As an experienced National Geographic Explorer and a multiple award–winning speaker, she brings more than two decades of experience building partnerships that protect biodiversity and support rural communities across Tanzania and beyond.

Laly Lichtenfeld, New AbTF Board of Trustee Member; Credit: Felipe Rodriguez/APW

A scientist by training and visionary by practice, Dr. Laly Lichtenfeld specialises in a holistic approach to conservation that accounts for regional differences and prioritises the intensive involvement of the people living in landscapes shared with wildlife. Having lived in Tanzania since 2000, she founded African People & Wildlife (APW) together with her husband in 2005. APW supports rural communities in protecting wildlife, conserving natural resources, and benefiting from conservation measures.

“As a committed and prominent conservationist, Dr. Lichtenfeld will be a great asset to our board of trustees,” says Tina Stridde, the managing director of the Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF), adding, “Reconciling the protection of nature and wildlife with the interests of the people living in the same area is a key concern for our foundation as well. Through her deep knowledge and great dedication, Dr. Lichtenfeld will enrich the work of the board of trustees.” “In Tanzania, we’ve built a conservation model that works because it puts local people first. The Aid by Trade Foundation shares that commitment, and I’m excited to help strengthen the link between livelihoods and sustainability,” emphasises Laly Lichtenfeld.

Dr. Lichtenfeld holds a PhD in social and wildlife ecology from Yale University. She received the Lowell Thomas Award for Open Space Conservation from the historic Explorers Club in 2016, and she was awarded a WINGS Women of Discovery Award for her contributions to conservation in 2019. Most recently, she was nominated for the prestigious Indianapolis Prize, considered the Nobel Prize of Animal Conservation.

Having now worked with 80 communities across Tanzania to preserve over three million acres of critical habitat, APW has made measurable contributions to the peaceful coexistence of humans and wildlife, particularly in landscapes home to endangered big cats and elephants. The organisation is particularly committed to empowering women to take on leadership roles in efforts for nature conservation and social change in rural areas. Young people are another priority, with thousands having already received an opportunity to participate in environmental education programmes, which aim to spur them to action and inspire the next generation to protect wildlife.

The Aid by Trade Foundation’s board of trustees is populated by an international group of leading figures from the public, private, and voluntary sectors. Chaired by the entrepreneur Prof. Dr Michael Otto, who founded the Aid by Trade Foundation in 2005, the board of trustees contributes to the long-term implementation of AbTF’s overarching goals: accelerating nature restoration and social justice for farming and herding communities by activating market forces.