• Absent for 80 years, bears once more roam

    Absent for 80 years, bears once more roam

    the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains and Great Basin

    WCS sound science helped reduce conflicts with people allowing bears to expand back into Nevada
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  • Riverine communities are helping WCS monitor and protect turtle populations in the Lower Rio Negro Mosaic of the Brazilian Amazon
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  • WCS is supporting our indigenous communities partners to restore and protect river turtles in Yasuní National Park
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  • Chimpanzees living in the corridors forests of the Murchison-Semliki Landscape

    Chimpanzees living in the corridors forests of the Murchison-Semliki Landscape

    In Uganda

    Deforestation in corridors between national parks in Uganda is declining as farmers adopt WCS conservation farming practices
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  • Tacana indigenous people benefit from protecting caiman

    Tacana indigenous people benefit from protecting caiman

    In Bolivia

    Selling sustainably hunted caiman skins to Gucci has increased the household income of the Tacana indigenous people of Bolivia over 530%, providing a tangible incentive to protect this once endangered crocodile
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  • Dramatic recovery of Southeast Asia’s waterbirds

    Dramatic recovery of Southeast Asia’s waterbirds

    In Cambodia

    Offering secure jobs, WCS converted egg collectors into nest guardians increasing endangered waterbird numbers 15-35 fold in 10 years, creating the largest waterbird colony in Southeast Asia.
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  • Protecting indigenous rights reduces deforestation

    Protecting indigenous rights reduces deforestation

    In Cambodia

    Helping the indigenous Bunong people to secure legal title to their land prevented 140km2 of forest from being cleared, protecting habitat for endangered gibbons.
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  • Reducing livestock losses, reduces tiger poaching

    Reducing livestock losses, reduces tiger poaching

    In Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, Indonesia

    Mitigating tiger-livestock conflict, improving wildlife crime intelligence, and expanding effective ranger patrols prevents poaching and stops retaliatory killing of tigers.
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  • Trophy turkeys encourage forest conservation

    Trophy turkeys encourage forest conservation

    In Guatemala

    Connecting communities in Guatemala to US sport hunters has allowed WCS to generate financial incentives for local families to protect the largest block of neotropical forest outside of the Amazon.
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  • Resettlement works for livelihoods and tigers

    Resettlement works for livelihoods and tigers

    In India

    Helping local people living uncomfortably with tigers to be justly compensated for their voluntary out-migration has protected tigers and substantially improve the wellbeing of participating families.
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  • Locally managed marine areas increase fish abundance

    Locally managed marine areas increase fish abundance

    In Madagascar

    Securing the rights of local families to fish, exclusively, in their tradition waters, reduced destructive gear use, increased fish biomass, and secured the livelihoods of fishers.
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  • Payments for conservation work for wildlife

    Payments for conservation work for wildlife

    In Cambodia

    Knowing that PES has huge potential as an incentive for conservation, WCS tested three different schemes in Cambodia to evaluate their impact on conservation and human wellbeing.
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  • Communities Restore Degraded Reefs

    Communities Restore Degraded Reefs

    Along the Coast of Kenya

    By helping communities take control of their fisheries WCS is conserving Kenya's coastal reefs and increasing the wellbeing of local fisherman.
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  • Avoiding deforestation and securing livelihoods

    Avoiding deforestation and securing livelihoods

    In Makira, Madagascar

    By co-managing Makira National Park WCS is reducing global carbon emissions, conserving endemic forest plants and animals, and protecting the cultural identity and wellbeing of our local community partners.
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  • Absent for 80 years, bears once more roam
  • Chimpanzees living in the corridors forests of the Murchison-Semliki Landscape
  • Tacana indigenous people benefit from protecting caiman
  • Dramatic recovery of Southeast Asia’s waterbirds
  • Protecting indigenous rights reduces deforestation
  • Reducing livestock losses, reduces tiger poaching
  • Trophy turkeys encourage forest conservation
  • Resettlement works for livelihoods and tigers
  • Locally managed marine areas increase fish abundance
  • Payments for conservation work for wildlife
  • Communities Restore Degraded Reefs
  • Avoiding deforestation and securing livelihoods

Securing the Livelihoods of Our Local Community Partners

Wildlife and natural resources are most likely to be conserved when they are managed by the people whose wellbeing depends on them. WCS partners with indigenous and local peoples to achieve a shared vision for a more secure and resilient future, where wildlife are visible, thriving and culturally valued. Monitoring changes in the material, relational and subjective wellbeing of families over time, using the Basic Necessities Survey (BNS) method, ensures that conservation is a benefit not a burden to our local partners.

Copyright 2019-2021 by Wildlife Conservation Society

WCS, the "W" logo, WE STAND FOR WILDLIFE, I STAND FOR WILDLIFE, and STAND FOR WILDLIFE are service marks of Wildlife Conservation Society.

Contact Information
Address: 2300 Southern Boulevard Bronx, New York 10460 | (718) 220-5100