Biodiversity Conservation Practices Research Articles

Ecological Offsetting in China’s Coastal Wetlands: Existing Challenges and Strategies for Future Improvement

Land-use changes in coastal wetlands have led to a worldwide degradation of marine coastal ecosystems and a loss of the ecological services they provide. Ecological offsetting is a popular strategy and an effective mitigation measure for ecosystems that have been degraded, damaged, or destroyed and is critical for habitats where natural recovery is hindered. However, the current understanding of the theory and practice of ecological offsetting for coastal wetlands is extremely limited in many developing countries. We conducted a review of ecological offsetting for coastal wetlands projects and studies in China in 1979–2017 to explore the application and limitations of ecological offsetting theory. It was found that China’s coastal ecological offsetting regime has recently entered a rapidly developing stage, with an increasing number of different types of offsetting projects conducted, but theoretical research lags behind practical applications. Considerable governmental, social, technological and ethical challenges remain to resolve. Coastal ecological offsetting schemes have been inconsistent in meeting conservation objectives or preventing net losses because of the challenges of ensuring they are fully consistent in practice (mainly in-kind offsets) and theory (mainly out-of-kind offsets). Ecological offsetting projects were primarily implemented by government, developers, and non-profit organizations. The available funding of coastal ecological offsetting projects is insufficient, which makes ecological offsetting a risky operation. Therefore, we propose strategies for improvement that integrate the consideration of theoretical and practical challenges in the offsetting process, while providing a scientific basis and directional guidance for the future practice of biodiversity conservation and environmental management.

Climate change and world heritage: a cross-border analysis of the Sundarbans (Bangladesh–India)

ABSTRACTThe national policy context influences micro-level management actions for natural World Heritage facing the challenge of climate change in the developing world. Little is currently known about how climate vulnerable natural World Heritage is managed to build resilience within the socio-ecological system. Management actions based on conservation, biodiversity, community and tourism policies are important determinants of socio-ecological resilience. The aim of this study is to present a critical cross-border comparative analysis of climate change management responses for building resilience in the Bangladesh and Indian Sundarbans World Heritage area. Drawing on semi-structured stakeholder interviews and document analysis, this research finds that along with the modification of conventional biodiversity conservation practices, management agencies address community needs such as adaptation, livelihoods, involvement and empowerment to build resilience by minimising community-induced forest depletion. The management regimes of the Sunderbans in Bangladesh and India have relative advantages in biodiversity conservation in response to climate change. This research also finds that biodiversity conservation actions are challenged by poor enforcement systems, destructive land use policy, and uncontrolled economic activities including tourism which may threaten the socio-ecological resilience of the World Heritage area.

The unknown known – A review of local ecological knowledge in relation to forest biodiversity conservation

Local ecological knowledge and the land use practices of forest resource users who rely on this form of knowledge play a crucial role for biodiversity conservation in managed forests. The understandings of, and approaches taken to analyze, such knowledge are diverse. To systematize the available knowledge, we conduct a review of 51 studies addressing local ecological knowledge (LEK) and forest biodiversity conservation practice. We analyze what specific kind of knowledge is considered, who holds the knowledge, how this knowledge is actively applied in practice and how it relates to biodiversity conservation.The review shows that local ecological knowledge and forest biodiversity conservation are linked through various socially shared aspects, such as values and norms, spiritual beliefs and perceptions of ecosystem functions and benefits as well as operational conditions, including livelihood strategies and economic constraints. While many of the reviewed studies evaluate local knowledge as holding great promise for biodiversity conservation, the conclusions regarding practical implications of including this knowledge into forest and conservation management are mixed. In particular, the interaction of “traditional” conservation paradigms rooted in local ecological knowledge and science-based “modern” paradigms is not thoroughly addressed. This applies especially to European countries, where research on local ecological knowledge is scattered. Drawing on these observations, we conclude that a greater focus on the ways in which societies in these countries can (re)generate, transform and apply local ecological knowledge can play a crucial role in integrating conservation objectives into forest management under changing environmental conditions.

