In the sprawling landscapes of southern Burkina Faso, a remarkable story of ecological renewal emerged during an era when wildlife seemed destined for extinction. This narrative centers on Clark Lungren, an extraordinary conservationist who challenged traditional thinking and transformed how communities interact with their natural environment.

During the late 1970s and 1980s, when elephants were vanishing and hunting had shifted from survival to systematic destruction, Lungren proposed a radical solution: empower local communities as conservation partners. His approach was simple yet revolutionary - grant controlled hunting rights in exchange for wildlife and habitat protection, a concept that flew in the face of prevailing conservation doctrine and international development expectations.

At Nazinga, a game reserve located south of Ouagadougou, Lungren's strategy produced remarkable results. Wildlife populations, particularly elephants that had nearly disappeared, rebounded dramatically. Tourism followed, and perhaps most remarkably, some of the reserve's wardens and guides were former poachers, now invested in protecting the very ecosystems they once threatened.

Lungren's credibility did not stem from academic credentials, but from deep cultural understanding. A naturalized Burkina Faso citizen, he possessed an intimate knowledge of local languages, village dynamics, and rural life rhythms. He remained committed to the region even during periods of political instability that would have driven most outsiders away, consistently arguing that successful conservation must align with local governance and community incentives.

Beyond Nazinga, Lungren's impact was profound. He worked as a field biologist and advisor across West and Central Africa, training local environmental monitors and contributing crucial research on human-wildlife interactions. In the 1990s, he established a demonstration farm at Wedbila that showcased how breeding and managing wild species could provide sustainable livelihoods without ecological destruction, attracting tens of thousands of visitors including students and forestry professionals.

His innovative approach found institutional recognition when Burkina Faso awarded him the Order of Merit in 2007. Associated with the Buffett Conservation Leadership Foundation, Lungren was consulted by governments and NGOs, though he remained fundamentally a grassroots practitioner more interested in practical solutions than theoretical debates.

When Lungren passed away in September 2025 at age 74, his legacy was evident in the thriving wildlife corridors of Nazinga and the conservation models he helped develop. The village hunting zones (ZOVICs) he championed continue to serve as critical buffers around protected areas, a testament to his visionary approach that saw conservation not as preservation from above, but as collaborative stewardship with local communities.