This session will kick off with an interactive dialogue with African policymakers who are actually “in the trenches” setting conservation policies. With the insights you glean, you will get your hands dirty with a real-world simulation of how conservation policy is set in Africa. This lively simulation will give you a better perspective of the various interests at play, tradeoffs/compromises that have to be made, and what best practice conservation policy looks like. You will also explore how policy-making can be made more effective and efficient