Conservation to Coexist
Conservation to Coexist is a research project conceived of and carried out by local community members in the areas surrounding Kibale National Park in Uganda. The goal of the project is to reduce the instances of animals from the park eating and/or damaging the crops of nearby subsistence farmers.
Crop loss is a major concern for biodiversity conservation and human well-being. Negative interactions between humans and wildlife are detrimental to both sides. Humans suffer from food insecurity and economic instability. The myriad consequences of these interactions include impacts on human health, limitations on the ability to pursue educational or employment opportunities, and increased stress.
The wildlife also suffers directly from these negative interactions in the form of efforts to kill the wild animals found in the garden or to set traps that injure or kill animals when they cross into farmland. Additionally, these interactions have caused great resentment toward the wildlife and the park, making adversaries out of people who could be vital allies in conservation efforts.
The work of Conservation to Coexist has significantly reduced crop raiding, increased food security, improved perceptions of wildlife and the park, and decreased dangerous human-wildlife interactions in participating communities.
Read more about our work in our peer-reviewed publications:
McCarten, J.E. and Milich, K.M., 2023. Impacts of a participatory action project: how reducing crop raiding has implications for health. Human Dimensions of Wildlife, pp.1-14. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10871209.2023.2197300
Milich, K.M., Sorbello, K., Kolinski, L., Busobozi, R. and Kugonza, M., 2021. Case study of participatory action research for wildlife conservation. Conservation Science and Practice, 3(2), p.e347. https://conbio-onlinelibrary-wiley-com.libproxy.wustl.edu/doi/full/10.1111/csp2.347
Kolinski, L. and Milich, K.M., 2021. Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation Impacts Community Perceptions around Kibale National Park, Uganda. Diversity, 13(4), p.145. https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/13/4/145
Check out Project Directors Kugonza Moses and Busobozi Richard talk about Conservation to Coexist.
Thanks to our funding sources:
