A Whodunit –

George Washington’s Murder

This story from Bill Sutherland, Cambridge University

 Washington’s Murder
12th Dec 1799 Inspects plantation in snow
13th Sore throat
14th Dec 2:00 AM Breathing difficulties
• Mr Rawlins, Estate overseer, provided mixture molasses,
vinegar and butter
• Mr Rawlins ordered by Washington to remove 0.75 imperial
pint blood
10:00 AM Dr James Craik, personal physician, arrives
• Preparation dried beetles applied to throat
• 1 pint blood removed
• No improvement so another 1 pint blood removed
• Vinegar in water gargle – near suffocation
• 2 more pints blood removed
3:00 PM Dr Elisha Dick, prominent physician arrives
• 1.8 pints blood removed
• Pulse low
Total > 6.5 pints removed
10:10pm Died
Pierre Charles
Alexandre Louis
(1787-1872)

• Introduced numerical
methods to examine the
effectiveness of medical
interventions
• Showed blood letting
ineffective
How Practitioners Make Decisions
Myth; Anecdote; Observation; Comparison;
Replicated; RRC
Documented
Now
Academic

Practitioners

Future Academic

Practitioners

Source: Sutherland 2007

 CMP
The Conservation Measures
Partnership

Improving Conservation
Effectiveness Through
Adaptive Management
Current Efforts & Future
Directions
Nick Salafsky
Foundations of Success &
The Conservation Measures Partnership
 About Foundations of Success

Our Structure
• Non-profit organization
Our Mission
• To improve the practice of conservation
Our Strategy
• Work with practitioners of all kinds to
improve the design, management,
monitoring, and learning from
conservation projects and programs
 The Conservation Measures
CMP
Partnership:
Leading Conservation Organizations

Members:

Funding Support:
 Conservation Practitioners
Must Be Able To…

• Assess status of biodiversity

• Select the interventions that have the
highest returns on investments
• Evaluate the impact of and improve
effectiveness of actions
• Convince managers, donors, and
supporters that results are credible
• Learn from one another in a systematic
fashion
Management Effectiveness:
Are Our Actions Achieving Our
Goals?

?
A Solution …

Monitoring & Evaluation

based on

Adaptive Management (AM)

 Overview of this
Presentation

1. Intro to Adaptive Management for

Evaluation of Conservation Projects
2. Overview of CMP Open Standards for
the Practice of Conservation
3. Examples of AM in Different Cases
4. Practicing What We Preach – Applying
the Open Standards to Promoting AM
Management?
Definition #1

Whatever
Anyone Wants
Management?
Definition #1

Whatever
Anyone Wants
Management?
Definition #2

Mathematical
Modeling
Management?
Definition #2

Mathematical
Modeling
 Research On Over 220 M&E
Systems in Different Fields

60
Appr oa ches Review ed

50

40

30 55 56
20 42
35 30
10

0
Business & Education & International Public Health Envt &
Mngmt Soc Serv Dvlpmt & Pop Conservation
 Business & Management
Family Tree
ACCOUNTING & STATUS
PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS
CERTIFICATION ASSESSMENT
Double-Entry
1500 Bookkeeping
Auditing by Stock Market
1900 Accountants Index
Scientific
Mngmt
Cost
Accounting Accounting Economic
Standards Production Operations
Total Quality Research
Engineering Managing for
Mngmt
Standards Results
1970 Econ Welfare
Outcome Social
Indicators
Evaluation Learning
Process Performance
1980 Reengineering Benchmarking
Activity Based Reflective
Costing Practice
Process Six Sigma
Certification
1990 Learning
Balanced Benchmarking Organization
Scorecard Chaordic
Systems
2000 Outcome Community
Evaluation of Practice
 Education & Social Services
Family Tree
STATUS ASSESSMENT PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS

1800 Written School

Intelligence Exams Scientific
1900 Tests Standardized Mngmt
Objective Tests
Aptitude
Tests Curriculum
Evaluation
Experimental Outcome &
1970 Studies Process Eval
Quasi- Theory-based
Experimental Evaluation Social
Criterion- Performance Goal-free Learning
1980 Referenced Tests Benchmarking Evaluation
Utilization- Reflective
Benchmarking
Focused Eval Practice
for Schools

