Conservation Organizations Research Articles

Conservation and human rights: The public commitments of international conservation organizations

AbstractTo ensure the protection of both people and nature, conservation practitioners have a responsibility to integrate human rights considerations into their conservation policies and practices. Here, we (i) develop a human rights‐based scoring framework for international conservation organization (NGO) policy commitments and (ii) use this to conduct a gap analysis of policy commitments for nine NGOs, which collectively contribute approximately $1.86 billion USD annually to the global conservation budget.While progress has been made, critical gaps remain in commitments to certain rights and recognizing local groups' rights and knowledge, particularly around social development and decent work, recognitional equity, and commitments to implement human rights‐based approach principles. Given the influence of these organizations in global public discourse, more comprehensive public commitments to human rights will likely increase compliance with international law, drive organizational change, and help rebuild trust with vulnerable communities.

Setting conservation objectives with value‐focused thinking

AbstractThe approach common to well‐known conservation planning frameworks is rooted in values, like species persistence and quality habitat, and expectations resulting from conservation actions, like restoration and protection. We evaluated value‐focused thinking (VFT) as a framework for setting objectives based on personal or group values. Our approach included five steps: eliciting individual participant values, specifying objectives, organizing objectives, structuring multiple objectives, and a quality check. We implemented these steps with 12 conservation planning teams at a global conservation organization. We performed descriptive analyses based on comparisons between final group objectives and initial individual objectives as well as the quality check. We found that participants could only self‐identify a proportion of the team's objectives, which VFT strengthened. Participants were equally challenged with identifying means and ends objectives, contrasting with general VFT theory. Both experienced and newly formed teams effectively applied VFT. Our study formalizes a common‐sense approach to evaluating the underlying drivers of conservation planning so that its resulting outcomes can be most impactful.

Description of a Novel Procedure to Aid in Emergence of Larval La Palma Glass Frogs (Hyalinobatrachium valerioi) to Improve Survival Rate with Implications for Captive Management and Conservation

New, more efficient ways to accomplish objectives are key to improving the ability of zoological and conservation organizations to protect the animals they study and care for. Here, we describe an ovocesarean procedure, a novel task to assist the hatching of larval anurans in cases when allowing for hatching to occur naturally presents a risk to the survival of the progeny. This study focuses on two clutches of La Palma Glass Frogs (Hyalinobatrachium valerioi) where the eggs were not laid over a water body for the tadpoles to drop into upon emergence from the egg. A simple, three-step procedure that can be performed in just a few minutes resulted in a 95% success rate in emergence and led to increased survivability in the tadpoles that were assisted. Procedures that assist hatching of embryos and neonates are discussed in many circles of animal care but have not been described in detail to provide assistance to those that are not in a situation where they can learn it from a professional. This description of the ovocesarean procedure assigns a definitive, technical term to assisted hatching and can easily be extrapolated to other oviparous animals. Although the focal species here is of a Least Concern conservation status, this procedure can be key in improving reproductive success in other, more threatened species of anurans.

Landholder perceptions and attitudes towards the rewilding of private land: an analysis from Surrey, UK

ABSTRACT Rewilding is a conservation concept and practice which has gained traction over the past two decades, and is often perceived as a powerful tool to reverse anthropogenic ecological degradation. In the UK, Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELMS) have introduced the idea of ‘public money for public goods’, making some rewilding initiatives more viable for landholders. Many conservation organisations work with landholders to promote rewilding as part of local conservation strategies, but there remains a lack of understanding of landholder perceptions and attitudes towards rewilding. This research used semi-structured interviews based on the gaps identified in the literature to explore these aspects in a sample population of 8 landholders in Surrey, UK. Thematic analysis interpreted the importance of emergent patterns and implications in relation to existing literature. This research found that landholders associate many different meanings towards rewilding. These perceptions fall along two spectra, ranging from passive to active forms of rewilding and with different levels of impact on human activities. Landholder valuations of rewilding are profoundly influenced by their perceptions of its meaning, with more favourable attitudes expressed towards ‘low-impact’, active forms of rewilding. Concern was expressed about the need to balance rewilding goals with food security. This emphasises that understanding local views is essential to improve consideration of practical constraints, whilst helping to reduce polarisation and mistrust about rewilding. Conservation organisations should facilitate collaboration among landholders to kickstart the implementation of acceptable and context-specific forms of rewilding, playing a key role in achieving local and national nature recovery targets.

