Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation (IRDNC) is Namibia’s oldest field-based NGO and strives to improve the lives of rural people in Namibia through natural resource management.
IRDNC played a crucial role in devising Namibia’s new conservation strategies after independence in 1990. It works with conservancies in the Kunene and Zambezi regions, and supports the development of the Kunene People’s Park, a progressive new type of protected area: an African way of linking conservation of wildlife to enhanced quality of life of the local communities. What makes the People’s Park different from conventional national parks is that it builds on and enhances community ownership of wildlife and valuable natural resources; it’s a genuine partnership between communal conservancies and the government. This landscape conservation concept will be expanded to other conservancies in the region, with further People’s Parks in the making.
Species Protected: Black Rhino | African Elephant | African Lion | Hippopotamus | Giraffe
Black Rhino - IRDNC © Olwen Evans
IRDNC
IRDNC
How Tusk works with Our Project Partners
We provide critical funding to enable our project partners to grow and increase their impact on habitat and wildlife, while also enabling, nurturing and supporting collaboration between them, for greater synergy and impact.
We help to increase awareness and wider support for our partners’ efforts, while also sharing important conservation messages, from the vital and varied roles of wildlife rangers, to the benefits of community-driven conservation, both within Africa and internationally.
Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation has been a Tusk partner since 2017.
This Project Makes a Difference Through…
Habitat Protection
Local Population Employed: 57
Area Protected: 246,500 ha
