Story | 16 Jun, 2020

Version 2.0 of the Diagnostic tool for transboundary conservation planners released

Transboundary conservation processes can often be difficult to coordinate. The Diagnostic tool is a valuable asset in supporting the decision-making process in establishing and implementing transboundary conservation initiatives that might ultimately lead to the institutionalization of transboundary conservation, i.e., the establishment of Transboundary Conservation Area.

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Maloti-Drakensberg Park is shared by Lesotho and South Africa

Photo: Maja Vasilijević

In June 2020, IUCN WCPA Transboundary Conservation Specialist Group released Version 2.0 of the ‘Diagnostic tool for transboundary conservation planners: Suggested questions to determine feasibility for transboundary conservation’. The Diagnostic tool is a valuable asset in supporting the decision-making process in establishing and implementing transboundary conservation initiatives that might ultimately lead to the institutionalization of transboundary conservation, i.e., the establishment of Transboundary Conservation Area.

Transboundary conservation processes can often be difficult to coordinate. Potential obstacles that have not been foreseen at the beginning, such as readiness and capacity of stakeholders to engage in transboundary conservation, absence of ecologically motivated reasons to pursue transboundary conservation, or complex social and political dynamics, can sometimes hinder the whole process. Careful planning can significantly help in generating the success and effectiveness of transboundary conservation and cooperation across the international boundary/ies. By implementing the Diagnostic tool for transboundary conservation planners, the risks of undertaking the process are minimized as they are detected early in the process, helping the proponents prepare for these risks on time.

The Diagnostic tool enables the planners to assess feasibility for efficient design and implementation of transboundary conservation process. Apart from its implementation at the planning stage, it can be applied any time during the process to evaluate the situation and enable improvement of the process. The Diagnostic tool strengthens the capacity of stakeholders on issues that are critical for the establishment and implementation of a transboundary conservation initiative.

The diagnostic tool is versatile, offering the options of: qualitative assessment based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis, rapid assessment, cost-effective assessment, possibility of self-assessment, possibility of assessment through a process guided by a facilitator, possibility of a participatory and interactive approach, and global application.

The authors of the Diagnostic tool, Maja Vasilijević, in consultation with Boris Erg, Kevan Zunckel and IUCN WCPA Transboundary Conservation Specialist Group, built Version 2.0 on the latest understanding of transboundary conservation, guidance on the process and feedback from practical implementation of the original tool. Version 2.0 was developed within WWF’s programme, Protected Areas for Nature and People II, with support of Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).

In order to implement the diagnostic tool, please follow this link or read more about the tool here. Please send any comments to Maja Vasilijević