From ark to bank: extinction, proxies and biocapitals in ex-situ biodiversity conservation practices

ABSTRACTThis paper takes a critical approach to understanding the social and cultural ‘work’ of natural heritage conservation, focussing specifically on ex-situ biodiversity cryopreservation practices. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork with the Frozen Ark, a UK-based ‘frozen zoo’ aiming to preserve the DNA of endangered animal species, the paper situates the development of non-human animal biobanks in relation to current anxieties regarding the anticipated loss of biodiversity. These developments are seeding new global futures by driving advances in technologies, techniques and practices of cloning, de-extinction, re-wilding and potential species re-introduction. While this provides impetus to rethink the nature of ‘nature’ itself, as something which is actively made by such conservation practices, we also aim to make a contribution to the development of a series of critical concepts for analysis of ex-situ and in-situ natural heritage preservation practices, which further illuminates their roles in building distinctive futures, through discussion of the relationship between conservation proxies, biobanking and biocapitals. We suggest that questions of value and the role of future making in relation to heritage cannot be disassociated from an analysis of economic issues, and, therefore, the paper is framed within a broader discussion of the place of ex-situ biodiversity cryopreservation in the late capitalist global economy.

When conservation research goes awry: A reply to Mascia and Mills (2018)

AbstractWe raise two points of contention with “When conservation goes viral: The diffusion of innovative biodiversity conservation policies and practices” in which Mascia and Mills make a case for “diffusion of innovation theory” as a way of understanding how conservation interventions spread, drawing on case studies from Tanzania and the Pacific. First, the conceptualization of the spread of CBNRM as the uptake of innovative policies through diffusion depoliticizes CBNRM and ignores existing social science scholarship on Tanzanian CBNRM. Second, the article's central claim of “diffusion” builds on inflated statistics on the spread of CBNRM in Tanzania.

Biodiversity and threatened species reporting by the top Fortune Global companies

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the biodiversity and threatened species reporting of the top 150 Fortune Global companies. The paper has two main objectives: to explore the extent to which the top 150 Fortune Global companies disclose information about their biodiversity and species conservation practices, and to explore the effects of biodiversity partners and industry on companies’ biodiversity and threatened species reporting.Design/methodology/approachThe study’s sample is the top 150 Fortune Global companies. Each company’s fiscal year ending 2014 annual report, its 2014 sustainability report, and its company website were content analyzed for evidence of biodiversity and threatened species reporting. This content analysis is supplemented by a detailed analysis that focusses on the sample’s top five reporters, including a phone interview with a senior sustainability manager working at one of these companies. Finally, a regression analysis was conducted to examine the associations between companies’ biodiversity and threatened species reporting and the presence/absence of biodiversity partners and a company’s industry F&C Asset Management industry category.FindingsThe reporting on biodiversity and threatened species by the top 150 Fortune Global companies is quite limited. Few companies (less than 15) are providing any substantial reporting. It was further observed that even among the high scoring companies there is a lack of consistent reporting across all index items. A subsequent empirical examination of these companies’ disclosures on biodiversity and threatened species showed a statistically positive association between the amount of reporting and companies’ holding of biodiversity partnerships. It was also observed that firms categorized as red- and green-zone companies made more disclosures on biodiversity and threatened species than amber-zone companies.Originality/valueThis is the first study to systematically analyze corporate disclosures related to threatened species and habitats. While some prior studies have included the concept of biodiversity when analyzing organizations’ environmental disclosures, they have done so by examining it as one general category out of many further categories for investigating organizations’ environmental reporting. In the present study, the focus is on the specific contents of biodiversity disclosures. As such, this study has the twin research objectives of seeking to illuminate the current state of biodiversity and threatened species reporting by the world’s largest multinationals and provide an appreciation for how certain organizational and industry variables serve to influence these reporting practices. These multiple insights offer companies, and potentially regulators, understanding about how to include (or extend) disclosures on biodiversity loss and species under threat of extinction.

A blueprint towards accounting for the management of ecosystems

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to propose a new ecological-issues-centered accounting research agenda, at the crossroads of accounting research and conservation science.Design/methodology/approachBased on a case study of the Natural Capital Project, the research examines the efforts and challenges of conservation practitioners regarding the use of evaluative information systems for conservation (EISC) in complex social and ecological contexts. It discusses why and how, to address these challenges, EISC promoters would benefit from theoretical and empirical insights coming from accounting research.FindingsThe paper suggests that the use of new information systems centered on organized collective action for biodiversity conservation should be regarded as a new type of accounting for the management of ecosystems, complementary to organization-centered biodiversity accounting and to ecosystem accounting at the national scale. A research agenda inspired by critical accounting should be developed for EISC design and use by: critically analyzing the organizational models currently underlying the use of new calculative practices for ecosystems; and developing new analytical and practical avenues on the basis of more explicit and powerful theories adapted to collective action for conservation perimeters.Originality/valueThe paper shows the importance of combining three domains of research and practice that are usually disconnected: the design and use of innovative information systems in biodiversity conservation research and practice; accounting research; and theories and conceptual models of collective action to resolve ecological challenges.

