Strategic Planning for Species Conservation: A Handbook - IUCN

9. Using a Species Conservation Strategy to
develop national or local Action Plans
This chapter discusses how the SCS process is also helpful for the preparation of national
or local Action Plans. It argues that the Vision, Goals, Objectives, and Actions agreed by
participants preparing the SCS can be readily adapted to the national or local level. The
chapter re-emphasises the continued need for broad-based participation in conservation
planning. It also provides some guidance on possible content and tools to be used in
national action planning workshops.
9.1 Introduction
Although species conservation requires planning at the range-wide or regional level, almost
all conservation activities are conducted under the authority of national or local
governments. This should present few problems when planning for the conservation of
species restricted to the area covered by single government authority (usually a single
range State). However, many species’ geographic ranges overlap areas administered by
multiple authorities. For these species, it is essential that range-wide (or regional) SCSs
can be readily translated into a number of Action Plans which can be implemented under
the authority of particular governments. In most cases, this will entail developing national
action plans; however in some cases it may be more appropriate to develop such Action
Plans at the state or provincial level, or at the supra-national level.
Fortunately, experience has shown that national Action Plans can be produced (or, where
appropriate, updated) easily and quickly where range-wide or regional SCSs have been
developed along the lines described in Chapters 5–8 (e.g., TAWIRI 2007, KWS in press,
DWNP in prep). Indeed, serving as a template for national Action Plans is one of the most
effective uses for a SCS. Not only does this approach encourage the development of
national Action Plans, it should also ensure that the Action Plans developed by multiple
range States within a region complement one another. This makes it more likely that the
range-wide or regional Goals and Vision will be achieved and also facilitates a co-ordinated
regional approach to implementation.
Some examples of agendas for national workshops can be downloaded from the web at:
http://intranet.iucn.org/webfiles/doc/SSC/SCS/Ch9_ntl_wkshp_agenda_cheetwd_BOT.pdf
(national workshop on cheetahs and wild dogs in Botswana) and http://intranet.iucn.org/
webfiles/doc/SSC/SCS/Ch9_ntl_wkshp_agenda_AWCB_VIE.pdf (national workshop on
Asian wild cattle and buffaloes in Vietnam).
9.2 Participation
If a range-wide or regional SCS is to be acceptable for use as a template to develop
national Action Plans, it is essential that it be developed with participation from key
stakeholders from each range State (particularly range State wildlife authorities). Such
participation in the range-wide or regional process should ensure that the resulting SCS
takes into account the species’ status in each range State, and also that it tackles key
issues affecting species conservation in each range State. Participation also instils a sense
of national ownership of the range-wide or regional SCS which is extremely important for
fostering acceptance at the national level.
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