We’re pleased to share our latest quarterly update, where you’ll see growth on two fronts: within our organisation, and out in the landscapes where we work.
Welcoming Six New Board Members
We are thrilled to say that six outstanding leaders have joined the Board of WildLandscapes International. This marks an important new chapter for us as we strengthen our governance, sharpen our strategy, and place an even greater focus on growth and fundraising.
Our board has always been central to guiding WildLandscapes’ vision and keeping us accountable to our mission. With this expansion, we now bring together a diverse group of professionals and conservationists whose skills, experience, and perspectives will help us grow as an organisation, and deepen our impact on the landscapes and communities we work with.
Ryan W. Branham – A marketing and analytics professional currently working with the Denver Broncos, Ryan brings deep experience in customer strategy and digital transformation. His personal connection to East Africa, where his family has roots, has long inspired his involvement in conservation. He also serves on the board of Modern Huntsman and has supported a range of community and conservation initiatives.
Chairman Talbert Cypress – Elected as Chairman of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida in 2021, Talbert oversees the Tribal government and its enterprises. His leadership is rooted in the traditions of the Miccosukee people and a deep commitment to protecting culture, language, and land while navigating modern challenges. His voice on our board highlights the vital role of Indigenous leadership in conservation and land stewardship.
Leena Gehlot – A Kenyan entrepreneur and impact investor, Leena has more than 20 years of leadership in real estate, hospitality, and conservation across Africa and Europe. She has played a pivotal role in establishing a 10,000-acre conservancy in the Maasai Mara, partnering with Virgin Limited Edition to create Mahali Mzuri, and redeveloping Finch Hattons in Tsavo National Park into an award-winning camp. Her career has consistently linked sustainable business with conservation outcomes, and she brings this blend of vision and pragmatism to our board.
Professor Erustus M. Kanga, PhD, EBS, HSC – As Director General of the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Professor Kanga is a nationally and internationally recognised leader in biodiversity conservation. With more than 20 years of expertise in ecosystem mapping, climate change, and community livelihoods, he has also served as Secretary for Wildlife in Kenya’s Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife & Heritage. His depth of knowledge and experience in both policy and practice make him an invaluable addition to our board.
Timothy A. Peloquin, LLS – A Licensed Land Surveyor with over 40 years of experience, Tim is the founder of Promised Land Survey, LLC. Widely respected for his technical expertise and his leadership within the profession, he also co-founded the Promised Land Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to helping vulnerable communities. Tim brings to the board a lifelong commitment to stewardship, service, and integrity.
Dr. Bibhab Kumar Talukdar – From Assam, India, Bibhab is the Founder and Secretary General of Aaranyak, one of South Asia’s leading conservation organisations. A global authority on rhino protection, he has chaired the IUCN Asian Rhino Specialist Group and advised the International Rhino Foundation. In 2024, he received the IUCN’s Harry Messel Award for Conservation Leadership. His presence on the board reflects both his scientific expertise and his decades of practical experience building conservation models with governments and communities.
The addition of these six new members brings invaluable expertise and fresh perspective to WildLandscapes at a moment when our work is growing quickly. At the same time, longstanding board member Melanie Seeley has kindly agreed to step into the role of Chair, providing continuity and steady leadership through this period of change. We are deeply grateful for the guidance and commitment of all our board members as we move forward.
Bear Hill
There has been a lot happening in New Hampshire. We continue to enjoy time in this landscape of forests, rivers, and wildlife, and one of our new efforts is working with Bear Hill Conservancy Trust (BHCT) manager Bill Warner on restoring habitat for declining grassland birds such as bobolinks and Eastern meadowlarks. As fire suppression and forest encroachment reduce early successional habitat, we are advising on tree clearing and vegetation management to bring back the open spaces these species need.
In addition, David Roby, the founder of BHCT, has acquired two more properties nearby, which we are working to secure under conservation easements with a local land trust. This is part of a wider effort we are calling the “Appalachian Highlands” - a beautiful region through which the Appalachian Trail runs. The area faces a real risk: shifting land-use pressures, tax challenges, and potential sales of large forest blocks. Without action, this could mean a significant turnover of land, with serious consequences for ecology and scenery alike.
Our aim is to help families protect their land while sustaining livelihoods: selling conservation easements, practicing sustainable timber harvesting, and keeping landscapes intact. By working with partners such as Green Woodlands, neighbours to Bear Hill, we hope to protect both the ecological health of the Highlands and the character of its rural communities.
Tsavo Conservation Area
In September five vehicles were donated to Tsavo Trust to support the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) in their work across the vast Tsavo Conservation Area. Four came through WildLandscapes thanks to the generosity of David Roby of Bear Hill, and a fifth from re:Wild. These vehicles will help strengthen KWS’s patrol and monitoring capacity in one of East Africa’s largest protected areas.
Tsavo Trust has been active since 2012 and continues to deliver results despite major challenges, from poaching and insecurity to rising conservation costs. Earlier this year, emergency support from the Edgerton Foundation and the Essex Avenue Foundation enabled Tsavo Trust to keep teams in the field at a critical time.
