INDEX on Environment & Nature

African Journal of Ecology, from Uganda - U.K. doesn't have many articles, but it offers a list of international journals and books, cd's...

Afrol Environment News brings you regularly updated environmental news from an African point of view. 

AllAfrica - Environment has regular environment news from all over Africa.

Eco News Africa is an NGO from Nairobi that analyses global environment and development issues from an African perspective and reports on local, national, and regional activities that contribute to global solutions. Updated relatively frequently.  

Panafrican News Agency: Environmental Bulletin offers a regular update (every Monday) on environmental developments across the continent. 

Wildnet Africa News has almost daily African news about environment and nature. One of the most updated site on African environmental news. Recommended. 

WOZA, the renown South African magazine, in November 2000 launched its new ECO News site. Most articles are about African environment - and best of all - it's updated daily! Recommended. 

General

Cyber voices against climate change was launched on 22 August by 16 organizations, including WWF and Greenpeace. The site aims to send 10 million messages from the public to world political leaders meeting at the November Climate Summit demanding that they reduce pollution causing global warming.

ECOFAC (Central African Forest Ecosystems) is a European Union regional programme promoting the conservation and rational use of the forest resources in Central Africa. Partnership countries are Cameroon, Central Afr. Rep., Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Sao Tome e Principe. The interesting site presents the programme and has special pages on national parks, ecotourism, etc. In French and some news in English. Recommended. 

The Rainforest Foundation is dedicated to support indigenous peoples and traditional populations of the rainforest in their efforts to protect their environment and fulfill their rights. Highly profiled site and organisation with strong opinions and some successes to refer to.

The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands has a website describing the convention, its work and has good resources on global wetlands, including the mangroves.

The Regional Environment Information Management Program has a variety of environmental programmes in Africa (in collaboration with the World Bank). The site has very much interesting information, but is a chaos, though.

Southern Africa Environment Project, SAEP, is a non-profit organization incorporated under the laws of the District of Columbia to promote the public interest and further the empowerment of individuals, communities, and institutions in a wide range of activities involving the human and natural environments in Southern Africa.

The Sustainable Forestry & Certification Watch is an NGO providing information services on this key matter as well as on closely related issues. Site is mainly a newsletter (not for free).

Tropenbos is a Dutch foundation which formulates, coordinates and finances objective oriented research programmes based on the needs of policy makers and forest users.. See also the informative sites on Projects in Cameroon and Projects in Côte d'Ivoire. 

The Tropical Rainforest Coalition is dedicated to preserve tropical rainforest ecosystems, their indigenous people and cultures at the local level through enabling volunteerism and through community education. Informative site, though mainly focused on Latin America.

The Water Environment Federation is an international organization for preserving and enhancing the global water environment. Here you'll find information on their activities, publications, conferences, etc.

The World Conservation Monitoring Centre provides information services on conservation and sustainable use of the world's living resources, and helps others to develop information systems of their own. 

The World Conservation Union (IUCN) is the world's largest conservation-related organisation, bringing together a lot of states, agencies and NGOs from 181 countries to a worldwide partnership. Website a bit chaotic...

World Resource Institute (WRI) is a US based centre for environmental and development research, providing information and practical proposals concerning sustainable development. The WRI works with institutes in over 50 countries worldwide. Very informative and well structured site.

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is the world's largest and most experienced independent conservation organization with 4.7 million supporters and a global network active in some 100 countries. WWF's mission is to protect nature and the biological diversity that we all need to survive. Visit also their global network (also in French and Spanish).

Environment, general

Global warming: The website www.climatevoice.org has been launched by 16 organizations, including WWF, Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth. The site aims to send 10 million messages from the public to world political leaders demanding that they use the November summit to reduce the pollution that causes global warming.

Subcategories

Biology & Biodiversity

The African Mammals Database (by the Institute of Applied Ecology and the European Commission) is a GIS-based databank on the distribution and conservation of all the big and medium-sized mammals over the whole African continent (excluding Madagascar), and includes a total of 281 species. All data are available through this web site or may be requested on CD-ROM. Recommended!

The Bioko Web Site (Equatorial Guinea) is a site created and maintained by the Bioko Primate Protection Program (BiokoPR), a non-profit conservation organization based at Beaver College, USA. BiokoPR's conservation efforts are directed toward protecting the endangered primate species and overall biodiversity of the southern part of Bioko Island. Not updated.

