The Nature Conservancy records fast growth

From the newsletter

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has outpaced Peace Parks with a 4% increase in senior staff growth over the past month. Our review of the past year indicates that TNC has achieved the highest growth rate, at 18% annually, among large conservation organisations in Africa. TNC is leading one of the largest community land restoration initiatives in Africa.

• The Kafue project  in Zambia aims to improve natural resource management across 6.8 million hectares of land surrounding Kafue National Park, assisting communities in sustainably managing their resources.TNC serves as a coordinating partner, collaborating with other entities and disbursing funds to achieve the desired outcomes.

• TNC is also involved in several other community-based conservation projects across Africa. In Angola, the focus is on transitioning to solar energy, while in Tanzania’s Greater Mahale landscape, TNC has helped local communities establish seven new Village Land Forest Reserves, thus protecting vital ecosystems.

More details

• In our review of ten companies using LinkedIn data, Peace Parks ranks second for senior employee growth, with a 14% increase, which translates to 19 new employees. However, there has been a 6% decline in their growth over the past month, during which they previously led with a 20% increase. Furthermore, Peace Parks has a workforce with an average experience level of 14 years, exceeding the Nature Conservancy's average of 13 years. This greater level of expertise is likely to boost job performance and productivity.

• Peace Parks, however, may experience significant growth, following the recent launch of Africa’s largest community forest carbon project, the Kafue Zambezi Community Forest Project, on 14 March 2025, in collaboration with various stakeholders. This project aims to conserve 1.9 million hectares of indigenous forest by 2028. By integrating local leadership, it empowers 280,000 people to adopt sustainable livelihoods while preserving the vital forest catchments of the Kafue and Zambezi rivers.

• BirdLife International ranked third in growth for the second consecutive month, with a 13% increase in senior staff. On 16 May 2025, BirdLife International launched the inaugural Race to Save Birds Challenge, uniting birders from around the world for a record-breaking Global Big Day and World Migratory Bird Day. Over 7,900 bird species were recorded across various continents, and more than $13,000 was raised to support global bird conservation, representing a major step in the protection of migratory species.

• The organisation also made headlines following a landmark ruling by South Africa’s High Court on 18 March 2025, which was the result of years of community advocacy. The court ruled in favour of BirdLife South Africa and its partners, establishing 10-year no-fishing zones around six critical penguin breeding colonies, including Dassen Island, Stony Point, and St Croix Island. These zones are designed to protect essential sardine and anchovy feeding grounds that are vital for the survival of penguins.

• African Parks has retained its fourth position in growth, maintaining a steady rate of 13%. It continues to be among the list of companies achieving over 10% growth. Recently, African Parks Network, an NGO dedicated to managing national parks, signed an agreement with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development to promote transboundary conservation throughout the Boma–Gambella Landscape. The European Union is also involved as a financial supporter.

• Key outcomes of their recent meeting included the finalisation of a joint work plan, the endorsement of Terms of Reference for the Project Steering Committee, and an agreement on the date and venue for the Steering Committee’s inaugural meeting. Additionally, improved communication frameworks between stakeholders were established. Presentations covered the status of wildlife, conservation governance, and progress in on-the-ground implementation. Delegates also discussed the need for harmonised information systems and cross-border dialogue.

• The Wildlife Conservation Society, Conservation International, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Endangered Wildlife Trust, World Wide Fund for Nature, and African Wildlife Foundation all reported growth increases of less than 10%. Despite their vital roles in conservation, each organisation showed modest performance, with some even experiencing growth rates as low as below 5%.

Our take

• In February, TNC distanced itself from the US government's cuts to global conservation funding. Although it endorsed efficient governance, it implicitly criticised the reduction of environmental support and resources.

• The organisation connected the previous cuts to observable environmental impacts and emphasised the necessity for science-based government action. This emphasis indicated its opposition not only to the cuts themselves but also to the way they were implemented.

• This statement followed TNC's renaming of its Gulf of Mexico programme to "Gulf of America" in response to a federal directive from the US government. TNC explained that this change was essential for the continuation of their programmes and to comply with the directive.

• Moving forward, the organisation is expected to continue advocating for the restoration or maintenance of conservation funding. Its message emphasised future bipartisan collaboration rather than alignment with recent US budget decisions.