Dear ILCN friends and colleagues,
Land conservation is essential climate action—protecting the land carbon sink while strengthening the resilience of people and ecosystems to the impacts of climate change.
This week, many of our network participants are gathering for New York Climate Week to foster recognition of the role of land conservation and stewardship in achieving global climate ambitions. A recent publication released by Campaign for Nature and Together for the Ocean, the 30×30 Global Assessment and Ocean Protection Gap Report 2026, underscores that with only four years left to meet the Global Biodiversity Framework’s target of conserving 30 percent of lands and inland waters by 2030, the international climate and biodiversity conservation communities need to collaborate in new and unprecedented ways to deliver on global commitments to tackle the climate and biodiversity crises.
I am constantly reminded that this collaboration depends on meaningful and sustained relationships fostered by networks and boundary-crossing organizations at all scales through in-person exchange. The ILCN team has just returned from the Land Trust Alliance Rally, the national gathering of land trusts in the United States, where we were honored to support the third annual First Stewards Summit and to bring a group of European colleagues together with American conservation practitioners to foster peer-to-peer learning on agricultural and working lands conservation.
In just a few weeks, our partners at the Australian Land Conservation Alliance will convene ALCA26, their annual land conservation conference in Hobart, Tasmania, around the theme "Nature–Climate Action: Our Opportunity to Lead.” More than 400 conservation changemakers and practitioners will come together to showcase nature as a core climate solution and driver of economic strength and resilience.
Finally, at the UN Biodiversity Conference in Yerevan, Armenia next month, ILCN looks forward to attending and supporting the pre-COP17 Yerevan Conservation Symposium hosted by our long-time partner, the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC). The symposium, titled “Beyond State Protected Areas,” will focus on the importance of establishing legal and financial frameworks for non-state conservation governance. The event will launch a Yerevan Call to Action ahead of COP17 negotiations, emphasizing the role of diversified governance of protected and conserved areas in achieving equitable, effective, and enduring conservation outcomes.
Our learnings and conversations across these events will inform and weave into ILCN’s Global Congress, for which planning is well underway. The Call for Proposals will close in just a few weeks, and we hope that you will take the opportunity to enrich the conversation with your expertise and perspectives.
Sincerely,
Chandni Navalkha
Director, Conservation and Stewardship
Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
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Reminder: Proposals for 2027 ILCN Global Congress due October 19
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, sessions, 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.
Submit a proposal by October 19, 2026.
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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.
Africa: Government, NGO, and business leaders recently gathered in Kenya to explore how corporate investments are opening new funding pathways for conservation. Organized by the Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association (ILCN's regional representative for Africa) along with the Kenya Private Sector Alliance, Terrasos, and EarthAcre, the “De-Risking Investments by Investing in Nature” Forum highlighted the private sector's evolving perception of nature-based investments, from a peripheral exercise in philanthropy and public relations to a core strategy for reducing risk and building resilience. Examples of innovative finance mechanisms from across Africa and beyond showed how Kenya could seize this emerging opportunity to leverage private capital into on-the-ground biodiversity gains.
Asia: Conservation leaders in Asia are shifting their focus from defining other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) to putting them into practice. A regional review of the Asia Protected Areas Partnership OECM Roadmap addressed identifying, assessing, monitoring, and financing sites already stewarded by Indigenous peoples, local communities, farmers, private landowners, and civil society groups. In China, a workshop drawing over 200 participants introduced a three-stage framework—planning, governance, and long-term stewardship—for identifying and strengthening OECMs nationwide. Two national survey rounds have shortlisted 86 candidate sites, though speakers flagged persistent challenges, including limited private capital participation and difficulty valuing conservation outcomes in market terms. (Contributor: Shenmin Liu, ILCN Regional Representative for Asia)
Australia & Oceania: The Australian government is moving forward with plans to introduce offsets into the Nature Repair Market, a decision opposed by the Australian Land Conservation Alliance (ALCA). While offsets may bring new investment into private land conservation, many practitioners remain concerned about whether they can reliably compensate for biodiversity losses, particularly where ecological outcomes are uncertain, delayed, or difficult to measure. The Nature Repair Market, Australia's national, voluntary biodiversity market established in 2023, has seen limited early uptake as demand for certificates lags behind policy implementation. Best practices around nature market integrity, durability, and feasibility continue to emerge in Australia and beyond. (Contributor: Cecilia Riebl, ILCN Regional Representative for Australia and Oceania)
ALCA is preparing for its 2026 ALCA Conference, set for October 6–9 in Nipaluna/Hobart, Tasmania. Centered on the theme "Nature–Climate Action: Our Opportunity to Lead," the conference will bring together over 400 delegates to "showcase the power of land conservation, and the efforts and impacts of the people that steward, lead, and invest in it."
Elsewhere in Oceania, the 11th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas took place in Noumea, New Caledonia, earlier this month. Over 400 delegates across sectors adopted the Môo Mâ Awé Declaration, which renews the region's commitments to biodiversity and climate goals while letting Pacific communities lead the way toward equitable and sustainable solutions. The declaration called on NGOs and other external partners to play a supporting role, particularly by expanding and innovating locally relevant conservation finance.
