Protected Areas Management in Africa
This course is about areas dedicated to nature conservation, "protected areas", in Africa. It focuses on how they work and why they are so important in maintaining the health of the environment in a fast developing world, and in particular, in Africa. It will help you understand the challenges of conservation in Africa and how protected areas can help to deal with it, from the local to the international level.
MOOC Syllabus
Module 1: Key concepts
1.2 Importance of protected areas and protected area networks
1.3 The role of protected areas
1.4 Definition of protected areas
1.5 IUCN protected area categories (part 1)
1.6 IUCN protected area categories (part 2)
1.7 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) - updated January 2024
1.8 Conclusion and additional readings
Module 2: Planning
2.2 Planning a protected area
2.3 Protected area network planning
2.4 Monitoring the results and impacts of planning
2.5 Comprehensive integrated land-use planning
2.6 Transboundary protected areas
2.7 Kunming Biodiversity Global Framework - updated Januart 2024
2.8 Conclusion and additional readings
Module 3: Governance
3.2 Definition of governance
3.3 State governance
3.4 Private governance
3.5 Community governance
3.6 Shared governance
3.7 Nagoya Protocol - updated January 2024
3.8 Conclusion and additional readings
Module 4: Protected area effectiveness
4.2 Protected area effectiveness and adaptive management
4.3 Preserving PAs: Surveillance
4.4 Ecological monitoring and conservation
4.5 Raising awareness and research
4.6 The green list of protected areas - updated in January 2024
4.7 World Heritage
4.8 Conclusion and additional readings
Module 5: Specificities of protected area management
5.2 Culture and nature
5.3 Training for protected area management
5.4 Marine protected areas (MPA)
5.5 Plant and animal species
5.6 Tourism in protected areas
5.7 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna - updated January 2024
5.8 Conclusion and additional readings
Module 6 Sustainable funding
6.2 Financial planning
6.3 Protected area economic values
6.4 Sources of funding
6.5 Funding mechanisms
6.6 Compensation and offset and Financial Investments
6.7 Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS)
6.8 Conclusion and additional readings
Module 7: Conservation news
7.2 Protected areas and climate change
7.3 Connectivity and buffer zone
7.4 Ecological restoration of protected areas
7.5 Gender and equity
7.6 Corruption and traffic of natural resources
7.7 RAMSAR Convention on Wetlands
7.8 Conclusion and additional readings
Course team
There are four instructors presenting this course:
Paul Ndiaye (ancien professeur à l’UCAD, à Dakar)
Geoffroy Mauvais (IUCN-Papaco), Paul Ndiaye from University Cheikh Anta Diop in Dakar, Paul Ouedraogo from the secretariat of the Ramsar Convention, and Sylvie Goyet who used to work at the International Foundation for the Banc d'Arguin.
Practical information
Follow this course online, on this platform, at your own pace.
Duration: 60 hours of work online and offline (this is an estimate, the reality depends on each student).
Price: free (including the attestation).