Here at Natural Selection we’re on a mission to create a sustainable future where both people and nature can thrive.
Conservation education is one of Natural Selection’s strategic focus areas and is globally recognised as an essential tool for safeguarding our natural resources and fostering a more sustainable future.
In the areas that we operate, conservation education efforts invariably involve local rural communities. The importance of conservation education support in these areas is crucial, as rural communities are inextricably linked to their immediate environment. Conservation education in these areas plays a crucial role in raising environmental awareness and assisting communities to navigate the environment and environmental challenges on their doorstep.
The benefits are multi-faceted and include enhancing livelihoods, strengthening community resilience, fostering environmental stewardship, promoting biodiversity and ecosystem services and laying the foundation for sustainable development. Conservation education which specifically targets rural children, has the added benefit of enabling the next generation to be custodians of the areas in which they live.
“Conservation education in rural areas is essential for building a sustainable future where both people and nature can thrive,” notes Natural Selection’s Chief Impact Officer Dr Jennifer Lalley.
We support a variety of initiatives that facilitate this, including Coaching Conservation, Wildshots Outreach, Elephants for Africa (EFA) Environmental Club, the Khomas Environmental Education Centre and our newest initiative, the Rap with Rangers programme in which our rangers from Khwai Private Reserve regularly visit the village school to discuss what they do as rangers, from de-snaring, to recording predator sightings and assisting the Botswana Defence Force in protecting wildlife.
Conservation education extends also to Human Wildlife Conflict (HWC) initiatives that we support, which work with community members to reduce HWC through knowledge sharing and education around better practices. Some of these initiatives include EFA Farmer Workshops and Elephant Proof Fencing, Anti-poaching Ranger training, Communal Herding for Livestock and Wildlife Protection (CLAWS) and our award-winning Elephant Express buses.
Perhaps the best conservation education of all is to spend time in our concessions with our knowledgeable guides, and to leave with a new perspective and appreciation for these wild spaces. Many of the conservation education initiatives that we support, ensure that community participants get to do just that. Most often, this is a first-time experience. For prospective guests, this immersive educational experience is only one click away.
You can find out more about our commitment to make a difference in our latest Impact Report
