Through the investment of technologies, the effective enforcement strategy and engagement with the stakeholders in reducing illegal fishing activities within the Sugud Islands Marine Conservation Area (SIMCA) are effective.

Rainforest Connection (RFCx) has built the connective tissue to make acoustics a scalable worldwide approach to data collection and analysis for conservation. Our platform, including tools for biodiversity analysis and threat detection and a suite of hardware, enables people to understand ecosystem impacts.

The RFCx system can be used to:

• Send real-time alerts to people who are able to investigate potential threats.
• Find patterns of activity for planned interventions and measure effectiveness of responses.
• Accommodate large data sets that can be used for biodiversity monitoring and shared.
• Facilitate in-depth, long-term acoustic monitoring.
• Evaluate the impacts of different management or conservation activities.
• Follow the population dynamics of species over many years.

Utilising smartphone technology to develop the first dedicated digital outdoor recreational and environmental site management system. It replaces the current general disparate and mainly paper based management systems outdoor recreation sites with an integrated digital system. It ensures that multiple bodies, agencies and community groups who are all involved in managing an outdoors recreational site can use the one system. The system is offered on a “fremium” model to community groups and this is subsidised by Government agencies who pay for the system.
positive impacts:
– smartphone based transcribing from paper.

Works on android and apple devices and has built in maps so no mobile coverage is needed out in the field

– all users of the system are linked back to a user ID so recording can be authenticated

– all monitoring reports and remedial actions are stored securely in “the cloud

– geolocating all data allows detailed reporting and makes year on year comparisons (i.e viewing effects of programs tacking invasive species)

Ol Pejeta is home to the largest population of critically endangered black rhinos in E. Africa. Protecting them and other wildlife is a great responsibility and we utilize technology where it adds value. In 2019 we rolled out EarthRanger (ER), a software platform that collects protected area activity information (the animals and assets being protected, the rangers protecting them, and threats of potential poaching) into a single, integrated, real-time visualized operational platform. It amalgamates data from different sources including animal GPS tracking collars, ranger digital radio systems/vehicle trackers, and ranger recorded observations. ER allows us to see key information in one place, enabling informed and faster conservation-related operational decisions.

ER was developed in collaboration with Vulcan Inc. through our Conservation Tech Lab. The Lab acts as a field-based space for technologists and scientists to test and deploy solutions, but also as a center for collaboration, learning and sharing knowledge.

Significant conservation impact from technology: the solution uses real-time analysis of satellite images to detect possible fire events. These are rapidly verified and fire events are communicated instantly to rangers in the affected protected areas. Speed is essential. Climate change is making fire more frequent with rapid spreading of events. However there has been a 71% decrease in serious fire events so far in 2021 because of this solution.

Protected areas are faced with numerous ecological, social, and economic challenges both inside and outside their boundaries. Most of these challenges occur over vast spatial scales and are often magnified by a lack of resources to adequately monitor and respond to challenges. The ArcGIS Protected Area Solution (PAM) is an effective way to address these challenges holistically and at scale. PAM allows users to rapidly configure several workflows for effective area management.

M.A.P Scientific Services implemented PAM for the West Lunga Conservation Project (WLCP) in West Lunga National Park, Zambia. The Solution targeted workflows that improve monitoring of the area, these included remote sensing of deforestation and wildfires, law enforcement, wildlife sightings, and community outreach. Outcomes have allowed for improved monitoring and evidence-based management of the protected area that benefits conservation and communities whose livelihoods are intrinsically dependent on the West Lunga ecosystem and its services.

“Are there any innovative solutions for national park visitors to meet nature without any risk of danger?” The long-standing concerns of Korean park rangers have begun to achieve great results by establishing an AI-based visitor safety management system using the latest technology. This system automatically monitors and analyzes the potential safety hazard areas in national parks 24 hours a day by combining measuring equipment such as CCTV, crack gauge, and artificial intelligence. When signs of danger are identified, an alarm is sent to the site where visitors are staying and the control center in the national park office for follow-up and to prevent the risks in advance. 89 intelligent CCTVs have been installed in 15 national parks since 2020, and 525 automatic and manual crack gauges have been operated in 174 potential rockfall hazard areas of 21 national parks since 2013.

Wudalianchi is a national park in northeastern China. In recent years, Wudalianchi has gradually attracted people’s attention. Now it is not only an ideal learning place for geology scholars, but also a popular holiday resort.

Due to the increase of tourists and traffic flow, the protection capacity of the geological relics reached its limits, which also risked visitors’ safety. In the past, only some monitoring points were arranged in the densely populated areas of park, which was far from enough to monitor other non-densely populated geological sites and monitor the tourists flow.

