In March 2000 the International Workshop on Sustainable Use of Natural Resources was held in Norway sponsored by the IUCN Sustainable Use Initiative - the forerunner to the IUCN Sustainable Use Team - and NORAGRIC, the Agricultural University of Norway. Six case studies were presented that highlighted specific use practices and analyzed the social and biological factors that enhanced their sustainability. These papers highlighted a number of "lessons learned". These efforts relate directly to priorities identified within the CBD process: "...a process to identify best practices and lessons learned and to develop practical principles, operational guidelines and associated instruments to assist Parties and governments to achieve the sustainable use of biological diversity, within the framework of the ecosystem approach."

Right: Sustainable utilization of Ron Palm coconuts is just one use practice examined in Thomas Prices' paper, Reinventing sustainable use: Local management of natural resources in southwest Niger. Photo credit: Steve Edwards.

In December 2001 the SUT and NORAGRIC published Lessons Learned: Case Studies in Sustainable Use comprising the six case studies that use an earlier version of the Analytic Framework as a starting point from which to analyze specific use regimes and management systems. Between March 2000 and December 2001 the case studies were peer-reviewed and updated where necessary.

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