Europe: Conservation practitioners in Portugal are working to enable long-term conservation commitments on private land, looking across Europe for inspiration. A landmark new report, published by Rewilding Portugal and The Lifescape Project, assesses legal frameworks in England, Scotland, France, the Netherlands, and Catalonia and recommends that Portugal establish a dedicated legal mechanism that binds voluntary conservation commitments to the land, regardless of changes in ownership. This ongoing exploration of durable legal instruments for private land conservation began in 2015, at ILCN's first Global Congress in Berlin.
Also: last week, five European representatives from Eurosite, the European Landowners Organization, and Pasture for Life traveled to Colorado, USA, for Rally, the Land Trust Alliance's annual conference. Working lands conservation was the focus of several international gatherings, including a field trip to Eagle Rock Ranch hosted by the Colorado Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trust and a presentation sharing trans-Atlantic lessons for engaging farmers and conducting peer-to-peer learning. "The biggest lesson during the week was that despite coming from different continents, we all want the same: functioning working lands that provide not only for people and livestock but also for biodiversity," said Zsófia Tóth, Project Officer at Eurosite.
European representatives joined ILCN and the Colorado Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trust for a field trip to Eagle Rock Ranch during Rally. Photo by Eurosite.
Latin America: Fundación Tierra Austral (FTA), Chile's first land trust and the recipient of the 2025 ILCN Conservation Innovation Award, will share its work implementing a novel legal mechanism for long-term private land conservation in civil code countries with land conservation leaders in Costa Rica next month. "Advancing Tools and Strategies for Private Lands Conservation in Costa Rica," co-hosted by FTA, ILCN, and the Costa Rica School of Law, will give Costa Rican practitioners the opportunity to share their experience with legal tools for private land conservation and to hear about FTA's experience implementing the Derecho Real de Conservación, a legally binding private land conservation agreement that is modeled on conservation easements used in common law countries. The gathering will foster knowledge exchange and continued collaboration between Chile and Costa Rica, leaders within the vibrant movement for voluntary land conservation in Latin America.
North America: Rally, the annual national land conservation conference hosted by the Land Trust Alliance (LTA), brought together more than 2,200 conservation practitioners earlier this month in Denver, Colorado. The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and LTA presented the 2026 Kingsbury Browne Conservation Leadership Award to Andrew Dana, a leading national expert on conservation easements who has strengthened the integrity and resilience of private land conservation law and policy in the United States for more than 30 years. Mr. Dana will serve as the 2026-2027 Kingsbury Browne Distinguished Practitioner at the Lincoln Institute. The award is named for Kingsbury Browne, a Lincoln Institute fellow who inspired LTA's founding in 1982.
Looking ahead, the 2027 International Symposium on Conservation Impact, hosted by the Salazar Center for North American Conservation, will take place on February 8–10, 2027, in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico. The Symposium is the premier cross-border conservation gathering in North America. Next year's gathering, centered on the theme "Realizing a Nature-Positive Future," will convene policymakers, practitioners, funders, and innovators to co-create actionable strategies for biodiversity, climate resilience, and cross-border collaboration. Registration for the Symposium will open in October 2026.
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By Thomas Patti | Photo by WWF Namibia
Other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) are generating enormous interest as a way for countries to recognize the contributions of diverse lands and communities to national and global biodiversity goals. How can this recognition strengthen conservation outcomes in these landscapes and deliver benefits for the people who steward them? A new Lincoln Institute of Land Policy working paper explores case studies from Angola, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, and South Africa to identify “the practical conditions required for OECMs to be credible, equitable, and durable.”
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By Robin Beckham
Robin Beckham, Policy Analyst for Land Conservation at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, represented the International Land Conservation Network (ILCN) at the UN Convention to Combat Desertification COP17 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on August 19-27. Taking place during the UN Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, COP17 celebrated herders and other rangeland users and sought to move from land degradation neutrality commitments to implementation and on-the-ground action.
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Resources
Recent additions to the ILCN Resource Library
New from ILCN and the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
OECMs in Policy and Practice: Lessons and Recommendations from Eastern and Southern Africa (Lincoln Institute)
This working paper, highlighting 11 case studies from five countries in Eastern and Southern Africa, provides insights into the challenges and opportunities of developing national OECM frameworks to advance cultural, economic, and ecological goals.
Case Studies of Farmer-Led Conservation in the United States (Lincoln Institute)
This report from ILCN and the Colorado Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trust profiles 17 organizations and working lands conservation initiatives in the United States. The case studies are part of Eurosite’s Agri-Nature-Mentor project, which seeks to foster trans-Atlantic exchange to inform farmer-to-farmer training and mentoring initiatives in Europe.
Private and Civic Conservation in Italy: The New ILCN Italy Country Profile (Stefano Picchi)
This blog post from Stefano Picchi of the World Wildlife Fund Italy features insights from his recent work supporting the development of an updated ILCN country profile summarizing the diversity, extent, and enabling conditions for private land conservation in Italy.
