22 SOLUTIONS FOR COMMUNITY-BASED WILDLIFE CONSERVATION!

In these uncertain times, climate adaptation and resilience are more dependent than ever on ecosystem health and community-based wildlife conservation. There is an increasing realisation that wildlife conservation needs to be inclusive. For communities to choose wildlife management on their land, they need to be actively involved and directly or indirectly obtain social, economic and/or cultural benefits from that wildlife. A need exists for innovative, integrated yet practical approaches and solutions with potential to go to scale.

As part of the ‘Innovate for Wildlife and People Challenge’, WWF Wildlife Practice and WWF Panda Labs recently collaborated on an innovative experiment using WWF’s Impactio platform to curate a portfolio of innovative projects. 

The challenge: How can benefits for local people be increased, strengthened, diversified, and have longer-term economic viability to incentivise and reward wildlife conservation

The goal: To improve livelihoods of communities around the world through nature and wildlife protection. 

The experiment brought together 50+ highly skilled subject matter experts and 30+ project leaders from around the world to work together virtually to co-design and refine the portfolio of final projects now launched on Impactio. WWF Wildlife Practice sponsored the challenge and has funded six solutions and Ethereum Classic Labs (ETC Labs), the leading supporter of the Ethereum Classic blockchain is supporting two of the solutions with pro bono support including development guidance, blockchain expertise and relevant introductions to key players in the industry.

Here are the 22 solutions that made it to the final portfolio list and validated by our Curator community:

ALL EYES ON DECK: CAMERAS TO MONITOR AND REDUCE BYCATCH (Peru)

The project will electronically monitor fisheries bycatch to measure its impact and evaluate mitigation measures to reduce rates of marine megafauna.

SIPACATE-NARANJO MARINE TURTLE CONSERVATION ALLIANCE (Guatemala)

A private-public alliance will be created to support local development through the implementation of a community-based sustainable tourism initiative focused on marine-turtle conservation, including a citizen science program, for decision-making.

DEVELOPING AN INNOVATIVE REWARDS SYSTEM FOR COMMUNITY-CONSERVED WILDLIFE CORRIDORS (Namibia and the US) 

An innovative rewards system for community-conserved wildlife corridors. Using sensor cameras, game-guard transects, a smartphone app and data processing to ultimately enable local communities to be rewarded for conservation-related performance of wildlife corridors on their lands.

MWENZI: RESTRUCTURING COMMERCIAL SHAREHOLDER VALUE FOR COMMUNITY AND CONSERVATION DEVELOPMENT (Kenya)

To restructure commercial shareholder value for community and conservation development, Mwenzi will develop and leverage a specialist grant capital fund to reshape beneficial ownership structures across targeted African SMEs to optimise the engagement of local communities and drive conservation impact.

REDCICLA: CREATING A CIRCULAR ECONOMY FOR GHOST GEAR (Peru)

To create a circular economy for ghost gear in Peru, RedCicla will identify and evaluate two local recycling alternatives for artisanal monofilament fishing nets collected by artisanal fishers to implement a circular economy model.

THE JAGUAR CORRIDOR FINANCE FACILITY: CATALYSING INVESTMENT FOR JAGUAR CONSERVATION (Mexico)

The Jaguar Corridor Finance Facility aims to conserve jaguars, their habitat and prey by attracting impact investment and conservation finance into local productive sectors while supporting local sustainable development.

GOSEONG MARINE SPECIES PROTECTED AREA COMMUNITY-BASED BRANDING (Korea)

WWF-Korea aims to conduct a pilot project for a ‘Narrow-ridged finless porpoise’ (NRFP) friendly label to provide an incentive for Goseong fishermen to implement bycatch mitigation measures.

PARTICIPATORY PRIVATE SECTOR MAPPING FOR HAPPY DOLPHINS AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES (Netherlands)

Good water quality for people and river dolphins, by identifying companies affecting river dolphin rivers with the help of enabled communities, to base concrete bankable projects on.

