To review selected wildlife user rights regulations in the broader context of natural resources management and to discuss their implementation and impacts, the Africa Biodiversity Collaborative Group (ABCG) held a November 2000 meeting at World Resources Institute (WRI). The meeting, chaired by the Biodiversity Support Program (BSP), discussed why wildlife user rights are an environmental governance issue. It promoted a better understanding of the opportunities and challenges of developing community based wildlife management initiatives that support the dual objectives of improved wildlife conservation and improved community development. Through presentations and discussion, it explored lessons learned from past experiences with wildlife user rights and community based forestry. Examples were given of current implementation of wildlife user rights in selected countries. WRI presented a detailed analysis of regulations and guidelines on wildlife user rights from Uganda, Namibia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Burkina Faso, and Cameroon based on criteria that included: 1) ecological management; 2) rights and responsibilities; and 3) legal and institutional issues.