Achieving Resilient Human Wildlife Co-existence
Establishing a standard to achieve resilient human-wildlife co-existence in a COVID-19 world
COVID 19 has led to a dramatic collapse in tourism flows and income, and therefore to an unprecedented disruption in the benefits communities receive from wildlife in many critical conservation landscapes. The impact on communities has been severe and global tourism income revenue in 2020 collapsed by approximately USD$ 1 trillion . This exacerbates the urgent threats to wildlife that stem from the conflicts between local communities and wildlife as communities continue to suffer the costs of wildlife while benefits have disappeared.
COVID 19 has shown the world that the conservation model of tourism-dependant conservation landscapes needs urgent rethinking. As part of this effort seeks to establish a globally recognised standard to foster healthier, more equitable and sustainable human wildlife co-existence in a COVID-disrupted world.
What does this standard aim to achieve?
This initiative, incubated by the Luc Hoffmann Institute aims to establish a global standard for human-wildlife co-existence to guide donors, NGOs, governments, international organisations, donors and NGOs on how to effectively manage the conflicts over wildlife in a more sustainable way. The standard will support the identification of novel solutions for peaceful co-existence with wildlife in critical conservation landscapes in a COVID-19 world.
Objectives
Ensure that conservation efforts for wildlife align with the established principles of good governance and respect for human rights
Address the underlying, long-standing tensions that surface in human-wildlife conflict incidents
Situate trained and certified facilitators in critical conservation sites and landscapes
Guide impact investment and other finance mechanisms for conservation, and verify that these align with established good practices for conservation, governance and human rights
Support and enable learning and dialogue among communities and conservation stakeholders, including those in distant countries
To develop the standard we are working closely with:
IUCN Species Survival Commission Task Force for Human Wildlife Conflict
IUCN Commission in Environmental, Economic and Social Policy
Background reports and work in developing the standard
Jonas, H.D. 2021. Informing the Development of a Standard for Resilient Human-Wildlife Co-Existence with a Focus on Rights, Responsibilities and Relationships. An analysis for Griffith University and the Luc Hoffmann Institute.
Dudley, N. & Stolton, S. 2021. Resilient human-wildlife co-existence: Background research for developing a standard. An analysis for the Luc Hoffmann Institute and Griffith University. Equilibrium Research.
Hodgson, I., Redpath, S.M., Sandström, C., Biggs, D. 2020. The state of knowledge and practice on human wildlife conflicts. A report by the Luc Hoffmann Institute.
This initiative was incubated by the Luc Hoffmann Institute
Soccer, Livelihoods, and Conservation in the Ecuadorian Amazon
NAU’s Professor Duan Biggs and Miss Yolanda Chávez recently launched a Soccer for Conservation initiative with the Shuar Center Kaputna indigenous community of the Cordillera del Cóndor of the Ecuadorian Amazon. This area has an approximate extension of 120,000 km2, corresponding to 43% of the continental and insular terrestrial surface. It is recognized for its high biological and cultural diversity. On February 20th, 2023, conservation scientists, Ph.D. Duan Biggs and MSc. Yolanda Chávez visited the "Centro Shuar Kaputna" community to hold a first meeting and discuss potential opportunities for collaboration. The meeting consisted of a participatory open dialogue led by Kaputna's Síndico (Leader/President), Magno Narankas, and other community members representing different groups, such as women and men from the soccer team, community entrepreneurs from the group "Bioemprende Kaputna," young, elders and children. The Scientific Team encouraged proactive participation to design a community-based project under a bottom-up approach, which could best capture the community's interests and priorities for social development, human wellbeing, and sustainable natural resource management. The meeting also focused on how to link the energy and motivation invested in sports, mainly soccer, to empower community members and enhance collective actions for nature conservation. During the visit, the community manifested several ideas and concerns, and discussed strategies and potential activities with the Scientific Team.
