Tools and Resources

The GSAP identified a set of actions for each GBF target to achieve species conservation outcomes and provides a set of technical tools and resources for each of the action. The GSAP SKILLS Knowledge Hub supports species conservation practitioners and users to access all these tools and resources easily on this platform. All tools and resources are updated regularly. Please search for the tools and resources here.

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GSAP

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SMART: A digital monitoring system for effective management of protected areas

Nech Sar National Park is one of Ethiopia’s oldest protected areas, conserved for its diverse flora, fauna, and unique landscapes. However, unsustainable use of resources poses a significant threat to the park. The absence of standardised protocols and systems for recording illegal human activities and threats hinders the effective use and management of the park. The poor enforcement of planning, decision-making and resource allocation processes further fuels the issue.

To address these challenges, the BMZ-funded and GIZ-implemented Biodiversity and Forestry Programme introduced the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART). SMART is a tool that simplifies and enhances data collection, analysis, and reporting in protected area management. It supports various conservation activities such as protection of biodiversity, law enforcement, natural resources utilisation, and tourism management. With its easy-to-use features, SMART offers powerful options for effective management and protection of natural resources.

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Reproductive choice in national biodiversity policy: Guidance on how to ensure PHE and removing barriers to rights-based and voluntary family planning are included in NBSAPs

The tool introduces the background to NBSAPs, highlights how to engage in national revision processes and suggests entry points to promote the importance of removing barriers to voluntary and rights-based family planning and the development of new Population, Health and Environment (PHE) programmes within the NBSAPs. The tool can be used by anyone engaged in an NBSAP revision process, and is owned by the IUCN Biodiversity & Family Planning Task Force.

How to use it
Specifically, the GSAP states one key and strategic action is, “14.5 Ensure removal of barriers to rights-based voluntary family planning”. The GSAP also suggests tools and resources including resources from USAID and Population Reference Bureau relevant. The references to PHE and barriers to family planning in the GSAP is one of ten arguments which advocates can use to influence NBSAPs stated in the tool. The tool is an output of the IUCN Biodiversity & Family Planning Task Force and the creation of the Task Force was itself an output of the resolution passed at IUCN World Conservation Congress in Marseilles “Importance for the conservation of nature of removing barriers to rights- based voluntary family planning”.

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IUCN SSC Global register of competencies for threatened species recovery

This document is a directory of the skills, knowledge and personal attributes required by practitioners working in threatened species recovery programmes, in both in-situ and ex-situ contexts. Its structure consists of 19 categories of competence arranged in three main groups: Planning, Management and  Administration; Threatened Species Recovery; and General Personal Competences. Within each of the three categories, specific competences are defined for up to four professional levels: Executive, Senior Manager, Middle Manager/Technical Specialist and Skilled Worker.

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The Species Conservation Toolkit Initiative (SCTI)

SCTI is a partnership initiative between  several NGOs and ex situ organizations to ensure that new innovations and tools needed for species risk assessment, conservation planning, and population management are developed, globally available, and used effectively. SCTI combines expertise in population biology, computer programming, and planning to build modelling tools essential to guide conservation actions for threatened species in the wild, to facilitate the intensive management of species in ex situ programmes, and to integrate conservation efforts across all types of management approaches.

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Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation

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.

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EDGE of Existence programme

A capacity building programme to support emerging leaders spearhead conservation action for the most unique, extraordinary, and overlooked species on Earth (can indicate for same targets as CLP)

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EDGE metric and EDGE lists

A consistent methodology for prioritising species conservation efforts based on extinction risk data (the Red List) and phylogenetic information; EDGE lists, representing the most evolutionarily distinct and threatened species on Earth, are currently available for all amphibians, birds, mammals, ray-finned fish, reptiles, sharks and rays, freshwater crayfish, and gymnosperms, with lists for other groups, including all angiosperms, forthcoming

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Universal Ranger Support Alliance (URSA)

A coalition of conservation organisations supporting and promoting the International Ranger Federation to build a network of well-supported, professional, and capable rangers, who can act effectively as custodians of the natural world. It has produced numerous guidelines and standards of relevance to professionalizing the ranger work-force, including a Code of Conduct, ranger competences, and a document on how rangers support delivery of 30×30. There are 8 organizations URSA can be linked with (for filtering purposes).

