The long-term success of biodiversity conservation in China’s nature reserves (NRs) depends on how rural households interact with natural resources. This study surveyed 449 households across 17 NRs in Sichuan and Shaanxi to examine how generational exposure to early “fortress conservation” policies influences current resource use. Using a double hurdle model, the study found that individuals who were adults or adolescents during NR establishment extract significantly more resources than those who were children at the time. These older generations also exhibit more negative attitudes toward NR governance. The findings highlight how historical policy shocks shape path-dependent behaviors and underscore the need for inclusive, generation-sensitive conservation strategies.
Tag: biodiversity conservation
Pangolin hunting in southeast Nigeria is motivated more by local meat consumption than international demand for scales
Pangolins are the world’s most trafficked wild mammals, yet the drivers of their exploitation vary across regions. This study surveyed 809 hunters and meat vendors in Nigeria—Africa’s largest pangolin trafficking hub—and found that 98% of pangolins are hunted for meat, not scales. Most are captured opportunistically during general hunting, with 71% consumed by hunters and 27% sold locally. Despite global attention on the illegal scale trade, 70% of scales are discarded, and meat fetches three to four times the price of scales. These findings challenge dominant narratives and highlight the need for conservation policies that address local consumption drivers alongside international trafficking.
Community-based monitoring in the context of sustainable wildlife management and biodiversity conservation in tropical countries
This document is addressed to communities and their partners, and features eight main key lessons learned that emerge from the implementation of community-based monitoring in the context of wildlife management and biodiversity conservation, across 15 countries in Africa, the Guyana Shield and the Pacific Region in which the Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme is implemented. The examples involve diverse forms of community-based monitoring and include different ecosystems (forests, savannahs, wetlands) and taxonomic groups (birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fish). We further provide a more focused description of five case studies, including the multitaxa community-based monitoring process implemented by community wildlife and fisheries committees in the Rupununi (Guyana), the human-wildlife coexistence monitoring programme implemented by communities in Mucheni Community Conservancy (Zimbabwe), the co-managed monitoring system implemented for sustainable hunting around Lastoursville (Gabon), and the citizen science process implemented in communities around the Dja Reserve (Cameroon) to monitor and alert emergence of zoonotic diseases and the community-based monitoring system implemented in Namibia in the context of community-based conservancies (Namibia).
Weaving the Middle Spaces Between Indigenous and Scientific Knowledge for Biodiversity Conservation and Ecology
Africa’s rich biodiversity and cultural heritage are deeply rooted in Indigenous Peoples’ traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), which offers essential insights for conservation and sustainability. This editorial underscores the active role of African IP in safeguarding biodiversity and strengthening food system resilience, calling for equitable partnerships that value TEK alongside scientific knowledge. Grounded in centuries of observation and cultural practice, TEK supports sustainable resource use and ecological understanding. Yet, climate change, land dispossession, and cultural erosion threaten both these knowledge systems and the communities that uphold them. To address this, conservation efforts must respect Indigenous sovereignty and foster interdisciplinary collaboration. This aligns with global frameworks like the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which affirms IP rights across conservation targets, including land tenure, traditional knowledge, and access to justice. The pressing challenge is translating these international commitments into rights-based, equitable conservation on the ground. Upholding the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and engaging in open, trust-building dialogue with IP communities are essential steps. By embracing these principles, conservation science can move from rhetoric to meaningful, participatory action that honors Indigenous stewardship of nature.
National Dialogue PERU: Kunming Montréal-Global Biodiversity Framework Target 2 Pilots Project (Summary Report)
In Peru, the national dialogue on Target 2 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) was held on July 11th–12th, 2024. This joint initiative, organized by the Ministry of Environment (MINAM), the National Forest and Wildlife Service (SERFOR), CIFORICRAF, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the World Resources Institute (WRI), created a platform for dialogue and reflection on planning, implementing, and monitoring Target 2 of the KM-GBF. The dialogue aimed to enhance opportunities for aligning stakeholders toward coordinated and effective restoration actions.
