The African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) partnership with JRS will strengthen biodiversity monitoring and data sharing in high biodiversity African landscapes. Phase 1 will focus on the Gola Rainforest National Park in Sierra Leone and the Kilombero Valley in Tanzania, with a second phase focusing on other priority landscapes to be identified later. These biodiversity hotspots support many endemic and threatened species and are vital to regional ecosystem health. Building on previous AWF’s data capacity-building models implemented in Rwanda, Cameroon, and Ethiopia, this initiative will improve fragmented national biodiversity data and limited coordination among monitoring programs. Through collaboration with national authorities and stakeholders, the project will train 50 participants in taxon-specific monitoring methods, such as mist-netting, acoustic monitoring, and camera trapping, as well as data analysis. Training will occur in situ, and selected sites will receive monitoring equipment to ensure long-term use. The project will generate standardized, shareable data to inform national biodiversity strategies. After 18 months, AWF plans to expand the initiative to additional landscapes in partnership with the African Civil Society Organisations Biodiversity Alliance (ACBA), establishing a continent-wide community of practice of trained professionals for sustained biodiversity monitoring.

The Multiyear Capacity-Building Project to Strengthen Biodiversity Monitoring and Data Sharing in African Protected Areas – Phase 1: Gola Rainforest National Park (Sierra Leone) and Kilombero Valley (Tanzania) project aims to launch a capacity building project centred on biodiversity monitoring and data sharing in Gola Rainforest National Park, Sierra Leone, and the Kilombero Valley, Tanzania, both globally recognized biodiversity hotspots. These landscapes support endemic and threatened species and play a critical role in regional ecosystem health. The initiative aims to bridge existing data gaps that limit Africa’s contribution to the Global Biodiversity Framework’s 30×30 targets.

Direct objectives include:

1. 1. Harmonize existing biodiversity monitoring protocols that streamline data towards the relevant country’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan.
   2. Enhance biodiversity monitoring technical expertise for improved data quality across geographies. 
   3. Strengthen institutional capacity for long-term biodiversity monitoring.
   4. Streamlining biodiversity data to feed into existing platforms in alignment with the Global Biodiversity Framework 30×30 targets.

Dr. Nakedi Maputla is a conservation scientist with over 18 years of experience in conservation planning, biodiversity monitoring, and protected area management across Africa. As Senior Conservation Scientist and Planner at the African Wildlife Foundation, he leads science-based programme design, monitoring systems, and adaptive management across priority landscapes. His expertise spans landscape ecology, wildlife population modelling, environmental impact assessment, and strategic conservation planning. Nakedi has managed multi-million-dollar initiatives and built strong partnerships with governments and conservation institutions. He holds a PhD in Zoology from the University of Pretoria and is committed to advancing locally led, evidence-based conservation solutions across the continent.