LOCATION: GISHWATI-MUKURA NATIONAL FOREST, RWANDA
TARGET SPECIES: GOLDEN GUENON MONKEY
STATUS: ESTABLISHED (SUSTAINED BY LOCAL LEADERS)

Rob travelled with Dr. Peter Clay to a rain forest fragment located in western Rwanda, home to the endangered golden guenon (golden monkey). There they worked with local partner Forest of Hope Association (FHA) and hosted a series of community meetings, attended by over 500 people. These meetings excited lots of interest in voluntary, community-based conservation and livelihood activities, and helped lay the groundwork for later community-based forest protection work led by FHA. 

CC also helped design and conduct a population survey of endangered golden guenon monkeys in Gishwati along with Dr. Rebecca Chancellor, and partially funded forest guardians during a transitional time just before Gishwati-Mukura National Forest was established.

Forest of Hope Association is still very active in the area. They reduce conflicts between people and the forest, encourage local livelihood activities (such as traditional dances and beekeeping) and help facilitate research on the forest.