Initiatives to support the conservation of indigenous communities worldwide have focused almost exclusively on biological and environmental aspects and have excluded cultural views. Working hand-in-hand with a local community, this project proposes to preserve the biocultural diversity in the indigenous community of Musuiuiai by using the lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris) as a “Landscape Species”. Musuiuiai is located in the foothills at the junction of the Andes and the Amazon basin in Putumayo, Colombia, and to acknowledge the relevance of the traditional knowledge of indigenous people in the conservation and sustainable use of ecosystems and natural resources, they declared their lands as a Territory of Life–ICCA. Although Musuiuiai has agreements to protect the tapir and its habitat, people from other indigenous lands frequently hunt this species. This project will follow a biocultural approach to strengthen the Musuiuiai’s self-governance, monitor the species, and engage neighbours to change their attitude towards the species. Finally, it is expected that: 1) Musuiuiai take a next step to protect the territory by declaring their lands as a protected area; 2) neighbours participate to design a local strategy to protect the tapir by considering the environmental and anthropogenic drivers of the species distribution; and 3) neighbours self-declare their lands as a Territory of Life-ICCA in the short-term.
Malpulutta kretseri, the ornate paradisefish, is a very beautiful and endangered endemic freshwater fish species in Sri Lanka, which has highly specific habitat preferences. Unfortunately, its population has significantly declined due to anthropogenic impacts, including habitat degradation and the ornamental fish trade. To address these issues, this conservation project will be initiated with the primary objective of conserving the habitats of M. kretseri through Individual Species Recovery Planning (ISRP). The conservation plan includes both species-oriented and habitat-oriented approaches. Based on data from the EDGE of existence programme, habitat enhancement and habitat restoration will be conducted in a selected site as a pilot programme. The current status of the ornamental fish trade will be assessed for M. kretseri to develop effective conservation strategies and conservation policy management activities. Awareness programs will be conducted to engage the local communities living near the selected sites and a community task force will be established for long-term conservation purposes. Special emphasis will be placed on involving school students, who represent the next generation in the protection of M. kretseri.
The Malabar grey hornbill (Ocyceros griseus) is a keystone species, endemic to the Western Ghats in India, and categorised as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List owing to habitat loss, fragmentation, logging and lack of nesting trees. A considerable population of this key seed disperser is found inhabiting unprotected forest areas, plantations and near to human habitations. As these secondary cavity nesters show high nest fidelity, protecting the nesting trees and habitats is crucial for their sustenance. This project, through on-the-ground conservation efforts, aims to: 1) identify and map nesting trees and nesting habitats of the species outside protected areas of Wayanad; 2) study the species’ habitat quality and threats; 3) provide conservation education about the species through workshops and capacity building programs to stakeholders; 4) assess stakeholders’ knowledge on the species through pre- and post-questionnaire surveys; 5) collaborate with stakeholder representatives and the Kerala Forest Department to tag the nesting trees and habitats as nesting sites of the focal species. Further, the project intends to submit a proposal to the Forest Department, with the help of consenting land and plantation owners, to designate a set area around the nesting trees as no-logging zones. This will ensure long-term conservation of the nesting sites and offer recognition to consenting owners to honour their goodwill and reinforce enthusiasm in conservation.
Within the framework of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Uruguay has committed to protect 30% of its territory by 2030, but has reached only 1% at the moment. Government initiatives and implementation of management plans are delayed mostly in coastal marine protected areas (CMPAs). In CMPAs, inadequate monitoring makes it difficult to understand biodiversity status and assess conservation strategies and progress. The aim of this project is to contribute to biodiversity conservation in the South Western Atlantic (SWA), involving the local population in citizen science and conservation of marine biodiversity, to contribute to the functioning of spaces for coordination between the local community, CMPA employees and other stakeholders (e.g. 2nd and 3rd level of governance). We will fill the gaps in knowledge of marine biodiversity in three CMPAs, generate biodiversity indicators for each CMPA to be included in the operative management plans, evaluate nutrient contamination in the coastal zone and generate educational and outreach activities for local communities. We will combine field trips, work with the collected material in the National History Museum, workshops with government and social stakeholders and outreach activities with local communities in schools and public spaces. We combine a rich group of young conservationists with experienced scientists to attain our project goals.
