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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Unselective, unsustainable, and unmonitored trawl fisheries?

In 2016, the term UUU (unselective, unsustainable and unmonitored) fishing was developed and a Resolution of the World Conservation Congress, adopted by Members, tasked IUCN’s Species Survival Commission with reporting on the concept. The resulting situation analysis utilises the trawl fisheries of China, Thailand and Vietnam to explore how some of the issues associated with UUU fishing can be linked back to these three elements. The report found considerable variation in each component of UUU across the case study countries but that uncontrolled fishery development resulting in excess fishing capacity is commonly a root cause, leaving long standing impacts which have proven very challenging to solve. Whilst the report does not provide recommendations for action, it does identify 14 areas where further work would help accelerate progress on sustainable use, the protection of species of conservation concern and help safeguard the marine ecosystem.

Building trust between rangers and communities

This is the first volume in the WCPA Good Practice Guidelines that is predominantly by rangers, for rangers. The editors worked with partners to collect good practices and stories from rangers worldwide, reflecting global experience and lessons learned. The text focuses on actions that rangers, and to a lesser extent managers, can do themselves. It does not address institutional changes that would need intervention at government level. Whilst the latter are often necessary, decisions are out of the hands of individual rangers. Nor is the guide the last word on the state of play, another global ranger survey is being carried out simultaneously with the production of these guidelines and we will continue to learn about ranger needs, strengths and challenges in the future.

The state of protected and conserved areas in Eastern and Southern Africa : second edition

This second edition of The state of protected and conserved areas in Eastern and Southern Africa builds on the first edition published in 2020 and provides updates on how the region is managing and governing protected and conserved areas, effectively providing a regional update on the progress towards the achievement of Target 3 of the Global Biodiversity framework. While the first edition was published in relation to the previous global targets (in particular Aichi Target 11), this edition covers progress on the common indicators around management effectiveness and governance and expands to include additional information that corresponds to the revised target on PCAs (Target 3).

Species use database

The Species Use Database (SpUD) has been created by the IUCN Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Specialist Group (SULi) to help address this problem by collecting and synthesising information on the utilization of wild species globally, and specifically on the sustainability of that use.

The database is intended to appeal to a broad spectrum of users, from those in policy and decision-making, to academia and educators, conservation practitioners, civil society and NGOs, as well as any individuals interested and keen to learn more about the use of wild species. The individual records – and the periodic syntheses of these – can be used to guide and feed into sound policies and decision-making, that enhance legal, sustainable, equitable wildlife management practices and draw attention to those that are illegal, unsustainable and inequitable.

Effective Enforcement Strategy in the Sugud Islands Marine Conservation Area

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 & Huawei: Acoustics for Biodiversity Monitoring and Threat Detection

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.

Digital Recreational Site management system using a dedicated app and web based backend

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)

Integrated technology platform to support conservation – protecting wildlife and people

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.

Tech-enabled fire prevention system to save vital giant panda habitat in tangjiahe national nature reserve (green list) and 165 other important protected areas in sichuan province, china. PATHFINDER AWARD 2021 WINNER

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.

Implementing the ArcGIS Protected Area Management Solution for holistic landscape monitoring in the West Lunga ecosystem, Zambia.

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.

Co-management (shared governance) of natural resources in the coastal area

This solution aims to create a better governance (shared governance) of natural resources in the coastal zone of Soc Trang Province, Mekong Delta, Vietnam to protect its first line of coastal defence (mangroves) and to improve the livelihood of local communities through resource conservation. This approach also ensures climate justice through participative stakeholder processes and benefits for all affected stakeholders.

AI-based visitor safety management system of Korean National Parks

“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.