1990 Performance
Measurement
Empowerment
Evaluation
2000 Project Cycle
Mngmt
 Environment & Conservation
Family Tree
ACCOUNTING & BASIC
STATUS ASSESSMENT PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS
CERTIFICATION RESEARCH
Classification
1700 Systems
Biological
1900 Surveys
Population
Economic Monitoring
Env Impact Production
Assessments Prototyping
1970 Compliance Econ Welfare Logical
Monitoring Indicators Framework
Organic- Social Impact
Adaptive
Certification Assessments Management
1980 State of Env’t
Monitoring
Logical
Eco- Rapid National
Framework
Report Cards
1990 Certification
Strategic Env
Assessments
Results-
Assessment Priority Based Mngmt
Setting Project Cycle
Biodiv Impact Scorecards
Mngmt
2000 Assessment
Learning
Networks
 True Effectiveness M&E:
A Project Cycle Approach
ACCOUNTING & STATUS
PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS
CERTIFICATION ASSESSMENT

1500
1900

1970 External
Summative
Evaluations
1980 Participatory
Formative
Evaluations
1990
Project Cycle
Based
2000 Monitoring
 So What Is
Adaptive Management (AM)?

The integration of design, management,

and monitoring to provide a framework
for:
•Testing assumptions
•Adaptation
•Learning
 Adaptive Management
Combines Action and Research

Pure
Practitioner

Results Knowledge
 Adaptive Management
Combines Action and Research

Pure Pure
Practitioner Researcher

Results Knowledge
 Adaptive Management
Combines Action and Research

Pure Adaptive Pure

Practitioner Manager Researcher

Results Knowledge
 Adaptive Management
Require Linking Actions to
Impacts

Time to see an impact

Conservation Target
Level of confidence

Wildlife and Habitat

Direct
Impacts
Threats
Indirect

Outcomes

Interventions

Outputs

Costs of measuring change

 True Effectiveness M&E:
A Project Cycle Approach

C
Develop a
Monitoring
Plan

D B
Implement Develop a
Management & The AM Management Plan:
Monitoring Goals, Objectives,
Plans Project & Activities

Cycle
E A
Develop
Analyze Conceptual
Data and Model Based
Communicate on Local Site
Results Conditions

Start Iterate
Clarify Group's Use Results to
Mission Adapt & Learn
True Effectiveness M&E:
A Project Cycle Approach
One Project Cycle Approach:
Measures of Success
C

Monitoring
Plan
D B

Implement Management
Project Plan

E A
Analyze & Design
Communicate Conceptual
Model

Start Iterate
Clarify Adapt
Mission & Learn
 “Projects” Come in All Sizes

1. A community marine reserve in Fiji

2. Efforts to maintain a viable fishery
across a coalition of organizations
3. A donor’s funding program for an
entire ocean
4. A national level advocacy campaign
5. State and federal agency efforts to
protect wildlife
Example of Project Cycle M&E
For a Community Marine
Reserve
Develop Conceptual Model
of Your System A

Marine Life in Our Bay

Develop Conceptual Model
of Your System A
 Develop Conceptual Model
of Your System A
Direct Threats Targets
Develop Conceptual Model
of Your System A

Marine Life in Our Bay

Coral
Reefs

Man-
groves
Develop Conceptual Model
of Your System A

Global

Marine Life in Our Bay

Warming

Intnl Coral
Trawling Reefs

Local
Fishing
Man-
House groves
Const
Develop Conceptual Model
of Your System A

Global

Marine Life in Our Bay

Gov’t Warming
Policies
Intnl Coral
Local Trawling Reefs
Attitude

Local
Fishing
Man-
House groves
Const
Develop a Management PlanB

Global

Marine Life in Our Bay

Gov’t Warming
Policies
Intnl Coral
Local Trawling Reefs
Outcome
Attitude

Set Up Local
Obj
MPA Fishing
Man-
House groves

Goal
Const Outcome
 Develop a Management PlanB

Global

Marine Life in Our Bay

Lobby Gov’t Warming
Obj
Gov’t Policies
Intnl Coral
Cons Local Trawling Reefs
Obj Outcome
Educ Attitude

Set Up Local
Obj
MPA Fishing
Man-
Alt Build House groves
Obj

Goal
Material Const Outcome
 Develop a Monitoring Plan C

Global
??? Obj I

Marine Life in Our Bay

Lobby Gov’t Warming
Gov’t
Obj I
Policies
Intnl Coral
I
Trawling I
Reefs
Cons Local
Obj I Outcome
Educ Attitude

Set Up Local
Obj I
MPA Fishing
Man-
Alt Build House I
groves
Obj I

Goal
Material Const Outcome
Implement Management
and Monitoring Plans D
Implement Management
and Monitoring Plans D
Analyze Data and
Communicate Results E
 Analyze Data and
Communicate Results E