Partner Publications
Legal Mechanism for Conservation and Restoration in Europe: Examples and Lessons for Portugal (The Lifescape Project)
See the Europe section of Notes from the Field above. For access to the full report, contact Catarina Prata at catarina.prata@lifescapeproject.org.
Rapid Assessment on Voluntary Conservation in Mesoamerica (Central American Commission on Environment and Development)
This report analyzes the current state of voluntary conservation in Central America and the Dominican Republic, identifying progress, gaps, and opportunities for the review and update of the CCAD Regional Policy for Conservation on Private Lands.
Scaling Up Blended Finance for Climate & Nature (Australian Land Conservation Alliance, Melbourne Business School)
This report shares insights from a multi-stakeholder discussion about how conservation practitioners can leverage multiple sources of capital to accelerate climate and biodiversity solutions.
Finance Solutions for Biodiversity (Panorama)
This compilation of case studies highlights diverse strategies by countries and practitioners around the world to mobilize finance for biodiversity.
Making the Invisible Visible: The Strategic Role, Leadership, & Practice of Collaborative Coordination (Network for Landscape Conservation)
This article series underscores the importance of the coordinator role for collaboratives working to advance landscape-scale conservation across the United States and beyond.
Best Practices for Site Managers: Managing Wetlands in the Face of Climate Change (Eurosite)
This guide combines scientific knowledge and practical experience to help managers keep their wetlands rich in biodiversity and resilient to environmental changes.
Research Papers
Systematic Conservation Planning for Private Land Can No Longer Overlook People (Conservation Letters)
This paper finds that the perspectives of landowners and other stakeholders are often under-represented in private land conservation planning. The authors propose a new planning framework, tailored to private land conservation, that better integrates social values and may thus yield greater benefits for people and nature.
Critical Choices for Nature Assessment Design in Emerging Environmental Markets (Environmental Development)
This paper, authored by experts consulted in the establishment of Australia's Nature Repair Market, outlines the key considerations for designing nature assessment frameworks that support credible, equitable, and effective environmental markets.
Webinar Recordings
Integrating Access and Benefit-Sharing into Biodiversity Finance (Biodiversity Finance Initiative)
This webinar explored how the fair and equitable sharing of conservation benefits can address historic injustices while unlocking additional funding for biodiversity solutions. See also the accompanying publication by UNDP BIOFIN and GIZ.
Wednesdays of Finance: Innovative Finance for Climate, People & Nature (IUCN)
This three-part webinar series surveyed innovative conservation finance mechanisms emerging around the world to help practitioners expand and diversify their funding streams.
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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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Events & Opportunities
Beyond Survival: Puerto Rico’s Community-Led Conservation (Para la Naturaleza)
September 30 | Boston, MA
Knowledge Exchange Webinars (PANORAMA)
Inclusive Finance: October 1, 3:00 p.m. CEST
Private Finance: November 24, 3:00 p.m. CEST
Fit for Biodiversity Conference (Food for Biodiversity)
October 6–7 | Brussels, Belgium
2026 ALCA Conference (Australian Land Conservation Alliance)
October 6–9 | Nipaluna/Hobart, Australia
Yerevan Conservation Symposium (FPWC)
October 17–18 | Yerevan, Armenia
Convention on Biological Diversity COP17
October 19–30 | Yerevan, Armenia
Eurosite Annual Meeting
November 2–4 | Seville, Spain
Why and How Land Trusts Are Supporting Affordable Housing (Lincoln Institute)
November 18, 11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. EST | Webinar
Unlocking Forest Sector Innovation: The Practice and Potential Pathways to Scaling Up (Yale School of the Environment)
September 3–December 10 | Webinar series
The Stewardship Network Conference
January 21–22, 2027 | East Lansing, Michigan, USA
Abstracts due October 1
2027 Symposium on Conservation Impact (Salazar Center)
February 8–10, 2027 | Yucatán, Mexico
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Landscape in Focus: Beothuk Lake Nature Reserve, Nature Conservancy of Canada
Every newsletter, ILCN spotlights 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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Beothuk Lake Nature Reserve covers both sides of the Exploits River in Newfoundland and Labrador. Photo by Dru Kennedy, courtesy of Nature Conservancy of Canada.
Beothuk Lake Nature Reserve comprises 3,200 acres (1,300 hectares) of boreal forests, wetlands, and river habitat in central Newfoundland. Protected in August by the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), the landscape supports Atlantic salmon, caribou, and other threatened species while safeguarding water quality for communities throughout the Exploits River watershed.
The project demonstrates the power of public–private partnerships to conserve valuable landscapes at scale. Teck Resources, a Canadian mining company, contributed CA$2 million to the project, while the Government of Canada provided additional support through the Canada Nature Fund. NCC will now work toward a long-term stewardship plan for the area, in partnership with Indigenous Peoples.
"This is what’s possible when industry, government, and communities decide together that a place is worth protecting," said Piers Evans, Newfoundland and Labrador Program Director at NCC.
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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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