International Land Conservation Network Newsletter, May 2021
In this Newsletter:
Opportunities for Africa - Europe Collaboration on Nature Conservation
Women as Changemakers in Conservation: An Australasian Perspective
A Generational Moment
Launch of the Host Website for the Convention on Biological Diversity's 15th Conference
What We're Reading
Recent and Upcoming Events
Reflections and News from ILCN Regional Representatives
Opportunities for Africa - Europe Collaboration on Nature Conservation Kiragu Mwangi, ILCN Regional Representative for Africa
In the first quarter of 2020, the world has experienced more ups and downs as COVID-19 cases have peaked and dipped. In March and April, some African countries saw a second surge of cases, and subsequent hospitalisation and deaths, leading to lockdowns that further devastate our economies. While necessary, these lockdowns have continued to negatively impact communities and organisations who are stewards of natural landscapes with wildlife, and who rely on tourism revenues to sustain operations.
In the same period, there have been at least three major events promoting the willingness of European nations to collaborate with African countries to invest in unlocking the potential of Africa’s green future. On 17th March, the EU hosted a webinar titled ‘Addressing the biodiversity crisis: the role of the Africa-EU Partnership’. This webinar brought together a panel of 17 experts from both continents to elucidate the value of collaboration to tackle challenges of biodiversity loss, climate change and health.
Women as Changemakers in Conservation: An Australasian perspective Cecilia Riebl, ILCN Regional Representative for Australasia and Policy Advisor at Trust for Nature
It is increasingly recognised that ‘what’s good for women is good for the environment’. The more women are involved in decision-making around resource use and management, the better the outcomes for conservation and resource governance.
Conservation Director for Melanesia at The Nature Conservancy, Robyn James, has observed: “The women in communities that I work with are often more forward-thinking than many of the men… they think about their kids and the community as a whole. On the other hand, the men often think more about the immediate cash benefits, not the long-term consequences of selling their resources. That is why women need to be included in decisions.”
This thinking has led to a new initiative in Papua New Guinea, where women have created Mangoro Market Meri (meaning Mangrove Market Women). This initiative allows local women to manage their mangroves sustainably, addressing pressing local problems of over-fishing and over harvesting of mangrove timber, while at the same time improving financial benefits that flow directly to women, their families and the wider PNG community.
A Generational Moment Shawn Johnson, ILCN Regional Representative for North America
Over the past year, I’ve been able to stand at the intersection of many networks (including the ILCN!) focused on supporting and advancing land conservation and stewardship. From this privileged vantage, I’ve been able to participate in many discussions focused on identifying pathways forward to meet the challenges we face. Increasingly, these conversations have identified the need to move beyond the transactional to the transformative. This week, during a webinar ostensibly focused on the role of science, two presenters found words to capture the zeitgeist of our time. One noted that we are facing a generational moment. The second invited us to face this moment in the same way we might face a personal mid-life crisis – with deep reflection on what matters most.
In my mind, both had it right. We are facing “a moment” that feels different. Not in the sense that our work is more or less important than ever. More in the sense that the foundations that shape our assumptions and paradigms need to be revealed, examined, and reconsidered in order that the context and culture in which our work plays out more closely reflects our broader values.
This is deep work. I am finding that it can also be joyous. It’s an invitation to reflect on my core beliefs and motivations, reconnect with the moments that inspired me to follow this career path, and consider how I show up in my work and in my community every day.
As we continue to grapple with an unforgiving global health pandemic and contemplate how our work can be different, more meaningful, and more evolved after we emerge from its darkest days, I invite you to have a mid-life crisis of your own. Together, I’m optimistic we will meet the challenge of this generational moment.
Launch of the Host Website for the Convention on Biological Diversity's 15th Conference Shenmin Liu, ILCN Regional Representative for Asia
On April 29, the website of the host country for the Fifteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP15) went online. The launch of the COP15 website was an important step taken by the Chinese government to implement the COP15 agreement as the host country. The website provided a platform for the world to better understand and approach the COP15 conference and to know more about the host city — Kunming, Yunnan in China.
Protected Planet Report 2020 The United Nations Environment Programme – World Conservation Monitoring Centre and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature released its landmark biennial report on the state of protected and conserved areas around the world. This 2020 edition provides the final report on the status of Aichi Biodiversity Target 11. See the Executive Summary here.
Collaborating Well for Landscape Stewardship Collaborating Well is an initiative to build capacity for sustained and effective collaboration across boundaries, which is a critical factor in achieving shared landscape stewardship and conservation goals in the 21st century. The Collaborating Well Initiative has published three articles articulating a multi-faceted approach to this topic in the May issue of the George Wright Society’s Parks Stewardship Forum, "Collaborating Well for Landscape Stewardship." The articles set out why collaborative leadership is critical to meeting landscape-scale needs; how we can measure the impacts of multi-stakeholder collaboration; and how peer learning initiatives provide a useful platform for sharing knowledge, experience, and skills that can build capacity for collaboration at scale.
Farming Benefits of Nature Conservation Toolkit Resifarms aims to build the capacity of farmers and agricultural technicians in the conservation of non-productive agricultural lands, in order to promote the implementation of the most direct and effective conservation actions. The project has developed a toolkit for the conservation of semi-natural habitats in agricultural lands, which is now available. The toolkit is tailored for farmers and agricultural technicians, and provides a range of tools to explore the benefits that semi-natural habitats provide to biodiversity and farming, as well as tools to properly manage or create such habitats within farmlands within the European Union.