80
April,1997
Number of clams per

70
August,2000
60
50 sq m

50
40
30
20
10
0
<2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6 >6.0
Size class (cm)
Data from Tawake et al. 2002
 Use Results to
Adapt and Learn
Iterate

1. Put your assumptions to the test

2. Adapt your project based on your
monitoring results
3. Document and share what you have
learned about your project
Lesson 1: Good Effectiveness
Measures Require All These
Steps
C

Monitoring
Plan
D B

Implement Management
Project Plan

E A
Analyze & Design
Communicate Conceptual
Model

Start Iterate
Clarify Adapt
Mission & Learn
Lesson 2: If Practitioners Do
M&E, They Are More Likely to
Use Info

80
Number of clams per April,1997
70
August,2000
60
50 sq m
50
40
30
20
10
0
<2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6 >6.0
Size class (cm)
 Lesson 3: The Method Makes
No Assumptions About M&E
Design

• Pre-Test / Post-Test
• Time Series
• Control Groups (Passive or Active)
• RRC
CMP Overview of this
Presentation

• Intro to Adaptive Management for

Evaluation of Conservation Projects
• Overview of CMP Open Standards for
the Practice of Conservation
CMP Each CMP Member Had Its
Own Version of the AM Cycle

African Wildlife Foundation Conservation International The Nature Conservancy Wildlife Conservation Society WWF
Heartland Conservation Process Strategic Planning Framework Enhanced 5-S Management Process Living Landscapes Approach Ecoregion Conservation Approach
(large landscapes) (outcomes in hotspots or wilderness areas) (conservation projects at all scales) (large relatively intact landscapes) (ecoregions)

1. PRIORITY SETTING FOR EACH GLOBAL PRIORITY AREA I. PRIORITIES LIVING LANDSCAPE SELECTION PRIORITIES ACROSS ECOREGIONS
a. Analysis of Landscape Value Define Conservation Outcomes II-IV. STRATEGIES/ACTION/SUCCESS FOR EACH LANDSCAPE WITHIN EACH SELECTED ECOREGION
2. HEARTLAND SELECTION Species 1. Define Project Scope & Targets Situation Assessment Reconnaisance
a. Review With Selection Criteria Key biodiversity areas Describe project area Literature review Biodiversity Vision
b. Initial Scoping Biodiversity conservation corridors Project team Exploratory field work Priority areas, focal sp. & ecol. processes
3. CONSERVATION PLANNING Prioritize Among Outcomes Focal conservation targets Spatially explicit threats assessment Long-term goals for biodiv conservation
a. Mandate Building FOR EACH OUTCOME Key ecological attributes Landscape species selection Views & aspirations of local stakeholders
Engage with key stakeholders Assess State of Biodiversity 2. Conduct Situation Analysis Conceptual model (Engaging Stakeholders & Partners)
Identify/manage perceptions Establish Biodiversity Conserv Objectives Threats & other factors Conservation Plan Reaching out to key stakeholders
Identify key issues Assess Pressures, Context, & Constraints Chain of causation / conceptual model Goal Communicating effectively
Prepare for planning meetings Proximate pressures 3. Develop Work Plan Conservation targets (Situation Analysis)
b. Site-Level Planning Drivers of pressures Goal Direct threats Threats
c. Conservation Target & Goal Setting Constraints to conservation Objectives Indirect threats Root causes
Initial participatory planning meeting Define milestones Strategic actions Interventions Opportunities
Refinement of focal targets & goals Identify Possible Conservation Responses Action steps Monitoring Plan Ecoregion Conservation Plan
d. Socio-Economic Analysis Select Portfolio of Responses Action plan Targets Conservation objectives
e. Threat and Opportunity Analysis Outputs 4. Develop Monitoring Plan Trend data Conservation targets
Identify threats and sources of threat Activities Monitoring design (Monitoring) Activity Strategies & actions
Map threats Articulate conservation strategy Indicators Indicators Administration, timing, & budget
Identify range of intervention options Implement Conservation Responses Methods Implementation Action Plan
f. Implementation Planning Outputs Monitoring plan Management mechanism Milestones
4. IMPLEMENT, EVALUATION, & AM Activities 5. Implement Plans Capacity building Activities
a. Implementation & Learning Monitor & Evaluate Conservation Strategy Implement work plan Constituency building Monitoring & evaluation framework
b. Program Impact Assessment (PIMA) Conservation outcomes monitoring Implement monitoring plan Partnership development Indicators
Measures Effectiveness monitoring 6. Analyze & Communicate Funding diversification Implementation
Methods Refine and Adapt Analyze data from monitoring Policy reform Direct implementation
5. ITERATION Communicate to key people in project WWF enlisting & influencing others
Share lessons with key audiences Adaptive Management
7. Use Info to Adapt and Learn Learning
Iteration Adaptability
Improve collective knowledge
CMP Similar Concepts, Different
Words

