ACTIONS
- Protect and safeguard cultural and natural heritage
- Learning and educational opportunities
- Cultural participation/social inclusion
- Sustainable tourism
- Support research
- Employment (recruiting, training, safety)
- Energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions
- Waste management and reduction
- Transport (forms of, energy use)
- Commercial activities including copyright and IP
- Governance and management
- Security, disaster preparedness, risk reduction
- External partnerships and collaborations
- Publication/report
- Sign-post to other resource (database)
- Case studies
- Video
- Online assessment of reviewed studies and articles
[Nature] Conservation Evidence
Intended Audience
Conservationists
- Conservation Evidence
“Conservation Evidence is a free, authoritative information resource designed to support decisions about how to maintain and restore global biodiversity.
We summarise evidence from the scientific literature (studies) about the effects of conservation actions such as methods of habitat or species management. We produce synopses of evidence that review the effectiveness of all actions you could implement to conserve a given species group or habitat or to tackle a particular conservation issue. Expert panels are then asked to assess the effectiveness (or not) of actions, based on the summarized evidence (for more details see What Works in Conservation). We also publish new evidence in our online Conservation Evidence Journal.
Our ongoing review process continually extracts evidence from journals and other sources of evidence. So far we have searched over 330 English journals, with 30 important conservation journals (such as Conservation Biology, Biological Conservation, Ecology, Journal of Applied Ecology, Oryx) and systematic reviews published by the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence searched regularly. We have also searched over 300 non-English journals. In addition, we search 'grey literature' such as report series to focus on particular species groups or habitats. For more details see methods 'Finding evidence'.
As well as the existing synopses, we are currently developing new synopses on a range of subjects (see protocols). Additional topics are also being added to the synopses on the control of invasive species. We are also currently updating the synopsis on the conservation of birds.
The idea is to give conservationists easy access to the latest and most relevant knowledge to support conservation policy or management decisions.
Simply search for your species, habitat or issue of interest. Our site will present you with a list of possible actions you could take, along with a plain English summary of the available evidence for whether each one is effective (or not). It will also provide expert assessment of the effectiveness, based on the summarized evidence (see What Works in Conservation).
We do not make recommendations. This is because it is difficult to give evidence-based conservation advice that is appropriate for every context. Instead, we provide evidence and an assessment of that evidence, which should be interpreted by conservationists who understand their own site and national or regional situation.” (About us)
Avaiable in
- English
SDGs LINKAGES
The resource can help inform a range of activities relating to collections-based institutions, and that support the SDGs, notably in terms of:
4.4 (staff skills), 4.7 (Education for Sustainable Development), 12.8 (information for lifestyles in harmony with nature and sustainable development) and 13.3 (education and information relating to climate change, and supporting institutional capacity regarding climate change).
In addition, the resource can support 2.5 (conserve crops and wild relatives), 8.9 (sustainable tourism), 9.5 (support scientific research), 11.4 (strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard cultural and natural heritage), 12.2 (sustainable use and management of natural resources), 13.1 (strengthen resilience to climate change), 14.2 (sustainably manage and protect coastal and marine ecosystems), 14.5 (marine protected areas), 14.A (scientific knowledge and research capacity on the oceans), and targets relating to the conservation of terrestrial biodiversity and ecosystems including aquatic (6.6 and 15.1), forest (15.2), soil (15.3) and mountain (15.4) habitats, as well as preventing destruction of habitats and loss of biodiversity and preventing extinctions (15.5), trafficking of wildlife and wildlife products (15.7), effects of invasive species (15.8), integrating conservation values into planning (15.9), mobilizing resources for nature conservation (15.A), supporting developing countries with conservation (15.B), and global support to end poaching and wildlife trafficking (15.C). The resource can be used to help mobilise resources for conservation for developing countries (17.3); and support sharing of resources, including knowledge, internationally (17.16), including co-operation on science with developing countries (17.6); and in other forms of partnerships (17.17).
The resource can be searched for assessments of actions that can support each of these targets.