Recent Events
Understanding Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures-What are OECMs and Why Does it Matter?
The Protected Planet Report 2020 highlights that Other Effective Conservation Measures have played a major role in achieving Aichi Target 11, and will play an important role in future targets. In this context, raising awareness among the global private and civic land conservation community on OECMs and how they differ and complement protected areas, including Privately Protected Areas, is increasingly important. This webinar, co-organized by the ILCN and Eurosite-the European Land Conservation Network introduced and provided background on OECMs, their role and importance for achieving targets such as conserving 30% of Earth’s land and waters by 2030, and featured examples from how OECMs are being incorporated into conservation policy and practice in the EU, South Africa, and Colombia.
Making Nature Investable Summit: Investing in the Protection and Ongoing Stewardship of Canada’s Lands and Waters
In early May, the Nature Conservancy of Canada convened a discussion among stakeholders from a wide range of public and private groups to explore what structures have to be created or replicated from other jurisdictions to guide private capital into conservation, what potential financial and non-financial returns are available, how to connect capital to projects, and what enabling conditions would effectively scale the nature-based solutions market in Canada.
Earth Observations for Conservation Policy and Practice- Transatlantic Perspectives
Earth Observation (EO) is a powerful technology that can inform and ensure the effectiveness of biodiversity conservation. In April, the ILCN, Eurosite-the European Land Conservation Network (Eurosite-ELCN), and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) enviroLENS project, co-hosted a webinar exploring trans-Atlantic perspectives on the potential of Earth Observation for conservation policy and practice towards the 30x30 goal. Speakers from the European Commission, the IUCN’s enviroLENS project, Eurosite – ELCN, Esri, Earth League International and the Lincoln Institute’s Center for Geospatial Solutions shared perspectives on the policy context and examples of how EO is being used to support conservation policy and action.
New Models for Collaboration in Conservation- Innovations from Australia
In March, the ILCN hosted a webinar on Innovations from Australia, focusing on new models for collaborative conservation projects. Speakers from the Australian Land Conservation Alliance, Australia’s Biodiversity Conservation Trust, the 10 Deserts Project, and Greening Australia shared ways in which Australia is partnering across the public, private and Indigenous sectors to restore ecosystems, protect land, and use nature-based solutions to tackle climate change.
Private Land Conservation in Europe - LIFE+ Land is For Ever Final Conference 7 June 2021
9:00 -11:00 (EDT) / 15:00 - 17:00 (CEST)
Learn about the innovative policy recommendations addressed to the European Commission, all with a focus on enhancing private land conservation and supporting landowners in their biodiversity approach.
This 4-year project, combining European-wide surveys, workshops, interviews, webinars and research, has given us the chance to put our insight and ideas into concrete policy, ultimately strengthening private land conservation in Europe.
Key stakeholders such as landowners, policy makers, environmental NGOs, tools and compensation experts are all part of the line-up. They will reflect on what the project has taught us and present the policy recommendations deriving from our findings. There will also be time to listen to various views on these recommendations and scalable solutions.
IUCN Vital Sites on PPAs: Session 3 30 June 2021
9:00-10:30 EDT / 15:00-16:30 CET
Recording of PPAs in the World Database of Protected Areas - Heather Bingham, UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre, UK
The Role of PPA networks - Pedro Solano, Sociedad Peruana de Derecho Ambiental (retired), Peru
PPAs in post-2020 conservation targets (30x30) - Brent A. Mitchell, QLF and Chair of the IUCN WCPA Specialist Group on Privately Protected Areas and Nature Stewardship
We are excited to share stories from ILCN members. If you have a successful conservation initiative, story, event, or webinar to share, then please contact us at ILCN@lincolninst.edu.
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.
It is increasingly recognised that ‘what’s good for women is good for the environment’. The more women are involved in decision-making around resource use and management, the 
will meet the challenge of this generational moment.
Resifarms aims to build the capacity of farmers and agricultural technicians in the conservation of non-productive agricultural lands, in order to promote the implementation of the most direct and effective conservation actions. The project has developed a toolkit for the conservation of semi-natural habitats in agricultural lands, which is now available. The toolkit is tailored for farmers and agricultural technicians, and provides a range of tools to explore the benefits that semi-natural habitats provide to biodiversity and farming, as well as tools to properly manage or create such habitats within farmlands within the European Union.
Earth Observation (EO) is a powerful technology that can inform and ensure the effectiveness of biodiversity conservation. In April, the ILCN, Eurosite-the European Land Conservation Network (Eurosite-ELCN), and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) enviroLENS project, co-hosted a webinar exploring trans-Atlantic perspectives on the potential of Earth Observation for conservation policy and practice towards the 30x30 goal. Speakers from the European Commission, the IUCN’s enviroLENS project, Eurosite – ELCN, Esri, Earth League International and the Lincoln Institute’s Center for Geospatial Solutions shared perspectives on the policy context and examples of how EO is being used to support conservation policy and action.
In March, the ILCN hosted a webinar on Innovations from Australia, focusing on new models for collaborative conservation projects. Speakers from the Australian Land Conservation Alliance, Australia’s Biodiversity Conservation Trust, the 10 Deserts Project, and Greening Australia shared ways in which Australia is partnering across the public, private and Indigenous sectors to restore ecosystems, protect land, and use nature-based solutions to tackle climate change.
