WCS - globally headquartered at the Bronx Zoo in New York  -  has been working in Tanzania for 50 years to help safeguard this unique global heritage.More than 140 projects have been supported, encompassing training, research, monitoring, institutional support, education, and the gazettement and extension of National Parks and Nature Reserves. WCS still employs its traditional strengths such as a focus on fieldwork, science, and solid community and government partnerships. But at the same time, there are always new challenges to be met, such as those associated with climate change and the protection of ecosystem services.

The intrinsic link between the environment and sustainable development means that species, ecosystems and landscapes must be managed by maintaining an equilibrium between human and conservation needs. Rural communities around protected areas need support in the management of natural resources, so that they can receive benefits from conservation, protect water and fuel supplies and better manage human-animal conflicts. WCS in Tanzania is helping to develop community-based initiatives through which local people will benefit from key habitats, and thus have an interest in their long-term survival and integrity. WCS is also committed to supporting government and non-government institutions manage and monitor key landscapes and species.