Click for the current Version 2.0 of the Conservation Actions Classification
The following classification is Version 1.0
Conservation Actions are interventions undertaken by project staff or partners designed to reach the project’s objectives and ultimate conservation goals (e.g., establishing an ecotourism business or setting up a protected area).
1 Land/Water Protection
Actions to identify, establish or expand parks and other legally protected areas
1.1 Site/Area Protection
Establishing or expanding public or private parks, reserves, and other protected areas roughly equivalent to IUCN Categories I-VI
1.2 Resource & Habitat Protection
Establishing protection or easements of some specific aspect of the resource on public or private lands outside of IUCN Categories I-VI
2 Land/Water Management
Actions directed at conserving or restoring sites, habitats and the wider environment
2.1 Site/Area Management
Management of protected areas and other resource lands for conservation
2.2 Invasive/Problematic Species Control
Controlling and/or preventing invasive and/or other problematic plants, animals, and pathogens
2.3 Habitat & Natural Process Restoration
Enhancing degraded or restoring missing habitats and ecosystem functions; dealing with pollution
3 Species Management
Actions directed at managing or restoring species, focused on the species of concern itself
3.1 Species Management
Managing specific plant and animal populations of concern
3.2 Species Recovery
Manipulating, enhancing or restoring specific plant and animal populations, vaccination programs
3.3 Species Re-Introduction
Re-introducing species to places where they formally occurred or benign introductions
3.4 Ex-Situ Conservation
Protecting biodiversity out of its native habitats
4 Education & Awareness
Actions directed at people to improve understanding and skills, and influence behavior
4.1 Formal Education
Enhancing knowledge and skills of students in a formal degree program
4.2 Training
Enhancing knowledge, skills and information exchange for practitioners, stakeholders, and other relevant individuals in structured settings outside of degree programs
4.3 Awareness & Communications
Raising environmental awareness and providing information through various media or through civil disobedience
5 Law & Policy
Actions to develop, change, influence, and help implement formal legislation, regulations, and voluntary standards
5.1 Legislation
Making, implementing, changing, influencing, or providing input into formal government sector legislation or polices at all levels: international, national, state/provincial, local, tribal
5.2 Policies & Regulations
Making, implementing, changing, influencing, or providing input into policies and regulations affecting the implementation of laws at all levels: international, national, state/provincial, local/community, tribal
5.3 Private Sector Standards & Codes
Setting, implementing, changing, influencing, or providing input into voluntary standards & professional codes that govern private sector practice
5.4 Compliance & Enforcement
Monitoring and enforcing compliance with laws, policies & regulations, and standards & codes at all levels
6 Livelihood, Economic & Other Incentives
Actions to use economic and other incentives to influence behavior
6.1 Linked Enterprises & Livelihood Alternatives
Developing enterprises that directly depend on the maintenance of natural resources or provide substitute livelihoods as a means of changing behaviors and attitudes
6.2 Substitution
Promoting alternative products and services that substitute for environmentally damaging ones
6.3 Market Forces
Using market mechanisms to change behaviors and attitudes
6.4 Conservation Payments
Using direct or indirect payments to change behaviors and attitudes
6.5 Non-Monetary Values
Using intangible values to change behaviors and attitudes
7 External Capacity Building
Actions to build the infrastructure to do better conservation
7.1 Institutional & Civil Society Development
Creating or providing non-financial support & capacity building for non-profits, government agencies, communities, and for-profits
7.2 Alliance & Partnership Development
Forming and facilitating partnerships, alliances, and networks of organizations
7.3 Conservation Finance
Raising and providing funds for conservation work
Classification of Conservation Actions
- Overview Web Page
- Download: PDF of Conservation Biology Article (320 KB)
