Reimagining protected and conserved areas in Africa: Perspectives from the first Africa Protected Areas Congress

To protect nature, African parks must contribute to human well-being, overcome threats, and secure reliable funding sources. The first Africa Protected Areas Congress (APAC) held in Kigali, Rwanda from July 18 to 23, 2022 has reaffirmed the need to re-imagine the role of protected and conserved areas (PCAs) in safeguarding wildlife and biodiversity on the continent. Conservation strategies in Africa must be driven by the urgency to make PCAs people centered, advance integrated approaches to tackle drivers of biodiversity loss, and to promote sustainable and innovative financing for PCAs. This paper discusses how African countries can address these needs to harness the full potential of PCAs and ensure their long-term sustainability.

Automated summary

In order to protect nature, African parks need to contribute to human well-being, overcome threats, and secure reliable funding sources. The first Africa Protected Areas Congress (APAC) held in Rwanda reaffirmed the importance of protected and conserved areas (PCAs) in safeguarding wildlife and biodiversity on the continent. This paper discusses how African countries can address the needs of making PCAs people centered, advancing integrated approaches to tackle biodiversity loss, and promoting sustainable and innovative financing for PCAs.