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IUCN

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Emprendiendo en la conservación

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.

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Africa

Enhancing Nature-Based Solutions in Montenegro

Montenegro is a disaster-prone country particularly vulnerable to climate change, thus affecting multiple sectors – agriculture, biodiversity, energy, forestry, public health, coastal areas and maritime resources, tourism and water resources. The combination of the rise in frequency and intensity of climate-related hazards, and increasing development in the country raises the risks of these hazards causing substantial economic and health impacts. This uncertain and changing situation is hindering the fulfilment of Montenegro’s environmental, economic and developmental targets. The overall purpose of this scoping study is to provide the state-of-the art of the Montenegrin national context with regards to the application of Nature-based Solutions approaches for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction.

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Montenegro

Herramienta a nivel de sitio para identificar otras medidas eficaces de conservación basadas en áreas (OMEC) : primera edición

Otras medidas eficaces de conservación basadas en áreas (OMEC) son sitios situados fuera de las áreas protegidas que ofrecen una conservación in situ eficaz y a largo plazo de la biodiversidad. La conservación puede ser el objetivo principal del sitio, un objetivo secundario de un sitio que se gestiona con otros fines, o puede ser una consecuencia imprevista de la forma en que se gestiona el sitio. Las OMEC pueden estar gobernadas y gestionadas por gobiernos, entidades privadas o Pueblos Indígenas y comunidades locales, o por una combinación de todos ellos. Esta herramienta guía a los evaluadores a través de tres pasos para aplicar ocho criterios que determinan si un sitio reúne las condiciones para ser considerado una OMEC en virtud de lo establecido en el Convenio sobre la Diversidad Biológica. En el caso de los sitios que actualmente no cumplen todos los criterios, la herramienta ayuda a poner de relieve en qué ámbitos se requiere más información o mejoras en materia de gobernanza y gestión.

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Enhancing Nature-Based Solutions in Kosovo

Kosovo is prone to a wide variety of natural hazards – including floods, landslides, droughts, earthquakes, and wildfires – that could pose serious damages to the economy, fiscal balances, and the well-being of vulnerable populations. Many of these climatic-related hazards are expected to magnify with future climate change. These climate and disaster risks can seriously affect productive sectors of the economy, particularly agriculture, infrastructure, energy, water resources, and communities and households. The overall purpose of this scoping study is to provide the state-of-the art of the Kosovo national context with regards to the application of Nature-based Solutions approaches for climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction.

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Kosovo

Alat bantu di tingkat tapak untuk mengidentifikasi tindakan konservasi berbasis area yang efektif lainnya (OECM) : edisi pertama

Tindakan konservasi berbasis area yang efektif lainnya (OECM) adalah tapak di luar kawasan perlindungan yang memberikan pelestarian keanekaragaman hayati secara in situ yang efektif dan jangka panjang. Konservasi keanekaragaman hayati mungkin merupakan tujuan utama suatu tapak, target sekunder suatu tapak yang dikelola untuk tujuan lain, atau mungkin merupakan konsekuensi yang tidak disengaja dari cara tapak tersebut dikelola. OECM dapat diatur dan dikelola oleh pemerintah, entitas swasta, masyarakat adat, dan komunitas lokal, atau kombinasi diantaranya. Alat bantu ini memandu penilai menjalani tiga langkah untuk menerapkan delapan kriteria yang menentukan apakah suatu tapak memenuhi syarat sebagai OECM sebagaimana diatur dalam Konvensi Keanekaragaman Hayati. Untuk tapak yang saat ini tidak memenuhi semua kriteria, alat bantu ini berfungsi menyoroti bagian-bagian yang memerlukan informasi lebih lanjut atau perbaikan dalam tata kelola dan pengelolaan.

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Ferramenta local para identificar outras medidas eficazes de conservação baseadas em área (OECMs) : primeira edição

Outras medidas eficazes de conservação baseadas em áreas (OECMs) são locais fora de áreas protegidas que proporcionam conservação in situ eficaz e de longo prazo da biodiversidade. A conservação pode ser o objetivo principal ou secundário de um local que é gerido para outros fins, ou pode ser uma consequência acidental da forma como o local é gerido. As OECMs podem ser controladas e geridas por governos, entidades privadas, Povos Indígenas e comunidades locais ou uma combinação desses. Esta ferramenta orienta um avaliador ao longo das três etapas de aplicação dos oito critérios que determinam se um local se qualifica como OECM conforme estabelecido na Convenção sobre Diversidade Biológica. Para locais que atualmente não cumprem todos os critérios, a ferramenta serve para destacar as áreas que necessitam de mais informações ou melhorias na governança e gestão.

