In 1992, a group of conservation visionaries came together to challenge conventional thinking. Anchored by Dave Varty – one of Africa’s leading conservationists, they set out on a mission aimed at “creating a model in wise land management by using the many qualities of the natural system and by integrating our visitors with the environment and the local people to the benefit of all.”

At the heart of this model was a powerful partnership, between a world-renowned ecotourism company, then CCAfrica and today andBeyond, and a not-for-profit foundation, known today as Wild Impact. Through this partnership, significant eco-tourism investment has been achieved in 19 wild landscapes and seascapes, underwriting the conservation of these scapes and the sustainable development of the communities who call these places home.

That belief took root here, in the communities surrounding what is now the Munywana Conservancy, where this pioneering partnership has catalyzed the restoration of land once used for poorly conceived agriculture back into thriving wilderness.

They called the flagship reserve “Phinda” – meaning “the return”. It became more than a name. It became a promise fulfilled in two powerful ways: wildlife returned to the land, and – through groundbreaking land restitution agreements -ancestral lands were returned to the Makhasa and Mnqobokazi communities.

And from that moment, a new model of conservation was born.

The partnership has grown into a powerful force for good – working across three continents, in nine countries, and within 19 wild landscapes and seascapes. Today, Wild Impact collaborates with more than 130 communities, supporting conservation efforts while enabling sustainable development.

Wild Impact envisions a future where the communities we partner with are actively advocating for and supporting the restoration and conservation of the wild landscapes and seascapes we work in – and derive meaningful socio-economic and entrepreneurial benefit from these areas.”

Wild Impact’s approach is grounded in a Listen. Learn. Co-create where it recognises that it is a privilege to work with communities. Every initiative is shaped through partnership—ensuring solutions are locally relevant, inclusive, and sustainable. At the core of their work is a clear understanding that resilient communities are essential for conservation—and conserved ecosystems are essential for human resilience.

Wild Impact’s work is guided by four interconnected focus areas:

Wild Impact’s work contributes directly to several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, aligning local impact with global priorities for people, planet, and prosperity. Wild Impact is more than an organisation, it is a movement rooted in partnership, driven by purpose, and inspired by the belief that when people thrive, nature thrives.