Media Contact:
Carrie Conko
Director of Communications
Mercatus Center at George Mason University
Office: 703-993-4899
Email: cconko@gmu.edu
Mercatus On Policy - Conserving Communities
January 10, 2008
While many countries in Africa, such as Kenya, struggle with declining wildlife populations, Namibia’s wildlife numbers are on the rise thanks to an innovative program called Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM). Unlike many other African nations where government ministries control environmental protection, under CBNRM, Namibia puts local people in charge of managing wildlife. Because these local people benefit directly from the natural resources on their land, they view flora and fauna as valuable assets worth protecting. Thus, CBNRM offers a unique and innovative path to economic development while also promoting natural resource conservation.
