Bridging conservation finance with social justice

Today, the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA) joins the global community in celebrating World Wildlife Day 2025 under the theme “Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet.” This theme powerfully resonates with ZELA’s core values and strategic commitment to advancing sustainable, equitable, and community-centred conservation practices. 

ZELA has been at the forefront of shaping dialogues on conservation finance across local, regional, and international platforms. A key milestone in this journey is our contribution to the Zimbabwe Biodiversity Economy Report (ZBE), which underscores the critical role of innovative financing mechanisms—such as blended finance, payment for ecosystem services (PES), and public-private partnerships — in safeguarding biodiversity, which includes our cherished wildlife. The report emphasizes that investing in conservation is not merely an environmental imperative but a socioeconomic opportunity to uplift communities while protecting our planet. 

Over the past five years, ZELA has championed the Community Conservancies Initiative in Zimbabwe’s South-East Lowveld, a transformative model that aligns with this year’s theme. By supporting Nyangambe, Devure, and Jamanda Community Conservancies, ZELA has demonstrated how investing in local stewardship creates a ripple effect for both ecological resilience and human well-being. These conservancies empower communities to sustainably manage wildlife and natural resources, generate livelihoods through eco-tourism, and combat poaching through collective action. This success reaffirms our belief that communities living near protected areas are the true custodians of conservation, deserving equitable access to benefits and decision-making power.

Over the years, ZELA has been instrumental in advancing Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) frameworks, a critical pillar of conservation finance, by piloting two groundbreaking ABS by-laws adopted in the wildlife-rich districts of Binga and Hwange. Co-developed with local communities, these by-laws ensure that benefits derived from the sustainable use of genetic resources and biodiversity are equitably shared with communities managing these resources. The by-laws transform conservation into a livelihood opportunity by formalizing legal mechanisms for benefit redistribution. This model strengthens community stewardship and positions ABS as a replicable tool for generating sustainable conservation finance. In Binga and Hwange, where human-wildlife coexistence is vital, these by-laws have already begun fostering a virtuous cycle: investments in people yield better wildlife protection, which attracts more responsible investment. 

ZELA recognizes that indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) are vital to sustainable wildlife conservation. For centuries, communities have employed traditional practices to coexist with nature, from rotational grazing to sacred grove preservation. Integrating IKS into conservation finance strategies honors cultural heritage and unlocks cost-effective, culturally rooted solutions. By channelling resources to support community-led knowledge systems, we can foster resilience and ensure conservation efforts are both inclusive and enduring. 

ZELA’s Commitment

To advance wildlife conservation finance and community empowerment, ZELA is dedicated to: 

• Advocating for policies that prioritize community rights and benefit-sharing in conservation financing frameworks.
• Strengthening partnerships to scale up blended finance models that combine public, private, and donor resources for biodiversity protection.
• Promoting indigenous knowledge as a cornerstone of conservation planning and financing.
• Amplifying the voices of local communities in national and international forums to ensure their leadership in conservation agendas.
• Supporting the expansion of community conservancies as proven models for sustainable resource governance.

A Call for Collective Action

As World Wildlife Day is marked, ZELA reaffirms its commitment to bridging conservation finance with social justice. Investing in people and planet demands bold, inclusive strategies that recognize communities as partners, not beneficiaries. Let us build a future where wildlife thrives, knowledge is preserved, and communities flourish.