Category: Uncategorized

Session 1: Introduction to Monitoring and Evaluation

Welcome to Module 11! In this Session we focus on introducing principles of monitoring and evaluation and how it can support community conservation programs. We cover core terms, principles and approaches to M&E that are important foundations of conservation program planning and implementation. 

Session 1.1: Introduction

Session 1.2: Partners Principles for community conservation

Session 1.3: M&E Change is complex

Session 1.4: M&E understanding your context and contribution to change

Session 2: Monitoring & Community Conservation

This Session explores participatory approaches to Monitoring! We use a case study from Spiti, India to illustrate how programs evolve and can monitor key outputs and outcomes.
Checkout what key principles stuck with participants.

Session 2.1: Introduction to Participatory Monitoring

Session 2.2: Shen Case Study

Session 2.3: Introduction to monitoring

Session 2.4: Shen as an example of Participatory Monitoring

Session 3: Participatory Approaches to Evaluation

James shares two case studies related to evaluating conflict and climate change adaptation strategies. Through these case studies we explore relevant indicators/approaches to assess progress towards the harder to measure longer outcomes (such as resilience, adaptation, etc.) through stakeholder participatory approaches.  

As preparation for the session please feel free to check out this video related to Climate Adaptation Strategies for Rural Livelihoods in Indonesia. James will be sharing insights on how the team evaluated progress in their programs. Please also read the following three publications that share more details on these case studies and the approaches. 

Session 3.1: Background to conservation conflict MEL

Session 3.2: Discussion on indicators

Session 3.3: Feedback and final discussion

 

New Note to Bibliography

 

 

 

Please find details of a new note reporting a SL predation on an adult yak, which has been added to our bibliography:

Title: Snow leopard (Panthera uncia) predation and consumption of an adult yak in the Mongolian Altai.

Authors: ???? ?????Krofel, M., Groff, C., Oberosler, V., Augugliaro, C., Rovero, F.

Introduction: The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is an apex predator of mountainous ecosystems in Central Asia, characterised by relatively long feeding times and low kill rates (Johansson et al. 2015; Mallon et al. 2016). Predation is mainly focused on wild ungulates and the vast majority of animals killed by snow leopards are smaller than 100 kg (Lovari et al. 2013). Throughout most of their range, Siberian ibex (Capra sibirica), blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur), and argali (Ovis ammon) represent the most important prey (Hunter 2015). These species weigh up to 180 kg, which was suggested to be near the maximum limit of the prey size that snow leopard can handle (i.e. about 3 times its size) (e.g. Schaller 1977; Hunter 2015). Accordingly, researchers generally assume that prey like adult yaks (Bos grunniens) with an average body weight of 250 kg (Bagchi & Mishra 2006), are too large to be killed by snow leopards (e.g. Devkota et al. 2013; Chetri et al. 2017). In contrast, local livestock herders report that snow leopard can also kill larger prey, including adult yaks (e.g. Li et al. 2013; Suryawanshi et al. 2013), but confirmed records of snow leopard killing prey of this size appear to be lacking in the literature. We also have very limited knowledge about the consumption of snow leopard kills, and the scavengers, including conspecifics, that are using them (Fox & Chundawat 2016; Schaller 2016). Here we report on a predation event and the following consumption process of a snow leopard kill, a free-roaming adult female yak, which we studied in 2019 using snow tracking, direct observation and camera trapping in the Mongolian Altai.

URL: https://snowleopardnetwork.org/bibliography/Krofel_et_al_2021.pdf

Session 3: Using SMART tools to collect field data

Module 9: Session 3

Using SMART tools to collect  field data

This Session will introduce SMART Mobile and Collect- the exciting new additions to the SMART conservation toolkit– and how they can be used to protect wildlife and improve protected area management in the range of the snow leopard.

Session 3.1: Field data recording with SMART conservation tools

 Session 3.2: Demonstration of how to install SMART mobile on a handheld device

Session 3.3: Case study – Field patrolling with multiagency anti-poaching unit (MAPU)

Session 2: Community Conservation & Tourism

Module 8: Session 2

In this 2nd session of Module 8 we move forward and specifically look at the ‘whys’ and ‘hows’ of engaging communities for conservation led tourism. We capture the positions of different stakeholders and how they can, or might not always, be aligned with benefits reaching the community as a whole.

