![]() We want to make sure their kids will still have these forests. We are there to secure their resources for their subsistence. We make sure that they know their rights, and that they understand that we are there to protect their forests against intruders. For outsiders to come in and deplete their resources, hunt their wildlife, is not a good thing for them either. Communities are among our most important allies. ![]() Having cooperation from communities near the reserve is critical. My vision for this project is to combine conservation technology approaches and community engagement programs. We’re also going to be working on establishing carbon financing projects to ensure long-term sustainability of this work. One of the biggest conservation issues to date in this area is elephant poaching in Cameroon, but more importantly the cross-border poaching operations. This implies making key strategic Cameroon and Gabon operational decisions, recruiting and managing staff, identifying fundraising opportunities, securing funds and managing those funds in a responsible manner, and ensuring the generation of accurate and timely financial and programmatic reports to donors, stakeholders, government, and Global Conservation. I am therefore in charge of opening and building a regional office based in Cameroon. I’m primarily focused on developing Global Conservation’s work in Cameroon and in Gabon. Tell us about your role with Global Conservation. We caught up with Oliver to learn more about him and his work. Over the last three years, he has managed the delivery of ZSL’s TRIDOM Conservation Programme to ensure effective operations and delivery of ZSL’s strategy in Cameroon. He has contributed to successful grant applications such as ECOFAC VI, USFWS African Elephant Conservation Fund, IWT Challenge Fund, Rufford, Arcus, and Save The Elephants, for a total of over three million dollars. This work gave him the opportunity to implement site-based protection systems in focal sites, coordinate community engagement, develop intelligence networks including a community surveillance network, coordinate multiple landscape law enforcement operations, and test several approaches to addressing Cameroon-Gabon transboundary wildlife crime. As TRIDOM Landscape manager, he was responsible for the management of all of ZSL’s activities, including liaising with other partners, in TRIDOM (a network of protected areas in Cameroon made up of Dja Wildlife Reserve, Mengame Gorilla Sanctuary, Ngoila Wildlife Reserve, Nki National Park, Boumba Bek National Park, and their peripheries). Since 2009, he advanced within ZSL from Assistant Manager in 2009 to ZSL TRIDOM Landscape Manager in 2019. Over the last 15 years he has worked on conservation in Cameroon, providing technical support in protected area management, law enforcement, and wildlife monitoring, eventually securing a position with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). During his studies, he carried out work in the Republic of Benin, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone and Nigeria, taking part in wildlife censuses, anti-poaching patrols, community engagement, and more in various national parks. Later, he completed two MSc degrees (Wildlife Management at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria and Conservation Biology at the University of Kent, UK). He was in awe of a TV program called “Splendeur Sauvage” and of videos from Jacques Cousteau’s marine expeditions. Oliver’s dedication to conservation began in his childhood, when he spent most of his days exploring for “forest snacks” and fishing. Oliver Fankem is a conservation biologist from Cameroon and our new Director for Central Africa.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |