Our Mission
Strengthen biodiversity study in Somaliland
Develop resources, offer workshops, encourage engagement.
Somaliland is a “global biodiversity hotspot.”
This means it has an unusually high number of species, many known only from Somaliland. The slide show features posters of some of the species found there. To download them, go here.
Help Us Make a Difference
THE FOUNDATION
The Foundation was established in 2016 to help create, within Somaliland, opportunities for developing knowledge of the country’s biodiversity and its sustainable management. At that time, most knowledge about the country’s biodiversity came from foreigners, primarily because there was not, and never had been, an opportunity to gain the education needed in Somaliland. The Foundation is working to change that situation.
News & Updates
Faisal has been accepted as a participant in the course on "Plant Taxonomy Skills for Conservation" that will be offered by the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew in collaboration with the East African Herbarium and the University of Nairobi in Kenya in June 2025.
October 2024: Congratulations Ahmed!
On publication of "Rangeland management practices in Somaliland: lessons learned from the Aroori Grazing Reserve" in Rangelands (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S019005282400049X).
September 2024: Grant awarded for Environmental History Research
A grant was awarded to Stephen Johnson, Faisal Jama Gelle, and Ismael Esse Hayir for their proposed work on "Learning from Swayne and today's elders". Swayne was a big game hunter in the 1870s who provided maps and descriptions of the many areas he visited. Faisal and Ismael will be visiting three of the areas to compare present conditions at three sites with Swayne's descriptions and the perception of local elders concerning any changes.
