In Kyrgyzstan, livestock herding remains a cornerstone of rural livelihoods, yet inefficient resource use and unsustainable herd sizes are accelerating land degradation, increasing greenhouse gas emissions, and creating environmental and public health risks—all of which heighten the impacts of climate change. Ecotourism is often presented as a complementary livelihood option, but it also comes with its own set of challenges. These include ensuring that tours respect nature and do not harm protected areas, difficulties in connecting tour operators with new or remote destinations, limited local services and marketing capacity, and ensuring that tourism activities genuinely support conservation efforts.

Pecan tree [Carya illinoensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch] is the most important nut tree of North America. In Portugal, a pecan tree collection was planted for agronomic research in the 1980-90s with the purpose of evaluating these nut trees’ adaptability to several distinct Portuguese local geophysical and climatic conditions.

Nowadays, this collection is a biological resource of interest not only in terms of agrobiodiversity, but also for educational purposes through outdoor visits. These are organized for students and the public, with the aim of raising awareness about Pecan tree varieties and biodiversity.

Outdoor visits with young students address three current relevant phenomena – extinction of experience, nature disconnection and plant awareness disparity (i.e. – the idea that students tend not to notice or appreciate the plants in their environment).

Outdoor visits have helped students and the wider public to learn about pecan tree biodiversity. The collection is managed by INIAV, I.P. and Oeiras Municipality.

This solution focuses on addressing the challenge of surface water availability for wildlife in the mountain regions in Southwestern Serbia. Less surface water is available to wildlife due to climate change, jeopardizing the survival of numerous protected species such as the Griffon vulture, Cinereous vulture, Eastern imperial eagle, Ural owl, Brown bear and Common wolf. This project provides for a reliable, year-round water supply system through the construction of watering troughs and associated infrastructure near the existing supplementary feeding site for vultures, birds of prey and large carnivores. Advanced real time video surveillance has been made available to monitor usage and collect data on the movements and diversity of protected species at the supplementary feeding and watering site. The solution also includes an awareness-raising campaign  for the local community on the importance of the habitat and species conservation.

The Public Water Management Company “Srbijavode”, in cooperation with the protected area manager “Ecological Society Gradac” achieved significant ecological restoration and educational outreach in the Gradac River area. The project involved riverbed clearing by mechanically removing obstacles to river flow, such as large fallen tree trunks, stumps and over 3,500 m³ of sediment, to enhance river flow and restore ecological balance. PWC “Srbijavode” implemented bioengineering interventions by installing willow-wattle structures to provide a nature-based solution for preventing riverbank erosion along a pilot area of 150 m. Throughout the project, scientists from the Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković” conducted biodiversity assessments to ensure minimal negative impact on the ecosystem and to highlight the Gradac River’s good water quality. The Ecological Society Gradac engaged with over 250 primary school students in the Valjevo area through educational workshops.

In many African countries, agricultural growth remains a key driver of development. Agriculture ensures food security and is a source of rural income and employment. However, most small farms suffer from low productivity due to soil degradation, a lack of inputs and knowledge of sustainable agricultural practices, and the effects of climate change.

In Côte d’Ivoire, these challenges are amplified by deforestation: forest cover has fallen from around 16 million hectares in the 1960s to 2.5 million today, weakening ecosystems and soil fertility while increasing rural vulnerability.

The Participatory Household-Level Restoration Plan (PPR) offers an inclusive approach where each household aligns its vision, needs, and priorities with forest restoration. By placing rural families at the heart of planning, implementation, and monitoring, the PPR promotes sustainable restoration.

The Maputo National Park Friends Club (MUNGANO – “friend”) is an innovative conservation finance model that mobilises domestic private-sector support for biodiversity, community development and sustainable tourism in Mozambique’s Maputo National Park (MNP). Through a membership platform for national and international businesses, MUNGANO strengthens park sustainability, builds partnerships and grows long-term local ownership. MNP, upgraded to a national park in 2021, protects 1,728 km² of terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems within the Maputaland–Pondoland–Albany hotspot and Africa’s first Transfrontier Marine Conservation Area, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2025. The park faces funding gaps, limited infrastructure, human–wildlife conflict, unsustainable resource use, worsened by climate change. With Club backing, MNP has installed electrified fences to protect fields, restored mangroves, improved roads and water systems, and run creative campaigns that raised its national and international profile

Mundo Marino, a Spanish company operating along the Mediterranean coast (Valencia, Costa Blanca, and Málaga), has integrated sustainable practices into nautical tourism through the design and operation of hybrid and electric catamarans. The flagship vessel Mundo Marino Eco combines sail power with Torqeedo Deep Blue electric propulsion, solar panels, and hydrogeneration systems. This innovation reduces carbon emissions by 40% compared to conventional vessels, achieving an average of 22 g CO₂ per passenger/km.

