Another Feather in the Cap: Ian Craig, NRT’s Conservation Chief, Wins Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa

On one fine day in 1990, Ian Craig set out for what he thought would be an enjoyable hike in the Matthews Mountain Range.

He and his hiking companion, Kinyanjui, were having a wonderful time exploring the great outdoors when unexpectedly, gut-wrenching cries rendered the air.

Instinctively, they hid in nearby bushes and watched helplessly as six poachers, armed to the teeth, slaughtered nine elephants, cutting out their ivory. This experience in 1990 left an indelible print on Craig’s mind, setting him on a path to protect wildlife.

HRH, The Prince of Wales conversing with the 2022 Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa awardees Achilles Brunnel Byaruhanga (centre) and Ian Craig (left). Photos courtesy of Getty Images, for Tusk.

At the peak of the elephant and rhino poaching epidemic, Craig converted his family’s 62,000-acre cattle ranch into a rhino sanctuary, which flourished and was later re-estab- lished as Lewa Wildlife Conservancy. Craig’s vision propelled Lewa to great success, and the Conservancy has grown to become a world-renowned catalyst and model for conservation, protecting endangered species and promoting the development of neighboring communities.

In 2004, in line with his commitment to conservation, Craig championed the formation of NRT. Today, NRT serves 43 community conservancies, spread across 63,000 square kilometers, and supports indigenous Kenyan communities in conservation, security, wildlife monitoring and research, livestock management, and economic development.

To stop the killing, trafficking and demand for ivory and ensure a secure, stable future for elephant populations and people across Africa, 2014 saw Craig spearhead the establishment of the Elephant Protection Initiative. He campaigned to shut down domestic ivory markets worldwide, resulting in the successful closure of ivory markets in the US, Canada, the UK, the EU, and China.

For his dedication and exceptional continued contribution to conservation in Africa, Craig was presented with the 2022 Prince William Award in November.

In his acceptance speech, Craig, who currently serves as NRT’s Chief of Conservation and Development, underscored the importance of the community-led conservancy model stating, “It’s no longer a case of working with communities or bringing communities into conservation. It’s a case of keeping up with communities. Wealth and opportunity shouldn’t solely be in these big, protected areas—it needs to be on the other side, and that’s where NRT is going.”

This Award is the latest Craig has received for his extraordinary contributions to conservation. In October, Craig was bestowed the 2022 Scientific Exploration Society (SES) Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes and celebrates those individuals who have achieved great things and whose passion, determination, and grit inspire all.