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Outil d’identification d’autres mesures de conservation efficaces par zone (AMCEZ) au niveau du site : première édition

Les autres mesures de conservation efficaces par zone (AMCEZ) concernent les sites situés en dehors des aires protégées qui assurent une conservation in situ efficace et à long terme de la biodiversité. La conservation peut être l’objectif principal du site, un objectif secondaire d’un site géré à d’autres fins, ou encore une conséquence involontaire de la manière dont le site est géré. Les AMCEZ peuvent être gouvernées et gérées par des gouvernements, des entités privées ou des peuples autochtones et des communautés locales, ou une combinaison de ceux-ci. Cet outil guide un évaluateur à travers trois étapes pour appliquer huit critères qui déterminent si un site est admissible en tant qu’AMCEZ tel que défini dans la Convention sur la diversité biologique. Pour les sites qui ne répondent pas actuellement à tous les critères, l’outil sert à mettre en évidence les domaines dans lesquels des informations supplémentaires ou des améliorations en matière de gouvernance et de gestion sont nécessaires.

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Diretrizes da UICN CSE sobre conflitos e coexistência entre humanos e animais selvagens : primeira edição

À medida que os conflitos entre humanos e animais selvagens se tornam mais frequentes, sérios e distribuídos em todo o mundo, eles são notoriamente difíceis de resolver, e muitos esforços para lidar com esses conflitos enfrentam dificuldades para fazer progressos. Estas Diretrizes fornecem um guia essencial para entender e resolver conflitos entre humanos e animais selvagens. As Diretrizes têm como objetivo fornecer fundamentos e princípios para boas práticas, com orientações claras e práticas sobre a melhor forma de lidar com conflitos e permitir a coexistência com animais selvagens. Elas foram desenvolvidas para serem usadas por profissionais de conservação, líderes comunitários, tomadores de decisão, pesquisadores, funcionários do governo e outros. Com foco em abordagens e ferramentas para análise e tomada de decisões, elas não se limitam a nenhuma espécie ou região específica do mundo.

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Anguilla

Panorama

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International Cooperation for the Aldabra Clean-up Project

Tons of plastic are accumulating along the coastline of Aldabra, threatening sea and coastal fauna such as hawksbill and green turtles, which are vulnerable to both entanglement and ingestion. The combination of Aldabra’s isolation, the difficulty in accessing its remote beaches, and the increasing volume of marine plastic pollution have called for international cooperation.

In May 2018, a collaboration between the Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF), the Queen’s College of Oxford University, Seychelles Coast Guard and Seychellois volunteers was launched. Over a period of 5 weeks, 25 tons of marine debris were removed from the southern coastline of Aldabra, including fishing gear, bottles, and flip-flops. The expedition costed $231K and it is estimated that up to $5 million is required to completely clear Aldabra’s accumulated waste.

The project has provided an initial framework and baseline data for the future removal of accumulated marine debris around the atoll and further fundraising is needed to complete this action.

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East and South Africa

Updating the management plan of Mangabe Reserve and assisting local communities through improving infrastructure and facilities

The Mangabe protected Area is a 27,346ha Reserve established in the Alaotra-Mangoro Region, eastern Madagascar in 2015. It aims to preserve some of Madagascar’s endemic and Critically Endangered species from extinction, while maintaining key ecosystem services for human wellbeing. Through the IMET assessment of the Mangabe Reserve in January 2020, infrastructure and facilities and assistance for the communities got the lowest scores. All these issues could be resolved if the Reserve’s management plan was updated and all the roles, responsibilities and processes are clarified in this document. Therefore, updating the management plan was the first priority. The second priority action was related to improving infrastructure, equipment and facilities. As a result, the five year (2022-2026) management plan of the Mangabe Reserve has been updated and communities’ assistance was responded to through the purchase of two motorbikes, building of three information centers, and the improvement of the Mangabe campsite.

