Conservation and development : the sustainable use of wetland resources. Opening session, syntheses and recommendations
Publication
1989
Related content
Training approaches and manuals
Small-scale aquaculture and fisheries play a critical role in global food security, livelihoods, and rural development, serving as a vital source of income, nutrition, and employment. The development of tailored training for capacity building and climate resilience ensures that operations can continue to thrive despite shifting environmental conditions. It supports actors along the value chain in minimizing the negative consequences of climate risks, thereby securing food and nutrition security, as well as livelihoods, for future generations. It also helps prevent illegal practices that could harm ecosystems.
Sustainable practices are essential not only for maintaining natural resources and biodiversity but also for increasing production efficiency. Well-designed training concepts translate complex technical information into accessible formats. This enables the standardization of practices across different regions, contributing to improved overall product quality and opening up new market opportunities.
The Investigation Station: An interactive, sensory-based approach to reconnecting zoo visitors with nature
Research shows that people are becoming increasingly disconnected with nature and are, therefore, less likely to adopt pro-environmental behaviours. To inspire Jersey Zoo visitors to take up simple, but effective, conservation actions we developed an ‘Investigation Station’. The staff and volunteer-led station consists of various interactive, sensory-based items and activities to educate visitors about Sumatran orangutans and promote sustainable palm oil use. Each activity also incorporated at least one of the five Nature Connection Pathways (Sensory, Beauty, Emotion, Meaning, Compassion) to, hopefully, reconnect visitors with nature and our orangutans. During the Easter school holidays, alone, the station opened for 56 hours, engaged 2,152 visitors (21.7% of admitted visitors), recruited 12 volunteers to help run it and achieved a mean visitor dwell time of 4m57s.
Affordable Access to Solar Powered Cold Storages
Apple farmers in India face high post-harvest losses and market volatility. While cold storages and processing infrastructure have the potential to significantly reduce the amount of produce going to waste and improve market linkages, it is out of reach for most Indian farmers due to high initial investment costs. To address this, the Green Innovation Centres for the Agriculture and Food Sector – India (GIC) and CoolCrop Technologies piloted a ‘Cooling as a Service’ (CaaS) model in 2021 and installed solar-powered cold storages near farms. Farmers only pay a user fee while a service provider handles investment, installation and operations. The model reduces post-harvest loss by up to 30% and improves realised prices by avoiding forced sales during market gluts. Integrating the CaaS model with services like solarised sorting and grading as well as a mobile application that supports shelf-life prediction and market information has further enhanced farmers’ benefits. CaaS also reduces emissions and creates jobs in rural India.
Use of Solar Bio-Fermenters for Nutrition and Soil Health Management
Declining soil health and biodiversity loss, rising input costs, and decreasing fertilizer effectiveness all point to a common potential solution: a transition to more sustainable systems of agriculture, with reduced dependence on chemical-based inputs.
A key enabler in this transition can be the utilisation of biofermenters for producing high quality biological inputs on farm. It helps to restore soil ecosystems, increase farmers’ resilience to climate change, and to reduce dependence on market-sourced inputs. Implementing complementary practices such as intercropping and mulching further enhances these benefits.
However, the manual preparation of biological inputs is labour-intensive, time-consuming, and often unpleasant due to strong odours. To overcome these adoption barriers, the Green Innovation Centres – India piloted a solar-powered bio-fermenter for apple farmers in Himachal Pradesh. The solution reduces labour cost, improves input quality, and supports a broader, farmer-led transition to natural farming.
IUCN guidelines on responsible translocation of displaced organisms
Displaced organisms are individuals and groups of animals, plants, or fungi that have been recovered from legal or illegal trade, driven from their habitats through habitat destruction or human-wildlife conflicts, displaced or incapacitated by catastrophic events (fires, floods, and extreme weather events) or climate change, or captured or collected by humans. The full scale of irresponsibly translocated organisms is difficult to measure as most are unrecorded. Following the steps in this guidance, attempts can be made to maximise the conservation benefit of translocations of displaced organisms.
