Zoning is only one of many spatial tools used in the Great Barrier Reef. Other spatial layers are depicted in the maps below, showing the same area of the GBR with differing layers overlying the zoning. A range of multi-dimensional management tools (spatial, non-spatial and temporal) are applied, some of which are part of the statutory GBR Zoning Plan, while others are in other statutory documents. Non-spatial management includes bag limits or size limits for fishing, or a wide range of permits; temporal management includes seasonal closures at key fish spawning times or temporary closures for short-term activities like military training. So rather than a single GBR management plan, a comprehensive three-dimensional Management system exists, comprising federal agency plans, State agency plans and other plans (e.g. fisheries management, ports, etc). Today this full suite of management tools comprises a comprehensive management framework, integrated and coordinated across agencies and jurisdictions. However, not every aspect of spatial management is shown in the publicly available zoning maps. Permits (often tied to specific zones or locations within zones) allow a detailed level of site management not possible by zoning alone.

This building block helps to identify the factors that threaten sea lion populations with a spatially-explicit, multifactorial approach. The outcome is a set of prescribed actions for each population in the same geographic realm, depending on their diagnostic characteristics, avoiding an “all-purpose” general, possibly ineffective solution. For each colony or population of sea lions, a set of environmental factors is selected and described with a historical perspective. Examples of relevant factors are: sea temperature, upwelling index, pH, chlorophyll, diet composition of sea lions, microbial load, heavy metals. Next, a group of drivers are identified as influencing the region of interest and for a given year, their influence in factors is determined and qualified. Drivers can be: ENSO, climate change, over-fishing, pollution. The end result could be that only a few or several colonies could be affected, even in the same geographical region or sub-region.

This building block is very useful to understand the population trend and how environmental factors take a part and influence this tendency. Modification and adaptation of existing population models which describe trends as well as the relationship between the parental stock size and newborns make it possible to understand how the environment influences sea lion population growth rates and abundance. These model approach helps to understand whether a given sea lion population is influenced or not by environmental variables. The approach ultimately allows deciding if one or several sea lion populations could be good indicators of environmental change.

The results of the project have been shared with Belize’s Ministry of Forest, Fisheries and Sustainable Development (including Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute and National Climate Change Office) and the Ministry of Tourism to facilitate replication, and uptake of the process and recommendations. The results have also been shared with local communities, local NGOs, land developers and the private tourism sector to build capacity, awareness and implementation of greener landscape practices within the coastal zone.

During the planning phase extensive formative research informs the Social Marketing, as well as the Technical Assistance components of a campaign. Research sets the baselines that allow the assessment of social and conservation impacts following a campaign. Qualitative research (e.g. focus groups, observation, in-depth interviews) is geared towards understanding target audience opinions, feelings, concerns and perceived benefits of current as well as desired management practices. Qualitative research is about creating a casual conversation with and between participants to establish a comfortable relationship, and to reveal underlying information unobtainable through quantitative research. Quantitative research surveys capture specific answers to specific questions to describe demography, identify media preferences, and assess the current state of knowledge, attitude, communication and readiness of target audiences regarding a certain behavior change. Both components ultimately inform campaign decisions like objectives, respective activities, materials, and messages for both Social Marketing and Technical Assistance.

Participatory management planning and capacity building of locals for long-term conservation of forests is one of the final steps of the community-based conservation model. Developing a participatory management plan helps communities to manage their forests effectively. Recently, we drafted a management plan for one of the conserved areas, using participatory decision making tools to identify different units of land-use, human-used areas for basic livelihood needs, grazing grounds and their associated values related to the biodiversity and livelihoods of the community. Through participatory tools, we identified areas where conservation action is needed, areas for regeneration and some of the pockets that needs better protection through the patrolling and monitoring. We undertook social mapping ensuring participation from all segments of the community i.e. elders having knowledge on village history/natural resources, herders, headman (gaonburah), women and youths to delineate all forest usage units. Once forest units and associated actions were identified, we outlined a budget and identified funding sources to support these planned endeavors. The management plan is valid for a period five years, and will be reviewed annually.

Our staff is composed by professionals with technical graduations such as biologists, engineers and social sciences but there no special admission exams for communication professionals. The role that should be done by journalists, designers, publicists are done by the ones previously mentioned. In order to cover part of this gap volunteers with communication experience have given some important contributions. In this case the work is not necessarily done in a regular basis. Some products we have had so far include: logo modernization, media collection organization, promotional material creation, high-quality pictures production and social networks fostering.

The aim of this activity was preservation of cultural sites and promotion of cultural tourism through reconstruction of buildings and production of information in order to improve knowledge of the past in Paanajärvi National Park in Russia. The border area was ravaged in past wars and the border shifted leaving parts of what is now Paanajärvi NP that belonged to Finland on the Russian side. Through understanding of the past we can learn from it and promote peace and cooperation in our time. Two buildings were constructed using an old building technique for log houses after models from the 1930s in the old Finnish settlement of Arola in Paanajärvi NP (now part of Russia) and one in the old Russian Karelian village of Vartiolampi. Information panels about the history of these sites were placed in the vicinity of the buildings and an exhibition of historical objects was set up in the building in Vartiolampi. Also history books were produced in order to highlight that the NPs share common roots and want to share a common future as well.