The project goes beyond tourism, serving as a platform for environmental education, citizen science, and collaborations with research institutions in marine biodiversity monitoring. By offering sustainable maritime mobility and raising awareness among thousands of visitors each year, Mundo Marino contributes to reducing pressures on marine ecosystems, aligning with the objectives of the Global Biodiversity Framework and supporting the 30×30 target in Mediterranean coastal waters.

The Eurasian Eagle-Owl is the world’s largest owl and a vital predatory bird ensuring ecosystem balance by controlling rodent and other small mammal populations. Despite protection under international and national laws, it faces threats from human disturbances such as habitat loss, electrocution, poisoning, and cultural persecution, leading to population decline. In Europe and Serbia, a lack of nesting sites and essential data on its distribution and habits further complicate conservation.

This pilot project in Eastern Serbia aims to conserve this species using field research, modern technology (GPS tracking devices, audio and video monitoring), and educational activities across five sites in Sokobanja, Zaječar, and Knjaževac. Providing  support to five known nesting areas and limiting disturbance by visitors through remote surveillance, as well as directly involving the local community in conservation through workshops and campaigns, all ensure long term results in Eurasian Eagle-Owl protection in Eastern Serbia.

The Mrigadayavan Palace, built in 1924 between the beach towns of Cha-Am and Hua Hin, was the summer house of King Vajiravudh, who ruled until 1925. To prevent coastal erosion and protect this cultural landmark, The Marine Department of Thailand (Ministry of Transport) constructed groins, seawalls, and jetties along the beach near the palace. These rigid structures cost USD 8.4 million in subsidies.

National experts, partners, and the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) measured the impact of subsidies on ecosystems in Thailand. After the team found that rigid coastal structures had accelerated erosion instead of preventing it, they presented these results to the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment).

As a result, the Thai cabinet ceased subsidies for coastal rigid structures near the palace. Existing structures were replaced with nature-based solutions, restoring the ecosystem and protecting cultural heritage.

Chingaza National Park, with more than 77,000 hectares, is one of the most strategic protected areas of the Colombian National Natural Park System, as it is the main source of drinking water for 10 million people in the Bogotá DC and surrounding municipalities. It also protects moorland and Andean forest ecosystems that are key to regulating water resources in the Orinoco macro-basin, conserves endemic and/or nationally and globally threatened species of fauna and flora, and safeguards important sites for the indigenous communities that inhabited the territory. To guarantee its protection, the park has established conservation agreements with peasant families as part of a conservation pact. This participatory strategy allows communities to improve their productive practices while guaranteeing the protection of key ecosystems for the provision of ecosystem services, achieving a local collective effort that guarantees water security for future generations.

The Cross-Sector Taskforce (CSTF) was established in 2015 to coordinate Rwanda’s response to the Bonn Challenge and enhance Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) efforts. Comprising 35 member organizations, including government bodies, NGOs, private sector actors, and research institutions, the CSTF fosters collaboration, shares technical knowledge, and harmonizes FLR monitoring systems. It provides a platform for addressing deforestation, land degradation, and biodiversity loss while aligning restoration efforts with national and international strategies like the Green Growth and Climate Resilience Strategy (GGCRS), AFR100, and the Paris Agreement. Recent meetings have focused on integrating FLR with sustainable food systems, improving monitoring tools, and incentivizing local farmers. By facilitating knowledge exchange and improving governance, the CSTF enhances restoration efforts and strengthens Rwanda’s ability to meet its target of restoring 2 million hectares of land by 2030.

Protected areas in Kazakhstan expanded yearly, reaching 25 million hectares in 2018. However, public funding did not increase accordingly. As a result, the amount of financing per hectare of protected area declined. Challenges in planning and law implementation aggravated this situation.

The Government of Kazakhstan, supported by the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), promoted legal reforms and capacity building to enhance the management and financial sustainability of protected areas. This support was jointly provided with the project “Conservation and sustainable management of key globally important ecosystems for multiple benefits” funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

This initiative catalysed additional public funding for protected areas, which rose from USD 22.5 million in 2018 to USD 60 million in 2024. Moreover, the revenue from paid services in protected areas grew from USD 620 thousand to USD 2.6 million, supporting biodiversity conservation.