Traditional knowledge and biodiversity conservation: a case study from Byans Valley in Kailash Sacred Landscape, India

Ethnobotanical knowledge plays a significant role in plant diversity conservation and the curing of various ailments in remote rural areas of the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR). A total of 53 plant species from 27 families have been documented from the Byans valley and are used traditionally for the treatment of various diseases. Valley inhabitants have maintained a symbiotic relationship between natural resources and their cultural belief system by developing sacred forests/groves which conserve the region's plant diversity pool. Information on sacred natural sites and traditional beliefs was documented in order to understand the environmental and conservationist implications of these rules and practices. The study provides comprehensive information about eroding traditional knowledge and biodiversity conservation practices. This study could be a pilot to strengthen the conservation practices and sustainable utilization of frequently used bioresources by understanding the traditional knowledge system and conservation ethics of tribal communities in the Himalayan region.

Measuring the impact of a journal

The Ecological Management & Restoration (EMR) journal's long journey to become listed on the Web of Science (previously referred to as ISI listing) – and thus be included in the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) – has now been rewarded. In short, EMR now has an Impact Factor. In the 2016 Journal Citation Report, EMR received a score of 1.139 – which places the journal 115/153 in the Ecology category. Papers from EMR are now being cited widely. For example, the Scopus 2016 database listed 130 EMR papers that were cited in nearly 90 different SCIE journals and publications. This is not bad for a newcomer and is a clear baseline from which the journal can build. There are several issues with the listing process that explain the long time this has taken. One of the main reasons is that a journal needs a minimum qualifying level of citations in papers published in already listed journals to get to the bottom rung of the ladder. This is hard enough for any new journal but is doubly hard for an intentionally applied science journal with a largely management-oriented readership – given that most of the journals already in SCIE are primarily directed to a research readership and may be less likely to cite applied science papers. It is significant, then, that this Impact Factor was attained despite ESA's decision to retain the journal's current scope and format, only making very minimal concessions to improve EMR’s conformity to a science journal format. That is, EMR is, and will remain, primarily a management-oriented journal linking science and practice. But having an Impact Factor means that EMR may now be a more attractive first-choice publication outlet for researchers working in universities – while also retaining a strong representation from management authors and a strong management readership. It is this readership, after all, that is one of the reasons many established researchers send particular (applied) papers to EMR as their first-choice publication outlet. In his interview in this issue, Andrew Bennett – who has been a dedicated executive member of the EMR board since its inception in the year 2000 – reflects on the importance of communicating science to end-users. He is not alone in his view that the motivation behind the work of many scientists working in the nature conservation area is to make the world a better place, requiring researchers to communicate their work not only to other researchers but also to managers. Bennett raises more novel ways being considered by the Australian Research Council (which funds research) to measure the degree a project engages with industry partners and others who may use the research findings. The interview is a good read also because it provides us with some insights into the author's own career, his background, his drive to consider questions at larger and larger scales and his hopes for the future of biodiversity conservation research and practice in Australia. Bennett speaks of the importance of not only spatial scale but also temporal scale. We need longer-term efforts and longer-term research and practice. This is echoed by David Lamb's comment piece in this issue which eloquently challenges both science and practice institutions to take stronger steps to protect long-term data- or old data that can act as a baseline for building upon in the future. Linda Broadhurst and colleagues also take a big picture temporal view in their article on designing protocols for revegetation that can double as experimentation into genetic adaptation in the context of changing climates. The remaining offerings of long and short technical and research reports in this issue epitomize the management relevance of EMR papers. Each of these grapples with measuring the effects of solution-based restoration or management. Of the longer articles, this includes Ben Carr and colleagues’ review of the use of Conservation Action Planning to improve, in particular, the management of private conservation reserves in Australia including on Indigenous lands; Peter Kyne and Pierre Feutry focus on mitigating recreational overfishing; Joseph Stapleton and colleagues focus on trialling the introduction of coarse woody debris to reduce mammalian browsing in revegetation; Chris Gillies and colleagues focus on oyster reef restoration, and Konrad Uebel and colleagues and Steve Sinclair and colleagues focus on the observations of natural recovery of vegetation communities after a range of interventions. Indeed, it is the quality of the applied science papers that will retain and build EMR's Impact Factor, although our applied focus will always limit citations in pure research publications. We know that EMR counts in terms of end-user impact and recommend that it be continued to be considered as such by researchers and the bodies who fund them, rather than now judging EMR by its SCIE Impact Factor alone.