This solution describes how the management committee of Wudalianchi increases the monitoring capacity by upgrading monitoring system and educating the public. Wudalianchi has developed 12 sightseeing areas. This program has greatly reduced the cost of management and the number of security personnel required, allowing quickly response in face of emergency.

By installing an NGO-based anti-poaching team, and using various anti-poaching technologies in Pu Mat National Park, we were able to effectively maintain spatially explicit records of poaching activities, profiles of offenders, strategically implement automated poaching alert systems, and significantly decreased the number of poachers, traps, and camps within the core zone of the protected area while also substantially mitigating poaching activities throughout the entirety of the park. In doing so, we managed to identify and apply pressure on high-risk poaching areas, create avoidance of poaching in locations where high-priority (Endangered, and Critically Endangered) species were present, maintain a working database of offences and offenders within the protected area to understand more about the social aspects of poaching, and built capacity for all operating rangers in the protected area to use the same methods and technologies themselves.

IUCN together with the Swiss PORINI Foundation launched NatureCollectibles (NCs), a new and innovative way to make biodiversity assets tradeable. NCs are digital representations of a species connected to a real-world nature conservation project. They are written to Porinis zero-carbon blockchain where they cannot be copied or multiplied, making them unique and tradeable, like a piece of art.

We invited 8 protected and conserved areas (PCAs) from 6 continents to present their work at the first African Protected Areas Congress in Kigali and developed a mobile app where these digital twins can be collected and traded. People can now take part in ongoing conservation action.

We collected over 16’000 USD in the first 2 months and any user can see on the APP that 100% of his contribution is sent to the PCA.

In October, we will launch the next collection featuring 8 species from 8 PCAs in Madagascar and over the next 5 years, a total of 512 species in 64 different collections will be added.

Located in the central part of the Kopetdag Range in the Ahal Province of Turkmenistan and spanning an area of 497 km2, Central Kopet Dag Reserve incorporates two sanctuaries and two natural monuments.

This Reserve is the most important stronghold in Turkmenistan for the conservation of the Persian leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor) and recently the presence of the Pallas cat (Otocolubus manul), a relatively rare small wild cat, rediscovered. The Reserve is the gateway between Iran and areas to the north and west into Kazakhstan for the Persian leopard. Since 2018, thanks to the collaboration between protected area staff and international partners, an effort is underway to establish baseline information on all cat species, the status of their important prey (the Urial and Bezoar goat), and to identify threats, including the impacts of the border fence with Iran. Twenty camera traps have been deployed that to date have enabled to identify several Persian leopards as well as record the Pallas cat.

This is the story on how Huawei and a local association of hunters and anglers – Berlevåg Jeger- og fiskerforening (BJFF) – developed an automated fish trap with a built-in camera system and AI-software to remove the invading foreign humpback salmon from a river in Berlevåg, a small community, on the northmost tip of Norway, neighboring the Barents Sea. By preventing the humpback salmon from swimming up the rivers, we eliminate the risk of reproduction and reduce the threat to invasive species in rivers. The Atlantic salmon populations are exposed to variety of threats but the threat from the invasive humpback salmon is the most significant. This is the story on how to save the Atlantic salmon by using technology.  The humpback salmon problem is escalating drastically, and as a result, the construction design of the fish trap is prepared to be duplicated and fit into other rivers

Biodiversity baseline data is key to conservation decision-making and practices, yet facing data deficiency and information asymmetry. With the assistance of technology tools, China Nature Watch aims at strengthening the collection of biodiversity data from various sources, especially citizen science, facilitating data applications in land use planning and public participation, and mainstreaming biodiversity conservation.

Specifically, technology brings effective solutions to 3 modules:

• Camera trap data management: developing online AI-incorporated data management system to simplify and speed up camera trap data collection and processing.
• Citizen science data visualization: using PowerBI to automatically analyze and interactively visualize species records collected by citizen scientists.
• Biodiversity Impact Assessment Tool (BiA): integrating ecological and construction data from multiple data sources to provide instant enquiry of biodiversity impact assessment for construction projects via cloud platform.

Mexico is recognized as a megadiverse country, housing approximately 12% of the world’s species. The country safeguards a rich natural and cultural heritage through the efforts of indigenous communities. The Yucatan Peninsula, in the southeast, is ecologically rich, featuring rainforests, coral reefs, mangroves, and more, but these ecosystems are rapidly deteriorating due to human activities and climate change. Nearly 80% of the rainforests are disturbed, with only 22% covered by mature vegetation, primarily in protected areas.

