A third-generation conservationist, Habteyesus “Habte” Mathewos Tadesse has been involved in conservation in Ethiopia and other African countries for as long as he can remember. Habte was born in April 1981 in Ethiopia’s Omo National Park to a father who was a ranger in the park, and a mother who was the daughter of a ranger.
Habte went away to school but always returned to Omo for his summer holidays. As he progressed through the Ethiopian education system, Habte retained his connections to Omo – indeed, he chose to start his career there rather than go to university due to his belief that “university is here on the ground.”
Habte began working alongside his father in Omo, focusing on infrastructure projects in the national park. This was around the time that African Parks entered Ethiopia for the first time to manage Omo National Park in partnership with the government. His potential and passion were soon recognised, and he was recruited into the ranger training programme. Separately, he was also given the opportunity to become a pilot, completing his licence in Czech Republic. His role included law enforcement, along with aerial surveys and GIS work.
An unplanned segue and a new beginning
Habte also looked to add to his skillset by working in ecotourism – and then leapt at the chance to rejoin African Parks and work in Gambella when the organisation returned to Ethiopia.
While on the African Parks leadership programme, Habte relished gaining new perspectives on operations and protected landscape management and being able to open his eyes to a different style of management. He visited other national parks across Africa, and studied at the South African Wildlife College.
This led to roles in Benin’s national parks, where he oversaw infrastructure and operations across W and Pendjari. Working in an increasingly volatile context, Habte led from the front, maintaining park operations through a period of sustained insecurity while safeguarding these landscapes for the benefit of people and biodiversity. His focus on building local capacity remained constant, with many of those he mentored now leading within the parks and across African Parks’ network.
True to form, Habte rose to the challenge of improving local infrastructure including erecting perimeter fences and developing roads to facilitate park operations. Now back in Ethiopia, Habte can reflect on his time in Benin and bring valuable learnings to Gambella, applying insights gained from working across these diverse landscapes.
Habte's Homecoming
As park manager, Habte finds Gambella to have its own dynamics and challenges. From handling the intricate relationships between the different tribal groups, to finding innovative ways for tourists to access the watery landscape and the need for more sustainable approaches to goldmining and the local bushmeat trade, Habte is no stranger to finding new ways to overcome obstacles.
In his own conservation journey, he has faced difficult moments, including the challenge of having to leave his Pendjari team behind when he moved to Gambella.
However, he has been able to draw on his progress through the ranks in conservation and gaining experience in multiple roles.
Habte’s conservation journey has given him an authentic awareness of what is happening in the park, and an acute sense of where increased focus is required.
“The park manager needs to know what’s going on, on the ground. A park manager should start from the bottom and do what we call talent development. I really passed through lots of challenges… now I have an eagle eye to see things because I came through all those things. This helps me to see where the gaps are.”
Leveraging his passion
Habte attributes his passion for conservation to his upbringing in Omo, and he remains committed to going wherever the conservation need is greatest.
“What inspired my passion for conservation? It’s very clear that it’s from my parents – they played a big role in my life. I was born in the park, and I still have that natural feeling for the park, and that is what gives me my passion for conservation. Wherever conservation is happening, I feel the same passion.”
For now, as park manager of Gambella, he feels he is absolutely in the right place to have the biggest impact. Habte clearly identifies with, and draws strength from, African Parks’ values – in combination with the influence of his childhood in Omo, these have equipped him to motivate his colleagues and inspire young people to consider a career in conservation.
“My management style is very simple: be nice to people, help them see and know themselves, and help them to do their best. I don’t like to be a boss. Instead, I empower teams through delegation and support; I don’t micro-manage. I try to share what I’ve learned from my mistakes. By making myself happy, I can make my team happy. Plus, I believe in never leaving until tomorrow what can be done today.”
When confronted with a problem, Habte looks to first understand and then help solve the issue. In his role as park manager, he strives to always remain positive, and never to be disappointed – “if it doesn’t work, at least you tried – the main thing is to take pride in your work.”
Relying on face-to-face communication rather than email helps Habte to express himself more clearly, and manage expectations – including his own need for decisive action in operational situations.
For the long run
Habte’s journey is a story of commitment – to conservation, and to helping people to reach their own goals through training and skills sharing.
“My greatest strength as a conservationist is commitment; there’s no word for how committed I am.”
By emphasising recruitment from local communities, he has been able to build a sense of ownership. He’s also excited about Gambella’s potential as a tourist destination, and he sees this as an opportunity to change the historical dynamic of the park, to ensure that the landscape is protected, and that stakeholders benefit.
Always something new to discover
In his free time, Habte likes learning about new topics, or walking in the forests and mountains. He is seldom seen without a volleyball, and enjoys impromptu games with anyone he meets – another example of his skill in forming teams and accepting challenges.
“I just enjoy everything about my job! I love the day when I go for a walk in the park. I’m enjoying the work that I’m doing because of the achievements; I don’t enjoy being a loser!”
He’s careful about the content he consumes online and is acutely aware of the impact of social media negativity on young people especially. That’s one of the foundations of his advice to young people, along with the importance of being open to learning from others, and of being committed.
For himself, he remains focused on inspiring future conservationists who can continue to build on the work that has been done in protected landscapes like Gambella.