Building on a successful pilot project conducted in 2022, the Advancing Environmental DNA Research Capacity in Rwanda to Inform Conservation Decisions project will enhance African participation in the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework by building capacity among African researchers to contribute to effective conservation management through environmental DNA (eDNA) research. The team will train annual cohorts of 15 scientists from Rwanda and other African countries in the science of eDNA, a cutting-edge conservation tool, involving them in research addressing questions relevant to biodiversity management in Rwanda’s National Parks. Local parks authorities will receive actionable data on terrestrial and freshwater species’ current and past distributions, informing management priorities regarding monitoring, potential species reintroductions, and invasive species. Participating researchers will be carefully selected to ensure sustainability of the training and will come from diverse organizations in Rwanda and elsewhere in Africa. The project’s key partner is the University of Rwanda’s Center of Excellence in Biodiversity & Natural Resource Management (CoEB), a regional research institute that acts as a hub connecting many governmental and non-governmental agencies in Rwanda from which the project will draw participants. Trainees will gain competence in eDNA research, enabling them to develop independent research projects and mentor others. To establish an inter-African network of eDNA researchers, the project will support the continued education and training of local scientists and purchase sequencing equipment to build in-house genomic research capability housed at the University of Rwanda.

Objective 1 Assess biodiversity to provide actionable data for park management. The specific objectives include:

• Assess historic species presence in Rwanda’s Nyungwe and Akagera National Parks.
• Determine the current presence and distribution of terrestrial and aquatic species in each park so management can devise more effective strategies to enhance biodiversity.

Objective 2 Build capacity for eDNA research in Rwanda and across Africa. The specific objectives include:

• Train an annual cohort of 15 scientists and managers from Rwanda and other African countries in the science of eDNA.
• Continue and deepen our work with trainees beyond the workshop.
• Increase our impact by introducing eDNA to a broader audience.
• Create an inter-African network of researchers and managers using eDNA in conservation and other fields.
• Sustain eDNA research in Rwanda and across Africa beyond the life of this project.
• Fund two $5000 pilot projects each year targeting specific biomonitoring priorities identified by additional conservation focused agencies.

Dr. Ren Larison is a researcher at UCLA focused on understanding and conserving biological diversity. Her focus over the last 12 years has been uncovering the genetic basis of zebra stripes. However, when visiting Akagera National Park to sample zebras, she learned about the depauperate mammalian fauna in the park and the park’s desire for data on historical and current species assemblages to inform management efforts. She pulled together a team from African Parks, the University of Rwanda, and the University of California, Santa Cruz, to research historical and modern biodiversity in Rwanda’s Akagera and Nyungwe National Parks by sampling environmental DNA (eDNA). A vital facet of the project is building capacity for eDNA research in Rwanda and fostering collaborations with researchers in other African countries.