CONTRIBUTION
Defined by naturalist Edward O. Wilson as “a window on eternity” as a tribute to its astounding biodiversity, the Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique was on the verge of being lost as a result of the civil war that ravaged the country for 15 years (1977-1992) following its independence from Portugal. After suffering losses of 90-99% in its large mammal populations, today the Mozambican park has recovered much of its ecological integrity thanks to the work of the Gorongosa Restoration Project.
The project has been based primarly on surveillance by an extensive ranger network, as well as a reintroduction program for buffalo, leopards, hyenas, wild dogs and wildebeest — species that had been almost wiped out. The project has also promoted scientific research on Gorongosa’s biodiversity and has actively involved the local community by recruiting young people to its ranger network and through an ambitious development program that ensures their access to basic needs such as drinking water, along with housing rehabilitation and the introduction of sustainable crops like coffee.
In fact, more than half of the project’s budget goes on health, agriculture and education projects benefiting more than 200,000 people. Many of these actions focus on girls’ education, particularly getting them into secondary studies, and the creation of a Master’s program in Conservation Biology for Mozambican students is already creating new, high-level technical jobs for citizens throughout the country.