“Conservation begins with the people who live closest to nature. When communities are supported, informed, and empowered, they become the strongest protectors of both their livelihoods and wildlife.”

Felician Ezekiel Chemihanda
Secretary & Founder

Felician Ezekiel Chemihanda is the Founder of ECOWICE and ECOWICE Foundation, with a lifelong commitment to advancing community-based conservation and human–wildlife coexistence. His passion for conservation began in childhood while herding livestock in the forests of rural Tanzania, where he witnessed firsthand the gradual loss of natural resources due to deforestation and environmental change. These early experiences shaped his dedication to protecting ecosystems that sustain both people and wildlife.

Felician holds a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Management from Sokoine University of Agriculture, where he built a strong foundation in ecology, conservation biology, and community-based conservation. He later earned a Master of Science in Environmental Studies from Ohio University, where his research focused on integrating conservation education into primary school curricula through inquiry-based learning.

In 2014, Felician co-founded ECOWICE to work directly with rural communities living near wildlife. His approach focuses on addressing conservation challenges through three connected pathways: strengthening early warning systems to reduce human–wildlife conflict, supporting environmental education to build long-term awareness, and promoting sustainable livelihoods such as wildlife-resistant crops and community enterprises.

A key innovation in his work is the development of a community-based early warning system, where local Elephant Monitoring Groups track wildlife movements and share timely alerts with farmers. This system is supported by a performance-based incentive model that recognizes community members for their role in protecting both livelihoods and wildlife.

Through his work, Felician has emphasized the importance of combining local knowledge with practical solutions, ensuring that conservation efforts are both effective and relevant to the daily lives of communities.

As Secretary of ECOWICE Foundation, he supports organizational coordination, program development, and strategic direction, helping strengthen the link between community-led conservation in Tanzania and broader support networks.

Felician’s long-term vision is to develop scalable, community-led conservation systems that integrate early warning, environmental education, and sustainable livelihoods — ensuring that communities living alongside wildlife are empowered, supported, and central to conservation solutions.