In doing so, we enabled private business owners, wildlife researchers, and representatives of the GOT to collaborate to strengthen biodiversity conservation on all sides. The project advocated for local interventions on a national scale while adapting national-level policies and research to benefit Tanzanian communities. By acting as the liaison between the GOT and localities, we filled a critical role that propelled wildlife conservation forward.

This richness is reflected in the highest concentration of primates in the world including rare mountain gorillas , an ever-burgeoning bird list of over one thousand species, a special combination of natural and cultural assets, and an extraordinary variety of landscapes from arid savannas to lakes, tropical forests and high mountains.

This wealth of biodiversity competes with other interests, issues, and needs—requiring a system-wide approach to ensure stakeholders work together to understand common interests and work collaboratively towards common goals. Utilizing this approach will promote growth within the tourism sector while protecting the natural resources upon which the destination and its communities depend. Expected Outcomes Increased revenues derived from tourism within the parks; Tourism policy constraints addressed in collaboration with the Government of Uganda and key sector members; Increased funding for conservation activities; Increased collaboration of front-line communities with park management; and Reduced illegal human activities within the parks.

The overall objectives of the program are to: 1 Increase the direct participation by communities in tourism and increase incomes derived by communities from tourism activities and small enterprises; 2 Increase and generate funding support for conservation activities and education and awareness campaigns focused on the value of biodiversity assets; 3 Create alternative livelihoods away from natural resource depleting activities, including illegal activities in protected areas bordering targeted communities; and 4 Increase the number of partnerships formed in support of conservation and sustainable tourism policies and support implementation of those policies.