Trustees of (Public) Reservations? U.S. Land Trusts and Neoliberalism as Bricolage

Land trusts are increasingly powerful institutions of U.S. environmental governance that deserve more critical scrutiny. As charitable conservation organizations, they enjoy the many advantages of nonprofit status under the claim that they provide broad public benefits. Critics, however, have recently challenged this claim, portraying land trusts as quintessential institutions of neoliberal privatization and hybrid governance. Through a conjunctural analysis of U.S. land trusts across the long twentieth century, and with specific attention to the first, the Trustees of Public Reservations (founded in 1893), this article argues that the treatment of land trusts as neoliberal institutions is both illuminating and limiting. As many critical analyses indicate, U.S. land trusts today tend to privatize governance and facilitate the use of public funds for projects with significant private benefit. I argue, however, that the conceptualization of land trusts as institutions of neoliberal environmental governance also obscures the fact that, across their long history, they are an expression of the contradictions of decentralized land-use planning under capitalism. Most broadly, I suggest that rigorous conjunctural analysis can help geographers refine their conceptualization of neoliberalism and move beyond its limits.

Communicating Expectations: Informing Strategic Communications by Conservation Level Segmentation and Impression Management Preferences

In the United States, collaboration between landowners and endangered species conservation (ESC) organizations is required to accomplish conservation goals. However, collective action for ESC is stymied by governance legitimacy deficits. Strategic communication is a tool used to accomplish organizational goals that can restore legitimacy through communications that re-align governance institutions with societal notions of appropriateness. Strategic communication, though, has yet to be investigated in the context of landowners and ESC. To illustrate how strategic communication can increase ESC collaboration, we surveyed 956 owners in Houston toad range in Texas to elicit their preferences for stewardship and communication constructs. Findings revealed distinct segments of landowners based on their stewardship preferences that preferred different types of communications. If ESC agencies are to enhance legitimacy amongst an increasingly heterogeneous landowner audience, they will want to adopt landowner-centric governance and communication strategies that account for differences in landowner conservation values, ESC experiences, and organizational expectations.

Identifying opportunities for invasive species management: an empirical study of stakeholder perceptions and interest in invasive species

Invasive species are one of the main reasons for the decline in global biodiversity. When it comes to the management of invasive species, stakeholders who are directly involved with this issue play a particularly important role, as they are directly engaged in management and can also influence the public’s perception. This study therefore investigates how different stakeholder groups in Germany perceive invasive species. In total, more than 2200 people were surveyed, belonging to nine different stakeholder groups that are in contact with invasive species (hunters and members in hunting associations, farmers, members of environmental and conservation organizations, members in allotment garden clubs, animal welfare supporters, divers, employees in zoological gardens, administrative employees in the regulatory authority, speleologists). It was found that the number of invasive animal and plant species in Germany was roughly correctly estimated in all groups, but the economic damage caused by invasive species was substantially underestimated. When invasive species were mentioned, mainly conspicuous mammals or plants were listed (e.g. Procyon lotor or Impatiens glandulifera). In all surveyed groups, there was a notable level of interest in invasive species, and they were commonly regarded as environmental issues. While these results offer valuable insights into stakeholders’ perspectives on invasive species, they also highlight the need for improvement. In particular, there is a need for greater education of stakeholders about inconspicuous invasive species, the spread of invasive species and the damage caused by them.

Environmental stewardship in the oil and gas sector: Current practices and future directions

This paper provides an overview of the current practices and future directions in environmental stewardship within the oil and gas industry, focusing on key areas of concern and strategies for improvement. The oil and gas industry has made significant strides in environmental stewardship in recent years, driven by a combination of regulatory requirements, corporate initiatives, and stakeholder pressure. One of the primary areas of focus has been the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions associated with extraction, refining, and transportation processes. Companies have implemented technologies such as carbon capture and storage to minimize their carbon footprint, alongside investments in renewable energy sources and energy efficiency measures to transition towards cleaner energy alternatives. Furthermore, the industry has placed increasing emphasis on the responsible management of water resources, recognizing the potential environmental impacts of water extraction and usage in oil and gas operations. Strategies for water recycling, reuse, and wastewater treatment have been adopted to mitigate pollution and minimize strain on local ecosystems. Biodiversity conservation has also emerged as a critical aspect of environmental stewardship in the oil and gas sector, with companies undertaking environmental impact assessments and collaborating with conservation organizations to minimize habitat disruption and restore ecosystems affected by their operations. Community engagement and social responsibility are integral components of environmental stewardship, with companies seeking to address the social impacts of their operations through employment opportunities, infrastructure development, and social programs benefiting local communities. However, the industry continues to face challenges and limitations in its efforts to minimize environmental impact. Accidental spills, leaks, and other incidents pose significant ecological risks, highlighting the importance of stringent safety regulations and emergency response protocols. Moreover, the transition to renewable energy presents challenges for traditional oil and gas companies, requiring substantial capital investment and strategic planning. To address these challenges and advance environmental stewardship, several future directions are proposed. These include accelerating the transition to renewable energy, enhancing transparency and accountability in reporting environmental performance, strengthening environmental regulations and enforcement, investing in research and development of innovative technologies, and fostering collaboration among industry stakeholders, governments, NGOs, and local communities. Keywords: Stewardship, Oil, Gas, Sustainability, Climate, Mitigation