CMP AWF CI TNC WCS WWF

Biodiv Focal Conserv Focal Landscape Long-
Targets Targets Outcomes Conserv Species Term
Targets Goals

Threats Threats Pressures Threats Threats Threats

Objectives Milestones Objectives Targets Project

Targets
CMP The Open Standards for the
Practice of Conservation

CMP
Open
Standards
v 2.0
CMP What Factors Promote
Adoption of Best Practices?

+Standards that make sense to users

CMP These Standards Tested
Around the World

CMP
Open
Standards
v 2.0
 These Standards Tested With
CMP
Communities Around the
World
CMP What Factors Promote
Adoption of Best Practices?

+Standards that make sense to users

+Support from leadership and donors
CMP
WWF – “Standards”

1. Define
 Initial team
 Scope & vision
 Targets
 Context & stakeholders

5. Share 2. Design
 Lessons WWF’s  Action plan: goals,
 Formal products objectives & activities
 Feedback & evaluation Conservation  Monitoring plan
 Learning culture Project/Programme  Operational plan

Cycle

4. Analyze/Adapt 3. Implement
 Incoming data  Workplans & budgets
 Results & assumptions  Fund raising
 Operational functions  Capacity building
 Plans & budgets  Partnerships
CMP
TNC – “Basic Practices”
CMP
CI – “Framework”
CMP
WCS – “Cool Tools”

Define the
context
Vision and scope
Threats mapping
Stakeholders

Review Progress and

Revise Approach
Evaluate impacts Design Approach and
Measures of Success
WCS Site
Adapt to changes
Share lessons learned Select targets
Create conceptual models

Management Build conservation landscapes

Monitoring frameworks

Implement Actions
and Measure
Effectiveness
Work-plans and Budgets
Implement actions
Monitor progress
CMP
AWF – “Process”
AWF Heartland Conservation Process

1. Priority 2. Heartland
Setting Selection

Initial Scoping

Learning and Performance

Adaptive And Impact
Management Assessment
Conservation Socio-economic
4. Heartland Strategy Target and Analysis
Implementation, Goal setting
Evaluation, and
Adaptation
3. Heartland/Landscape-
Implementation level Planning
of Priority
Interventions

Implementation Threats and

Planning Opportunity
Analysis

5. Scale-down Heartland
operations
CMP Interchange Between CMP
Esperanto and Org Versions
CI
AWF Heartland Conservation Process

AWF
1. Priority 2. Heartland
Setting
Selection

Initial Scoping

Learning and Performance

Adaptive And Impact

TNC
Management Assessment
Conservation Socio-economic
4. Heartland Strategy Target and Analysis
Implementation, Goal setting
Evaluation, and
Adaptation
3. Heartland/Landscape-
Implementation level Planning
of Priority
Interventions

Implementation Threats and

Planning Opportunity
Analysis

5. Scale-down Heartland
operations

1. Define
 Initial team
 Scope & vision
 Targets
 Context & stakeholders

5. Share 2. Design

WWF
 Lessons WWF’s  Action plan: goals,
 Formal products objectives & activities
 Feedback & evaluation Conservation  Monitoring plan
 Learning culture
Project/Programme  Operational plan

Cycle

4. Analyze/Adapt 3. Implement
 Incoming data  Workplans & budgets

CMP
 Results & assumptions  Fund raising
 Operational functions  Capacity building
 Plans & budgets  Partnerships Define the
context
Vision and scope
Threats mapping
C Stakeholders

Monitoring
Plan Review Progress and
Revise Approach
D B Design Approach and

WCS
Evaluate impacts
Adapt to changes Measures of Success
Share lessons learned Select targets
Create conceptual models
Implement Management

FOS
Build conservation landscapes
Project Plan Monitoring frameworks

E A Implement Actions
and Measure
Analyze & Design Effectiveness
Communicate Conceptual Work-plans and Budgets
Implement actions
Model Monitor progress

Start Iterate
Clarify Adapt
Mission & Learn
CMP What Factors Promote
Adoption of Best Practices?

