Photo Credit: AWE for Nature Foundation
Rewilding is happening now all over the world, both on land and at sea, bringing back key species and restoring entire ecosystems at all scales. We are now an alliance of over 200 organisations that are restoring nature around the world. We warmly introduce AWE for Nature Foundation to our alliance.
Amidst Africa’s vast wilderness, where lowland savannahs meet dense woodlands and wildlife roams free, a new model for conservation is taking shape. The AWE for Nature Foundation is redefining how natural ecosystems are valued and protected, building a future where African wilderness is preserved and financed for decades to come.
Pioneering a nature economy for Africa
Partner organisation: AWE for Nature Foundation
Location: Africa
Photo credit: Shaniqwa from pixabay.
The AWE for Nature Foundation has a vision to be a beacon in the transition to a global nature economy. As the momentum to realise this transition grows, AWE for Nature has a mission to implement transformative financing mechanisms that will see the long-term protection of large wilderness areas across Africa, working in partnership with government and local communities. The Foundation is currently developing its pilot conservation project at Chewore South in the Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe – a 200,000 ha concession, for which AWE has just signed a 25-year lease with Zimbabwe Parks & Wildlife Management Authority, and which sits within a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
At the core of AWE’s approach is the understanding that the survival of these ecosystems depends as much on local communities as it does on conservation science. Through a partnership with national parks authorities and an incubation partnership with African Parks, AWE is working to bolster operational capacity on the ground. This not only gives them field data but also the opportunity to foster trusting relationships with the local communities.
At the heart of AWE’s mission is a bold vision: to preserve Africa’s rich biodiversity through sustainable, scalable financial solutions. By conducting hands-on conservation operations and introducing innovative funding tools, AWE aims to place nature at the centre of society and the economy.
Photo Credit: AWE for Nature Foundation
Despite holding 25% of the world’s biodiversity, Africa receives only 3% of global conservation funding.
This disparity drives AWE’s ambition to develop an economy that accurately values biodiversity, that directly addresses local needs, generating real impact. AWE for Nature Foundation is at the cutting edge of conservation financing, developing strategies like Biodiversity Credit markets (see our webinar on the subject) that are set to change how the world funds biodiversity protection.
With a strong on-the-ground presence, AWE is working to ensure that these financial innovations are designed to reflect local conservation priorities rather than imposing external agendas. Integrity and scalability lie at the core of their approach, aiming to bridge the biodiversity funding gap with solutions that last.
Photo Credit: KvdB50 from Getty Images Signature.
AWE’s conservation strategy isn’t just about preserving landscapes and wildlife; it is about people.
For communities living near protected areas, human-wildlife conflict is a pressing issue. By collaborating closely with local leaders, AWE is developing solutions that benefit both residents and the wildlife they live alongside, creating a shared future for both.
By combining visionary ideas with practical action, the AWE for Nature Foundation is charting a new path forward, one where nature and economy thrive together and benefit local communities firsthand.