Coral Rearing In-Situ Basin (CRIB) provided by partner SECORE Int.
Lorenzo Mittiga
In June 2019, RRFB started the first larval propagation project in Bonaire in collaboration with SECORE International. The goal of the partnership is to establish a technical cooperation in which RRFB provides local knowledge, manpower, field logistics, and a facility, and shares all field trial results, monitoring data, and qualitative feedback on methodologies and technologies provided by SECORE Int. In return, SECORE Int. provides techniques, methodologies, expertise and training sessions on larval propagation. This partnership's knowledge was crucial for successfully implementing larval propagation techniques in Bonaire. By consistently sharing results and lessons learned, the technique was improved, leading to greater success and scalability for future project replication.
The existence of a well developed and effective global network of scientists and practitioners willing to constructively share knowledge.
A formalized partnership with well-defined roles and responsibilities.
The opportunity for and committment to scheduling regular virtual and in-person training sessions.
Having a shared vision and goals among partners.
Importance of scheduling regular meetings with partners before and after each major step of technique implementation to formalize results, feedback and lessons learnt.
A human-wildlife conflict poster designed by BirdLife Zimbabwe with input from the commu-nity to assist in their vulture education and awareness programs in their communities
BirdLife Zimbabwe
A vulture identification poster translated in Tonga highlighting the importance of vultures in Zambia
BirdWatch Zambia
A Vulture Board on the Conservation of Vultures inscribed Setswana- Botswana’s local language to increase the reach of the Vulture Conservation message.
BirdLife Botswana
A vulture identification poster designed by BirdLife Zimbabwe with input from the community to assist in their vulture education and awareness programs in their communities.
BirdLife Zimbabwe
An excellent communication plan/network with different stakeholders was initiated across different levels. From the inception of the project, the community and other stakeholders were constantly capacitated on how the project is going. A relay of relevant vulture conservation and policy issues was achieved to the target stakeholders within the communities and KAZA TFCA.
Through strong relations established, the project implementers were flexible to engage with different stakeholders at different levels. This would include the arrangement of informal meetings and the use of local language to target different audiences. Social media, distribution of communication material and the power of face-to-face meetings enabled the implementer to reach grassroots levels.
Take advantage of social media platforms and share your story and journey with the whole world.
Face-to-face meetings are a powerful tool for effective communication and enable the project implementers to relay the relevant vulture conservation and policy issues to the target stakeholders within the KAZA TFCA.
Partnerships between key local actors and multi-sectorial, transboundary collaborations
The Kavango - Zambezi Trans-frontier Conservation Area’s Bird Conservation Strategic Plan Task Team coming up with a strategic plan for bird conservation across KAZA TFCA
BirdWatch Zambia
Mr Zende_The Community Liaison Officer for Zimbabwe Parks & Wildlife Management Authority (Khakhi attire) & Miss Moyo_ Community Officer for the Environmental Management Agency tackling issues of HWC with Shabula Vulture Support Group
BirdLife Zimbabwe
Attendants at Satau village reading some of the communication materials relaying anti-wildlife poisoing message
BirdLife Botswana
The achieved results relied heavily on the collaboration and cooperation partnerships among various stakeholders, including government agencies, conservation organizations, scientists, and local communities. Collaboration with the Ministries/Government departments was key in sensitizing the communities on issues around human-wildlife conflict and suggested environmentally friendly ways to mitigate the conflict. The scientists were there to collect information related to wildlife poisoning and give feedback to the government ministries. The communities were the key stakeholder since they are the sole custodians of the environment.
The implementers connected with local communities was that we were already working with communities on some other projects, so this enabled our relations to be strengthened. By involving communities in decision-making, they were able to identify some stakeholders with whom we collaborated to share skills, knowledge, and experiences resulting in the project's success. The transboundary collaboration enabled the implementers to focus on tackling vulture poisoning across three countries separately but fighting for the same cause.
