Frontier Conservation Projects
For 6 years, Frontier Conservation Projects have delivered industry-leading assessments, advisory and development programs across multiple countries. Our case studies show enduring impact through our expertise in strategic analysis, project design and technical excellence.
Truly Bespoke Support
Generating Clarity and Delivering Impact
We navigate complexity, enabling organisations to understand their operational needs, co-design effective plans, and translate intention into reality.
For 6 years, Frontier has been the go-to partner for Governments and NGOs seeking a consistent, right-first time approach to understanding or addressing challenges – empowering people, enhancing teams and developing capabilities.
Combining expertise across planning, organisational psychology and practical-experience, we offer an array of solutions spanning Assessments and Advisory and Training and Leadership Development.
To discuss a problem, and understand options for practically-focused and experience-tested support, whether strategic insight, people-strategy, or planning frameworks, contact us.
What we do
Problems often span multiple issues – contact us to see how we would approach your situation or challenge.
Organisational Assessments
Planning Support
Leadership Development
Operational and Organisational Assessments
Frontier fuses military and security evaluation, management consulting and organisational-psychology tools into one practically focused assessment that empowers decision makers.
Helping Organisations make confident, fact-based choices on people, plans and resources.
- Balanced reviews test how objectives match capabilities, risks, stakeholders and field realities.
- Mapping hidden issues, unknowns and contextualising key decisions.
- Setting clear resource priorities and boosing the impact of development work.
- Plain-language reports and presentations giving leaders actionable insights for shared understanding.
Understanding People:
Human Factor Organisational assessments, with expert insights on dynamics of people, management, leadership, and change.
Including actionable steps on increasing influence, motivation and performance, empowering teams and understanding the root cause of issues, or simply as a start point for a refreshed people-strategy.
Understanding Operational Realities and Requirements:
Frontiers operational assessments provide clarity on effectiveness of current capabilities, structures, processes and people measured against current objectives and future threats.
Through expert analysis and clear reporting, assessments provide a framework for informed understanding, decisions, and success.
Examples include:
- Full-scope National Park Assessments - a detailed analysis across systems, people, and capabilities on the requirements, realities, and risks uncovering blind spots, priorities, and critical decision guidance.
- Human Rights assessments, evaluating current systems, processes and operational or reputational risks and improvement steps.
- Training needs analysis, security and capabilities assessment - clearly explaining deficits and context-relevant recommendations.
Ready to Get Started?
If you want expert help in turning vision in to reality, solving complex issues, or empowering your people – our professional approach can help.
Right First-Time Approach
Conservation Case Studies
Our case studies highlight enduring impact, empowering organisations and their people to face conservation challenges.
Case Study 1 / 7
Operational Planning Support – FPF
Location: Upemba National Park, DRC
Challenge:
Upemba National Park had invested significant financial resources but was not seeing a positive return. The park lacked a clear operational strategy, leading to inefficient resource allocation and limited progress. To secure future funding and ensure long-term sustainability, park leadership needed expert guidance to assess the current situation, define strategic priorities, and develop a credible plan for donors.
Approach:
Our team conducted a thorough operational assessment, engaging directly with park management, rangers, and key stakeholders. We identified critical gaps in resource deployment, logistical inefficiencies, and barriers to effective conservation efforts. Through a collaborative process, we developed a streamlined framework that prioritised immediate actions, addressed funding challenges, and laid the foundation for long-term success.
Outcome:
With a clear, feasible plan in place, the park has regained stability and is now on a path toward sustainable management. The park has strengthened its credibility with donors and secured continued support, by aligning conservation priorities with practical resource allocation,
Client Testimonial:
“Frontier’s expertise was invaluable in helping us understand our realities and prioritise our resources. Their clear, strategic approach provided us with the clarity we needed to move forward with confidence.”