How low is too low? Partnering with stakeholders and managers to define ecologically based low‐flow thresholds in a perennial temperate river

AbstractManaging aquatic ecosystems for people and nature can be improved by collaboration among scientists, managers, decision‐makers, and other stakeholders. Many collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches have been developed to address the management of freshwater ecosystems; however, there are still barriers to overcome. We worked as part of a regional stakeholder group comprising municipal water utility operators, conservation organizations, academic partners, and other stakeholders to understand the effects of low‐flow and drought on ecological functions of the upper Flint River, Georgia (USA), a free‐flowing river important for municipal water supply, recreation, and native biota. We used published literature and locally targeted studies to identify quantitative flow targets that could be used to inform water management and drought planning. Drawing from principles of Translational Ecology, we relied on an iterative process to develop information needs for the group and maintained communication and engagement throughout data collection, analysis, and synthesis. We identified three quantitative flow benchmarks to evaluate the ecological impacts of drought in the river. The results were valuable to both the water utilities represented in the working group and State regional water planning, which is used to guide water management strategies and permitting for the basin. We identified principles that were important for the successful engagement in the working group and helped to overcome the challenge of working across sectors and without direct authority guiding the implementation of our work. Interdisciplinary work and creative solutions are crucial to plan for and adapt to greater pressure on our water resources.

Shark Fin City: transitional marine wildlife economies in Global Hong Kong

ABSTRACT Hong Kong has historically been the epicenter of the global shark fin trade. Despite this legacy, recent public outreach campaigns highlighting the effects of consumption on marine ecosystems have precipitated shifts in the market. Fish maw and sea cucumber have emerged as substitutes in wildlife markets, marking an understudied phenomenon from urban geographical perspectives. This article investigates the transitional nature of social value systems underpinning Hong Kong's marine wildlife market through interviews with retailers, conservation organizations, and government officials, as well as visual surveys of market displays. Hong Kong's marine wildlife market, this article contends, brings into sharp relief how transitions in social value systems that substitute one type of non-fungible wildlife commodity for others can amplify biodiversity loss and reproduce expressions of social difference in urban space. The article illuminates how social value systems embedded in urban wildlife markets are related to human health, aging, gifting, and relationship building. Furthermore, it analyzes how the possession, consumption, and display of high-value wildlife commodities in cities reflects classed and gendered forms of social difference. The article further examines the challenges of regulating the market and shaping public values and actions in the face of escalating global biodiversity loss.

The Responsibility to Protect: International Conservationists, Decolonization and Authoritarianism in the DR Congo, 1960–75

As colonial rule in the Congo neared its end, western conservationists grew concerned about the potential collapse of the national parks left behind by Belgium. However, despite half a decade of political turmoil following independence, the nature reserves in the central African country survived. The Second Republic under Mobutu then ushered in a new era for the parks. Lobbied by international conservationists, the autocrat authorized harsh repressive measures against ‘intruders’ and established four new national parks. This created or exacerbated conflicts that still breed violence today. Drawing on archival documents from leading conservation organizations, this article examines the evolution of the Congo's nature protection regime during the crucial 15 years following independence. Thus, it contributes to a growing body of studies critically assessing the role of nongovernmental organizations in shaping contemporary Africa. As I will demonstrate in this article, some international experts swiftly recognized decolonization as an opportunity. To promote authoritarian measures in the parks, they exploited nationalist sentiments and the Mobutu regime's quest for international recognition. Consequently, violence became further normalized as a means of conservation in the Congo.

