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IMPACT PROMISE 
Our Partners are carefully selected due to their high conservation impact
Partner Snapshot
Partner:
ERuDeF (Environment and Rural Development Foundation)
Location:
Cameroon
Category:
- Community Support & Development
- Land Purchases
- Capacity Building & Training
Urgent Appeals:
Date Founded:
1999
Website:
Partner Qualifications:
IUCN MemberA distinguished Member of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. IUCN Members are each vetted and voted on based on an independent, rigorous assessment and external references. Learn More
Legally ConstitutedThis organization is formally constituted and is a legally recognized non-profit in its country of origin.
Effective ImpactWe recognize this Partner for their tremendous efforts to make a difference for wildlife and local communities, as well as welcome technical support from Conservation Allies to improve and scale up their impact.
About ERuDeF
ERuDeF (Environment and Rural Development Foundation), founded in 1999, is a leading Cameroonian nonprofit conservation organization focused on conserving biodiversity and protecting fragile ecosystems in Cameroon and across Africa. The organization prioritizes the conservation of IUCN Red List species through the creation of protected and locally conserved areas, utilizing ecosystem and landscape management approaches.
ERuDeF's work encompasses research, education, and community engagement, aimed at empowering local communities and fostering long-term environmental sustainability. They also run Cameroon’s first private biodiversity university, training future conservation leaders in nonprofit management and conservation practices.
Their Challenges
ERuDeF faces several significant challenges in their conservation landscapes. The regions they serve are marked by extremely low standards of living, suppressed economies, and high unemployment rates. Government bureaucracy, corruption, and poor governance, with a president in power since 1982, further complicate efforts.
Key challenges include:
- Deforestation due to logging, land grabbing, and slash-and-burn agriculture
- Inbreeding and habitat fragmentation, impacting species connectivity
- Economic hardship and impoverished households
- Low environmental awareness and poor education levels
- Lack of market information systems to support local economies
- Influx of migrants and refugees from neighboring regions, including the Central African Republic, Sahel Africa, and Anglophone Cameroon
- Degraded soil fertility and destruction of ecosystem services
- Increased wildlife poaching and bushmeat sales
- Chronic underfunding of field projects and limited resources
These challenges make conservation efforts more complex, but ERuDeF continues to work towards overcoming them through community engagement, education, and sustainable development.
Their Approach
ERuDeF's conservation model is centered around functional landscapes, using both landscape- and ecosystem-based approaches. These core conservation landscapes focus on:
- Lebialem Highlands – Conservation of Cross River Gorillas, Nigeria-Cameroon Chimpanzees, and African Forest Elephants.
- Mt. Bamboutos – Restoration of ecosystems and conservation of rare birds, amphibians, and plants.
- Nlonako-Muanenguba Mountains – Preservation of Goliath Frogs and chimpanzees.
- Gulf of Guinea Islands – Marine and island biodiversity conservation.
- Eastern Cameroon Corridor – Conservation of Western Lowland Gorillas, Central Chimpanzees, and African Forest Elephants.
- Lake Chad Basin and Freshwater Landscapes – Protection of freshwater and riparian species.
In each landscape, ERuDeF conducts research on key species to assess their status and distribution. They then propose conservation areas to the Cameroonian government, collaborating to establish these protected zones. To increase community involvement, ERuDeF supports sustainable livelihoods, ecosystem restoration, and environmental education. They also promote cooperative development, microcredit systems, and cottage industries to secure economic benefits for local communities.
Additionally, ERuDeF emphasizes education for sustainable development, including wildlife management, protection of water catchments, soil health management, and addressing the bushmeat trade.
Why They Need Your Help
Donations are urgently needed to prevent the decimation of over 700 gorillas trapped in Deng Deng National Park and the Lebialem Highlands due to inbreeding and habitat destruction caused by logging, hunting, and the influx of migrants. Without immediate support, these critical populations are at risk.
Your contributions will help create protected areas and ecological corridors, provide sustainable livelihoods for local communities, and support training and capacity building for indigenous groups. Donations will also fund research, publications, education initiatives, and the development of ecotourism and local conservation management systems, ensuring long-term sustainability.