Photo credit: tobiasfrei from Getty Images Pro

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. This week we are delving into three countries from three different continents: India, Belize and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with organisations that are rewilding tropical forests, endangered manatees and many more iconic species. We are part of a growing, global and hopeful movement.

In this article, we introduce you to three rewilding organisations from our network so that you can hear about some of the exciting success stories, challenges and ambitious aims.

We warmly welcome three new Alliance Partners: Nirman Odisha, Wildtracks and MKAAJI MPYA asbl.

Empowering local communities with nature restoration in India

Partner Organisation: Nirman Odisha

Location: Odisha, India

Deep in the heart of Odisha, India, with its tropical climate with high temperatures, humidity, and rainfall, and short, mild winters Nirman Odisha helps restore ecosystems and greatly enhance biodiversity in collaboration with the local communities.

The state’s tropical forests cover almost one-third of the state and are home to many tribal and other traditional forest dwelling communities. Nirman has been working with the local human inhabitants to preserve and restore ecosystems for both the people and flora & fauna. Since the enactment of the 2006 Forest Rights Act, which recognizes the rights of forest-dwelling communities to own their traditional family lands in the forest and also to protect and manage their community forests. Nirman has been working with communities to orient them on their entitlements and responsibilities, to make the sustainable development of their individual lands, to develop sustainable management plans for their community forest areas taking into account the various ecosystem services enjoyed therein, and to promote sustainable economies for the rural poor. “Our chief activity continuing towards this cause is to ensure community-led protection of terrestrial forests in our intervention area.”

Local community rewilding in India Credit: Mundali Tilabadi, Nirman Odisha

Women of Mundali village at a demarcation stone separating their customary forest boundary with the neighbouring village, Tilabadi. Photo credit: Bikash Rath, Nirman Odisha

What started out as an organic movement, has now become 5000 hectares under their focus, and can be scaled as more villages join to restore their ecosystems. In Odisha, several villages have been protecting their forests (often hill-forests), gradually creating a system of protection and management. Nirman’s approach is less technical and more simplified, more community-based. This strategy of simplifying nature restoration, making it easier and more affordable, has made great strides for both the people living there and the local flora & fauna. They are finding that the power of nature to restore itself with a little help and protection is incredible.

Their focus on including the needs and wants of the communities through collaboration and co-creation has yielded great results. Nearly 700 land rights claims of tribal (Adivasi) families have been secured. Most importantly, 156 villages also secured legal title over their community forest resources areas under Forest Right Act. This has led to secure tenure of community in conservation, management and governance of community forest resources over 14800 Acres of area. This has also given community authority in controlling the forest fire, tree felling and timber trafficking and community has successfully stopped timber felling in many cases. And about one hundred more land rights claims are in process. Many local native species have been protected; regenerative agriculture has been blossoming; rain water conservation work done in 494 acres of areas; solar light has been distributed; community-based grain processing installed; and much more.

We are delighted to announce Nirman Odisha as the latest Alliance Partner of the Global Rewilding Alliance. Their mission to enhance livelihood, food and nutritional security for smallholder farmers, forest dwellers, and fisher communities through revival of integrated farming, restoration of ecosystems, and strengthening of natural resources governance and sustainable small-scale fishery has created many success stories, and we look forward to having them as part of the Alliance.

Nature and Community Recovery in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Partner Organisation: MKAAJI MPYA asbl

Location: Democratic Republic of Congo

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth, featuring vast tropical rainforests, mountain ranges and the Congo River, Africa’s 2nd longest. Despite its natural wealth, the DRC faces significant political and economic instability as well as increasing environmental degradation. In this context, MKAAJI MPYA, a grassroots charity based in the DRC, is making strides to empower rural communities through rewilding, regenerative agriculture and peacebuilding.

Local village rewilding in Congo Credit: Gervais Muderhwa MKAAJI MPYA

Photo credit: Gervais Muderhwa, MKAAJI MPYA

MKAAJI MPYA, meaning ‘New Farmer’ in Swahili, leads several rewilding and traditional conservation initiatives and works in partnership with the Itombwe Nature Reserve (INR) aiming to facilitate a new generation of environmental stewards. They have established nursery sites for seedling production to allow community-led reforestation efforts that will provide food for the community and habitat for endangered monkeys and hippos in the Ruzizi plain. MKAAJI MPYA also works closely with local communities in conservation campaigns against bush fires and poaching through its Rural Conservation Clubs.

Alongside rewilding, MKAAJI MPYA places a strong emphasis on regenerative agricultural practices. Through Farmer Field Schools, the Rural Women’s Leadership Centres (RWLCs) and its Rural Conservation Clubs, they teach land management techniques that boost crop yields and biodiversity. These include the reintroduction of agroforestry practices, organic farming and soil conservation methods that help restore and sustain the fertility of the land.

MKAAJI MPYA also plays a crucial role in conflict prevention and peacebuilding. Their PRPACL-APs Programme focuses on transforming the negative perceptions and stereotypes of indigenous peoples living near protected areas, integrating traditional indigenous knowledge into current land management practices.

By integrating nature recovery, regenerative agriculture and peacemaking, MKAAJI MPYA is leading the way towards a more resilient future for the DRC.

Two MBEs for endangered species rehabilitation in Belize

Partner Organisation: Wildtracks

Location: Belize

Belize is home to two species of globally endangered primates; the Yucatan black howler monkey and the Central American spider monkey. It is also the regional stronghold for the globally endangered Antillean manatee, with an estimated national population of less than 1,000.

Founded in 1990, our new Partner Wildtracks is dedicated to the effective management of healthy ecosystems in Belize by restoring these iconic species. Driven by volunteer support and national collaborations and partnerships, their mission focuses on conservation strategies that support Belize’s commitment to the Global Biodiversity Framework, and encompass endangered species rehabilitation, capacity building and planning for Belize’s conservation community, and stakeholder engagement to foster environmental stewardship.

Baby monkey credit: Wildtracks

Photo credit: Wildtracks

Wildtracks has taken on the responsibility of providing rehabilitation care for primates and manatees, the only facility in Belize carrying out this work for these species. By focusing on restoring physical and mental health, social integration, and development of essential survival skills, Wildtracks ensures rescues are fully prepared for their successful release back into their natural habitats and stress the importance of post-release monitoring. To date they have reintroduced more than 100 Howler monkeys in Belize’s Northeastern Biological Corridor with an estimated 95% first year survival rate, as part of a re-wilding strategy to strengthen forest resilience to climate change impacts. The population has flourished, with third generation offspring and a population increase to more than 150 individuals. Similarly, each manatee that has been successfully rehabilitated and released from the Centre has survived well and integrated into the wild manatee population, with the first wild-born calf reported in 2023.

Recently, founders Zoe and Paul Walker received MBE’s from King Charles III in recognition of their contribution to conservation and biodiversity in Belize. Zoe said: “The award reflects the commitment of the Belize Government and the many conservation organizations and individuals we have collaborated with over the years, the work they do and the impacts they make….It has also been an inspiring adventure in the world of conservation planning across Belize’s tropical forests, seas, and species… and one that hasn’t yet finished!”

We hope that you enjoyed getting to know a handful of our Alliance Partners. More to come!

See their websites here:

Nirman Odisha

MKAAJI MPYA

Wildtracks