Agrobiodiversity and in situ conservation in ethnic minority communities of Xishuangbanna in Yunnan Province, Southwest China

BackgroundXishuangbanna of Yunnan Province, southwest of China belongs to a global biodiversity and cultural hotspot. Agrobiodiversity plays an essential role in local livelihoods and traditional culture in the region. However, preliminary studies suggest that diversity of crop plants and livestock species is declining. We hypothesized that agrobiodiversity and traditional means of preserving agrobiodiversity are threatened because of changes in government policy in favor of commercial plantations, land use change and changes in traditional agricultural practices. We investigated whether or not agrobiodiversity was declining, the specific causes, and signs of active biodiversity conservation practices in ethnic minority communities of Xishuangbanna which could form the basis for extensive in situ conservation programmes.MethodsA series of field studies to document trends in agrobiodiversity were conducted in different ethnic minority communities in Menghai County, Mengla County and Jinghong City of Xishuangbanna of Yunnan Province, southwest of China between July 2015 and February 2016. Data was obtained through the use of semi-structured questionnaires, field observation and participatory rural appraisal (PRA) tools. A total of 360 ethnic households provided information on current status, functions, characteristics, changes, and threatened factors of farming crop and livestock resources. Some measures for in situ conservation of agricultural biological resources were also researched using PRA methods.ResultsTwo hundred twenty-six crop varieties belonging to 31 families, 71 genera and 101 species were identified in Xishuangbanna, which included 83 vegetable crops, 77 food crops, 24 spice crops, 22 fruit crops, 13 cash crops, 6 oil crops, and 1 cloth crop, respectively. There were 15 livestock varieties, belonging to 6 major species: cattle, pigs, goats, chickens, ducks, and geese. Different crop and livestock resources had their own characteristics, functions and threatened factors. Since 2002, agroecosystem, crop diversity and livestock diversity have declined greatly over the Xishuangbanna region as a whole under implementation of the Sloping Land Conversion Program (SLCP). Swidden agriculture was completely eliminated under this program and gradually replaced by large land areas devoted to rubber, tea and banana plantations. Villager numbers engaging in farming production and population of crops and livestock were greatly decreased, particularly in terms of production of local traditional varieties. However, some in situ conservation measures such as seeds preservation, planting of traditional crops and raising livestock have played an important role in local agrobiodiversity conservation.ConclusionAbundant agricultural resources and agrobiodiversity are critical to the local livelihood and maintenance of traditional culture in Xishuangbanna. However, agrobiodiversity and related traditional culture have been greatly impacted by implementation of the SLCP since 2002. Therefore, in future conservation of agrobiodiversity, incorporating some sustainable protection measures based in local communities such as convening seed exchange fairs, conserving traditional varieties in permanent plots, making a visual documentary of indigenous cultivation, and providing traditional agricultural products to tourists should be carefully considered and adopted.

Can the site conditions required for successful natural regeneration of juniper (Juniperus communis L.) be determined from a single species survey?

Background: Ecological surveys often aim to inform biodiversity conservation policy and practice. Survey types differ; all require clear aims and good design. A survey in Scotland was carried out to measure the distribution and health of juniper (Juniperus communis) and potential for its natural regeneration.Aims: Explore if one-off national surveys can inform conservation action by examining, as an example, the Scottish juniper data set to: (1) determine site conditions favourable for juniper regeneration, (2) provide recommendations for site management for regeneration.Methods: Associations between site conditions and juniper occurrence were investigated with principal component analysis (PCA) and using species distribution modelling (SDM). To identify changes in site conditions over time, we compared degree of site suitability for natural regeneration (PCA distance) and population age structure.Results: Twenty-one per cent of the sites showed juniper regeneration. Compared to all juniper sites, conditions at regenerating sites were different (e.g. climatically wetter, lower site fertility). Change over time in conditions was suggested by patterns in population age structure.Conclusions: Following the establishment of a juniper population, site conditions may change, becoming unsuitable for natural regeneration. Historical site information to confirm this is lacking. We cannot answer fundamental questions about the causal mechanisms of the natural regeneration of juniper and question whether one-off survey data can inform conservation management.