In partnership with KWS, Tsavo Trust is working to ready the area for its future as a secure habitat for rhinos. Tsavo is set to become the largest rhino sanctuary in East Africa, and we are glad to do whatever we can to help make that vision real.
The Bees are Working at Mugie Conservancy
In late 2024, we were delighted to help Mugie Conservancy secure a grant from the Adventure Travel Conservation Fund (ATCF), which has supported a beekeeping project led by Pokot women. The project is giving families a reliable income while encouraging care for land and wildlife.
Seventy hives are now in place and producing honey — a hugely encouraging step forward. Some have been positioned along crop edges, where they both support honey production and deter elephants, which avoid bees, from raiding maize. Equipment has been purchased, and the permanent stone-and-concrete honey house, Nyuki House, is nearing completion. Once finished, it will act as a central hub for processing, packaging, and quality control. Community members will also be able to watch live demonstrations of honey extraction. Twelve training sessions have already taken place, giving women and youth practical skills in beekeeping and sustainable harvesting.
Welcoming Sandra!
We are very pleased to welcome Sandra Kangai as our new Fundraising & Grants Manager. Sandra brings deep experience in resource mobilisation, with senior roles at Education Development Trust, Plan International, and Save the Children International. She combines expertise in donor engagement and partnership-building with the energy and creativity needed to open new opportunities. We are delighted to have her on board.
Emergency Support for the Community Conservancies of Northern Kenya
Besides our core projects, we have also supported a few community conservancies with emergency support packages over the past few months. Many had been left exposed by the sudden collapse of USAID funding. With budgets cut overnight, many were unable to pay rangers, fuel vehicles, or cover basic operating costs — threatening both security and livelihoods.
Our immediate focus has been on essentials: food, fuel, and salaries. These keep patrols moving, security intact, and communities engaged in protecting their land and wildlife. We have been able to support several conservancies in the Meru to Marsabit corridor, one of our focus landscapes, through the generous support of our donors. This includes Shurr, Biliqo Bulesa, Songa, Jaldesa, and Sera. We have also supported several coastal conservancies with legal expenses and strategic advice, in partnership with The Manda Project. This stopgap assistance has helped stabilise operations while longer-term solutions are put in place.
This work highlights a core truth: conservation cannot succeed if communities are left unsupported. By stepping in quickly, we’ve been able to prevent hard-won progress from unravelling, giving conservancies the space to plan for the future.
Sera Wildlife Conservancy, which has been operational since 2001, serves as an inspiring role model for community conservation. Pioneers of community-led rhino conservation, they are proving to the world that the best guardians might just be those most closely tied to outcomes - particularly when properly equipped with the tools and skills to match the biggest challenges.
David Visits South Africa
Our Founder and CEO, David Houghton, recently visited Dr. Odette Curtis-Scott and the team at the Overberg Renosterveld Trust in South Africa, and was able to see the Cape Floristic Kingdom in full spring bloom. This landscape is home to extraordinary species, each with its own role in the ecosystem.
Equally important are the human relationships: the network of organisations working together to protect what little remains. With only around 5% of Renosterveld left, collaboration has never been more urgent. Much of the work here is about raising awareness, building shared values, and protecting a biodiversity hotspot of global importance.
We are working alongside ORT to pursue new partnerships, both to raise funds and to secure more land under agreements, easements, or purchase, ensuring a future for this fragile ecosystem.
Kidepo Valley Nation Park - Preparing for Rhinos
Our Kidepo project continues to gather pace, with progress on several fronts. In early September, the team visited Kampala to meet with the Executive Director of Uganda Wildlife Authority and his leadership team, as well as the Uganda Conservation Foundation, and other partners. We are working to register WildLandscapes in Uganda, and are excited by our growing partnership with UWA
Two community initiatives supported by the Platcorp Foundation are already producing results. The tsetse control programme is reducing fly numbers: the latest reporting showing a reduction of ±85% compared to outside the sanctuary while the poultry project has moved from planning to practice, with baseline data recorded in July. Coops have been built, chickens moved in, and eggs being produced.
Behind the scenes, preparations for rhino reintroduction are advancing. This involves extensive paperwork, systems, and agreements — from sanctuary infrastructure and veterinary protocols to cross-border approvals. It is painstaking work but essential for success.
We remain hopeful that the Kidepo Valley Rhino Sanctuary will welcome its first rhinos in 2026, marking the return of a species absent from Kidepo for decades.
Congratulations to Nancy Joan, our Conservation Programs Officer
Finally, we are so happy to celebrate our Conservation Programs Officer, Nancy Joan, who graduated top of her class in September with a First Class Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Management and Conservation. Nancy first joined WildLandscapes as an intern, quickly standing out for her passion, determination, and eagerness to learn.
Her achievement is a reflection of that hard work and talent. Beyond her academic success, Nancy also contributes as a skilled photographer, capturing the beauty of our projects and landscapes. Congratulations, Nancy!