Collaboration or Contravention? Ramifications For Effective Participatory Decision-Making in Collaborative Forest Management at Echuya Central Forest Reserve, South Western Uganda

Participatory decision-making has been extensively adopted worldwide as an essential mechanism and a good governance principle to reach a consensus in natural resource management. However, in most communities, local people who depend on forests are not involved in the decision-making process regarding conserving protected areas. This research assesses the ramifications of collaboration or contravention on effective participatory decision-making in collaborative forest management in Echuya Central Forest Reserve. It provides insights into how community consultations and participation of forest-adjacent communities in planning meetings influence the conservation of protected areas. We collected data from a total of 639 respondents, including Collaborative Forest Management (CFM) group members and non-CFM community members, government institutions, conservation organizations, and local community leaders, using semi-structured questionnaires, interview guides, and Focus Group Discussion guides. Results indicate that community consultations allow CFM stakeholders, particularly community members, to give ideas on how such projects can be implemented without destroying forest resources, promoting the goal of conserving the forest reserve. Community members’ participation in planning meetings allows them to contribute ideas about relevant and appropriate forest conservation approaches. However, the National Forestry Authority (NFA) and other non-community actor groups dominate the decision-making process mainly because the NFA has the legal mandate to manage the forest reserve on behalf of the Government. We concluded that the connivance of government forestry officials with unauthorized forest resource users undermines the spirit of participatory decision-making. Dishonesty and lack of accountability hampered effective participatory decision-making, and low attendance at meetings undermines effective participation in decision-making. Thus, community members’ consistent attendance of meetings is paramount for positive outcomes of participatory decision-making for the conservation of forests

Relations between Totems and Humans, the Dagara of Jirapa in the Upper West Region of Ghana, and Indigenous Belief Systems and Lessons for Modern Environmental Conservation

This essay investigates how the Dagara totemic relationship with totems may be used to protect biodiversity. The Jirapa municipality, one of the municipalities in Ghana's Upper West Region, is the subject of this essay. The study looked into how the totemic connection could be used to advance biodiversity protection and conservation in the Jirapa municipality and elsewhere. It made use of a phenomenological research. No matter where they are located, people who share a totem or, for that matter, a common ancestor, have similar belief systems and take part in similar cultural rituals, according to the study. One of the most important findings of the study was that people would go to great lengths to protect and never destroy their totems, whether they were plants or animals. Because they considered it to be one of them, the people whose totem it was protected the object. This resulted in the preservation of several plant and animal species. Totems represent family, clan ties, and what people view as appropriate or wrong behavior, according to one conclusion. The participants' conversation led them to the conclusion that totems are spiritual beings that defend their human relationships. In conclusion, there are numerous ways that this link might be used to protect biodiversity. The report makes the suggestion that modern conservation organizations, agencies, and partners use indigenous cultural practices in their conservation programs. In order to increase natural resource conservation, communities where these kinds of traditional or cultural practices are still practiced should be encouraged to maintain and spread these traditions abroad. Keywords: Jirapa, Dagara, totems, symbiotic relationships, and conservation of nature

Environmental DNA can inform the trade‐off between proactive and reactive strategies for crayfish conservation

AbstractThe introduction of the signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus to British rivers has led to ecological degradation and the decline of the native white‐clawed crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes. To manage and mitigate the impact of the signal crayfish, conservation agencies and government bodies employ multiple conservation strategies. These take the form of proactive native crayfish breeding and stocking programs and reactive invasive crayfish control programs. Here, we used eDNA to assess the populations of native and invasive crayfish species across 50 sites in 10 river catchments in Norfolk, United Kingdom (UK). The sites were chosen to enable assessment of the potential of eDNA to inform proactive and reactive crayfish conservation strategies. Three of the catchments sampled were selected to assess the success of recent A. pallipes reintroduction, whereas the remaining seven were selected to better understand the distribution of each species at the landscape scale. Combining results of eDNA‐based methods with net searches within an occupancy model enabled us to confidently determine the presence of P. leniusculus at eight sites, and A. pallipes at three sites, which was more than visual searches alone (five and two study sites, respectively). Neither eDNA nor net searches detected A. pallipes at sites where A. pallipes had been reintroduced. We recommend that practitioners using eDNA‐based surveys for management and conservation of crayfish should consider: (1) designing eDNA surveys with an emphasis on large spatial scales to comprehensively describe the distributions of native and invasive crayfish in a region of interest; (2) work with local conservation organizations and/or government bodies to inform the selection of study sites to generate results that are meaningful to real‐world conservation actions; and (3) use results from eDNA‐based crayfish surveys to target limited conservation resources to appropriate proactive and/or reactive conservation actions.

Nature Positive in Business

The concept of nature positive has recently emerged from the widespread recognition of the global scale at which nature is being lost and the threat this poses to the collective survival of the human race. Much of the interest in nature positive reflects the initial commitment to it by conservation organisations and by a number of international political initiatives. However, the pursuit of nature positive approaches by businesses has received little attention in the business and management literature. Building upon an analysis of secondary sources, this entry paper first examines how three international organisations suggest a nature positive strategy could be pursued. This paper then focuses on two multinational companies and how they plan to pursue a nature positive approach to their business activities. This article identifies a number of critical factors in developing a nature positive strategy: incorporating suppliers in this strategy, assessing corporate dependencies and impacts on nature, and reporting on nature positive initiatives and outcomes. At the same time, this article raises concerns that nature positive approaches could be driven more by business imperatives rather than fundamental corporate concerns about biodiversity and that many business commitments to nature positive could be seen as mainly aspirational.