Ecosystem services in cities: Towards the international legal protection of ecosystem services in urban environments

Biodiversity provides many ecosystem services in cities that are beneficial to human well-being including adaptation to the effects of climate change and positive effects of nature on human health. Rapid urbanization however is causing an adverse impact on biodiversity and the ecosystem services they provide. Protecting and restoring urban biodiversity and ecosystem services can increase human well-being of the rapidly increasing urban population. Today, however, the international biodiversity conservation practice mainly focuses on rural areas, and not on urban conservation and restoration. Within city scale, there are several opportunities to green urban living, such as green infrastructure and urban parks and nature reserves. This paper investigates the current scientific practices for promoting and protecting ecosystem services in urban areas. Secondly, the authors review and assess the legally binding instruments on biodiversity at the international and EU level in order to see if there are sufficient existing mechanisms for protection of ecosystem services in urban areas. Thirdly, the paper elaborates on the Aichi Targets in order to explore whether or not these targets are enough to facilitate the protection and enhancement of ecosystem services in urban areas as swiftly as they are needed.

The Role of Forest Biodiversity Conservation Practices for Tourism Development in a Case of Tara Gedam Monastery, South Gonder Zone, Ethiopia

Monastery has long history of planting and conserving trees in yards of its churches. The objective of this study was to assess the role of forest biodiversity conservation practice for tourism development in case of Tara Gedam monastery. The study was conducted (2014) in Tara Gedam (Monastery) in Libo Kemkem Wereda, South Gondar Zone, Ethiopia. The main attraction of the site includes the forest landscape; indigenous tree, birds, ancient monastery cave, speculator erected mountain and wildlife in the surrounding. The vegetation data samples were collected from plots of 20 m × 20 m which were laid systematically along parallel transects lines in the forests. Both primary and secondary sources of data were used. Primary data were collected from a survey of 132 visitors at recreation site. For the socioeconomic survey, questionnaires were collected from 120 household/living residents. Focus group discussion and key informant interviews were also employed in which religious scholars; number of tourist and local community were considered. Data were analysed using SPSS and Microsoft excel. The result of survey revealed that 82% of respondents have direct link between biodiversity and tourism. Biodiversity is one of tourism’s greatest assets and fundamental to its long-term sustained growth. Sustainable tourism establishes a suitable balance between environmental, economic and socio-cultural aspects and is key to maximizing tourism’s positive contribution to biodiversity. Conservation of forest in the name of religion in the study area was widely recognized by the followers as conservation approach. Result show that biodiversity contributes to sustainable tourism development on the grounds that it has less impact on the environment than other industries, based on an enjoyment of the natural and cultural environment. Summary of the studies indicate that the recreational economic benefits of the local community was increase time to time. So that tourism significantly contributes to the local and national economy. Tourism generates high income; employment opportunities to local communities, its conserve the environments and biodiversity conservations.

The contribution of theory and experiments to conservation in fragmented landscapes

The clearing and fragmentation of terrestrial ecosystems is commonly acknowledged as a major cause of the decline of biodiversity. These and other predicted responses to habitat fragmentation are derived from theory, which ecologists have tested with empirical approaches ranging from observations to experimental manipulations. These empirical approaches have also identified areas of theory in need of additional development. For example, experimental studies of fragmentation have provided insights such as the key role played by the matrix surrounding fragments, the importance of edge effects, and the impacts of corridors linking fragments with one another. Much less clear, however, is the extent to which these theoretical and empirical studies – while advancing our conceptual understanding of ecological responses to landscape change – help guide management and conservation practice. We review lessons learned from landscape‐scale fragmentation experiments and observational studies, present the results of a survey of fragmentation and conservation experts which probed for links and mismatches between fragmentation studies and conservation practice, and discuss how future studies can contribute to conservation practice. Our survey showed that respondents consider fragmentation theory and empirical studies and their findings important for guiding conservation and management practices. The survey also identified that there are disconnects between what is typically studied by fragmentation ecologists and factors that are central to the practice of biodiversity conservation, notably, community‐based human dimensions (e.g. economic, social, health issues), policy and governance, ecosystem services, eco‐evolutionary responses of species, and interaction of multiple threats to biodiversity and ecosystem processes. We discuss how these disconnects can present opportunities for experiments to continue to provide valuable recommendations for conservation practice in fragmented landscapes.

