Farming communities play a key role for the conservation of cheetahs as the majority of these elegant hunters occurs outside protected areas. These communities are of even greater importance if they are located within the wildlife corridor between the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, as are the two villages of Bere and Kacgae. Both of these villages are part of crucial cheetah habitat and are, at the same time a human-wildlife conflict hotspot, so reason enough for CCB to put them into special focus.
During a participatory planning workshop, that was held by CCB in October/November 2017, members of both villages identified key social, developmental, and environmental challenges faced by their communities, and also drew a vision for their future that they’re hoping to achieve with CCB’s support. This year in June, a team from CCB then engaged in a second visit for a feedback meeting. They presented the outcome of the initial workshop for validation by the communities and received further important input during open and fruitful discussions in both villages. These successful meetings have laid the foundation for further cooperation and connections can now also be made with other organizations to cover issues such as a diversification of income away from a pure reliance on livestock farming.
CCB’s research team then also took part in the agenda and introduced their goals and methodologies for research on cheetah ecology and mitigation measures that will help to reduce the human-wildlife conflict in this crucial wildlife corridor. The participants followed this with great interest, especially the presentation of devices such as camera traps and GPS-collars, which will be used to monitor both wildlife and cattle in the area.
 
After two productive days both CCB and the two communities of Bere and Kacgae are grateful for the other’s interest and support. It is our common goal to preserve this important wildlife corridor by improving livelihoods in this rural area and we are looking forward to the continuation of this constructive relationship!

​World Environment Day is aimed at increasing awareness and understanding towards the environment and the problems that surround it. The day is celebrated on June 5th every year and in 2018, it was hosted in Jwaneng under the theme ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’. Plastic pollution is a huge problem everywhere and the theme rallied behind the slogan - if you can’t reuse it, refuse it. This was a wake call for all to come together and reduce the production and use of plastics as they pose a serious threat to our marine life and human health. CCB hosted a stall and disseminated information on our services and how we are working with the rural farming communities towards the ultimate goal of coexistence. In order to coexist with nature, we need to find working sustainable ways to make earth a clean and healthy place to live. Happy World Environment Day!