Quantitative macroinvertebrate bioassessment in seasonally astatic aquatic habitats, Part II. Applying the method.

Seasonally astatic aquatic habitats are important ecologically, municipally, and agriculturally. Regulatory agencies and conservation organizations have developed various plans for protecting or constructing temporary wetlands, resulting in habitat monitoring requirements, particularly as relates to restoration and constructed habitats. Unfortunately, there has been no effort to develop a unified, consistent method for wetland biological monitoring. In Part I, we presented a quantifiable, replicable method for assessing seasonally astatic wetlands, which would allow for direct comparison between individual wetlands, wetland sites, and wetland types. Here in Part II, we apply the method and present the results from more than a decade of a data on two disparate sites that support California vernal pool habitats. These habitats include natural, restored, and constructed vernal pools. Our results demonstrate that the method we present yields reliable, statistically useful, and actionable data and provides a better method for assessing astatic wetland ecological health and the persistence of federally listed vernal pool crustaceans than other methods so far employed.

The Robustness of Common-Pool Resource Governance in the Gulf of Mottama Ramsar Wetland, Myanmar under Pre- and Post-Political Crisis Conditions

This study examines the role of communities, local institutions, conservation organizations and government agencies in the governance of large-scale common-pool resources (CPR) at the Gulf of Mottama Ramsar wetland, Myanmar before and one year after the 2021 coup d’état. The research employed a mixed method approach in two villages in the GOM on common alluvial land, waterbirds, and fisheries CPRs. The robustness of CPR governance is evaluated with Ostrom’s eight design principles. We found that pre-coup the formation of local user associations, livelihood incentive strategies, and co-management approaches were increasingly effective to conserve fisheries and waterbirds CPRs, while land conflicts over new common alluvial land persisted. One year following the coup, offshore fisheries especially faced challenges from illegal practices by outsiders, due to significantly weakened co-management practices and accountability of local authorities and large-scale commercial fishers to the fishing communities.

To live and die in an age of extinction: a conversation with Juno Salazar Parreñas

ABSTRACT This article is a conversation between Marie-Thérèse Talensby, a doctoral student with the Extinction Studies doctoral training programme at the University of Leeds, and Dr Juno Salazar Parreñas, Associate Professor of Science and Technology Studies and Feminist, Gender and Sexuality Studies at Cornell University. Talking over Skype in July 2023, Dr Parreñas reflects on her current research, exploring the death of a tropical polar bear in Singapore Zoo, her work on Orangutan conservation, and the violence inherent in many methods of animal conservation. In doing so, she highlights the entanglements of human and more-than-human lives in what is being described by scientists and conservation organisations as the sixth mass extinction event. Weaving throughout the conversation are more personal reflections on loss and grief, vicarious trauma, and the transformative potential in moments of decolonisation. This article offers a rich reflection on the experience and impact of researching death and loss, encompassing themes of positionality, boundaries, and the broader socio-cultural context of fieldwork encounters, topics highly relevant to Mortality readers.

A study into the current state of Saiga tatarica L. populations with the use of retrospective data

The saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica tatarica L., 1766, S) is a prominent ungulate mammal species inhabiting Central Asia. Over the latter half of the 20th century, saiga populations, including the Volga-Ural (Kazakhstan) population, experienced a continuous decline. However, there was a resurgence in their numbers in the 1980s. This study aims to assess the present status of saiga populations, particularly the Volga-Ural (V-U) population, by analyzing existing retrospective data. Our findings reveal that during the 21st century, the saiga population has increased in two key regions: the Volga-Ural and Betpak-Dala (B) populations. Notably, the Northern-Western Population (NWP) habitat saw a drastic 50-fold decline in population, while other populations decreased by 2.0-5.0 times. Despite this decline, the NWP habitat exhibited higher juvenile saiga yields compared to other regions. The resurgence of saiga populations has been significantly influenced by the support of the Government of Kazakhstan, along with the effective efforts of international wildlife conservation organizations and local community engagement.

The Lemmings Dilemma: An Examination of Environmental Justice, Volunteerism, and the Pursuit of Empowerment in Biodiversity Conservation Organizations in Canada

The Lemmings Dilemma: An Examination of Environmental Justice, Volunteerism, and the Pursuit of Empowerment in Biodiversity Conservation Organizations in Canada