The social psychology of biodiversity conservation in agriculture

We investigate farmers’ intentions to apply biodiversity conservation practices from a psychological perspective, using an adapted version of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), including group norms and putting emphasis on moral norms and self-identity. The study is based on a quantitative survey (n = 99) in Belgium, analysed using confirmatory factor analyses and path analysis. Results suggest that the impact of attitudes, social norms and perceived behavioural control on intentions is almost fully mediated through moral norms and self-identity. To have a sustained impact, change actions should strive to embed biodiversity conservation into the social norms and into the good farmer identity of the farming community. While acknowledging the explanatory nature of this study, the findings could suggest another view on how to induce behavioural change.

Результаты оценки практики сохранения биоразнообразия при лесопользовании в республике Карелия

Результаты оценки практики сохранения биоразнообразия при лесопользовании в республике Карелия

Результаты оценки практики сохранения биоразнообразия при лесопользовании в Архангельской области

Результаты оценки практики сохранения биоразнообразия при лесопользовании в Архангельской области

Некоторые результаты оценки практики сохранения биоразнообразия при лесопользовании в Вологодской области

Некоторые результаты оценки практики сохранения биоразнообразия при лесопользовании в Вологодской области

English

The growing role of traditional medicine practice in the health care delivery system of most countries of the world cannot be over emphasized. Needless to say, more than 90% of the remedies used by the practitioners of traditional medicine are medicinal plant based. The growing demand for these plants for medicinal use and the subsequent unsustainable harvesting, livestock browsing and infrastructural development has led to the endangerment of some of the species. A pilot study was conducted to document the medicinal plants used by traditional medicine practitioners (TMPs) and those they perceived to be scarce or endangered in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Sixty TMPs were interviewed orally with the use of structured questionnaire. A total number of 120 medicinal plant species were identified from the 158 specimens surveyed for treatment of various ailments. Forty eight percent of the respondents did not agree that wild collection of medicinal plants without replacement can increase extinction risk of such plants. Of the medicinal plants mentioned by the TMPs to be scarce, only 33 were identified taxonomically and 75% of them are trees, while 3% are herbs. The study reveals the urgent need for raising of awareness level of the TMPs on plant endangerment, training on good collection practice, sustainable collection, and as well as sensitization on sustainable biodiversity conservation practice. Key words: Nasarawa State, medicinal plants, biodiversity conservation, Traditional Medicine Practitioners (TMPs).

Portrayal of sustainability principles in the mission statements and on home pages of the world's largest organizations.

Conservation can be achieved only if sustainability is embraced as core to organizational cultures. To test the extent to which the related concepts of sustainability, conservation, response to climate change, poverty alleviation, and gender equity have been incorporated into organizational culture, we compared mission statements published from 1990 to 2000 with those published in 2014 for 150 organizations, including conservation nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), aid NGOs, government development agencies, resource extraction companies, and retailers (30 in each category). We also analyzed the 2014 home web pages of each organization. Relative to the earlier period, the frequency with which mission statements mentioned poverty alleviation, biodiversity conservation, and a range of sustainable practices increased only slightly by 2014, particularly among resource extractors and retail companies. Few organizations in any sector had embedded either climate change or gender equity into their mission statements. In addition, the proportional intensity with which any of the aspirations were expressed did not change between periods. For current home pages, conservation NGOs, resource extractors, and government agencies were significantly more likely to acknowledge the importance of matters that were not part of their core business, but few aid agencies or retail companies promoted goals beyond alleviation of crises and profit maximization, respectively. Overall, there has been some progress in recognizing poverty alleviation, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable practices, but gender equity and a determination to reduce impacts on climate change are still rarely promoted as central institutional concerns. Sustainability in general, and biodiversity conservation in particular, will not be achieved unless their importance is more widely apparent in core communication products of organizations.