Establishment of New Barter System to Aid in the Conservation of the African Elephant

Converting Ivory Poachers into Conservationists by Aiding Their Communities There is a strong correlation between the welfare of the endangered African elephant and the poor economic status of local villages from where ivory poachers come from. We propose implementing a barter system that would provide these poachers with a more sustainable source of income by employing them in the field of elephant conservation and aiding their local villages to become more self sufficient, increase their resources, and co-exist more peacefully with the native wildlife. Our goal is that this proposal lay the groundwork for a program that could be put in place by already existing organizations located in regions of Africa where elephant populations are most affected.