Partnering with other organizations trying to achieve the same goal makes the implementation of project results much easier and quicker without a scenario of duplicating the work on the ground. Ideas and possible solutions to a problem can be freely shared resulting in problems being addressed holistically.
BirdLife Zimbabwe holding a Vulture Identification Training Session with one of the Vulture Support groups bordering Hwange National Park
BirdLife Zimbabwe
BirdWatch Zambia conducting the Vulture Support Group training in Namwala GMA, Kafue National Park
BirdWatch Zambia
Communities and local stakeholders living adjacent to the protected areas were not aware of the importance of vultures. The capacity building involved raising awareness among communities on the value of vultures, the threats they face and their need for conservation. Repeated face-to-face formal meetings, informal meetings, and engaging the community in each step enabled the achievement of the results.
This is achieved through continuously holding engagement meetings and workshops with the local communities. Communication material that addressed the challenges and gave solutions was shared. The already-built trust and use of the local language enabled the message to be received positively.
Sharing and uptake of knowledge to see the positive results takes time, but persistence is the key to taking into recognising the local leadership and authority. Communities are always receptive to new ideas only if you have capacitated them enough.
Issues of poisoning are sometimes sensitive and people might be reluctant to share much-needed information. To gain their trust, the implementer approached the local government authority and signed a Memorandum of Understanding which enables us to work in the area. Another engagement meeting was done with the local leadership (chiefs, headman) to discuss our intention in the area as a conservation organization. These steps increased our transparency as an honest organization. Building on these strong relations and trust with local communities is essential to ensure that they share such information.
Time and the human capacity for repeated visits to spend time in the communities to build long-standing relationships of trust over time were enabling factors.
Long-term investments with communities are needed, taking into recognition that they have different cultural and social issues happening in the communities. Effective communication is essential to build the trust of the local communities.
Partnerships between key local actors and multi-sectorial, transboundary collaborations
Effective communication
Collaboration
Blue Parks relies heavily on collaborations with other conservation NGOs, communications and marketing professionals, government leaders, MPA managers, scientists, and local ocean champions. Growing the network of Blue Parks and amplifying the Blue Park standard for conservation effectiveness requires many partners.
Blue Parks has benefitted from the contributions of many partners. These collaborations have been made possible by a growing awareness that MPA coverage alone is not sufficient to safeguard biodiversity -- that we need to fully implement high quality MPAs in order to see conservation outcomes, and most MPAs are not yet well implemented.
These collaborations have also grown out of Marine Conservation Institute's long-standing history as a trusted partner among marine scientists, conservation organizations, and governments.
Nurturing collaborations across multiple sectors (government, NGO, academia) requires clear communication. We have found that regular, though not too frequent, outreach and communication with these partners keeps the collaborations active, and that these communications are most effective when they are designed for the audience, so we often send separate communications to partners in different sectors.
At the heart of Blue Parks is an incentive to improve MPA quality. Governments receive international attention for announcing big new MPA designations; they also need positive feedback for making good on those promises and implementing MPAs well. Being incentive-based, the initiative is focused on success stories of marine conservation and inspires governments, MPA managers, communities, and NGO partners to consider the possibility of excellence and the recognition that comes with excellence.
To be successful as an incentive to improve MPA quality, the Blue Park Awards must be well-known and desireable. Governments, MPA managers, community leaders, and NGO partners must want the award. To build this incentive, we offer a cash prize alongside the award, we make the award announcements at high-profile international meetings so that high-level government officials and compelling community leaders may participate in accepting the award, and we amplify the award announcement through press releases and online media outlets.
We have learned two important lessons -- the first is that conservation successes receive too little fanfare -- MPA managers, in particular, are so grateful for Blue Parks' recognition of their hard work. The second is that a small science-based organization is not well-positioned with the capacity for "brand building" -- we have relied heavily on partnerships to market Blue Parks (one of the other key building blocks of Blue Parks).
