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Dear ILCN friends and colleagues,
I am delighted to announce that the Call for Proposals for the 2027 ILCN Global Congress is now open.
Held every three years, the Congress brings together practitioners and organizations advancing private and civic land conservation worldwide. In 2027, it will be co-hosted by the Australian Land Conservation Alliance in Naarm (Melbourne)—the first time the Congress has taken place in Oceania. More than 500 conservation leaders from the non-profit, Indigenous, private, public, and academic sectors will gather to share ideas and achievements, discuss shared challenges, and explore opportunities to advance strategies and approaches in their countries and regions.
The Congress theme, People. Nature. Action. Delivering on a Global Conservation Agenda, speaks to both the urgency of this moment and the opportunity in front of us. Conservation on private and non-government land is essential to the commitment shared by 196 countries to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030. Meeting that goal will take global expertise, stronger cross-boundary collaboration, and solutions we build, adapt, transfer, and scale together.
We're inviting proposals for workshops, sessions, and presentations that demonstrate impact, innovation, good practice, and lessons from private and community-led conservation across six continents. We look forward to welcoming familiar faces and new participants alike, so please share this widely with colleagues who might not yet be part of the ILCN community.
With gratitude and anticipation,
Chandni Navalkha
Director, Conservation and Stewardship
Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
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Call for Proposals: 2027 ILCN Global Congress
The ILCN Global Congress, co-hosted by th e Australian Land Conservation Alliance, will take place October 26–29, 2027, in Naarm (Melbourne), Australia.
We're seeking proposals for workshops and presentations that share and celebrate impact, innovation, and lessons learned in private and community-led conservation. Congress speakers will receive a 20% discount on Congress registration.
Propose a session by October 19, 2026.
Call for Nominations: 2027 Conservation Visionary Awards
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Notes from the Field
The latest from the ILCN global community. Share your news with us—we might feature it in our next newsletter.
The Transboundary Corridor Atlas for the Southern Kenya–Northern Tanzania Landscape was released last month by local and global partners. It offers a blueprint for protecting critical wildlife corridors across borders and stakeholders. (Africa)
The second Global Nature Positive Summit took place last week in Kumamoto, Japan, with record attendance from the private sector. Participating organizations adopted the Kumamoto Declaration, affirming the urgent need for a whole-of-society effort to reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. (Asia)
The Australian Land Conservation Alliance is preparing for its 2026 ALCA Conference, set for October 6–9 in Tasmania. This year’s theme, “Nature-climate action: Our opportunity to lead,” is especially pertinent after the Australian Government announced AU$2.2 billion of nature funding cuts last month. (Australia)
A UK nature restoration fund in May raised £64.6 million, exceeding its initial target. The Big Nature Impact Fund LP, which combines public and private capital for the first time, will fund restoration projects in England through the sale of carbon credits and biodiversity units. (Europe)
In Brazil, the Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM) is paying landowners to conserve forests they could legally clear. After a pilot phase helped protect over 27,000 hectares (67,000 acres) in the Amazon Rainforest and Cerrado savanna, IPAM is looking to scale and sustain its CONSERV program. (South America)
This spring, Canada released A Force of Nature: Canada’s Strategy to Protect Nature, announcing the investment of CA$3.8 billion to protect 30 percent of its lands and waters by 2030. The plan emphasizes that private and Indigenous-led land conservation will be crucial to meeting that goal. (North America)
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By Cecilia Riebl
Where are young people in the conservation movement?
A recent ILCN webinar brought together young leaders from Australia, Singapore, Fiji, and Aotearoa New Zealand to highlight new ways of conceptualizing and practicing conservation and explore how the sector may adapt and respond to this evolution. What emerged was not a critique of conservation, but an invitation to question long-held assumptions about participation and leadership, and to recognize that engaging young people isn’t just about building the next generation of conservationists, but expanding what conservation can be.
