Prince William, Prince of Wales (2nd R) poses with Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award Winner Claver Ntoyinkima (2nd R), Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa Winner Edward Aruna (R) and Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa Winner Nomba Ganame (L), ahead of the ceremony for the 12th annual Tusk Conservation Awards, at The Savoy Hotel on Nov. 27, 2024 in London, England.Photo:Justin Tallis - WPA Pool/Getty
Justin Tallis - WPA Pool/Getty
Speaking about William’s commitment to the worldwide conservation, Charlie Mayhew, founder and president ofTusk, tells PEOPLE, “For many years, the prince has been at the forefront of highlighting the catastrophic impact of the illegal wildlife trade and the challenges facing the natural world.”
“Through his patronage of organizations such as Tusk, he has been extremely effective at using his status and convening power for the greater good of conservation, a topic that he is hugely knowledgeable on,” he adds.
Nomba Ganamé, who won the Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa Prize.Tusk Conservation Awards
Tusk Conservation Awards
Nomba Ganamé took home the Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa on Nov. 27. He works as head of field operations with the Mali Elephant Project, working across an area of around 60,000 square kilometers to develop a self-sustaining environment that makes space for elephants and other wildlife.
“The foundation of this approach can be described as elephant-centered, community-led, natural resource management, as a way of setting aside elephant habitat and the migration route while also generating benefits for the local people," he explains.
“The process has to be representative, transparent and equitable to be able to endure,” he says.
Nomba Ganamé, center, who won the Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa.Tusk Conservation Awards
“This model not only makes space for elephants but improves local livelihoods and provides an occupation for youth, while providing a mechanism for managing human-elephant conflicts to promote coexistence,” Ganamé adds.
They work to unify communities around a shared desire to safeguard the elephants and the livelihoods of the locals. Teams of young ecoguards are elected to conduct natural resource protection activities such as patrolling to ensure respect of the rules, building fire-breaks, planting trees and monitoring elephants.
Senior ranger Claver Ntoyinkima at Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park. He won the Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award.Tusk Conservation Awards
Tusk’s founder Mayhew adds, “Prince William has always understood and shared the belief that the long term success of grassroots conservation relies upon the successful engagement of communities living alongside wildlife.”
“He continues to be a strong advocate for the community-driven projects that Tusk has supported for over three decades, where people derive tangible benefits and greater security from conserving wildlife and habitats," he says.
Senior ranger Claver Ntoyinkima works at Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park and won the Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award on Nov. 27.
Senior ranger Claver Ntoyinkima in Rwanda.Tusk Conservation Awards
His “main concern” is “the protection of both the park’s biodiversity and safety of its wildlife. This includes addressing challenges such as poaching, illegal logging and human wildlife conflicts,” he says. “I am also focused on managing sustainable tourism to minimize environmental degradation while safeguarding the park’s rare ecosystems and endangered species. Conservation efforts are crucial for maintaining the park’s role as one of Africa’s oldest rainforests and a biodiversity hotspot.”
Edward Aruna continuing his work to protect sea turtles.Tusk Conservation Awards
The plan aims to provide 10,000 rangers with access to appropriate, affordable in-service accident, medical, evacuation and life insurance coverage, as well as training and leadership development. It will help ranger operations, giving them better tools for their roles, improvements to training and welfare, and enhance recruitment for the job.
He believes the award will help both recognition and credibility and enhance networking and help it as it advocates for policy improvements locally and internationally.
Tusk’s Mayhew explains that William was not only personally instrumental in helping establish the awards in 2013, but says it was his suggestion to include a specific one to recognize the work of wildlife rangers.
“The prince has always taken a close interest in the vital work of rangers,” Mayhew says. “His recent announcement in Cape Town to launch the new joint initiative to ensure more rangers have access to accident, medical, evacuation and life insurance cover is a further example of his own commitment to the ranger sector.”
Edward Aruna in Sierra Leone.Tusk Conservation Awards
Edward Aruna, founder and managing director of the Reptile and Amphibian Programme (RAP-SL) in Sierra Leone, received the Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa.
“Sea turtles have been an important part of the marine environment since creation," he tells PEOPLE. “Local fishermen and communities have interacted with sea turtles for thousands of years, but the majority don’t understand the status of the species and roles they play in the marine environment.”
Award winner Edward Aruna in Sierra Leone.Tusk Conservation Awards
He says sea turtles are “loveable animals” that can bring tourists to communities, and adds they also attract nutrients to beaches after they lay their eggs. Nutrients help nurture regrowth of vegetation on the beach to counter erosion. They also feed on jellyfish, countering swarms of the creatures.
He tells PEOPLE the award “will bring the project more opportunities that will empower the locals and staff to work more effectively towards the building of a more secured future for sea turtles and the marine environment [in] Sierra Leone.”
It will also help establish RAP-SL as a “stronger and more respected voice for biodiversity conservation in the country,” he says.
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source: people.com
