A Woman Leading Upemba

Zambian-born conservationist Christine “Tina” Lain has built her career in some of the most complex conservation landscapes in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Before joining Upemba, she worked in peace and emergency aid programmes and later with the Dutch Committee of IUCN, supporting civil society organisations in and around Virunga National Park and the Great Lakes region.

When she arrived in Upemba in 2016, the park had been largely abandoned for decades. Armed groups, poaching and illegal mining had weakened both wildlife populations and park operations. Together with the Forgotten Parks Foundation and the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN), she helped restart conservation management from the ground up.

As one of only a few women leading a national park in Central Africa, Tina commands a ranger force operating under extreme conditions. Limited infrastructure, long patrols on foot and persistent security risks define daily work in the field. Despite these challenges, the team has rebuilt operational presence across the landscape, protecting wildlife including the last remaining savanna elephant populations in the DRC.

Leadership in Upemba extends beyond field logistics. Building trust, professionalism and a shared mission within ranger teams has been central to creating long-term stability. Under her direction, the focus has shifted toward restoring ecological function, improving ranger capacity and strengthening collaboration with local communities and government partners.

Today, Upemba continues its transition from a forgotten park to a functioning restoration landscape. For Tina, conservation is not only about protecting species, but about rebuilding systems, strengthening people and restoring belief in what the landscape can become.