+Standards that make sense to users

+Support from leadership and donors
+Good training and outreach tools
CMP Training Materials
& Workshops
CMP What Factors Promote
Adoption of Best Practices?

+Standards that make sense to users

+Support from leadership and donors
+Good training and outreach tools
+Software guidance
CMP Miradi AM Software:
“Turbo Tax” for Conservation
CMP Miradi AM Software:
A Friendly Interview
CMP Miradi AM Software:
Tools to Help Practitioners
CMP Miradi AM Software:
Tools to Help Practitioners
CMP Miradi AM Software:
Tools to Help Practitioners
CMP What Factors Promote
Adoption of Best Practices?

+Standards that make sense to users

+Support from leadership and donors
+Good training and outreach tools
+Software guidance
+Standard nomenclature
CMP Nomenclature Is the
Foundation of Any Science
CMP We Need Standard Terms to
Describe Conservation

Indirect
Threats
Project Direct Biodiversity
employ Actions affect drive affect
Teams Threats Targets
Oppor-
tunities

• Cows?
• Cattle?
• Livestock?
• Grazing?
• Ranching?
CMP Two Independent Systems
Have Now Been Unified

IUCN Red List CMP

Authority Files Taxonomies

Unified Global
Classifications
CMP
Hierarchical Classifications

Level of Classification Definition

1
1. Residential & Threats from human settlements or other non-
Commercial Development agricultural land uses with a substantial footprint
CMP
Hierarchical Classifications

Level of Classification Definition

1 2
1. Residential & Threats from human settlements or other non-
Commercial Development agricultural land uses with a substantial footprint
1.1 Housing & Urban Human cities, towns, and settlements including non-
Areas housing development typically integrated with housing

1.2 Commercial & Factories and other commercial centers

Industrial Areas

1.3 Tourism & Tourism and recreation sites with a substantial footprint
Recreation Areas
CMP
Hierarchical Classifications

Level of Classification Definition

1 2 3-Examples
1. Residential & Threats from human settlements or other non-
Commercial Development agricultural land uses with a substantial footprint
1.1 Housing & Urban Human cities, towns, and settlements including non-
Areas housing development typically integrated with housing
urban areas, suburbs, villages, vacation homes,
shopping areas, offices, schools, hospitals
1.2 Commercial & Factories and other commercial centers
Industrial Areas
military bases, factories, shopping centers, office
parks, power plants, train & ship yards, airports
1.3 Tourism & Tourism and recreation sites with a substantial footprint
Recreation Areas
ski areas, golf courses, resorts, cricket fields, county
parks, afghan goat polo fields, campgrounds
CMP What Factors Promote
Adoption of Best Practices?

+Standards that make sense to users

+Support from leadership and donors
+Good training and outreach tools
+Software guidance
+Standard nomenclature
+Databases of projects
Search using common taxonomies
- Threat descriptions are cross-walked to a unified
global classification system developed by IUCN/CMP
12 projects found with bear hunting
- Shows project contact information & overall
project scores for Threats, Viability, & Resources
 Basic Project Information -
Project Team

Continued…
 Basic Project Information -
Project Description

Continued…
 Threat Summary Table

Continued…
 Desired Outcomes & Action Plan

Desired Outcomes & Action Plan

710,000

Continued…
 Standard Reports

Continued…
 If Miradi is the “Front-End” for
CMP
Data Collection, Where is the
“Back-End?”

1. Organizational specific databases

(TNC Project Database, WWF Track)

or

5. Some kind of global home for this info?

 We Have Close Ties to
CMP
Conservation Evidence
Movement
Best Practices

Generating Collecting
Synthesizing
Practitioner Practitioner
Practitioner
Experience Results Experience Cases
Experience
(eg Miradi, (eg Cons
(eg CEBC)
direct entry) Evidence.com)
ts
ul
Re

There can be many sources of

es
su

R
lts

Organization experience and ways of

Specific synthesizing it, but the world
Databases needs one central repository
(eg ConPro) for experience (or at least
linked repositories)
CMP
An Example of a Strategy

Marine Life in Our Bay

Coral
Reefs
Goal

Set Up No- Local

Obj
Take Area Fishing
CMP
An Example of a Project

Restore Global

Marine Life in Our Bay

Lobby Gov’t Reef Warming
Obj Obj
Gov’t Policies
Intnl
Coral
Cons Local Trawling
Obj Reefs
Educ Attitude Goal

Set Up No- Local

Obj
Take Area Fishing
Man-
Alt Build House groves
Obj
Material Const Goal
CMP Database Searchable
by Project Location

?
CMP Realizing This Vision:
Many Nascent Efforts

• TNC and WWF project databases *

• Conservation Evidence sites *
• ConserveOnline *
• ESRI Conservation Geo-Portal *
• Multi-Lateral Banks (IABIN) *
• Blackwell Scientific database *
• Conservation Registry *
• Rainforest Alliance EcoIndex
• Protected Area databases
• etc.
* = group we have recently spoken with
CMP Can We Bring These
Efforts Together?

