◆Keystone Protected Areas

The 162 that hold Africa together

Just 2% of Africa's protected areas - yet they contain 71% of the continent's threatened species, store 5.8 billion tonnes of carbon, and sustain water supplies for 250 million people. These are the Keystone Protected Areas identified by African Parks, WCS, and the Frankfurt Zoological Society, with support from the Rob Walton Foundation. Getting them properly funded is the central challenge of African conservation finance.

Source: Keystone Protected Areas paper, April 2025 - Rob Walton Foundation / African Parks / WCS / Frankfurt Zoological Society. The Africa Keystone Protected Area Partnership was launched at the UN General Assembly, September 2025.
162
Keystone Protected Areas across 33 countries
71%
Of Africa's threatened vertebrate species within Keystones
5.8bn t
Carbon stored - 43% of all carbon in Africa's protected areas
$1.2bn
Annual funding needed to secure all 162 areas by 2035
1-2
3-5
6-10
11+
None
Keystones per country. 33 countries represented. Click a country to filter.
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162 Keystone Protected Areas
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The Africa Keystone Protected Area Partnership
Launched at the UN General Assembly in September 2025 by the Presidents of Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, and South Africa, the Keystone Partnership aims to secure all 162 areas by 2035. Founding partners include the Rob Walton Foundation, African Parks, WCS, and the Frankfurt Zoological Society. The mechanism combines philanthropy, carbon markets, debt-for-nature swaps, and public finance. africakeystones.org