Overview
The African Conservation Foundation (ACF) is a conservation organisation working to protect Africa’s endangered wildlife and habitats by tackling the root causes of biodiversity loss.
Founded in 1999, ACF was the first organisation to focus on partnering with and building the capacity of grassroots conservation initiatives across Africa.
Mission and approach
ACF’s mission is to support and connect grassroots conservation initiatives across sub-Saharan Africa by:
- Building local conservation capacity
- Developing long-term partnerships
- Promoting effective communication and coordination
Their work is guided by a bottom-up, community-led approach, aiming to create a collaborative network of self-sustaining conservation initiatives.
What they do
Working alongside local partners, ACF develops holistic landscape projects focused on the socio-ecological regeneration of degraded areas. Their work integrates:
- Ecosystem restoration
- Ecotourism
- Regenerative agriculture
- Scaled nature-based solutions
This approach creates strong local ownership and engagement, helping to ensure the long-term sustainability of conservation efforts.
Expeditions and participation opportunities
ACF offers a range of hands-on opportunities, including:
- Wildlife safaris working alongside wildlife biologists, rangers and local communities
- Conservation volunteering projects
- Conservation training programmes
They also provide tailored expedition experiences in the Congo Basin rainforests, guided by local conservationists and indigenous community trackers. These expeditions are suitable for:
- Researchers
- Conservation professionals
- Students
- Special interest groups
Programmes can be customised to meet specific scientific, educational or exploratory objectives.
Last updated: December 2025.