Tina Lain, Director, FPF, Upemba National Park
Case Study 2 / 7
Operational Assessment - US International Law Enforcement and EPIF
Location: Kinshasa, DRC
Challenge:
Organisations wanted to invest in the development of areas, and did not know what the reality of the situation was, including organisational dynamics and people-factors. Objective, clear information to take an informed decision was needed, as well as setting the conditions in difficult dynamics for international collaboration.
Approach:
Frontier conducted site visits across an array of rural and urban areas, evaluating people, process and structures, as well as external factors. Data was benchmarked and succinctly briefed.
Outcome:
The assessment enabled targeted investment to take place, including infrastructure and training, with awareness of the risks, and appropriate measures taken to mitigate these.
Client Testimonial:
“The assessments provided a real pathway to progress, and set the conditions for us to invest in infrastructure and training. We look forward to the next project.”
Sam, US Dept of State, Govt INL
Case Study 3 / 7
Operational Leadership and Structure Assessment
Location: Zakouma, Chad
Challenge:
Zakouma National Park required an assessment of their organisational structure and leadership, in the light of new management. They wanted to understand the root cause of problems, and opportunities for improvements.
Approach:
Frontier conducted a multi-faceted management and organisational assessment, highlight key areas for change, and the drivers of primary organisational problems.
Outcome:
Zakouma management was able to quickly assimilate in to the role, and make adjustments and changes off the back of the credible external assessment. The organisation increased operational effectiveness and internal efficiencies.
Client Testimonial:
“Frontier’s organisational assessment provided critical context to enable decisions as part of the strategy to secure and develop the Greater Zakouma Ecosystem.”
Naftali Honig, Greater Zakouma Manager
Case Study 4 / 7
Human Wildlife – Conflict Management
Location: Zambia
Challenge:
The existing Rapid Reaction Unit (RRU) in Zambia lacked the structure, skills, leadership and SOPs needed to effectively manage human-wildlife conflict (HWC). Without proper training and coordination, response times were slower, increasing risks to communities and wildlife.
Approach:
Frontier designed a training course that would increase effectiveness and motivation of members, but also delivered in a collaborative fashion generating real buy-in and team sustainability. It covered conflict management, communications, planning HWC operations, teamwork, managing rotas and other team foundations.
Outcome:
The structured development of the RRU has positioned the unit as a highly responsive, well-coordinated team capable of managing HWC incidents efficiently. This has reduced risks to communities and wildlife but also strengthened community trust and contributed to long-term conservation goals. The HWC team won first place at the Africa Conservation Best team awards, November 2024. The number of violent ranger-community events, human-wildlife conflict and community deaths all reduced by over 30% despite growing interface.
Client Testimonial:
“Frontier not only trained the team, its manager, and its team leaders, but also collaboratively developed the policy and structure, designed and then persuaded and influenced the adoption of relevant SOPs, and focused on galvanising the teams, and establishing a functional working rota. The team became effective, sustainable, and motivated – this was the foundation we needed and as a result it has gone from strength to strength.”
Emma, HWC Program Manager, CSL – Luangwa Valley
Case Study 5 / 7
TNC - Human Rights – Legal and Practical Use of Force course
Location: Zambia
Challenge:
Zambian Wildlife Police Officers (WPOs) and Scouts faced gaps in understanding and applying minimum legal and ethical standards for Human Rights and the use of force. These gaps led to rangers being injured due to uncertainty about when to use force, arrests of rangers for excessive force, and increased community tensions. Additionally, a lack of confidence, knowledge, and practical training left officers ill-prepared to handle high-risk situations effectively, risking both operational success and community trust.
Approach:
Frontier designed and delivered it’s industry leading Human Rights and Use of Force package for an array of attendees across Zambia. The training covered international and national laws, and the translation of Human Rights in to practical application, including conflict management, arrest protocols, and scenario-based exercises to reinforce judgment and technical skills in real-world situations.
Outcome:
Across two programs, every single attendee increased competence and confidence in understanding, technical knowedge and physical skills. Over 80% achieved a professional benchmark standard for frontline operational duties. Key elements were taken back to regional hubs and integrated in to government syllabus for the future.