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By Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association | Photo by Roshni Lodhia
The global race is on to conserve 30 percent of all land and water by 2030. In Africa, government-protected land gets the continent only halfway to this goal. However, there is reason for optimism. The rapid growth of community-led conservation (CLC) offers a viable pathway for Africa to not only meet but potentially exceed the target. An emerging CLC community of practice in Africa will help sustain momentum and maximize impact through collaboration, knowledge sharing, and collective advocacy.
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Resources
Publications
Why Land Trusts Are Taking Steps to Support Affordable Housing (Lincoln Institute of Land Policy)
How can land conservation organizations be better partners amid a climate, biodiversity, and housing polycrisis? In this working paper, Steve Rosenberg spotlights land trusts across the United States that are reimagining their relationships with affordable housing groups. (This paper is part of the Land Trust Alliance's new Affordable Housing Learning Path, which includes case studies, presentations, and other resources to help land trusts advance affordable housing through strategic planning and partnerships.)
Delivering Community Benefits from Community Lands Through Conservation and Nature-based Solutions (Lincoln Institute of Land Policy)
Underutilized government land can provide answers to social, economic, and environmental problems. Decision-makers must does not lose sight of nature's potential to help address them all, co-writes ILCN director Chandni Navalkha.
Voluntary Biodiversity Credit Markets Report 2026 (Pollination Foundation)
Voluntary biodiversity credit markets are moving from design to early delivery, with buyers placing strong value on trust, location, project integrity, and Indigenous-led design.
Gaining Ground: State of Private Investment in Nature, 2026 (The Nature Conservancy)
Private investment in nature has grown fivefold over the past decade, reflecting the growing recognition that protecting and restoring nature is key to environmental and economic resilience.
Logging for the Long Haul—Peter Stein's Strategy at Lyme Timber (Dungeons of Science)
ILCN co-founder Peter Stein describes Lyme Timber's efforts to channel private equity into the sustainable management and enduring protection of North American working forests.
Webinar recordings
Toward 30x30 – Unlocking the Potential of Community-Led Conservation in Africa (ILCN)
Community-led conservation (CLC) has emerged as a proven, cost-effective model in which local communities are the primary decision-makers and beneficiaries of natural resource stewardship. This webinar, hosted by ILCN and the Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association, explored how CLC can help realize the 30x30 agenda across Africa.
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Like what you see so far? Share this newsletter with your network to help our community reach a wider audience.
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Landscape in Focus: Pilungah Reserve, Bush Heritage Australia
Conservation work can feel both urgent and endless. By the time we complete one project, we have moved on to the next. Yet in our field, accomplishments are crucial to celebrate—and easy to admire. Every newsletter, the ILCN will spotlight a protected area that offers beauty and inspiration to the private and civic land conservation community. Share your photos and stories with us at ilcn@lincolninst.edu.
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Photo by Bee Stephens
Pilungah Reserve comprises 231,189 hectares (571,280 acres) on Wangkamahdla Country in western Queensland. In 2026, it became the third Bush Heritage Reserve to be granted Special Wildlife Reserve status—the highest level of protection available for privately owned land in Australia. The decision recognizes both the reserve's internationally significant Aboriginal cultural heritage and its exceptional biodiversity.
“Queensland is the only state that has legislation that protects private land to the same standard as a national park,” said Felicity Shapland, National Covenant Lead for Bush Heritage. “It means all timber, mining, and grazing leases are removed, and the land is protected in perpetuity—forever.”
“It’s through the strength of our partnership with Wangkamahdla Traditional Custodians that we’ve managed to achieve this protection for Pilungah Reserve," she added. "We couldn’t have done it without them.”
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We are excited to share stories from ILCN members. If you have a conservation initiative, opportunity, or event to share, please contact us at ILCN@lincolninst.edu.
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The mission of the International Land Conservation Network is to connect organizations and people around the world that are accelerating voluntary private and civic sector action that protects and stewards land and water resources.
Learn more at landconservationnetwork.org.
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