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Assessing environment and development outcomes in conservation landscapes

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Abstract

An approach to assessing the environmental outcomes and changes in peoples’ livelihoods resulting from landscape-scale conservation interventions was developed for three locations in Africa. Simple sets of performance indicators were developed through participatory processes that included a variety of stakeholders. The selection of indicators was designed to reflect wider landscape processes, conservation objectives and as local peoples’ preferred scenarios. This framework, combined with the use of social learning techniques, helped stakeholders develop greater understandings of landscape system dynamics and the linkages between livelihood and conservation objectives. Large scale conservation and development interventions should use these approaches to explore linkages and improve shared understanding of tradeoffs and synergies between livelihood and conservation initiatives. Such approaches provide the basis for negotiating and measuring the outcomes of conservation initiatives and for adapting these to changing perspectives and circumstances.

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Abbreviations

CAR:

Central African Republic

DFID:

Department for International Development

DFSR:

Driving Force State Response Framework

FESLM:

Framework for the Evaluation of Sustainable Land Management

NGO:

Non Government Organisation

PSR:

Pressure State Response

TFCG:

Tanzania Forest Conservation Group

UNDP:

United Nations Development Program

WWF:

World Wide Fund for Nature

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all participants of the three workshops for their valuable input in developing this tool.

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Correspondence to Lisa Petheram.

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Sayer, J., Campbell, B., Petheram, L. et al. Assessing environment and development outcomes in conservation landscapes. Biodivers Conserv 16, 2677–2694 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-006-9079-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-006-9079-9

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