Birdlife Seychelles (local office of the organisation Birdlife Int.) has a very informative website on birdlife (!) on the Seychelles. Best environmental site on the islands!

The University of Waterloo has an special website on Biology. Here you'll find a lot of well structured information on their program, publications and activities, among biological news in a weekly bulletin. Specially interesting is their program on Projects on the African Great Lakes. It is a job opportunity!

Biology & Life Sciences is an African online bookshop where you easily can find books in their well structured categorization. 

The WWF features a list of Endangered Species on its web site. It's not complete, but it's one of the most comprehensive you'll find on Internet.

The Institute of African Ornithology at the University of Cape Town offers study opportunities, including the Conservation Biology Masters Programme.   

The South African National Botanical Institute (NBI) in Kirstenbosch, offers information about garden from around South Africa, links to related sites and resources about education and research.

The Photoessay on Madagascar's Biodiversity and Conservation (by David Parks) offers some wonderful pictures from Madagascar and quite informative texts. 179 images!

RAFI (The Rural Advancement Foundation International) is an international civil society organization based in Canada. RAFI is dedicated to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, and to the socially responsible development of technologies useful to rural societies. Very informative site.

The Rainforest Explorer is a comprehensive guide to the world's rainforests, with information about rainforest animals and plants. It includes full maps of all the world's rainforests, including regions that have been deforested over the past 100 years. You can even search on species. Recommended.

Southern Africa Society for Systematic Biology is a scientific society founded in January 1999 in order to promote the activities and interests of all biological systematists. They offer some links and data about their activities.

The Tropical Biology Association is an association between the European Union and the East Africa Natural History Society: activities, courses and plenty information for African teachers and students. 

Climate

The Climate Ark is a Climate Change Portal and search tool providing access to reviewed climate change and alternative energy news and information. You can search the content of several hundred leading research and advocacy sites or see the archive of Climate Change News.

Cyber voices against climate change was launched on 22 August by 16 organizations, including WWF and Greenpeace. The site aims to send 10 million messages from the public to world political leaders demanding that they reduce pollution causing global warming.

The World Conservation Monitoring Centre has a special site on Climate Change. Quite informative on background and responses to the problem.

Desertification

African Deforestation and Desertification is a part of the Geographic Education and Technology Program, which offers plenty reports on all continent.  

Land Cover Conversion, Land Degradation and Desertification in African and Asian Drylands-An Assessment of Regional and Continental Change is the title of a project at Math & Natural Sciences. This project is about different countries: Sahelian region, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, North China, Mongolia, Russia / Siberia.

The Convention to Combat Desertification, of the United Nations, offers news and information about desertification in general. 

The Centre for Earth Observation, CEO, contains Desertification Information Network, a pilot project for Africa and the Mediterranean Basin.

FAO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has a special website on Desertification with a large content in activities, links, institutions, etc.

The Tanzanian National Tree Seed Programme. The site provides information on seeds procurement, tree improvement, botany, training and marketing.

Ecology

African Journal of Ecology, from Uganda - U.K. doesn't have many articles, but it offers a list of international journals and books, cd's...

Centre de Suivi Ecologique (CSE, Center of Ecological Survey), Dakar, Senegal, is a prestigious institution dealing with environmental studies. Good, updated and informative site with news, links and ample background information on the activities of the institute.

Environmental Aspects of the African Great Lakes Region, United Nations Programme, offers all ecologic information about it and links with related Internet sites. 

Go Wild! offers some information about African wild animals, ecology, environmental education and conservation.

Mountain Gorilla Protection is a collaboration between H. Dieter Steklis of the Diana Fossey Gorilla Fund (D.F.G.F.) and Dr. Scott Madry from the Center for Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis located in Rutgers University. The purpose of this project is to provide a digitized database of the mountain gorilla habitat.

The Nature Explorer is an Internet guide to the world of nature. It includes comprehensive guides to various biotops, including an index on a large number of species. Has special sites on deserts, rainforests and some "popular" animal families. American. Basic information but a lot of information!

The Rainforest Explorer is a comprehensive guide to the world's rainforests, with information about rainforest animals and plants. It includes full maps of all the world's rainforests, including regions that have been deforested over the past 100 years. You can even search on species. Recommended.