• A hodge-podge of incompatible
databases would be of limited utility
beyond one organization
• The time is ripe to catalyze formation
of a coalition of leading groups to
create if not one global database of
conservation projects & practice, then
at least a set of meta-data standards to
link these efforts
CMP Common Data Instead of
One Common Database

• Common Data Fields – The limited set of

data fields that needs to be collected
for each action and/or project.
• Shared Database Access Rights – The
terms that participating databases must
agree regarding the mutual exchange of
information.
• Search Portal – The requirements for a
portal that users can employ to search all
participating databases.
CMP
Example of Common Data

Action/Strategy: Interventions designed to

reach a project’s objectives and ultimate
conservation goals. For example using herbicide
to treat an invasive species, establishing a dive
tourism business, or setting up a protected area.
Field Priority Type Comments
Action Type 4 list Single selection; Based on IUCN-
CMP Actions Classification, Level 2
Action Name 4 text Equivalent of IUCN-CMP Level 3
Action Scale 3 text Scope of the action
Action Cost 3 text Cost per action (per year if needed)
Objective(s) 2 text The specific objectives that project
wants to achieve with the action
Action Detail 2 text Additional description of action
CMP What Factors Promote
Adoption of Best Practices?

+Standards that make sense to users

+Support from leadership and donors
+Good training and outreach tools
+Software guidance
+Standard nomenclature
+Databases of projects
= Ingredients for Adaptive Management
Based Evaluation & Learning
 Overview of this
Presentation

• Intro to Adaptive Management for

Evaluation of Conservation Projects
• Overview of CMP Open Standards for
the Practice of Conservation
• Examples of AM in Different Cases
Planning for San Luis Obisbo
Science and Ecosystem Alliance
Packard Foundation’s Results
Chain for Managing EBM Work
 Evaluating The Ocean
Conservancy’s Overfishing
Scorecard

Scope: US
Fisheries

Reduce
Overfishing Fishery
Scorecard ??? Over-
Stocks
fishing

KEY

Strategy Result Threat

Reduct Goal

Assumed Link Possible Link

 Evaluating The Ocean
Conservancy’s Overfishing
Scorecard
Decision
Makers
Scope: US
Congress Fisheries

Executive Reduce
Overfishing Fishery
Scorecard Branch Over-
Stocks
fishing
Regional
Fishery
Mngmt
Councils

KEY

Strategy Result Threat

Reduct Goal

Assumed Link Possible Link

 Evaluating The Ocean
Conservancy’s Overfishing
Scorecard
Other TOC Decision
Programs Makers
Scope: US
Congress Fisheries
Progressive
Industry Reduce
Overfishing Executive Fishery
Scorecard Branch Over-
Stocks
Media fishing
Coverage Regional
Fishery
?? Mngmt
Other Councils
NGOs
Support

KEY

Strategy Result Threat

Reduct Goal

Assumed Link Possible Link

 Evaluating The Ocean
Conservancy’s Overfishing
Scorecard
Other TOC Decision
Programs Makers
Scope: US
Congress Fisheries
Progressive
Industry Policies Fisher- Reduce
Overfishing Executive men Fishery
Scorecard Branch for Support Over-
Fisheries Stocks
Media Policies fishing
Coverage Regional
Fishery
?? Mngmt
Other Councils
NGOs
Support

KEY

Strategy Result Threat

Reduct Goal

Assumed Link Possible Link

 Evaluating The Ocean
Conservancy’s Overfishing
Scorecard

??
Non-
Regulatory
Other TOC Decision
Programs Makers
Scope: US
Congress Fisheries
Progressive
Industry Policies Fisher- Reduce
Overfishing Executive men Fishery
Branch for Over-
Scorecard Fisheries Support Stocks
Media Policies fishing
Coverage Regional
Fishery Change from
?? Mngmt - to +

Other Councils ??
NGOs
Support

??
KEY

Strategy Result Threat

Reduct Goal

Assumed Link Possible Link

Performance Monitoring for
State Wildlife Agencies
 Overview of this
Presentation

