A Theory of Change (ToC) is a road map that plots the journey from where we are now to where we want to be. The ToC serves to create a common vision of long-term goals, how they will be reached, and how progress will be measured along the way. A ToC forms the basis for strategic planning, and it clearly articulates how shifting behaviors and social norms will reduce threats to biodiversity. There are seven elements of a Pride campaign ToC: Conservation Result points to the conservation target (ecosystem or species) the campaign is trying to conserve, and what the expected long-term result is. Threat Reduction points to the main threats to the conservation target that can be reduced. Behavior Change focus on the human behavior that must change in order to reduce the identified threat. Barrier Removal identifies the barriers to adoption of the new behavior and how can they be removed. Interpersonal Communication describes what conversations are needed to encourage people to adopt the new behavior. Attitude identifies what attitudes must shift for these conversations to happen. Knowledge is the cognition needed to increase awareness and help shift these attitudes.

Networking and linking up with other organisations to support fishers’ initiatives.

Lionfish management requires the involvement of all affected parties, coupled with tailored strategies to reflect ecological, cultural and social differences within the region. Legal policies regulate the aquarium trade of lionfish, as well as conditions and gear for lionfish removal.

We presented our work in the local schools and community centres through talks and slides, and we were interviewed by local newspapers to explain our work and gain support within the community. We also offered to talk about our work on tourist ships. Outreach is an important part of gaining community support among local people, including researchers, fishers, and of course media. The rationale is that without their support, marine habitat protection will be less likely to be respected.

Strong communication efforts (exchanges, meetings, popular debates, interactive radio in local languages) throughout the process of establishing and operating Kawawana. This has given fruits, as today other community conserved areas have been created close to Kawawana and more are in progress. .

Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) are vital components of every Pride campaign, without which assessment of the effectiveness of the intervention cannot be conducted. M&E takes place in every component of the Theory of Change (please refer to the building block 'Theory of Change' for a brief description of each component). Monitoring keeps score on how effectively capacities are built, how effectively social marketing efforts lead to changes in behavior, and if those behavior changes lead to desired conservation outcomes. Monitoring basically tracks every component of the ToC. M&E of knowledge, attitude, interpersonal communications and behavior change is based on pre and post campaign surveys of the fishers, while threat reduction and conservation results use specific protocols validated by experts.

The purpose of this Toolkit is to share the knowledge gained by the Reef Rescuers team. It aims to fill a void in the practical know-how of coral reef restoration By sharing what was learned and tested in the field, it is hoped that the success of others implementing similar projects elsewhere will be improved. It aims to be a companion for scientists, managers, practitioners and local communities who are facing a coral reef restoration challenge and need guidance using low-cost field tested methods, as well as how to fix problems encountered in field conditions. The team explains what they did in the coral reef restoration project and how they solved the problems encountered using low cost solutions and the limited resources found in a developing nation.

The results of the monitoring programme are presented to the relevant local communities and through academic channels. Environmental education campaigns focus on local populations and address people with different levels of education. Information is shared via presentations, courses, trainings and workshops.

With the researchers gaining their MSc degrees and PhD degrees over the first 3 years of the study, we were then able to start publishing papers and to entertain the idea of attending and presenting at international meetings. Meeting at a national venue (Russian biennial conference) led to European Cetacean Society conference presentations which then opened up the main Society for Marine Mammalogy Biennial as a platform for presentation.

In each country, a focal point supports awareness-raising through a poster in the national language, a radio spot and a T-shirt.