TREES Project (Tropical Ecosystem Environment observation by Satellite) has set up a forest monitoring system covering the entire tropical belt. Able to identify the areas most under threat from deforestation, this system is making a vital contribution to improving our understanding of tropical forest ecosystems. You can go directly to their Africa pages with lots of resources.

Education & Science

Animals of the Rainforest is a well-designed site, mostly aimed at children, with photos, general rainforest information and easy navigable information on some of the animals of the rainforest. Most of the research work has been done by children, as part of an educational project! Also has lots of links to other sites of interest for children.

The European Tropical Forest Research Network is a forum for communication between organisations and researchers concerned with (sub-)tropical forest research. The network seeks to promote the involvement of European research expertise towards the conservation and wise use of forests and woodlands in tropical and subtropical countries.

Le Fonds de Soutien au Développement du Secteur Agricole ( SDSA) is a organization for the study of natural resources in Niger. Offers information about their services, activities and links.

The South African National Botanical Institute (NBI) in Kirstenbosch, offers information about garden from around South Africa, links to related sites and resources about education and research.

The South African Water Research Commission (WRC) 

Forests & Deforestation

African Deforestation and Desertification is a part of the Geographic Education and Technology Program, which offers plenty reports on all continent.  

The Certification Information Service provides African and other countries with information on the progress of forest certification and the development of national and international certification schemes. The service is provided by the European Forest Institute.

ECOFAC (Central African Forest Ecosystems) is a European Union regional programme promoting the conservation and rational use of the forest resources in Central Africa. Partnership countries are Cameroon, Central Afr. Rep., Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Sao Tome e Principe. The interesting site presents the programme and has special pages on national parks, ecotourism, etc. In French and some news in English. Recommended. 

The European Tropical Forest Research Network is a forum for communication between organisations and researchers concerned with (sub-)tropical forest research. The network seeks to promote the involvement of European research expertise towards the conservation and wise use of forests and woodlands in tropical and subtropical countries.

The Forest Conservation Portal is a recommended Internet tool, offering rainforest, forest and biodiversity conservation news & information. Also full text searches of thousands of the best rainforest, forest, biodiversity and climate sites on the Internet. Daily news and a comprehensive archive. You can also go directly to the Africa Rainforest Conservation News & Information Page.

FTPP Eastern Africa (Forests, Trees and People) aims at strengthening the ability of local and national institutions to work in community forestry. It also maintains an information's sharing network. Based in Kenya. 

Global Forest Watch is an international data and mapping network that combines on-the-ground knowledge with digital technology to provide accurate information about the world's forests.

The Rainforest Explorer is a comprehensive guide to the world's rainforests, with information about rainforest animals and plants. It includes full maps of all the world's rainforests, including regions that have been deforested over the past 100 years. You can even search on species. Recommended.

The Rainforest Foundation is dedicated to support indigenous peoples and traditional populations of the rainforest in their efforts to protect their environment and fulfill their rights. Highly profiled site and organisation with strong opinions and some successes to refer to.

TREES Project (Tropical Ecosystem Environment observation by Satellite) has set up a forest monitoring system covering the entire tropical belt. Able to identify the areas most under threat from deforestation, this system is making a vital contribution to improving our understanding of tropical forest ecosystems. You can go directly to their Africa pages with lots of resources.

The Tropical Rainforest Coalition is dedicated to preserve tropical rainforest ecosystems, their indigenous people and cultures at the local level through enabling volunteerism and through community education. Informative site, though mainly focused on Latin America.

Geography

The website African Geography is one of the best sites on the web about it: information on history, flora, fauna and geology. 

The geography page of the website About.com offers some information, maps and dates on African geography.

Botswana.com, Southern African Safari Adventures offers some dates on geography in Botswana: boundaries, climate, physical, geography, internal regions, soils, rural settlement, villages & traditional towns, new towns & cities, bibliograhpy and useful links.

On Geir Tyldum's GIS Gambia Page, you can download Landuse and Vegetation Maps of The Gambia. He also offers GIS (Geographical Information System) tools and links, and an overview of Gambian maps.

The School of Oriental and African Studies, SOAS, at the University of London,  has a complete and well structured site with information about geography, with all categories. 

Volcano World has its own page to the Fogo Volcano (Cape Verde) with photos, scientific information about volcanology and a special feature of Fogo's eruption in 1995.

Geology

African Geology is a website with all information about geology in the continent, among information on African history, flora, fauna and geography.

