Success Stories

Two of the defining insights from the past three decades of scholarship on global environmental conservation and ecology status and governance are (1) that wildlife-conservation is a dynamic practice that spans political borders and multiple species, and (2) that conservation-based solutions fall short when failing to incorporate local,regional, and national social`objectives.

Our participatory-based approach enables us to facilitate and promote conservation-based behaviors. Quantifying economic trade-offs and risks associated with human and ecosystem health allow decision-makers to make informed decisions. Below are a few examples of the benefits of involving local stakeholders throughout various stages of modeling for the impact of clean water in Ghana, sustaining biodiversity as a national priority throughout the Middle East, and a discussion about the importance of considering the business of conservation while implementing wildlife strategies in Southern Africa.

The impact of accessibility to clean water on traditional lifestyle and mortality rates in the Samsam villages, Ghana

1.4 billion people lack access to safe drinking water and 2.9 billion people do not have access to adequate sanitation. In 65 households surveyed within the Sam-Sam villages in Ghana we found that guinea worm persists as one of the dangerous waterborne parasites. Few residents use latrines and a high percentage of newborns do not breastfeed. Our studies found that awareness and education programs should be tailored to them both genders and focus on addressing lifestyle practices such as: wastewater management, hygiene and sanitation, environmental concerns, and hunting practices

Biodiversity’s national priority in a climate of everyday violence, Middle-East

Presidents and other national and international decision-makers from three Middle-Eastern politically conflicted countries were surveyed to identify drivers for biodiversity-related decisions within and among these politically conflicted countries. The goal was to sustain and promote the priority of biodiversity-related decisions in regions subjected to everyday violence and pressing national security issues. The common driver was identified as the intrinsic value of species and frameworks were proposed in order to sustain these decisions and promote conservation.

The Business of Conservation, South Africa

Conservation can not be done in an effective way when in isolation. South Africa encompasses more than 11,600 private wildlife ranches, spreading over 21 million hectares. And wildlife ranching has a higher rate of return per hectare than any agricultural based market. With an annual return on investment upwards of 80%, wildlife enterprises generate 4.7 billion Rand/year. Various statistical methods were utilized to solve for the impact of various wildlife management practices on economic profitability and risks associated with wildlife and land conservation across South Africa.