PROMOTION OF LIVELIHOOD-OPPORTUNITIES TO INCENTIVIZE CONSERVATION OF CRITICALLY ENDANGERED GYPS VULTURES (Pakistan)

Promotion of livelihood-opportunities to incentivize conservation of Critically Endangered Gyps vultures. This project would conserve the habitat of the Critically Endangered Gyps indicus by establishing a sustainable supply-chain of the medicinal shrub, the Guggul Cammiphora wightii, which is extracted from its habitat.

OVERCOMING BOUNDARIES: TRANSFORMING CONFLICT INTO BENEFITS FROM A WILDLIFE ECONOMY (South Africa)

Disrupt entrenched patterns of conflict, mistrust, elite capture and poor governance to improve cooperation and inclusive benefit-sharing between communities and protected areas in the Greater Kruger area, South Africa.

INNOVATIVE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY-BASED CONSERVATION OF BLUE WHALES IN PATAGONIA (Chile)

Empower indigenous communities through training in technical tools and good governance to ensure they can conserve marine wildlife, especially blue whales, by effectively managing their designated marine space, Wafo Wapi.

ILLEGAL LOGGING DETECTION AND PREDICTION FOR COMMUNITY-BASED CONSERVATION (Indonesia)

Using satellite data and state of the art AI modelling approaches, we detect and predict illegal logging patterns to help local communities improve nature conservation and developing sustainable agroforestry practices.

SMOKING WEEDS: COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP TO REPLACE LANTANA WITH NATIVE VEGETATION (India)

A community partnership to replace lantana with native vegetation. Indigenous communities will be paid to remove invasive Lantana camara, which will be sold for fuel; cleared areas will be used for an experiment on post-removal native vegetation restoration.

FROM HARVEST TO MARKET WITH THE FAIRWILD STANDARD (UK)

FairWild Standard aims to incentivize the sustainable use of wild resources in biodiverse landscapes, by linking rural communities that harvest and produce wild plant ingredients to socially responsible buyers, through the FairWild Standard.

WILDCHAIN: A GAME TO SAVE THE WORLD (FOR REAL) (Thailand)

Wildchain is a ‘digital conservationist’ movement that positively empowers people, and equips them with a powerful tool to fight the climate and extinction crisis.

MOBILE APP PLATFORM TO PRESERVE THE MANATEE IN THE MAR (Guatemala)

The Mobile App platform incorporates SMART to generate GIS decision-making information for manatee conservation and to engage local communities in conservation efforts via alternative livelihoods, fostering sustainable local development.

YERBA MATE TO PROTECT THE ATLANTIC FOREST IN SAN RAFAEL (Paraguay)

A business unit that enables the production and commercialization of organic shade-grown yerba mate, promoting fair trade and social development to conserve biodiversity and reduce pressures on forest resources.

PUTTING ENVIRONMENTAL DNA TECHNOLOGIES IN THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE (Cambodia)

Exploration project to empower local communities to use environmental DNA technologies for the inventory of biodiversity and natural resources, the detection of disease outbreak and invasive species.

TRANSFORMING A TANZANIAN WOMEN'S BEEKEEPING INITIATIVE INTO A VIABLE BUSINESS (Tanzania)

This project aims to turn a women’s beekeeping initiative in northern Tanzania into a viable business with measurable impacts.

EMPOWERING GRASSROOTS INNOVATORS TO MITIGATE HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICT & IMPROVE LIVELIHOODS (India)

Identify grassroots innovators who are developing solutions to human-wildlife conflict, provide them targeted capacity building to improve their prototypes, hence empowering them to monetize their products and mitigate conflict.

BEAVER TENANCY ASSOCIATION - A BLOCKCHAIN-BASED MODEL FOR ECOLOGICAL RECOVERY (UK)

A Blockchain-Based Model for Ecological Recovery, creating a new conservation finance system that offers rent generating wildlife 'tenancies' to landowners.

WILDLIFE CREDITS - PANDA LABS GLOBAL COORDINATED VALIDATION #1 (Romania)

First round validation related to the “wildlife credits” model for conservation performance payments in four countries, specifically related to platforms, products and payments.

These projects not only tackle the challenge of community-based wildlife conservation but also address some of the Sustainable Development Goals.

If you are interested in supporting the projects, be it through funding, mentoring or other support, reach out to us at wildlifechallenge@impactio.global so that we can put you in touch. To learn more about Impactio visit impactio.global