IUCN launches call for proposals for SOS Lemurs

The Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation, or Conservation Standards (CS) for short, are a set of principles and practices that bring together common concepts, approaches, and terminology for conservation project design, management, and monitoring. They were developed by the Conservation Measures Partnership (CMP), have been widely adopted, and are updated regularly in collaboration with the wider conservation community. The Conservation Standards are open-source (Creative Commons license) and can be shared, used, and adapted as users wish to fit their context.

The Standards describe ideal practices for doing effective conservation work, using a mutually defined vocabulary and focus on a rigorous approach to project management. Recognising that adequate resources are lacking, a draft “Cookbook” for Lighter Approaches to the Conservation Standards and a supporting video are also provided.

IPAs are key sites for exceptional botanical richness. They are identified using three criteria: threatened species, botanical richness (including socially, economically, and culturally valuable plants), and threatened habitats. IPAs contribute to implementing the Global Biodiversity Framework and are a component of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans.

The CITES trade database currently holds 7 million records of trade in wildlife and 50,000 scientific names of taxa listed by CITES. It is managed by UNEP-WCMC on behalf of the CITES Secretariat. Trade data can be searched by year, taxon, purpose, or importing / exporting country. The complete database can be downloaded (version 2023.1).

The CITES Trade Database can be queried using the novice querying route (a step by step by wizard) or the expert query route (for those already familiar with CITES trade data).

A Guide to Interpreting Outputs from the UNEP-WCMC CITES Trade Database is available.

The Zero Poaching Toolkit helps national and state agencies, protected area managers, rangers, and other frontline protection staff in anti-poaching efforts. The toolkit contains resources on assessment, crime prevention strategies, community involvement, technology, capacity, and cooperation. The tools are freely available and well supported by a wide range of organizations including IUCN and many international NGOs. The tools provide the most practical ways to identify and close gaps in protection activities at the field level. The Training Guidelines for Field Rangers is the first of a series of guidelines to provide a standard for training field rangers.

This World Bank initiative presents the scientific basis for why and how incorporating biodiversity and nature into urban design is crucial for achieving sustainability and resilience in cities and beyond. The report defines key terms and concepts, explores what urban leaders can do to promote them, and offers practical tools and approaches for incorporating urban nature and biodiversity into decision-making.

Basándose en ejemplos de los sectores de tecnología y de empresas emergentes (startups), la UICN desarrolló la idea de una incubadora para identificar y alimentar las ideas de los administradores de áreas protegidas y de otros agentes que carecen de conocimientos, recursos o contactos profesionales para hacerlas realidad: la Incubadora para la Conservación de la Naturaleza (INC, por sus siglas en inglés). El objetivo del presente documento es reunir las lecciones, ejemplos y recursos clave generados a través del trabajo de INC para guiar futuros proyectos de financiamiento de la conservación y ayudar a cerrar la brecha entre conservación e inversión.

The Vulture Specialist Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission gathers and collates data on historical and current incidents of wildlife poisoning to assess the scope and impact of this threat to vultures and other scavenging birds and wildlife on the African continent. The Database is accompanied by a map of poisoning incidents in Africa. A  webform and a data submission template have been designed to facilitate simple uploading of records of poisoning incidents.

The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 is a global call to action, drawing together political support, scientific research, and finance to massively scale up restoration of terrestrial, coastal, and marine ecosystems. It is led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), working with other partners. The website contains a, social media cards, sample messaging, and an animated visual identity designed for users to use or modify according to their needs.

How to use

To obtain information: https://www.decadeonrestoration.org/charting-course-global-restoration

To contribute to the UN Decade: https://www.decadeonrestoration.org/join-movement

This WWF report is part their contribution to boosting nature-positive production at scale. The report outlines changes that are needed to create food systems that support rather than exploit nature, with a focus on agricultural production systems. It also feeds into the advocacy for the UNFCCC 26 (Climate CoP). The report highlights that nature positive production of food can and must be part of the solution for addressing biodiversity loss.

The decline of many species towards extinction has largely focused conservation efforts on ensuring that species remain extant. However, conservationists have long recognised the need to complement this by aiming to recover depleted populations throughout a species’ range and to restore species to ecosystems from which they have been extirpated. The main objectives of the IUCN Green Status of Species are: to provide a standardised framework for measuring species recovery; to recognise conservation achievements; to highlight species whose current conservation status is dependent on continued conservation actions; to forecast the expected conservation impact of planned conservation action; and to elevate levels of ambition for long-term species recovery. These objectives together encourage conservation towards species recovery, throughout a species’ range.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has 10 principles that are relevant to different kinds of forest ecosystems and in diverse cultural, political, and legal settings. These require management of certified forests to be legal, maintain or improve the social and economic well-being of workers and local communities; uphold the rights of Indigenous Peoples; maintain, conserve, or restore the ecosystem services and environmental values of managed forests; establish a management plan; and maintain or improve high conservation values. The FSC label verifies sustainable sourcing of products from the forest to store shelves.

How to use

Complete descriptions of the FSC principles, criteria, and certification can be accessed and downloaded at: https://connect.fsc.org/document-centre/documents/resource/392

To register for the FSC newsletter: https://fsc.org

Through the hard work of our grantees, advice from IUCN’s many species experts and the support of our incredible donors and partners, we are able to deliver great impact for species threatened with extinction.

Why protect species

The alarm has been raised repeatedly about the decline in biodiversity across the planet. By allowing this decline to continue, we erode the very foundations of our existence.

Current initiatives

IUCN Save Our Species’ current portfolio is made up of almost 90 projects from all over the world. They are integrated into region-focused or species-focused initiatives.