Strategy Selection - The Open Standards for the Practice of

Conservation Coaches Network Workshop Presentation

2A-1. Develop a Formal Action Plan: Strategy Selection

Adaptive Management Workshop Presentations 1A-1B. Team, Scope, Vision 1B. Conservation Targets 1B. Viability Assessment

2A-1. Strategy Selection 2A-2. Results Chains 2A-3. Goals and Objectives

1C. Threat Rating 1D. Conceptual Models

2B. Monitoring Plan

Plan Your Actions & Monitoring

Strategy Selection

Brainstorm & Select Strategies

Strategy Selection

Brainstorm & Select Strategies

X

X

Strategy Selection

This Presentation 1. What Are Strategies 2. How to Brainstorm & Select Strategies 3. Example

Strategy Selection

What are Strategies?

Strategy Selection

Strategy: A group of actions with a common focus that work together to reduce threats, capitalize on opportunities, and/or restore natural systems. designed to achieve specific objectives and goals includes one or more activities generally developed to influence key intervention points in your conceptual model

Difference Between a Strategy and an Activity

Strategy Selection

Within a Strategy (a group of actions with a common focus)… e.g., create markets in sustainably harvested fish

Activity – A specific action or set of tasks, within an overall strategy e.g., conduct feasibility tests, train fishermen in new techniques, identify markets for fish…

Define Your Strategies

Strategy Selection

A Good Strategy Meets the Criteria: Linked to Critical Factors: Directly affects one or more critical factors in your conceptual model Focused: Outlines specific courses of action that need to be carried out Feasible: Accomplishable in light of the project's resources and constraints. Appropriate: Acceptable to and fitting within projectspecific cultural, social, and biological norms.

General Types of Strategies

Threat Abatement Strategy

Strategy Selection

Restoration Strategy (to enhance viability)

Hints for Naming Strategies • Start with a verb

Strategy Selection VS.

Certification

• If useful, specify who

• Clearly describing the strategy may require a longer name - or (better) a description in “details” (in Miradi)

Change forest code to permit certification

WCS will change forest code to permit certification

Complete legal analysis and work with Forest Department to change forest code to permit certification

Examples of Strategies

Strategy Selection

• Obtain legal protection for vernal pool grasslands • Manage dredging activity to maximize habitat creation for Reddish Egrets • Build awareness of agricultural best management practices • Work with hydropower company to manage flows and increase fish passage • Strengthen fishing regulations • Identify, detect and control invasives

This Presentation

Strategy Selection

1. What Are Strategies 2. How to Brainstorm & Prioritize Strategies 3. Example

How to Brainstorm & Prioritize Strategies

Strategy Selection

1. Select a direct threat and target(s) and review contributing factors 2. Select key intervention points

3. Brainstorm potential strategies to influence key intervention points 4. Rate strategies

5. Select final strategies 6. Apply criteria for strategies

Our ExampleSwan Coastal Plain Wetlands

Adapted from WWF Australia’s Wetlands Watch Project

Strategy Selection

1. Select a Threat and Target, Review Contributing Factors

Illegal clearing by landowners

Strategy Selection

Eucalyptus woodlands Seasonally flooded wetlands

1. Select a Threat and Target, Review Contributing Factors

Strategy In Miradi, select the Selection direct threat, rightclick & select “Brainstorm mode”

Brainstorm Mode in Miradi

Strategy Selection

Questions to Keep in Mind

Strategy Selection

• In reviewing the factors contributing to this threat, make sure that you can answer these questions: – What is causing this threat to happen? What social, economic, cultural, political and institutional factors are contributing to the threat? – Who is involved – directly or indirectly? – Why are they doing it? – Are there opportunities – factors that could contribute to reducing the threat?

If Necessary, Add Missing Factors

Strategy Selection

2. Select Key Intervention Points

Strategy Selection

Select “key intervention points” – factors that need to be changed to reduce the threat

2. Select Key Intervention Points

Strategy Selection

Select “key intervention points” – factors that need to be changed to reduce the threat

3. Brainstorm Potential Strategies to Influence Key Intervention Points

Strategy Selection

Advice for Strategy Brainstorming

Strategy Selection

• Consider the scale at which you are working and whether your strategies should be broader or more specific (e.g., a strategy at the site level could be an activity at the ecoregional level) • Don’t limit yourself to typical strategies or what you are already doing – think broadly! • Consider what your team will do vs. what other organizations/partners will do

3. Brainstorm Potential Strategies to Influence Intervention Points Not Key all strategies have to link directly to a key intervention point. This strategy is designed to increase landowner awareness of laws by involving them in land use planning

Strategy Selection

3. Brainstorm Potential Strategies to Influence Key Intervention Points

Strategy Selection

4. Rate Strategies – 2 Criteria

Strategy Selection

Potential Impact – Degree to which the strategy (if implemented) will lead to desired changes in the situation at your project site •Very High – The strategy is very likely to completely mitigate a threat or restore a target. •High – The strategy is likely to help mitigate a threat or restore a target. •Medium – The strategy could possibly help mitigate a threat or restore a target. •Low – The strategy will probably not contribute to meaningful threat mitigation or target restoration.

4. Rate Strategies – 2 criteria

Strategy Selection

Feasibility – Degree to which your project team could implement the strategy within likely time, financial, staffing, ethical, and other constraints •Very High – The strategy is ethically, technically, AND financially feasible. •High – The strategy is ethically and technically feasible, but may require some additional financial resources. •Medium – The strategy is ethically feasible, but either technically OR financially difficult without substantial additional resources. •Low – The strategy is not ethically, technically, OR financially feasible.

4. Rate Strategies in Miradi

Strategy Selection

4. Rate Strategies in Miradi

Strategy Selection

4. Rate Strategies in Miradi

Strategy Selection

5. Select Final Strategies

Strategy Selection

Weed out strategies not likely to be the most effective

X X

5. Select Final Strategies

Strategy Selection

Weed out strategies not likely to be the most effective

? X X

5. Select Final Strategies

Strategy Selection

5. Select Final Strategies

Strategy Selection

Final Strategies in the Conceptual Model

Strategy Selection

6. Apply Criteria for Strategies

Strategy Selection

• Linked to Critical Factors: Directly affects one or more critical factors in your conceptual model • Focused: Outlines specific courses of action that need to be carried out • Feasible: Accomplishable in light of the project's resources and constraints. • Appropriate: Acceptable to and fitting within site-specific cultural, social, and biological norms.

This Presentation 1. What Are Strategies 2. How to Brainstorm & Select Strategies 3. Example

Strategy Selection

Example of a Strategy Brainstorm

Strategy Selection

San Luis Obispo Science and Ecosystem Alliance (SLOSEA, California, USA)

Key Points

Strategies

Conservation strategies are a group of actions designed to enhance viability of a target (GOAL) and/or abate a critical threat (OBJECTIVE). Goals & Objectives – What you want to accomplish Strategies – How you are going to get there Complex projects & problems require suite of strategies.

The job is to get the “colors” in the Viability and Threat tables from Red & Yellow to Green – often a life’s work. 3 to 5 well-crafted strategies is a lot of work!!!

Relationship Between a Goal, Strategy and Activities

Strategy Selection

Goal (restoration)

Within five years replace 20 % of the lost mangrove population

Strategy

4.

Establish a replanting program.

Activity #1 4.1 Collect seedlings Activity #2 4.2 Cultivate plants Activity #3 4.3 Organize volunteers Activity #4 4.4 Prepare site and plant mangrove seedlings

Activity #5 4.5 Provide maintenance until seedlings are well established