The Living Africa has a special site on African Geology and Physiography: information on Congo River, Mount Kilimanjaro, lake Victoria, Sahara Desert, etc.... 

Kenya: Geology is a website with some general information and references about the geology in this country.

Palaeontology: Prime Origins is a media and tourism initiative to promote South Africa's unique and fascinating prehistory. The site aims at popularising the African earth sciences, and in particular palaeontology. Hosted by Time Warner and the University of the Witwatersrand.

Man & Land

MELISSA (Managing the Environment Locally in Sub Saharan Africa) has the goal to support and facilitate the improvement of the local environment through partnership development and knowledge management. Social equity and sustainable development are emphasized. Informative site.

The objective of the Miombo Forum is to empower people living in Miombo woodlands to manage their woodlands responsibly through provision of information, expertise and finance. Miombo woodlands are the largest continuous dry deciduous forests in the world. They extend across much of central, eastern and southern Africa.

The Ogiek People's site has been launched to support this Kenyan people in their struggle not to to get evicted from their traditional lands in the Mau Forest. Informative and action-oriented site. 

Parks & Reserves

The Kenya Wildlife Service is a governmental agency, playing a leading role in developing sustainable nature tourism and maximising the economic benefit to the nation by minimising negative environmental impacts. Their highly informative website has information on Kenyan travel destinations, accommodation, parks and reserves, scientific services, etc. On their parks and reserves page, you'll find ample information about a long list of national parks and reserves.

Parc Naturel Obo (Sao Tome & Principe) is an ample presentation site of the big park by the same name (extending over great areas of both Sao Tome and Principe) by the organisation ECOFAC (Central African Forest Ecosystems). Maps, photos, texts. French. There is also a short bibliography about nature conservation on Sao Tome.

Safariweb is the main entry to safaris in East-Africa. Very informative site with focus on sustainable tourism. Visit their page on National Parks, Reserves & Recommended Safari Circuits, or enter their Guide to Kenya. Links to tour operators.

The South African National Parks (SANP) has own site with some general info, besides scientific services, links, etc.

Pollution

Sustainable Development

Eco News Africa is an NGO from Nairobi mainly focusing on sustainable development.

MELISSA (Managing the Environment Locally in Sub Saharan Africa) has the goal to support and facilitate the improvement of the local environment through partnership development and knowledge management. Social equity and sustainable development are emphasized. Informative site.

The Sustainable Forestry & Certification Watch is an NGO providing information services on this key matter as well as on closely related issues. Site is mainly a newsletter (not for free).

Sustainable Use Initiative works to conserve biological diversity and to improve understanding of the factors that enhance the sustainable use of wild species and ecosystems. Also responsible for the 2nd Pan-African Symposium on the Use of Natural Resources in Africa.

Wildlife

The African Mammals Database (by the Institute of Applied Ecology and the European Commission) is a GIS-based databank on the distribution and conservation of all the big and medium-sized mammals over the whole African continent (excluding Madagascar), and includes a total of 281 species. All data are available through this web site or may be requested on CD-ROM. Recommended!

The Bioko Web Site (Equatorial Guinea) is a site created and maintained by the Bioko Primate Protection Program (BiokoPR), a non-profit conservation organization based at Beaver College, USA. BiokoPR's conservation efforts are directed toward protecting the endangered primate species and overall biodiversity of the southern part of Bioko Island. Not updated.

Birdlife Seychelles (local office of the organisation Birdlife Int.) has a very informative website on birdlife (!) on the Seychelles. Best environmental site on the islands!

CEROPAN is a Nigerian non-profit NGO and works in cooperation with the the Wildlife Unit, Cross River State Department of Forestry. It is dedicated to the conservation of rainforest primates and their habitat. Informative site about primates in the Nigerian rain forest.

The Endangered Wildlife Trust is a South African NGO with the mission to conserve the diversity of plant and animal species in Southern Africa. Informative website with regular news.

The Kenya Wildlife Service is a governmental agency, playing a leading role in developing sustainable nature tourism and maximising the economic benefit to the nation by minimising negative environmental impacts. Their highly informative website has information on Kenyan travel destinations, accommodation, parks and reserves, scientific services, etc. On their parks and reserves page, you'll find ample information about a long list of national parks and reserves.

Primate Gallery is a gallery of photos, paintings and illustrations of primates. Also includes a list of the living primate species. Well-designed!

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