Champion of Sustainable Conservation

In a world where the balance between wildlife conservation and human progress grows ever more delicate, it takes exceptional conviction to defend nature’s most pragmatic truths. Few embody this balance more steadfastly than Dr Clemens von Doderer, the 2024 recipient of the Namibian Professional Hunting Association’s Conservationist of the Year award.

A man of science, diplomacy and deep conviction, Dr von Doderer has spent his career bridging continents and ideologies in pursuit of a single goal – to ensure that conservation through sustainable use remains both understood and protected. His leadership has placed Namibia’s voice firmly on the international stage, where the country’s conservation model stands as one of the world’s most successful examples of how ethical hunting and biodiversity protection can coexist.

Since 2016, Dr von Doderer has served as the Resident Representative of the Hans Seidel Foundation in Namibia, guiding programmes that promote sustainable natural-resource management, good governance and rural development. Before that, his years in Brussels as a policy adviser to the Central Association of European Forest Owners honed his understanding of the policy mechanisms shaping Europe’s approach to wildlife and land use. It was during this time that he contributed to EU advisory boards on rural development, wildlife management and biodiversity – an experience that would later prove invaluable when advocating for Namibia abroad.

An academic by training, Dr von Doderer holds a Bachelor’s in Forest Science from the University of Göttingen and a Master’s and PhD in Agricultural Economics and Management from Stellenbosch University. Yet it is his ability to translate academic understanding into practical conservation diplomacy that has made him a true force for nature.

When he joined the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) as an individual member in 2019, he brought both intellect and passion to the table. Only a year later he was elected Head of the CIC Namibia Delegation, a position he continues to hold. Under his leadership, Namibia’s sustainable hunting success stories have gained global recognition, inspiring conversations across continents about the realities of community-based conservation.

Among his most notable achievements is his tireless advocacy against proposed European trophy-import bans, an issue threatening the very foundation of Namibia’s conservation model. Through careful engagement with European policymakers and global conservation bodies, Dr von Doderer has helped safeguard the principle that regulated ethical hunting funds, habitat protection and community livelihoods – not exploitation.

In acknowledging the award, Dr von Doderer humbly noted: “This is a great honour, which I share with several individuals within the CIC whose work has been vital to our success in advancing sustainable conservation.”

The recognition also highlights the powerful collaboration between NAPHA and the CIC, where shared values and coordinated advocacy continue to influence international policy and uphold frameworks such as CITES and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Dr von Doderer’s work embodies the CIC’s 2030 vision – that sustainable use must remain a cornerstone of global biodiversity conservation. His efforts remind us that conservation is not born of isolation but of partnership, persistence and a belief in nature’s ability to thrive when people are part of its story.

Through his leadership, Namibia’s model continues to illuminate the path forward: conservation through sustainable use, rooted in community, guided by science, and defended with passion.