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Africa at Conservation Crossroads: A Funding Crisis, and Moment of Possibility
There has never been a more urgent or opportune time to rethink the future of conservation in Africa. South Africa (05 May 2025) – As global attention shifts elsewhere and traditional donor streams dry up, conservation in Africa stands at a turning point. Yes, there is a funding crisis. But there is also growing motivation to tell a different story: one of African-led solutions, resilient ecosystems, and recognition of our biodiversity not just for its beauty, but for its central role in sustaining livelihoods, economies, and life itself. Over the past four months, the global funding landscape has shifted — fast. Governments are broke or looking inward. Donors are distracted. Philanthropy…
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Coal mining fear sparks unexpected conservation boom in Mpumalanga
The ecologically rich grasslands in Mpumalanga’s highveld have become a front line in the struggle between biodiversity and coal mining. Fearful of open-cast mining’s devastating impacts, a growing number of South African landowners are turning to an unconventional shield: biodiversity protection. While their motives may not be entirely green, the outcome has been, in the words of Brian Morris, “a blessing in disguise” for conservation and South Africa’s biodiversity conservation goals. Morris heads the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency’s biodiversity stewardship programme, which allows for the declaration of “protected areas on land owned by private individuals, by communities, by companies and trusts”. Unconventional shield These landowners commit to “long-term commitments…
