Improving the monitoring of conservation programmes: lessons from a grant-making initiative for threatened species

Alessandro Badalotti,P. J. Stephenson,Jean-Christophe Vié,Laura van Galen

doi:10.1017/s0030605320000538

Abstract

AbstractMany conservation projects have weak capacity to monitor their target species and the threats they face, compromising adaptive management. We assessed 74 vertebrate and plant conservation projects worldwide that were supported by the SOS–Save Our Species Programme (now IUCN Save Our Species) during 2012–2015. Our aim was to determine how and where monitoring efforts were focused, identify trends in data availability and make recommendations for improvement. Project managers reported more of a decrease in threats (73%) and improved habitat conditions (68%) than positive population changes (19%), primarily because of the focus of their objectives and limited time to collect population data. More population data were collected on reptiles and amphibians than mammals and birds, contrary to global trends. This probably reflects a greater focus of mammal and bird projects on improving habitats or reducing threats. There were geographical differences in data availability. Lessons learnt that could be applied to future project portfolios include: a common strategic framework should be developed, along with a set of common indicators against which projects can align and demonstrate their contributions; more guidance and capacity building support should be provided to grantees; and a greater allocation of project budgets should be dedicated to monitoring.

Highlights

IntroductionIn spite of continued conservation efforts and new initiatives and organizations, biodiversity continues to decline while threats and pressures increase (e.g. Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, ; WWF, ; Diaz et al, )
Global trends demonstrate that, in spite of continued conservation efforts and new initiatives and organizations, biodiversity continues to decline while threats and pressures increase (e.g. Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, ; WWF, ; Diaz et al, )
Backed by the expertise of the IUCN Species Survival Commission, Save Our Species acts as the conduit for aggregating and distributing funds to threatened species conservation projects globally

Summary

Introduction

In spite of continued conservation efforts and new initiatives and organizations, biodiversity continues to decline while threats and pressures increase (e.g. Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, ; WWF, ; Diaz et al, ). Capacity for monitoring in conservation projects remains weak, and results-based or evidence-based management is not applied as often as required, especially in biodiversity-rich countries (e.g. Stephenson et al, a, a, in press; Schmeller et al, ). Data on species, their habitats and threats are inadequate for effective conservation management (Crees et al, ; Stephenson et al, b). Backed by the expertise of the IUCN Species Survival Commission, Save Our Species acts as the conduit for aggregating and distributing funds to threatened species conservation projects globally. Projects are funded through small to medium-sized grants (USD , – , ) lasting – years and selected through multiple competitive calls for proposals, each focussing on discrete taxonomic and geographical priorities and informed by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN, ). Taxonomic groups were selected among those that had been thoroughly assessed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, with an attempt to

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Conclusion