THE DARWIN INITIATIVE -

CHANGING CONSERVATION BEHAVIOUR

Rosalind Aveling

Director, Conservation Partnerships

Fauna & Flora International

February 22nd 2006

Today:

“Horses for courses”:

The Darwin Initiative and conservation education – different opportunities and challenges for translating knowledge into conservation action.

“From the horses mouth”:

Raising awareness, and stimulating action, through work on livelihoods, policy, trans-boundary conservation etc.

This presentation:

Education & awareness – role in achieving conservation outcomes. The challenge.

Darwin Initiative and conservation outcomes - what part can “awareness raising” play? An example from Ha Long Bay in Vietnam.

Other initiatives – practice and partnerships. Examples from around the World.

Focusing on conservation outcomes: education as a means to that end

What is the conservation challenge and what behaviors need to change?

A world where ……………….

Extinction is “speeding up” Political, economic and social pressures on

remaining land and species are intense; Natural disasters have an increased impact

(more people, less biodiversity) Biodiversity conservation is not a global priority

Our response? Using education in our efforts to……

Prevent loss of key elements of biodiversity without compromising human needs

Support local and national organisations to deliver biodiversity conservation in the long term

Influence the social, economic and political processes which underlie biodiversity loss

Darwin Initiative grants: helping translate knowledge into conservation

action?Opportunities: Research results Local connectivity and partnerships Resource management – sustainability Policy framework – Conventions

Challenges: Raising awareness to changing behaviour Behaviour change to conservation impact

A Darwin Initiative project:

Ha Long Bay Environmental Awareness Programme

Examine by: ThreatConservation responseConservation result

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam – a World Heritage Biodiversity Site

Ha Long Bay Environmental Awareness Programme

Threats:Ha Long Bay World Heritage site (re-nomination):

Pressure from increased use and tourism (economic expansion within the region)

Under-resourced and under-trained management authority.

Lack of data on resource status Lack of expertise on environmental education. Lack of sustainable financing.

Ha Long Bay Environmental Awareness Programme

Conservation response: Initial needs assessment with preliminary research

and awareness work – the platform. Darwin project through FFI to “establish a

public/private partnership for environmental education, structured on exploration of Ha Long Bay WHS and negative human impacts on it”.

Partnerships – local management authority for WHS, Department of Education, People’s Committees, University of East Anglia, education businesses.

Ha Long Bay Environmental Awareness Programme

Conservation result:

Improved management, based on research data, with local monitoring

Locally-sustainable financial mechanism established Incentives established for changed behaviour over

local resource use and national decision-making on resource use.

Other initiatives: Focusing on species and habitats:

• Coastal resources (Watamu, Kenya) Flagship species• Forest resources (Aceh, Indonesia) RARE/pride• Forest resources (Amazon, Brazil) Escola Amazonia

Focusing on “champions”:

• BP Energy and Environment Programme • Rufford and Whitley awards• International prizes (Goldman, Indianapolis etc).

Coastal resources – Watamu, Kenya (Flagship Species Fund)

Threat: unsustainable resource use in coastal/marine system.

Conservation response (education component): directly targeted stakeholders – fishermen, tourism sector, school children.

Conservation result: Local investment in retaining resource – fishermen’s committees, tourism management, local response to environmental disaster.

Local Ocean Trust – Watamu Kenya

Local Ocean Trust/ Watamu Turtle Watch – Education Centre, Watamu, Kenya

Forest resources – Aceh Indonesia (FFI with RARE/pride)

Threat: PreTsunami - Low level of understanding and support for forest management (conservation concessions?). Post-Tsunami – more pressure, less resource.

Conservation response (education component): Pre-tsunami - building on cultural and livelihood values to generate support for local forest management in devolved system. Post-tsunami – livelihood support with environmental safeguards.

Conservation result: Pre-Tsunami – support for declaration of local protected forest. Post-Tsunami. Environmental safeguards in humanitarian assistance and re-construction.

Teacher training, Aceh – Sumatra Indonesia (FFI and RARE/Pride)

Aceh, Indonesia – FFI with RARE/Pride

Forest resources – Amazon, Brazil

Threat: Arc of deforestation (soya etc)

Conservation response (education component): Local education as part of local holistic program (economic, social, environmental)– Escola Amazonia. National awareness and collaboration

Conservation result: Changed behaviour – local and national. (?!)

Brazil – Alta Floresta, Matto Grosso.

A note on “champions”:

Recognition & development of conservation leadership..

• BP Energy and Environment Programme

• Rufford and Whitley awards

• International prizes

And finally ….. for effective conservation education, don’t forget…..

Mechanisms - Focus on end goal (RARE/Pride)

Modalities - Engage across disciplines and partnerships (Ha Long Bay)

Monitor - Check back on gains, adapt and consolidate

A future for the planet?

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