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East and South Africa

YILNAC Network Accompagne les jeunes autochtones dans la Restauration des forêts communautaires par la plantation et la gestion rationnelle d’arbres traditionnels en Territoire de Mwenga

Les jeunes autochtones vivant en Territoire de Mwenga font face à la surexploitation et la dégradation très avancée des forêts communautaires et cela impacte négativement les populations autochtones dans le sens que les jeunes autochtones  se concentraient aux activités de recherche des chenilles comestibles en Territoire de MWenga. Actuellement, des forets communautaires sont malheureusement surexploitées, dégradées, frappées par les changements climatiques et dépourvues de sa biodiversité.

Pour remédier à cette situation, Young Indigenous Leaders for Nature and Climate (YILNAC Network) a réalisé ce projet d’Accompagnement des jeunes autochtones dans la Restauration des forêts communautaires par la restauration de 260 hectares en essences traditionnelles et la gestion rationnelle d’arbres traditionnels à travers l’encadrement de 180 jeunes autochtones en Territoire de Mwenga .

    Ce projet a été appuyé par Climate Change Africa Opportinuties (CCAO).

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    Africa

    The development of a resilient sustainable finance plan for the Caribbean Coastal Area Management Foundation (C-CAM) to support the implementation of management actions in the Portland Bight Protected Area (PBPA), Jamaica

    The Caribbean Coastal Area Management Foundation (C-CAM) manages the globally important Portland Bight Protected Area (PBPA) home to threatened and endemic species including crocodiles, the Jamaican Iguana, and three fish sanctuaries.  Government subventions, fundraising, and eco-tourism declined due to COVID-19. Funds were sought to maintain core staff salaries; support patrolling and monitoring; provide training and supplies to protect staff from COVID-19; restart educational activities at our Portland Bight Discovery Centre and restore some revenue for C-CAM and the local communities. We started updating the strategic plan to ensure sustainability and adaptation and completed the organization’s financial audit to ensure transparency. The impact of COVID19 also highlighted the need to focus on developing a robust financial sustainability programme to build the resiliency of our operations. Towards achieving this goal we updated C-CAM’s funding plan which will be the platform for the programme.

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    America

    Enhancing effective management and protection of the Uzungwa Scarp Nature Forest Reserve, a threatened tropical biodiversity hotspot in Tanzania

    Since 2017, Southern Tanzania Elephant Program (STEP) and the Tanzania Forest Service Agency (TFS) have collaborated to enhance protection programs in the Uzungwa Scarp Nature Forest Reserve (USNFR). The USNFR is a biodiversity hotspot (high density of endemic and IUCN-Endangered species) in Tanzania’s Udzungwa Mountains covering 32,000 hectares, surrounded by 19 adjacent villages across three districts of the Iringa and Morogoro Regions. The COVID-19 pandemic limited protection efforts in the USNFR in 2019-2020, resulting in the loss of national and international funding. This led to an abrupt decrease in protection activities during a critical period for the reserve. To restore the situation, this solution was established aimed at preventing the local extinction of threatened species and improving societal benefits. It involved increasing community involvement, building the capacity of patrol teams, and use of data for decision-making. This solution resulted in a significant increase in the protection of the USNFR.

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    East and South Africa

    Enhancing Community Resilience against the impacts of COVID-19 in the Kamungi Conservancy, Southern Kenya

    Tsavo Trust (TT) works in the Tsavo Conservation Area (TCA) which spans 42,000km2. It incorporates Tsavo East, Tsavo West and Chyulu Hills National Parks. Local communities surrounding the TCA have limited economic opportunities, unfavourable agricultural conditions, and lack basic governmental services, forcing some individuals to turn to illegal activities to survive. 

    TT applied the SAPA tool to the Kamungi Conservancy, a simple and low-cost methodology for assessing impacts of Protected Area (PA), conservation and development activities on the well-being of communities living within the PA. TT established a baseline of key social impacts, understood underlying causes for community challenges and identified ideas that positively contribute to communities’ well-being. 
    TT constructed 4 10% fences (HWC mitigation) benefiting 40 people. M&E indicated a 100% decline in crop loss to wildlife, improved perceptions and improved livelihoods; reducing the pressure on the PA.

