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 2A-1. Strategy Selection
1B. Viability Assessment 2A-2. Results Chains
2A-3. Goals and Objectives
1C. Threat Rating

1D. Conceptual Models

2B. Monitoring
Plan
Plan Your Actions Strategy
& Monitoring Selection
Brainstorm & Strategy
Select Strategies Selection
 Brainstorm & Strategy
Select Strategies Selection

X
X
 Strategy
This Presentation Selection

1. What Are Strategies

2. How to Brainstorm & Select Strategies

3. Example
 Strategy
What are Strategies? 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
Strategy and an Activity 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…
 Strategy
Define Your Strategies 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 project-
specific cultural, social, and biological norms.
 General Types of Strategy
Strategies Selection

Threat Restoration
Abatement Strategy (to
Strategy enhance viability)
 Hints for Naming Strategy
Strategies Selection

VS. Change forest

• Start with a verb Certification code to permit
certification

WCS
• If useful, specify who will change forest
code to permit
certification

• Clearly describing the strategy

may require a longer name - or Complete legal analysis
and work with Forest
(better) a description in “details” Department to change
forest code to
(in Miradi) permit certification
 Strategy
Examples of Strategies 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
 Strategy
This Presentation Selection

1. What Are Strategies

2. How to Brainstorm & Prioritize Strategies

3. Example
 How to Brainstorm & Strategy
Prioritize Strategies 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 Example- Strategy
Swan Coastal Plain Wetlands Selection

Adapted from WWF Australia’s Wetlands Watch Project

1. Select a Threat and
Target, Review Contributing Strategy
Factors Selection

Illegal clearing Eucalyptus

by landowners woodlands

Seasonally
flooded
wetlands
1. Select a Threat and
Target, Review Contributing Strategy
Factors Selection
In Miradi, select the
direct threat, right-
click & select
“Brainstorm mode”
Brainstorm Mode Strategy
in Miradi Selection
 Questions to Keep Strategy
in Mind 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 Strategy
Missing Factors Selection
 2. Select Key Strategy
Intervention Points Selection

Select “key intervention points” – factors

that need to be changed to reduce the threat
 2. Select Key Strategy
Intervention Points Selection

Select “key intervention points” – factors

that need to be changed to reduce the threat
3. Brainstorm Potential
Strategy
Strategies to Influence
Selection
Key Intervention Points
 Advice for Strategy Strategy
Brainstorming 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
Strategy
Strategies to Influence
Selection
Not Key Intervention
all strategies have to link directly Points
to a key intervention point. This
strategy is designed to increase
landowner awareness of laws by
involving them in land use planning
3. Brainstorm Potential
Strategy
Strategies to Influence
Selection
Key Intervention Points
 4. Rate Strategies – Strategy
2 Criteria 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 – Strategy
2 criteria 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 Strategy
in Miradi Selection
4. Rate Strategies Strategy
in Miradi Selection
4. Rate Strategies Strategy
in Miradi Selection
 5. Select Final Strategy
Strategies Selection

Weed out strategies not likely to be the most effective

X X
 5. Select Final Strategy
Strategies Selection

Weed out strategies not likely to be the most effective

?
X X
5. Select Final Strategy
Strategies Selection
5. Select Final Strategy
Strategies Selection
Final Strategies in the Strategy
Conceptual Model Selection
 6. Apply Criteria for Strategy
Strategies 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.
 Strategy
This Presentation Selection

1. What Are Strategies

2. How to Brainstorm & Select Strategies

3. Example
 Example of a Strategy Strategy
Brainstorm 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 Strategy
Goal, Strategy and Activities Selection

Goal Within five years replace 20 % of the lost

(restoration) 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