The dialogue built on a structured engagement process with partners, including national authorities and civil society, initiated in late 2023 with the launch of the initiative. This engagement considered the broader framework of updating the National Biodiversity Strategy to 2050, providing key inputs for the national dialogue. Contributions were also informed by technical workshops and input from a core group of engaged national stakeholders mobilized by the project team.
National Dialogue KENYA: Kunming Montréal-Global Biodiversity Framework Target 2 Pilots Project
The national dialogue, organized by the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) with funding from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, was held on July 7–9, 2024, in Naivasha, Kenya. Attended by 39 participants from state and non-state actors, the dialogue focused on enhancing Kenya’s ecosystem restoration monitoring efforts aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF) Target 2.
National Dialogue BURKINA FASO: Kunming Montréal-Global Biodiversity Framework Target 2 Pilots Project
The national dialogue was co-organized by the Ministry of Environment (MoE) of Burkina Faso with technical support from the Center for International Forestry Research–World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) and funding from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Held from April 22–26, 2024, in Koudougou, Burkina Faso, the national dialogue was a critical part of Burkina Faso’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) revision process. It created opportunities to align national systems for monitoring biodiversity indicators with those linked to Target 2 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF), capturing current restoration monitoring modalities, data flows, and institutional arrangements. The main objective of the national dialogue was to support Burkina Faso’s national biodiversity monitoring system as part of the NBSAP revision process, aligning it with the KM-GBF.
EcoregionsTreeFinder—A Global Dataset Documenting the Abundance of Observations of > 45,000 Tree Species in 828 Terrestrial Ecoregions
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework emphasizes ecological restoration as a key strategy for conserving biodiversity. The Global Biodiversity Standard promotes the use of native tree species, aligning with the Ecoregions2017Resolve global map, which enhances systematic planning for terrestrial biodiversity conservation. EcoregionsTreeFinder, a newly developed database, provides comprehensive lists of native tree species across 828 terrestrial ecoregions, aiding restoration projects, biogeographical studies, and tree presence observations. The dataset includes 48,129 tree species with 453,053 ecoregion-species records, detailing observations across bioclimatic zones based on Climatic Moisture Index, temperature thresholds, and water deficit metrics. The data spans 1946–2021, sourced from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, supporting biodiversity conservation efforts worldwide.
Tracking Global Restoration Targets: Insights on Target 2 from Burkina Faso, Kenya, Peru, Viet Nam and Brazil (Synthesis Report)
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF), adopted in December 2022, sets an ambitious goal under Target 2 —to effectively restore 30% of degraded terrestrial, inland water, and coastal and marine ecosystems by 2030 to safeguard biodiversity and ecosystem services. With just five years until the deadline, urgent action is required to translate these global commitments into effective national and local strategies.
To support this ambition, CIFOR-ICRAF, in collaboration with FAO, has partnered with the governments of Kenya, Burkina Faso, Peru, Viet Nam, and Brazil to define national restoration targets under their NBSAPs, assess key technical challenges, and develop implementation roadmaps in preparation for the 7th national assessment in 2026. Through co-designed national dialogues, this initiative has aligned emerging global frameworks with national realities, revealing both opportunities and challenges in achieving Target 2.
The national dialogues aimed to explore how countries are translation Target 2 into actionable national and local strategies, to explore the main barriers to which hinder progress and to under stand how multi-stakeholder coordination, financing mechanisms and monitoring systems can be strengthened to support effective restoration.
Capacity Needs and Technical Barriers to Achieving Our Global Restoration Ambitions (Target 2): Insights from five pilot countries Burkina Faso, Kenya, Peru, Viet Nam and Brazil, and global-level reflection meetings
To successfully implement Target 2 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF) and achieve restoration at scale, it is essential to address key knowledge and capacity gaps, as well as technical barriers. Insights from five national dialogues held in Brazil, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Peru, and Viet Nam, along with reflections from two capacity assessments, one from the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration Best Practices Task Force and one from the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Subsidiary Body Early Actions Support.