On 6 March 2026, community-facing practitioners from across the Greater Kruger landscape came together at the SSNR Boardroom for a reconvened Greater Kruger Community Liaison Officer (CLO) Forum.
Facilitated by GKEPF and hosted by Sabi Sand Nature Reserve (SSNR), with participation and support from Kruger National Park, Management Authorities, and partner organisations across the Greater Kruger, the forum brought together Community Liaison Officers and other practitioners working at the interface between conservation and communities. These individuals play a critical role in fostering relationships between protected areas and surrounding communities, supporting local livelihoods, and strengthening community stewardship of natural resources.
The purpose of the forum is to create a shared platform for alignment, collaboration, and learning. By bringing together those actively engaged in community work, the forum enables participants to exchange experiences, identify gaps, and explore opportunities for coordinated, landscape-level engagement.
Through open discussion, participants reflected on the purpose of the forum, the way forward, and what the collective aims to achieve. The session focused on strengthening collaboration across reserves and organisations, while supporting the planning of joint initiatives, encouraging knowledge sharing, and providing a space for peer support among practitioners working in often complex and demanding environments.
Importantly, the forum reinforces a people-centred approach to conservation. While security interventions remain critical, the long-term success of conservation efforts depends on addressing the underlying drivers of wildlife crime. This includes fostering a sense of inclusion, strengthening community relationships, and supporting socio-economic resilience.
By ensuring that those working directly within communities, and often from within those communities themselves, have a collective voice, the forum helps guide more informed, inclusive, and effective conservation strategies across the Greater Kruger.
The forum is a collective platform for collaboration and shared ownership across the landscape. By creating space for engagement and learning, initiatives such as the CLO Forum contribute to more resilient systems that benefit both people and wildlife.
GKEPF acknowledges Sabi Sand Nature Reserve for hosting the forum, as well as the continued support and participation of Management Authorities, partner organisations, and supporting foundations in strengthening collaborative approaches across the landscape.
