Mpatamanga Wildlife Ranch
A 238-Hectare Privately Managed Indigenous Forest Home to 519,180 Trees
Independently verified by the Forestry Research Institute of Malawi (FRIM), December 2025
"Ian Bartlett represents one of the few documented cases in Malawi of long-term, self-funded woodland restoration carried out independently with scientifically verified outcomes. His work at Mpatamanga Wildlife Ranch demonstrates a sustained, measurable recovery of indigenous forest under private stewardship—an approach rarely achieved at this scale without institutional backing."
Welcome to Mpatamanga Wildlife Ranch
Mpatamanga Wildlife Ranch is a privately managed indigenous woodland located along the Shire River in Neno District, Malawi.
Over more than 20 years, the land has been actively protected and managed following earlier degradation caused by charcoal burning and illegal logging.
The current forest condition reflects sustained ecological recovery through natural regeneration, supported by consistent, long-term management on the ground.
The ranch is owned and managed by Ian Bartlett — The Real Crocodile Hunter®, whose field experience in Malawi includes work in human-wildlife conflict environments along the Shire River, providing practical insight into the pressures affecting both forest ecosystems and wildlife.
Conservation Management and Land Stewardship
Protection from illegal logging and charcoal burning
Natural regeneration supported over 20+ years
Preservation of indigenous woodland and biodiversity