Guidelines on harvesting threatened species
Societies around the globe harvest wild species, to a greater or lesser extent, for food, building materials, healthcare, medicines, pest control, ornamentation, income, recreation, and cultural and spiritual purposes. While this use of wild species directly contributes to the well-being of billions of people globally, over-exploitation of wild species is one of the key drivers of biodiversity loss. The IUCN Guidelines on harvesting threatened species advise decision-makers on whether, how and what to harvest to ensure the sustainable use of threatened animal, plant and fungal species. Drawing on insights from the IPBES Sustainable Use Assessment, they complement and expand on existing guidance and tools, such as the Guidelines for the Appropriate Use of IUCN Red List Data in Harvesting of Threatened Species and recent CITES guidance on the conduct of Non-Detriment Findings.
Practice guidance for protected and conserved area finance
Protected and conserved areas (PCAs) have been proven to provide enormous value to nature, people and the economy. They are an effective means by which species, habitats and ecosystems can be conserved, restored and sustainably utilised. This Guide provides detailed frameworks, descriptions and insights into the use of conservation finance solutions to achieve PCA outcomes. The guidance presents the case for PCA investment and sustainable finance, describes the role and use of finance and economics to achieve PCA outcomes, and presents guidance on how to conduct strategic and practical financial planning in support of these outcomes.
Women-led Fire Management in Ngao Model Forest
Ngao Model Forest in Lampang, Thailand, faces significant wildfire challenges due to agricultural burning, which affects the environment and local livelihoods. The community, led by a team of women in Ban Pong village, has successfully managed to keep the area fire-free for the past decade through regular patrols, awareness campaigns, and the use of modern technology. Their efforts have not only reduced wildfires but also expanded community forests, created economic opportunities, and empowered women in leadership roles. This initiative highlights the importance of community engagement and sustainable practices in addressing environmental issues while bringing social and economic benefits.
Sustainable farming that benefits people and nature in Thailand
Ngao Model Forest, located 250 kilometers from Thailand’s second-largest city, spans 175,159 hectares. Established in 1964 to address social, economic, and environmental challenges, it joined the International Model Forest Network in 2000. The community’s shift towards sustainable practices has preserved over 60% of forest cover and diversified economies with bamboo businesses, medicinal plant cultivation, and edible insect farms. Biodiversity conservation is central, ensuring species survival and contributing to global carbon emission reduction.
MARRS at Work: Restoring Coral Reefs in Tun Mustapha Park
Tun Mustapha Park (TMP) is Malaysia’s largest multi-use marine protected area, supporting diverse coral reef ecosystems and coastal communities that rely heavily on marine resources for their livelihoods. However, like many coral reefs globally, parts of TMP’s reef systems have been severely degraded due to destructive fishing practices, climate change impacts, and other human-induced pressures. To address this, a large-scale coral restoration initiative was introduced using the Mars Assisted Reef Restoration System (MARRS) — an innovative method that uses hexagonal steel structures, called reef stars, to stabilize rubble fields and accelerate coral regrowth. A key strength of this initiative is its emphasis on collaboration and local engagement. The project actively involves local communities and stakeholders fostering a sense of shared responsibility in reef rehabilitation. Through these partnerships, the project has improved coral cover and fish habitat, and strengthened stewardship of marine resources.
Strengthening Community Governance for Sustainable Mangrove Restoration in Kilifi, Kenya
In the south of Kilifi County, Kenya, deforestation pressures intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic led to extensive degradation of mangrove ecosystems. In response, WWF-Kenya, through the Bengo Project, partnered with the Kenya Forest Service and the Mtwapa, Takaungu, and Kilifi Community Forest Associations (CFA) to restore these vital landscapes. This solution focused on revitalizing community governance by restructuring the CFA, building local capacity through training on governance and leadership, and developing a Mangrove Participatory Forest Management Plan. Other actions included supporting community-managed mangrove nurseries and deploying trained community scouts. The initiative restored 47 degraded mangroves, enhanced community ownership, improved local livelihoods, and increased resilience to climate change, demonstrating how empowering local institutions can lead to long-term ecosystem recovery.
Innovative Technology Empowering Biodiversity Protection in Montenegro
In response to growing environmental challenges, Montenegro is embracing digitalization and new technologies to safeguard its biodiversity. As part of the “Biodiversity Mainstreaming into Sectoral Policies and Practices and Strengthening Protection of Biodiversity Hotspots in Montenegro” (GEF 7) initiative, the project has facilitated cross-sectoral and multi-institutional cooperation while piloting innovative solutions aimed at improving decision-making processes and biodiversity protection through enhanced data collection, institutional collaboration, and the application of new technologies.
