Conservation

Our primary objective is to conserve and restore natural habitats and biodiversity by implementing sustainable conservation practices. We carry key sustainable activities geared toward achieving our broader conservation goals such as 

a) Conservation Education. Conservation education is a vital tool for ACES in fostering awareness and understanding of our natural world among schools, local communities, indigenous peoples, and other stakeholders. We teach about biodiversity, ecosystems, and the importance of preserving natural resources. We encourage schools to integrate environmental studies into the curriculum, organize outdoor activities, and promote sustainable practices on campus. For local and indigenous communities, we reiterate the respect and integration of traditional ecological knowledge and promote co-management of resources and sustainable practices. For all stakeholders, the focus of education is on understanding the interconnected nature of human and environmental health, empowering individuals to make informed decisions that benefit both their communities and the planet.

b) Wildlife Research: We conduct scientific research on wildlife to enhance our understanding of ecosystems, species behavior, and ecological dynamics. Our research findings contribute to evidence-based conservation strategies, policy recommendations, and the development of best practices for wildlife conservation and management.

c) Mitigating Human-Wildlife Conflicts (HWCs): 

Human-wildlife conflict is one of the most critical threats facing wildlife in Protected Areas. Such conflicts resulting from wildlife crop damage have often resulted in drastic reductions in income, amplified poverty, and created a negative perception in humans living together in harmony with wildlife. In our target sites, such wildlife conflicts have compromised farmers’ food and economic security, impeded elephant conservation initiatives, and threatened the safety of humans and wildlife especially Forest elephants and Lowland gorillas. Thus, ACES thrives to maintain a healthy ecological balance between humans and wildlife by researching on and introducing better income-generating and more advanced eco-friendly approaches to mitigate HWCs.