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    Africa

    Protecting Chumbe Island Nature Reserve from increased poaching threats due to COVID-19 pandemic, through re-assignment of local rangers, skills development of youth fishers, and sustaining its conservation activities

    As a not-for-profit, privately managed nature reserve in Zanzibar, Tanzania, Chumbe Island Coral Park (CHICOP) has been the first financially sustainable Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the world, entirely self-financed through ecotourism for nearly 30 years. For the first time in CHICOP`s history, the successful MPA management model was threatened by a worldwide collapse of the tourism sector and funding loss due to COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 – 2021. Through an emergency fund from the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management (BIOPAMA) Rapid Response Grant financed by the European Union and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, CHICOP ensured that conservation management and biodiversity protection on Chumbe Island not only continued during the COVID-19 crises but also strengthened relationships with other MPAs in the archipelago and enabled skill capacity building for local youth and women.

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    Africa

    Projet d’appui à la consolidation de la Lutte Anti Braconnage (LAB) dans les complexes W-Arly-Pendjari (WAP Burkina) et Po-Nazinga-Sissili (PoNaSi)

    Le paysage PONASI d’une superficie de 355 000 ha, un des derniers continuums de la sous-région ouest africaine, est soumis à plusieurs menaces. Ce qui a amené plusieurs acteurs à rechercher des solutions dont le « Projet d’appui à la consolidation de la LAB dans le complexe W-Arly-PoNaSi » porté par « les Anges Gardiens de la Nature ».

    Ce projet a pour objectif de participer :

    • au renforcement  et à la professionnalisation de la Lutte Anti Braconnage
    • à la stabilité des paysages PONASI et WAP.

    Face à la tentative d’occupation des Aires Protégées par les Groupes Armés terroristes, il n’était plus possible d’envisager la lutte anti braconnage (LAB) de façon classique avec les seuls services forestiers et les écogardes. Il a fallu restructurer la stratégie de LAB et appliquer le principe de l’approche globale impliquant les militaires, les Eaux et Forêts, les écogardes et les communautés riveraines. Il s’est agi de mutualiser les efforts, les techniques et moyens pour les activités de LAB dans les Aires Protégées.

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    Africa

    Other tools and resources

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    ¿Qué leyes e instituciones se relacionan con REDD+ en la Península de Yucatán, México?

    Esta guía tiene como objetivo definir el marco legal e institucional para apoyar la fase de planeación e implementación de mecanismos de distribución de beneficios para la Reducción de Emisiones derivadas de la Deforestación y Degradación de los Bosques (REDD+) en la Península de Yucatán. Este documento está basado en la revisión del marco legal e institucional a través de la consulta de reportes, investigaciones, leyes, documentos, informes de consultorías y materiales de difusión en México y en la Península de Yucatán. Se detallan aspectos y características de relevancia para la implementación de proyectos REDD+ en la región.

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    Mexico

    [Cuarto] iv Reunión de miembros suramericanos de la UICN : relatoría

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    South America

    [IUCN CEC] Annual report 2016

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    'Night time spinach': conservation and livelihood implications of wild meat use in refugee situations in north-western Tanzania

    The implications of unsustainable wild meat exploitation for wildlife management and livelihoods in the refugee hosting areas of north-west Tanzania are rarely acknowledged by all the relevant stakeholders. This study takes a focussed look at wild meat use in refugee situations in north-western Tanzania, associated impacts, driving forces, and the appropriateness of some of the management interventions taken to date. The study outlines why enforcement of wildlife laws and regulations cannot address the drivers of unsustainable wild meat use in these, and other, refugee hosting areas. The study goes on to justify how positive incentives, whether via equitable market frameworks for wild meat or through provision of alternative sources of protein or livelihoods, may better reconcile refugee needs, local development imperatives and wildlife management objectives. Measures are recommended to stakeholders, including policy makers, refugee support agencies and wildlife managers, to broaden the complement of policy and programme responses.

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    Tanzania

    "Domes not doums" : a case study

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    Niger

    "EE in action in Zimbabwe" : a series of case studies

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    Zimbabwe

    "Stratégies vivrières" : rapport saisonnier du suivi alimentaire du Delta Seno, numéro 1

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    Mali, Niger delta

    100 de las especies exóticas invasoras más dañinas del mundo : una selección del Global Invasive Species Database

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