The environment is an extremely important, yet often neglected, aspect of managing a camp throughout its life-cycle. As it is a cross-sectorial issue, part of the challenge is that it is not clear which actor is ultimately responsible and accountable for monitoring and advocating for environmental issues. Consequently, they ‘fall through the cracks’. The Burundi refugee camps suffered in this regard as environmental aspects were not fully considered until several years after the establishment of the camps. This changed in 2007, when the government of Burundi specifically requested the camp management agency to reduce or find alternatives to the quantity of cooking firewood distributed for use by camp populations, as well as opening erosion ravines affecting host communities. Subsequently the camp management agency initiated a wider range of environmental activities.