• Intro to Adaptive Management for

Evaluation of Conservation Projects
• Overview of CMP Open Standards for
the Practice of Conservation
• Examples of AM in Different Cases
• Practicing What We Preach – Applying
the Open Standards to Promoting AM
(aka “anything you can do I can do meta”)
Meta AM: Targets

Project Scope:
Effective Conservation
Around the World
Meta AM: Targets

Project Targets:
e.g. CMP Org Projects
Meta AM: Direct Threats

Lack of
Practitioner
Knowledge of AM

Lack of Project
Incentives To Do
AM

Lack of Project
Capacity To Do
AM
Meta AM: Situation Analysis
Lack of Good
Examples of AM

Academics Bashing Practitioner’s

AM Becoming a
AM as Perceptions thatMeaningless
Too Simplistic AM is Too Complex Buzzword

Lack of Time &

Money
Lack of
Donor/Board
Pressure

Coaching &
Training
Meta AM: Strategies Share
Good
Prove Example
that AM s
is Cost
Effective

Commo
n Data
Standar
ds
 Our Fundamental Hypothesis

100 %
+ Success
Resources for
Cons Projects

- - Failure

+
0%
 Our Fundamental Hypothesis

100 %
+ Success
Resources for
Cons Projects

- -
- Failure

+
+ Investment in
AM
0%
 Our Fundamental Hypothesis

-
100 %
+ Success
Resources for
Cons Projects

- - Failure
+

+ Investment in
AM
0%
 Some Challenges for Today…
and Beyond

• We don’t have many examples of full cycle

adaptive management. Why?
• Academics say AM is too simple. How do we
get them to stop throwing bombs?
• Practitioners say we are too complex. How
do we show them this works?
• How do we “convert” the key decision
makers and donors?
• What data do we need to test our
fundamental hypothesis?
How Practitioners Make Decisions
Myth; Anecdote; Observation; Comparison;
Replicated; RRC
Documented
Now
Academic

Practitioners

Future Academic

Practitioners

Source: Sutherland 2007

More Information

www.FOSonline.org

CMP
www.ConservationMeasures.org

www.Miradi.org

or

Nick@FOSonline.org
Poin
CMP 1. Another Term for
t “External Expert Evaluation”

Basic Research
 2. Biodiversity Does Not =
Poin Success
CMP
t Which Site is Better
Conserved?
Site A Site B
 2. Biodiversity Does Not =
Poin Success
CMP
t Which Site is Better
Conserved?
Site A Site B
Poin
CMP
3. The Traditional Model
t

External
“Expert”
Evaluation

GOAL
Practitioners
Use Science
to Inform
Decisions
Poin
CMP
3. The Traditional Model
t

External Study "Translated" Read &

“Expert” Completed & for Understood By
Evaluation Published Practitioners Practitioners

GOAL
Practitioners
Use Science
to Inform
Decisions
Poin
CMP
3. A Complementary Model
t

GOAL
Practitioner Captured in Read & Practitioners
Adaptive Reports and Understood By Use Science
Management Stories Practitioners to Inform
Decisions
 3. Our Hypothesis:
Poin
CMP
Quality of Information
t
Retained

External
“Expert”
Evaluation
"High Quality"

GOAL
Practitioner Practitioners
AM Use Science
"?? Quality" to Inform
Decisions
 3. Our Hypothesis:
Poin
CMP
Quality of Information
t
Retained

External
“Expert”
Evaluation
"High Quality"

GOAL
Practitioner Practitioners
AM Use Science
"?? Quality" to Inform
Decisions
Poin
CMP
3. Combining the Two Models
t

External Study "Translated" Read &

“Expert” Completed & for Understood By
Evaluation Published Practitioners Practitioners

GOAL
Practitioner Captured in Read & Practitioners
Adaptive Reports and Understood By Use Science
Management Stories Practitioners to Inform
Decisions
Poin
CMP 4. The True Cost of
t External Evaluation

+Cost of evaluation itself

+Cost imposed on the project team
+Cost of redoing work when it fails
= Big waste of time and money
 The Right Amount of Planning
CMP
(with apologies to Peter
Senge)

• Ready, Fire, Aim

• Fire! Fire! Fire!
• Ready, Ready, Ready…

• vs.