The Tech4Nature Mexico pilot project employs continuous biodiversity monitoring and artificial intelligence systems for the detection and conservation of priority species in the Dzilam State Reserve, to strengthen the understanding of the impacts of climate change on the area. This approach has been materialized through the inclusion of the community as main partners and contributors, the application of machine learning techniques and the construction of multi-sectoral alliances.

The Hainan gibbon (Nomascus hainanus) is one of the most endangered primates in the world, living in the Bawangling area of Hainan Province, China. Comprehensive tracking and monitoring is required for better conservation, but because of the difficulty in vivo tracking, acoustic equipment is needed for monitoring.

“Tech4Nature” is a global project jointly launched by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Huawei, aiming to develop more scientific protection measures, combined with the ICT industry, digital technology and IUCN Green List standards, provides technical support for the acoustic monitoring project of Hainan gibbons. To date, full coverage of 5 family groups monitoring has been achieved, automatic identification and real-time back transmission of Hainan gibbon acoustic monitoring have been realized.

The Galera-San Francisco Marine Reserve is one of the most important zones for biodiversity conservation in coastal Ecuador. Local residents are heavily dependent on it, with artisanal fishing as a core activity. The fishing association Arte Langosta and the Nazca Institute created a participatory management system which promotes the protection of biodiversity and sustainable local development. Stakeholders and authorities develop an effective governance model with fair economic alternatives.

Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management Councils (FARMC) constituted by representatives from local fisherfolk, government, academia, civil society and private sectors serve as a legal forum to jointly discuss and decide solutions for the sustainable use of municipal marine resources. Through the FARMC resource users have a legal status and are actively involved in the management of fisheries and aquatic resources and take part in the decision making process.

Since 2009, EcoGourmet has enhanced the technical and administrative capacities of artisanal fishing cooperatives and to achieve responsible fishing. EcoGourmet facilitates the signing of fair agreements between suppliers, fishing cooperatives and restaurants and sensitizes consumers to the ramifications of their purchasing decisions. Participating restaurants offer locally sourced, sustainably caught fish. Negative impacts on ecosystems are reduced while profits for local fishers increased.

The Galera-San Francisco Marine Reserve is one of the most important zones for biodiversity conservation in coastal Ecuador. Local residents are heavily dependent on it, with artisanal fishing as a core activity. The fishing association Arte Langosta and the Nazca Institute created a participatory management system which promotes the protection of biodiversity and sustainable local development. Stakeholders and authorities develop an effective governance model with fair economic alternatives.

Fisheries governance involving fishers in the Caribbean region, promotes the participation of fishers in fisheries management processes and allows for the inclusion of the knowledge, experience and interest of fishers into fisheries policy and law. Problems associated with management regimes that excluded fisher participation include fisher marginalization, negative impacts on fisher livelihoods and related social, economic, food and nutrition issues.

ARCAS implements conservation activities on the Pacific coast of Guatemala to counteract threats to leatherback and olive ridley turtle populations from overharvesting by local egg collectors. We work with local communities by training, supporting and advising them in the protection of marine ecosystems. Environmental education helps to ensure long-term sustainable community development, and volunteers and sponsors are invited to participate in conservation activities.

Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management Councils (FARMC) constituted by representatives from local fisherfolk, government, academia, civil society and private sectors serve as a legal forum to jointly discuss and decide solutions for the sustainable use of municipal marine resources. Through the FARMC resource users have a legal status and are actively involved in the management of fisheries and aquatic resources and take part in the decision making process.

The Galera-San Francisco Marine Reserve is one of the most important zones for biodiversity conservation in coastal Ecuador. Local residents are heavily dependent on it, with artisanal fishing as a core activity. The fishing association Arte Langosta and the Nazca Institute created a participatory management system which promotes the protection of biodiversity and sustainable local development. Stakeholders and authorities develop an effective governance model with fair economic alternatives.

Through eco-tourism the WCS, park authorities, business and communities are protecting globally significant endangered species in northern Cambodia. These enterprises generate enough revenue for local people to change their behavior to more wildlife friendly ways, while also increasing their wealth. Communities manage eco-lodges and provide employment. A community payment directly linked to conservation is discretionary spending for the village committee.

Since 2009, EcoGourmet has enhanced the technical and administrative capacities of artisanal fishing cooperatives and to achieve responsible fishing. EcoGourmet facilitates the signing of fair agreements between suppliers, fishing cooperatives and restaurants and sensitizes consumers to the ramifications of their purchasing decisions. Participating restaurants offer locally sourced, sustainably caught fish. Negative impacts on ecosystems are reduced while profits for local fishers increased.