Click on the SDG Target to discover Our Collections Matter indicators
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Collections development related to genetic diversity of seeds, cultivated plants, farmed and domesticated animals (notably of local or at-risk varieties) and related wild species, for example in herbaria, museums, seed and gene banks, and seed libraries.
- Number of educational programmes related to genetic diversity of domesticated plants, animals and wild relatives.
- Number of educational programmes related to fair and equitable benefits of use of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, following international agreements (e.g. Nagoya Protocol).
- Number of educational and awareness programmes for people to ensure that they are aware of their rights and protections in terms of traditional knowledge, and exploitation of genetic resources.
- Number of research activities that help understand traditional knowledge, and genetic diversity of crop plants and animals.
- Ensure that producers of crop plants and animals are fairly compensated.
- Policies and procedures in place to ensure seed banks are soundly managed, in terms of risk management and emergency planning.
- Policies and procedures in place to ensure legal compliance with fair and equitable benefits of use of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, following international agreements (e.g. Nagoya Protocol).
- Number of partnerships at national, regional and international levels, as appropriate, to soundly manage seed and plant banks.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Number of young people and adults in skills-development activities and programmes drawing on collections, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
- Increase in number of young people and adults in such programmes.
- Number and proportion of staff who have received training in the last year, to better support their contribution to the SDGs.
- Programs and processes in place to ensure the availability of a skilled workforce.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Numbers of people in each type of programme drawing on collections from different demographic groups.
- Increases in numbers of people in each type of programme from different demographic groups.
- Proportion of people involved in such programmes in relation to overall audience size.
- Evidence that learners have acquired knowledge and skills to promote sustainable development.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Proportion of water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes in a good ecological condition.
- Information on, programmes relating to, and partnerships relating to water-related ecosystems drawing on collections and collections-based institutions in place, to support protection of these as effective nature-based solutions and ecosystem services.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Numbers of jobs created or supported that relate to sustainable tourism drawing on local products (e.g. craft producers).
- Develop and implement plans to reduce and remove negative impacts of tourism.
- Numbers of activities and/or products drawing on local culture.
- Value to artisans and source communities of activities and products drawing on local culture.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Number and proportion of collections facilities that effectively support research and researchers.
- Number and proportion of staff who are appropriately skilled to undertake and support collections-based research.
- Expenditure on initiatives to enhance and upgrade collections facilities.
- Numbers of staff engaged in supporting and developing research use based on collections.
- Number of initiatives to encourage innovation drawing on collections.
- Increase in number of research and development workers per 1 million people.
- Increase in public and private research and development spending being used to develop and make use of collections.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Total expenditure (public and private) per capita spent on the preservation, protection and conservation of all cultural and natural heritage, by type of heritage.
- Plans, policies and procedures in place for the safe use of collections for a variety of purposes, protecting and safeguarding both collections and those who use them.
- Plans, policies and procedures in place for the identification, safeguarding and protection of cultural and natural heritage at risk.
- Collecting programmes in place to protect, safeguard and make use of cultural and natural heritage, addressing the needs of communities and stakeholders, and ensuring that collections can be an effective resource for sustainable development.
- Number and diversity of educational, awareness-raising, research programmes, and partnerships that aim to strengthen protection of cultural and natural heritage.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Reduction of material footprint in terms of reductions in consumption of biomass, fossil fuels, metal ores and non-metal ores.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development (including climate change education) are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment.
- Extent to which global citizenship education and education for sustainable development (including climate change education) are mainstreamed in formal, informal and non-formal education programmes and activities drawing on and related to collections.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Plans in place for near and longer term to withstand and actively adapt to climate-related hazards and natural disasters.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Plans in place to enhance positive contributions to addressing climate change through use of collections. Plans in place to ensure collections, collections institutions and broader society can adapt effectively to climate change.
- Plans in place for effective education and awareness raising on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning.
- Plans in place to reduce negative contributions of collections-related functions, e.g. measuring greenhouse emissions with plans and targets in place to reduce them.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Proportion of marine and coastal areas in a good ecological condition.
