The Southern Highlands Conservation Programme (SHCP) was set up by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in order to conserve important upland habitats and species in south-west Tanzania. These highlands cover a vast area between Lakes Nyasa (Malawi) and Tanganyika, on the junction of the eastern and western arms of the Great Rift Valley.

Forests, plateau grasslands and crater lakes provide water, medicines, natural products and cultural identity, as well as refuge to flora and fauna of considerable conservation concern. The main sites of interest are montane grasslands and forests, including Kitulo Plateau, Mt Rungwe, Mbisi, Uporoto, Ngosi, Ukinga, Mbeya Range, Njombe, Livingstone Mts, Umalila, Ufipa Plateau. The SHCP aims to achieve conservation in 3 fundamental and equally important areas:

• Research and monitoring (to identify priority areas, and to quantify and monitor key species and habitats)
• Protected area design and management (to support government, parastatals and local administrations in protected area design and management)
• Community-based conservation (to help communities manage natural resources sustainably, through for example, tourism development, conservation education and collaborative management)