Oelo will advance the our forest, our future initiative on lake oguemou to create a replicable community- managed forest model that protects african forest elephants and their habitat in gabon

This $880,420 Project Grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service under the African Elephant Conservation Fund (CFDA 15.620), will support the Oelo organization's initiative to establish a replicable community-managed forest model that protects African forest elephants and their habitat in Gabon. The funding will enable Oelo to: (1) continue organizing a lake-wide association of seven villages to collect biodiversity data, lead lake patrols, and work towards securing land tenure; (2) expand successful components of the Oguemou model to four additional lake communities; (3) replicate the use of successful elephant electric barriers in four additional lakes; and (4) expand an environmental education program to reduce elephant hunting and consumption while promoting pride and understanding for this species. This project aligns with Oelo's 5-year strategic plan and aims to advance the organization's goals related to wildlife, forests, and youth engagement.

A lake-wide association willcontinue to organize members of seven villages, collect biodiversity data in the forest, and lead lake patrols, while we advance work with national and international ngos and the administration to create a legal pathway for land tenure. We will expand successful components of the oguemou model in four additional lake communities who have contacted US, to organize community structures engaged in community-led conservation. We will replicate successful elephant electric barriers into four additional lakes, that have greatly reduced human-wildlife conflict on lake oguemou for two years. Finally, we will expand the impact of our successful environmental education program with both urban and rural students to further reduce hunting and consumption of elephants and create pride and understanding for this emblematic species of gabon. Our proposed project advances the goals of our wildlife, forest, and youth pillars in our 5-year strategic plan, completed this past year thanks in part to USFWS support.