- Numbers of educational and awareness-raising programmes, research activities, and partnerships drawing on collections aiming to support protection of marine and coastal areas.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Number of collections-based activities that support designation, management and science for the protection of marine and coastal protection areas.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Number of collections-related activities that aim to increase scientific knowledge, and develop research capacity for the conservation and management of marine biodiversity, and to support its sustainable use.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Proportion of terrestrial and inland freshwater systems in a good ecological condition.
- Information on, educational programmes, collections development, research and partnerships relating to terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems drawing on collections in place.
- Policies relating to collections and their use aligned with international agreements for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Proportion of forests in a good ecological condition.
- Information on, programmes relating to, collections development, and partnerships relating to forests drawing on collections in place, to support their protection and effective functioning.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Proportion of soils and land area in a good ecological condition, with reference to desertification, drought and floods.
- Information on, programmes relating to, collections development, and partnerships relating to soils and land use (with reference to desertification, drought and floods) drawing on collections in place, to support their protection and effective functioning.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Proportion of mountain ecosystems, including their biodiversity, in a good ecological condition.
- Information on, programmes relating to, collections development, and partnerships relating to mountain ecosystems and their biodiversity drawing on collections in place, to support their protection and effective functioning.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Number and proportion of habitats, notably endangered habitats, and species with favourable conservation status, with special reference to locally, nationally and globally endangered species.
- Information on, programmes relating to, collections development, and partnerships relating to habitats and species drawing on collections in place, to support their protection and continued existence.
- Measures taken to enhance biodiversity value of green space associated with collections institutions.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Policies and plans in place to ensure objects and specimens of protected species (for example ivory, rhino horn) in collections are protected against theft and do not enter supply chains.
- Policies and plans in place to ensure that objects and specimens are only acquired in line with national and international legislation, or with legal dispensation.
- Information on, programmes relating to, collections development, and partnerships relating to poached and trafficked species, notably protected and endangered species, to end poaching and trafficking.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Number and proportion of invasive alien species for which effective measures are in place to reduce their impact on land and water ecosystems.
- Information on, programmes relating to, collections development, and partnerships relating to invasive alien species, to support their effective management, and to prevent spread and impact.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Proportion and number of relevant plans, processes and strategies that incorporate ecosystem and biodiversity values, and their relationships with effective collections.
- Plans in place to ensure that development of collections facilities contributes to effective conservation and restoration of terrestrial ecosystems.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Revenue generated to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystems.
- Direct financial support given to projects and organisations for conservation and/or sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystems.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Revenue generated to conserve and sustainably use forests, including conservation and reforestation, and that support local and Indigenous peoples.
- Direct financial support given to projects and organisations to conserve and sustainably use forests, including for conservation and reforestation, and that support local and Indigenous peoples.
- Other forms of support provided to projects and organisations to conserve and sustainably use forests, including for conservation and reforestation, and that support local and Indigenous peoples.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Policies and plans in place to ensure objects and specimens of protected species (for example ivory, rhino horn) in collections are protected against theft and do not enter supply chains.
- Policies and plans in place to ensure that objects and specimens are only acquired in line with national and international legislation, or with legal dispensation.
- Revenue generated to combat poaching and trafficking of protected species, and to support local communities to pursue sustainable livelihoods.
- Direct financial support given to projects and organisations to combat poaching and trafficking of protected species, and to support local communities to pursue sustainable livelihoods.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Amount of financial support provided to support sustainable development initiatives in developing countries.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Number and/or increase in number, and diversity of global and international multi-stakeholder partnerships that share collection-related knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources to address the SDGs, or that otherwise involve collections-based organisations and institutions.
- Number and/or increase in number, and diversity of global and international multi-stakeholder partnerships involving developing countries that share collection-related knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources to address the SDGs.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Amount of United States dollars committed to public-private and civil society partnerships.
- Number and/or increase in number, and diversity of local, national and regional multi-stakeholder (public, public-private and civil society) partnerships that address the SDGs drawing on collections, or that otherwise involve collections-based organisations and institutions.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Number and diversity of North-South, South-South and triangular co-operations and projects to support access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge-sharing on mutually agreed terms.