Client Testimonial:
“Frontier designed, planned, and conducted a cohesive development package across an array of stakeholders including governmental and other NGOs under the Greater Kafue Ecosystem. The Frontier team delivered a well designed, professionally implemented and hugely impactful Human Rights and Use of Force Courses. This included bringing the most modern methods, practical scenarios, and built real capability and confidence in officers, allowing them to act in accordance with rigorous legal standards, enhance operational effectiveness and feel a lot more in confident in how they should react in hostile and non-hostile situations.”
Rob Munro, TNC Country Director
Case Study 6 / 7
Garamba National Park – Rhino Reintroduction & Light Mobility Force Development
Location: DRC
Challenge:
GNP intended to reintroduce Rhino to DRC. The park is in a complex and hostile region and AP needed to uncover planning blind-spots and understand operational realities, in order to inform resource allocation and planning priorities.
Park Management recognised they would need an integrated strategy, and to develop new capabilities for security, including proactive and reactive elements, whilst not undermining existing operations and wider operations.
Approach:
Frontier delivered an operational advisory and development package to establish conditions for the Rhino introduction. This included:
- Conducting a full operational assessment and actionable steps for critical development and a re-design of the security framework.
- Defining the role, structure, and responsibilities of the Light Mobility Force to integrate with GNP’s Law Enforcement and Conservation departments.
- Developing a bespoke training program tailored to GNP’s unique environment, focusing on individual, team, and platoon-level aspects, as well as leadership and sustainability.
- A full integration, including development of SOPs and relevant management capabilities.
Outcome:
The project set the conditions for successful reintroduction of Rhino, and the new security framework and light-mobility-force have maintained deterrence and awareness that has enabled further numbers of rhino to be introduced. This achievement contributed significantly to both GNPs reputation and the regional conservation effort.
Client Testimonial:
“Frontier provided expert analysis and perspective on a complex challenge. By highlighting gaps in our operational understanding with actionable steps, it reduced risk and was key in enabling forward momentum. They assisted in organisational planning, and specifically in operationalising the design and implementation of a new light mobility force and security framework. Dependable for professional delivery, I recommend (their) advisory and training services.”
John Barrett, Head of AP Law Enforcement
Case Study 7 / 7
New Capability Development - Intelligence and Law Enforcement
Location: South Luangwa National Park
Challenge:
SLNP borders many communities, and criminal activities were conducted with suspects able to escape before a team could be formed, briefed, vehicles organised, and considerable oversight was required. Often follow-ups were not successful, teams were not properly structured and lacked motivation, without the skills to confidently pursue or detain criminal groups. The area saw high, undeterred poaching as a result, which was in turn inspiring ever more criminality on the doorstep of the ranger HQ.
Approach:
Frontier collaboratively worked with stakeholders to generate buy-in and collectively design a new cohesive intelligence linked quick reaction force. The project included designing policy, the structure, personnel roles and responsibilities, how it was tasked, as well as the teams conduct, both trained and codified in simple SOPs and integrated without hampering existing operations, and giving the QRF the capability to employ initiative in how they approached missions. It involved a full development and integration that focused on the operational priorities, and took context of the organisational context.
Outcome:
With a set team, set commander, and consistent rota and associated logistic support, the speed of reaction reduced from an average of 3 hours to 9 minutes. The number of seizures increased by 40%, the casualty rate from higher risk operations stayed below the previous rate, motivation and team engagement improved, and the QRF had wide deterrence across the region and continuing as a sustainable ongoing force.
Client Testimonial:
“Frontier approached this project in a collaborative way, offering a number of options which enabled DNPW and CSL to assess the benefits of each. The project developed tangible impact, providing well-balanced, well-led and well-integrated reactive forces in to HQ, and with an aligned logistic and resourcing plan, the teams do not need significant management capacity to be effective. I would endorse Frontier for designing, and leading development projects in complex and sensitive environments such as SLNP.”
Rachel McRobb