Q&A: Conservation is shifting to private sector practises

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Conservation has been practised in organised form for a century on the continent. Yet, conservation today is increasingly a different animal from what it was during the 20th century. It’s not just nature that’s changing, but its guardians too. The future of conservation is marked by three key trends: new funding, new technology and new community relations.

• In an exclusive interview, Mike Korchinsky, founder of Wildlife Works, analyses these trends and their impact. He emphasises the need for involving the community in conservation finance.

• “Our work has always been about driving money to the communities as directly as possible so they can make the decisions for themselves about the economic value of conservation.” he said.

More details

Conservation is changing dramatically in Africa. What do you see as the most fundamental shift?

Conservation was something that was done around communities in the past and oftentimes without their participation. What has happened most fundamentally is that communities have become part of the solution increasingly. The main issue was how conservation was viewed by communities, whether they saw value in being involved. Thirty years ago when we began, communities were not necessarily interested in conservation. It was something they assumed outsiders did, whether they wanted them to or not. From the beginning, our view was that conservation has to be viable and valuable to communities or it will not succeed, other than in isolated national parks. REDD+ has brought to the table a way for communities to assess the value of conserving wildlife and wilderness within their community.

How has the role of communities in conservation evolved in recent years?

The first element was awakening the desire of communities to participate, triggered by a different view of conservation that engaged them from the start and made them part of the solution. Communities have always valued animals culturally, but practically they needed livelihoods to feed their families, which often removed wilderness at a fast rate. In the last five years, I have seen an acceleration of communities in Africa embracing the role of environmental stewards. That means they must be in a position to make decisions about their environment and also be able to implement those decisions with financial, policy, or government support.

How has conservation become a career path for young Africans?

Thirty years ago conservation was not seen as a career for young Africans. It was largely expatriates or postcolonial actors involved. Over time, young Africans have realised they have an amazing opportunity and embraced it. There are now programmes developing local capacity, and young Africans have risen into authority roles. Conservation is now a viable career path for many.

What role does technology play in conservation?

Technology is advancing rapidly. Satellites can now monitor what is happening on the ground with increasing detail and frequency, but they will never tell you why. Ground work like creating alternative livelihoods, fire suppression and reforestation cannot be replaced. We now have more frequent and accurate reports, but models must ensure communities understand their role and value as stewards.

A common criticism is that global markets are the cause of environmental problems. What is your perspective?

It is true that markets and global consumption have caused problems, but they are also necessary for solutions. There is no other mechanism humans have developed to interact, earn a living and feed families. So markets must be part of the solution. Critics who say markets are the enemy don’t provide an alternative. We need practical solutions, and carbon markets provide mechanisms with transparency and accountability. Communities want to know where every dollar goes and this transparency is raising expectations across conservation.

How has community involvement addressed past criticisms of conservation?

For a long time, conservation projects did not engage communities appropriately. That is changing because communities are no longer willing to be sidelined. Traditional conservation groups must adapt, as funding now flows more directly to communities. These groups are not malicious, they care deeply, but they must accept that communities are permanent residents and should drive solutions. Wildlife Works has always focused on channelling money directly to communities so they can decide the economic value of conservation.

What role does governance play in community-led conservation?

Governance has always existed locally but often focused on day-to-day concerns, not conservation. We have worked to broaden governance to include environmental management. Climate and biodiversity are now daily concerns, especially in rural areas. Education has been critical, as access to education allows young people to return with knowledge of science and conservation, improving governance outcomes.

What challenges exist in scaling conservation markets?

Many communities have seen others benefit and want their own projects. This demand is positive but creates pressure on markets that are not yet large enough to support everyone. If unmet, communities may revert to damaging livelihoods. Managing expectations while scaling markets quickly enough is a key challenge.

Who owns environmental data?

There are few regulations on ownership of environmental data. Individuals have rights to personal data, but not to data about their environment. Communities should have free access to data from their environment, even if they are not always in a position to use it. Countries like Brazil are ahead in protecting Indigenous knowledge, while others lag behind.

How should biodiversity be valued alongside carbon?

We need markets for biodiversity in addition to carbon. An empty forest might store carbon but lacks richness and won’t survive without biodiversity. Biodiversity markets are still at an early stage, but we believe strongly in them. Communities should benefit economically from protecting wildlife and ecosystems. Expectations are spreading faster than markets can develop, so managing this growth will be challenging.

How is philanthropy changing in conservation?

Philanthropy used to dominate but now markets are a substantial contributor. Communities are demanding direct access and transparency. They want to know exactly how much funding flows to them, not just to conservation groups. This is reshaping conservation philanthropy, forcing it to be more transparent and direct.

What advances in carbon measurement are most impactful?

Traditional satellite imaging used a binary model: forest or not forest. This missed slow degradation. New LiDAR and radar technologies can measure forest biomass and carbon stock directly, allowing fairer compensation for communities protecting degraded forests. Wildlife Works helped develop the Equitable Earth methodology, which uses these new technologies and focuses on community rights and participation. It ensures incentives reflect the actual environmental reality.

What would success in conservation markets look like?

Ultimate success would be any community that wants conservation support being able to access it from markets. We are not there yet, the market is too small. Growth must be rapid enough to meet demand. Another step is better awareness by communities and governments of market rules and participation conditions. Not every community is eligible, and better training and knowledge sharing can reduce frustration.

How are communities sharing knowledge about conservation?

Communities share information informally, often via the internet and smartphones. Seeing real experiences from similar communities inspires participation. However, while awareness spreads fast, technical details do not. Creating knowledge hubs accessible to communities would help spread best practices more effectively. Donors and governments could play a key role here.

How are African governments adapting to conservation as an economic sector?

Governments often ask first how they can benefit financially. But they are increasingly recognising conservation as a legitimate economic sector that needs regulation and taxation. Regulations must balance moving quickly with understanding mechanisms properly. Kenya has made some early mistakes but is evolving. Countries like Colombia offer good models.