International Crane Foundation

The ICF was initially established to protect the worlds 15 crane species, but has since developed into an innovative conservation organisation, protecting cranes and their habitats, as well as conserving other species and helping local people. ICF is helping to restore some of the natural functioning of the ecosystem by using scientifically calculated, well-timed and […]

At A Glance

The ICF was initially established to protect the worlds 15 crane species, but has since developed into an innovative conservation organisation, protecting cranes and their habitats, as well as conserving other species and helping local people.

ICF is helping to restore some of the natural functioning of the ecosystem by using scientifically calculated, well-timed and managed environmental flows (E-flows) to mimic more natural water releases and flooding. ICF is developing an evidence-base to highlight the wider socio-economic benefits of E-flows to dam owners and governments. It is also building local capacity, and monitoring new and proposed dams so that it can positively influence developments.

Irregular flooding events, caused by large dams along the Zambezi river, have negative effects on the many species that depend on the river-floodplain systems including buffalo, zebra, waterbuck, hippopotamus, elephants, Kafue lechwe and Wattled cranes. Changing flows also have dire consequences for river species, human livelihoods, sugar production and flood-recession agriculture and fisheries.

ICF has worked towards rehabilitating the Zambezi River’s environmental flows for more than 15 years and its President and CEO is a leading expert in this field.

Synchronicity Earth supported International Crane Foundation (ICF) in 2013 and 2015 for its work to conserve the Wattled crane on the Kafue Flats, in Zambia.