Session 2.1: Why should local communities be central to conservation?

Session 2.2: Principles for community led conservation tourism in China

Session 2.3: A large scale context approach

Highlights

  • Why should local communities be central to the conservation of snow leopards?
  • What are the benefits and risks of involving local communities for conservation of snow leopard landscapes?
  • There maybe a tension between tourist experiences and community cohesion. For example tourists will want to stay at the best place for the best chance. They will also want to choose where they stay. Versus the community being empowered to regulate, and promote the equitable distribution of benefits.
  • How can effective community structures deal with tourism and manage the program?
  • There is a need for support of the local governments and other enforcement agencies
  • An integrated approach is crucial when looking at snow leopard tourism. While one community may be better suited to host guests, other nearby communities can be part of the wider service ecosystem. One can consider the distribution of benefits at the landscape level

Download the full highlight summary HERE.

Panthera Sabin snow leopard grants program announcement

 Hello All,

I am happy to announce that with the continued generous support of the Andrew Sabin Family Foundation, Panthera will be accepting letters of interest from February 15th through March 15th, for our Sabin Snow Leopard grants program. 

This will be our 7th year of the grant program and the accomplishments of grantees from the past 6 years have been tremendous and inspiring. I can offer that the common thread among successful applicants has been their innovative approach to creating new tools, addressing old questions from new perspectives, and/or filling significant knowledge gaps. 

Please see the attached, or follow the link below, for details. 

https://www.panthera.org/cms/sites/default/files/Panthera_SabinSnowLeopardGrantProgram.pdf 

All the best, 

-Byron Weckworth

Byron Weckworth | Director, Snow Leopard Program; Director, Conservation Genetics
Visit us online at www.panthera.org

 

Session 4: Shaping Relevant Framework(s)

Module 8: Session 4

The Module 8 journey so far has taken us to introducing Conservation Tourism concepts and the need to engage communities as a central pillar to the approach. In the last session we focussed on ecological, social and economic “risks” and ways to mitigate these.

This final session will take us towards broadening our discussions to learn from examples that are underway in Pakistan, Tajikistan and Mongolia. We hope these experiences help us see the above principles in action and perhaps bring up new themes and ideas. We will then conclude the session by synthesising key principles which we feel will be useful as teams start new programs or refine on-going approaches. 

Session 4.1: Introduction

Session 4.2: Example from Tajikistan

Session 4.3: Example from Mongolia

Session 4.4: Example from Pakistan

Session 4.5: Bringing the principles together

Session 4.6: Conservation Tourism Principles Recap

Session 4.7: Conservation Tourism Framework Approach

Session 4.8: Concluding thoughts

Highlights

  • “Tourism is like a fire. You can cook your food with it, but if it’s not managed, it can burn your house down.”
  • In areas without formal wildlife protection- tourism can be used to support local communities to set-up community based conservation programs. This can create ownership of land and increase investments in building capacity for conservation (i.e. Tajikistan)
  • Conservation led tourism may be challenged in areas of low human density and where communities structures are not in place (i.e. Mongolia). How can benefits be equitably distributed? How to address this challenge?
  • Local risk assessments is an essential part of the process and explore mitigation measures (i.e. Pakistan)
  • Key components of Conservation Tourism include: Inclusive conservation beyond the protected area; Community involvement; Economic benefits for the community; Equitable distribution, and the community has to making the decisions.
  • Why is conservation tourism important?
    • Creates conservation opportunities
    • Helps pay for ecosystem services
    • Can help preserve cultural heritage
    • Build community support for conservation
    • Way of empowering community and giving them ownership
    • Livelihoods linked to the well-being of snow leopard and it’s habitats
  • There are however enormous risks from tourism
    • Increase vulnerability
    • No equitable benefits can lead to conflicts
    • Malpractices if not managed
    • Visitors can have an ecologically heavy footprint
    • Destruction of natural and cultural environment
  • The Fundamentals include:
    • Destination led and not market driven
    • Benefits at a landscape level
    • Low-volume – high revenue
    • Local involvement and ethical practices
    • Unity of control
    • Integrated approach