• Ready, Aim, Fire; Ready, Aim, Fire;

Ready, Aim, Fire; …
 Two Types of Monitoring
Questions: Effectiveness vs
Status

Effectiveness Question
1. Are our conservation actions having
their intended impact?
Status Questions
2. How is the biodiversity we care about
doing?
3. How are threats to biodiversity
changing?
4. Is the capacity to improve conservation
changing?
 Measuring Effectiveness

Motivate Riparian
farmers to Agricultural Surface River flow System
change to Practices water regime with
low- water diversions Salmon
crops

Objective: Decrease the average amount of

surface water diverted from the XYX River
in the Upper Watershed section in August to
less than X gallons/day by 2010
Action: Lobby for government incentives to
motivate farmers to switch to low water need
crops
 Possible Indicators of
Effectiveness

Motivate Riparian
farmers to Agricultural Surface River flow System
change to Practices water regime with
low- water diversions Salmon
6 crops 5 4 3 2 1

1. Numbers of salmon redds or # of adults

returning to spawn
2. Water flow measurements
3. Volume of water withdrawn for agricultural
purposes
4. Hectares of farm land converted from water-
intensive crops to low-water need crops
5. Strategic Actions and Action Steps implemented
6. Resources Spent (Staff & $$$)
 Assessing Status

• Periodic check-ups
 Blood pressure
 Cholesterol
 Mammogram
• Prioritization – what
deserves attention for
action?
• Includes early warning
detection
• If problem detected…
 Take action
 Monitor effectiveness
 Assessing Status

Effectiveness Monitoring
Motivate Surface River flow Riparian System
farmers to Agricultural water regime
change to Practices diversions
low- water # farmers with Volume diverted Average river Number of
crops low-water crops river water flows chinook salmon

Bird population
Status Monitoring trends

Non-Native Upland Forest

Key to Symbols Grasses
Plant diversity
Cover of non - and cover
Actions
natives
Aerial extent
Threats of forest
Targets
Diagnostic
New Threat Serpentine
Indicators
Developing ? Rare Plants
Early-warning
Off-road Qualitative pop -
Indicators
vehicle tracks ulation estimates
 Each Project Needs
the Right Balance

Effectiveness Question
1. Are our conservation actions having
their intended impact?
Status Questions
2. How is the biodiversity we care about
doing?
3. How are threats to biodiversity
changing?
4. Is the capacity to improve conservation
changing?
 Start: Defined
Priority
Conservation
Area?

YES

Substantial
NO Threats Requiring YES
Action?

Clear &
Known
Feasible Actions
Potential
to Abate
Threats?
Threats?

PROBABLY
NO YES YES MAYBE
NOT

$$$
Warning Warning
Diagnostic
Diagnostic
Take
Action at Test
Warning
Scale Multiple
$ Warning Diagnostic Actions Diagnostic

#1 #2 #3 #4 #5
Status Assessment and
Status Assessment Only Triage
Effectiveness Measurement
Which Site is Better
Conserved?

Site A Site B
Which Site is Better
Conserved?

Site A Site B
Navigating Towards
Multiple Goals
Case A
Two Goals in the Same Spot…

D
Case A
…Or At Least Same Direction

C D
Case B: Two Goals Directly
Opposed to One Another

C D
 Case C
Compromise is Required

W E
D
S
 Case C
Compromise is Required

W E
D
S
Case C
Compromise is Required

Natural
W orld
W elfare

Human
W elfare
SOLUTION 1
Pick One Goal

Natural
W orld
W elfare
Group’s Can Have Different
Goals and Still Work Together

Com- Partner
munity NGO

Donor
SOLUTION 2: Understand the
Relationship Between Goals

Natural
Human
World
Welfare
Welfare
SOLUTION 2: Understand the
Relationship Between Goals

Materials
Food &
Services

Natural
Human
World
Welfare
Welfare

Values
Protection
& Ability
 SOLUTION 2: Understand the
Relationship Between Goals

Need for
Natural Food
Conservation Threats to Human
World
Actions Biodiversity Welfare
Welfare Land
Erosion
 SOLUTION 2: Understand the
Relationship Between Goals

Improving
Iliteracy
Schools

Need for
Natural Food
Conservation Threats to Human
World
Actions Biodiversity Welfare
Welfare Land
Erosion

Setting Up Poor
Health Clinics Health
 Adaptive Mngmt Meta Conceptual
Model

Miradi AM
Software
To produce diagrams like this...and go
through other steps in the AM Cycle:
2.Go to www.miradi.org/download
3.Click on <Subscribe>
4.Under Org Subscription click
<Click here to register>
5.Create an account using the access
code: miradi4Eval.Network.08
(free trial good through www.FOSonline.org