Living Landscape Program

Conceptual Models

Strategic planning at a project scale

Seeing your project clearly

Conservation Target

Interventions

Threats

Simple version of reality

Car moves forward

Turn key in ignition

Press foot on pedal

Put car in gear

Fuel flows to engine

Starter motorEngine starts

Release clutch

Conceptual Model

Threat (Indirect)

Threat (Direct)

Threat (Indirect)

Threat (Direct)

Threat (Indirect)

Threat (Direct)

Intervention

Intervention

Goal

Conservation Target Conservation Target

Threat (Direct)

Divide to keep simple

Threat (Indirect)

Threat (Direct)

Threat (Direct)

Intervention

Intervention

Goal

Conservation Target

Threat (Indirect)

Threat (Direct)

Threat (Indirect)

Intervention

Goal

Conservation Target

Threat (Direct)

Goal

GoalConserve wildlife and their

habitat in the Mamiraua landscape over the long-

term

GoalPreserve ecosystem function and viable

populations of all wildlife in the Apolobamba region

GoalConserve biodiversity in

Belize’s mangrove forests

Conservation Targets

Conservation TargetViable populations of black

howlers are conserved across the Peten

Conservation TargetThe density of jaguar

recovers to levels comparable to Cockscomb,

Belize

Conservation TargetForest habitat within the

park remains unfragmented

Direct Threat

Threat (Direct)Unsustainable hunting

Threat (Direct)Housing development

Threat (Direct)Unsustainable logging

Threat (Direct)Expansion of water lily

Threat (Direct)Oil spill

Habitat Loss Species depletion

Pollution Invasion of exotic species

Indirect ThreatThreat (Indirect)

No zoning regulations

Threat (Indirect)Inadequate law

enforcement

Threat (Indirect)Policy promotes road

building

Threat (Indirect)Conservation impacts

unknown

Threat (Indirect)Management needs of

wildlife unknown Management CapacityUser awareness and interest

Policies, laws, regulations

Interventions

InterventionPolicy reform

InterventionLaw enforcement

InterventionStaff training

InterventionFence repair

InterventionLand mapping & zoning

InterventionApplied research

Process

Threat (Indirect)

Threat (Indirect)

Threat (Indirect)

Goal

Conservation TargetThreat (Direct)

Threat (Direct)

Threat (Direct)

Threat (Direct)

Conservation Target

Process

Threat (Indirect)

Threat (Indirect)

Threat (Indirect)

Goal

Conservation TargetThreat (Direct)

Threat (Direct)

Threat (Direct)

Threat (Direct)

Conservation Target

Process

Threat (Indirect)

Threat (Direct)

Threat (Indirect)

Threat (Direct)

Threat (Indirect)

Threat (Direct)

Intervention

Intervention

Goal

Conservation Target Conservation Target

Threat (Direct)

Reverse Process

Threat (Indirect)

Threat (Indirect)

Threat (Indirect)

InterventionIntervention

Goal

Conservation Target Conservation Target

Threat (Direct)

Threat (Direct)

Threat (Direct)

Threat (Direct)

Intervention

Conceptual Model

GoalConserve wildlife and their habitat in the Pastaza region of Ecuador over the long-term

Conservation TargetMaintain present density of collared

peccaries in Sarayaku territory

Threat (Indirect)Hunting zones not

enforced

Threat (Direct)Overhunting by Jivaro

colonists

Threat (Indirect)Colonists unaware of overhunting, believe

shaman are hiding the game

InterventionResearch link between crop protection and hunting control

InterventionInvolve community in wildlife

population monitoring & research

InterventionOutreach to colonists to raise awareness

Threat (Indirect)Community guards not assigned to

hunting zone enforcement

Threat (Indirect)Community labor focused on crop

protection from agoutis

Threat (Direct)Pesticide and dynamite

fishing

InterventionStudy options to reduce rodent

damage to crops

Conservation TargetMaintain present abundance of armoured

catfish in the Bobonaza river within Sarayaku territory

Threat (Indirect)Decline in wild ‘barbasco’

abundance

InterventionPlant family gardens

of ‘barbasco’ fish poison

InterventionCommunity council

discussion of pesticide and

dynamite fishing

Threat (Direct)Unsustainable

hunting

InterventionEst. NP Mgmt committee

GoalConserve wildlife and their habitat in the Putumayo landscape over the long term

Conservation TargetWhite-lipped peccary populations remain

at present densities and distribution

Conservation TargetNative landcover will not decrease from present

levels within the National Park

Threat (Direct)Unsustainable

fishing

Threat (Direct)Dieoffs from oil pollution

Conservation TargetGiant otter populations expand into 50% of

all class 2 rivers by 2020

Threat (Direct)Farming and Ranching

Threat (Direct)Logging

Threat (Indirect)Oil industry unregulated

Threat (Indirect)Anarchic colonization

Threat (Indirect)Unplanned roads

Threat (Indirect)Insecure land tenureThreat (Indirect)

Park borders not marked

Threat (Indirect)Park borders not

enforced

Threat (Indirect)Weak mgmt capacity

Threat (Indirect)Unclear jurisdiction

Threat (Indirect)Lack of planning

capacity

Threat (Indirect)Lack of planning info

InterventionNP Mgmt plan

InterventionBaseline research on wildlife

InterventionMonitor human use

InterventionSocio-economic

research

InterventionID contradictions in

law

InterventionLand titling

InterventionGov. capacity

InterventionONHAE capacity

InterventionFCUNAE capacity

Working group instructions

• Working group (6-8 people)– Mix of project and non-project staff– One facilitator with experience creating conceptual models

• Help project team to model their project• Model is simpler version of reality not recreation of reality

– Focus only on key components not all components

• Be prepare to come back to the group and describe the key components of your model and to discuss whether the process was useful

• Remember this exercise is very brief and is only to brainstorm a first draft of a project conceptual model that will need to be reviewed, revised and refined over time

Working group instructions

Steps• 2:00 hrs conceptual model building

– Goal – 5-10 minutes– Conservation targets – 10-20 minutes– Direct and Indirect threats – 20-40 minutes– Causal chains & networks – 30 minutes– Interventions – 20 minutes

• Attach cards to flip-chart paper• Take a Digital Photo!