Press Release – June 19, 2025 – Paris, France
East and Southern Africa’s conservation landscape is undergoing a digital revolution, fueled by a partnership between Actility and the Connected Conservation Foundation (CCF). Advanced Internet of Things (IoT) technology already enhances protection across 2.8 million hectares, enabling Protected Areas to monitor and safeguard iconic biodiversity and ecosystems. Ambitiously, the coalition aims to expand this network to secure 20 million hectares through IoT and satellite monitoring by 2030.
Protected areas are crucial for preserving biodiversity, supporting local livelihoods, and maintaining the integrity of natural systems that regulate Earth’s climate and life support systems. Today, IoT technologies play a vital role in delivering real-time data to monitor ecosystem health, provide early warnings of threats, and empower local communities to manage their natural resources. This partnership has been at the forefront of developing and scaling these solutions, enabling field teams to help contribute directly to the global goal of protecting 30% of the planet by 2030.
At the heart of this work is LoRaWAN technology. Small, low-cost sensors gather real-time data on environmental conditions, security, wildlife movements, management operations, and water and food resources across entire ecosystems. These insights help protected area managers and local communities strengthen the management and effectiveness of protected areas.
From soil moisture and water levels to animal migrations tracking and habitat health, data from sensors travels via Cisco LoRaWAN gateways and Actility’s ThingPark™ Platform to central operations rooms, where platforms like EarthRanger provide a comprehensive 360-degree view of ecosystem health and threats. Cisco generously donates the LoRaWAN base stations and hardware, while Actility provides network SaaS ThingPark Platform along with its software and expert technical support, all at no cost.
Since launching in 2019 with a pilot at Kenya’s Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, the initiative has scaled across Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda. Today, Actility’s IoT network server connects a thousand sensors across 35 community-led and private conservancies.. These networks span iconic landscapes like the Masai Mara, Tsavo, the Northern Rangelands of Kenya, and major parks in South Africa – including Lapalala (48,000 ha), Madikwe (75,000 ha), and Sabi (65,000 ha) – forming a digital safety net across nearly 2,8 million hectares, with coverage expected to more than quadruple to 20 million hectares by 2030.
In South Africa alone, the network already covers 188,000 hectares, with a hundred sensors deployed, and over 100 additional sensors planned.
“Thanks to our partnership with Actility and Cisco, we’re helping teams scale IoT for conservation.” said Sophie Maxwell, Executive Director of the Connected Conservation Foundation. “By weaving together conservation partners, communities, and governments under a shared digital framework, we’ve seen the rapid growth in the use and impact of technology for environmental monitoring and protection. As we move towards Planetary LoRaWan we are excited for the next stage.”
“This achievement represents a major milestone for IoT technology in the service of our planet. By deploying what is now the world’s largest LoRaWAN network dedicated to biodiversity conservation, we are demonstrating the power of connectivity to address global challenges. This initiative shows that innovation and collaboration can transform ecosystems and protect biodiversity at an unprecedented scale.” said Nicolas Jordan, COO of Actility.
Uganda is the latest country to adopt this technology, with the Uganda Wildlife Authority and Uganda Conservation Foundation deploying LoRaWAN networks in Kidepo Valley, Murchison Falls, and Queen Elizabeth National Parks. These deployments will bolster anti-poaching efforts, support snare reduction, and help local communities manage resources sustainably.
With its low-cost, long-range, and low-power capabilities, LoRaWAN IoT technology offers a sustainable alternative to satellite systems, enabling real-time data collection even in the most remote and rugged landscapes. Beyond this partnership, over 200 protected areas worldwide now rely on this technology to monitor water, food, and habitat resources in ways that secure a resilient future for all life on Earth.
About Connected Conservation Foundation
Connected Conservation unites the capabilities of technology companies to equip local partners with game-changing tools for nature protection and restoration. CCF brings essential connectivity, communications and sensing devices to vast landscapes, enabling conservation managers to pre-empt and stop poaching, habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict in protected areas.
For more information, visit: https://connectedconservation.foundation/
About Actility
Actility, one of the co-inventors of LoRaWAN® technology and a founding member of the LoRa Alliance, is the leader in industrial-grade low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) connectivity and IoT tracking solutions. Actility’s ThingPark™ platform, which supports multi-radio connectivity (LoRaWAN®, NB-IoT, LTE-M), powers the majority of public networks and numerous private and enterprise networks worldwide. Through its subsidiary Abeeway, Actility offers patented ultra-low power, multi-radio trackers and comprehensive indoor and outdoor geolocation services. Additionally, the ThingPark Market boast the largest catalog of LoRaWAN® devices, gateways, and solutions available.
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