Conservation in Tanzania: Partnering with Communities for People and Nature

Engaging communities around protected areas is a cornerstone of FZS’s strategy, recognizing that lasting environmental protection depends on the well-being and active participation of local communities. In 2009, FZS piloted the Community Conservation Banks (COCOBAs) model in villages surrounding the Serengeti to support both conservation and livelihoods. These village-based savings and loan groups are fully self-managed and allow members, many of whom previously had no access to formal financial services, to collectively save and access low-interest loans. Members have used these funds for sustainable, small-scale businesses such as beekeeping, poultry farming, and tree nurseries. These activities diversify income-generating opportunities and reduce dependence on unsustainable natural resource use.

Today, 160 COCOBA groups support more than 4,000 individuals in improving their livelihoods, managing risks, and investing in their futures. In addition to financial support, many COCOBA members have reported a greater sense of community cohesion and decision-making power, especially among women, who make up a large share of active members. These local institutions also empower members to engage in other development activities, building resilience, supporting education, and fostering voluntary conservation efforts from within the communities themselves.

In the Loliondo Highlands, Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) works with local communities to protect forests that serve as vital water sources for both people and wildlife. These forests feed the Grumeti River, which provides year-round water to people, wildlife, and livestock across the Serengeti ecosystem.

FZS helps communities establish community-based forest trusts to manage their own forest reserves, such as Sariani and Enguserosambu, through participatory forest management, and supports sustainable livelihoods like beekeeping and livestock health services.

FZS also supports the training of Village Forest Guards – trusted local stewards who help safeguard forest health. Their work not only protects water resources, but also provides meaningful employment and strengthens community leadership in managing natural assets.

These efforts reduce pressure on natural resources while reinforcing local ownership of conservation.

Rangelands in northern Tanzania are critical to families who depend on livestock for their livelihoods. FZS works with pastoralist communities to restore and protect rangelands that sustain livestock and reduce pressure on wildlife. Healthy rangelands mean healthier animals, stronger livelihoods, and reduced pressure on forests and protected areas. However, droughts, intensive grazing, and expanding land-use change have degraded many of these grasslands, threatening livelihoods and ecological balance.

Since 2020, FZS has partnered with the Ngorongoro District Council and local leaders to develop rangeland rehabilitation approaches using a mix of traditional knowledge and practical techniques.

These efforts are community-led and designed to build resilience. FZS supports community-led governance strengthening, developing sustainable grazing plans, awareness campaigns, training sessions, and infrastructure improvements like cattle dips, which help reduce livestock disease and improve herd health.

Securing land rights is not only essential for long-term stability and development — it’s also critical for effective conservation. By clarifying land boundaries and reducing disputes, land-use planning helps communities invest confidently in their future while also protecting key habitats. It enables local leaders to shape development programs that align with conservation goals and community needs.

Since 2016, we have supported participatory village land-use planning in the Serengeti, Tarime, Bariadi, Bunda, Busega, Itilima, and Meatu districts, working with local governments and village leaders to help families gain legal ownership of the land they live and work on.

At the household level, over 9,000 families have received Certificates of Customary Rights of Occupancy (CCROs) since 2022. When communities have secure land rights, they are better able to use the land for economic investments, participate in conservation, manage resources responsibly, and contribute to the long-term coexistence of people and wildlife in the Serengeti.

In the Serengeti, where people and wildlife share the same landscapes, conflicts can arise when elephants raid crops or predators attack livestock. To help communities live safely alongside wildlife, the Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) has launched a series of practical and community-driven solutions. These include building predator-proof livestock enclosures (bomas), training local community task forces to safely deter elephants using non-lethal tools like torches, chili bombs, and Roman candles, and providing rapid-response vehicles to reach sites of human-wildlife conflict quickly. In partnership with local authorities, FZS has also established a digital monitoring system to track the movements of lions in real time, helping prevent incidents before they happen.

But our work goes beyond emergency response. A major part of our strategy involves helping communities plan how land is used to reduce conflict and promote coexistence. We support participatory mapping to identify areas for grazing, farming, and wildlife movement, ensuring that people and animals have space to thrive and coexist. By working with communities to balance human needs with conservation priorities, FZS is building long-term solutions that protect both livelihoods and wildlife.

Environmental education is central to building long-term conservation mindsets. FZS supports school-based programs, wildlife clubs, and community outreach to help people – especially youth – understand how nature supports their daily lives. In Tanzania, we work with local educators and partners to create materials in Swahili, support eco-club activities, and organize visits to national parks for students who have never seen wildlife up close. These efforts help foster pride in local ecosystems and build a generation of future stewards equipped with knowledge and curiosity about the natural world.

Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) supports collaborative units in the Serengeti that bring together experienced rangers and local community members – many of whom once relied on bushmeat hunting for income.

Drawing on their deep bush knowledge, these groups patrol key areas of the national park to locate and remove illegally placed wire snares, helping to reduce poaching and protect wildlife.

By turning former hunters into wildlife guardians, the initiative provides paid employment, valuable new skills, and a sense of purpose rooted in conservation. This approach not only strengthens relationships between communities and park authorities, but also builds trust, supports law enforcement efforts, and shows how conservation can create meaningful opportunities for people while safeguarding nature.

Through programs like COCOBA, community-based ranger teams, human-wildlife coexistence monitoring and environmental education, FZS creates opportunities for local residents, especially women and youth, to take on active roles in conservation and community development. Whether accessing loans to start small businesses, receiving vocational training, or becoming forest stewards, these groups are gaining visibility, confidence, and leadership experience—shaping the future of conservation in their own communities. This focus not only addresses gender and generational equity but also strengthens the long-term sustainability of conservation efforts.