Chapter 4 | For a Lasting Planet

Chapter 4

Inclusive approaches as pathways for conservation

Inclusive approaches in conservation (whether in storytelling or the running of Wildlife Management Areas) are essential to foster equitable stewardship and enhance biodiversity protection. In essence, they are pathways for impact. However, just as impact must be considered and conceptualised from the beginning of a project, inclusive approaches should also be embedded from the outset. Neither should be treated as an afterthought or an additional component, but rather as the essence that shapes the entire project.

Inclusive approaches can mean:

Integrating diverse knowledge systems such as indigenous knowledge and science.
Including local communities in the building of a conservation strategy.
Ensuring that affected communities have a meaningful voice in decision-making.
Recognizing and respecting the cultural ties that communities have with their environment.
Shaping interventions to center on the communities themselves, rather than on our external perspectives.
Fostering trust, long-term commitment, and collaboration.
Embracing diverse perspectives and practices to build resilience and generate social and economic benefits.

Notes from the field

A while ago, I had a conversation with a filmmaker from Zambia where we shared and explored best practices for integrating behavioural change into storytelling, alongside the importance of inclusive approaches. From our respective experiences, we concluded that all productions and conservation initiatives should prioritise building rapport with communities before filming, ensuring that the story centres on them, not on the filmmaker or the production team, so that we are able to capture the story they want to tell, not what we want to tell. Furthermore, while developing local talent is crucial, it should be approached as a long-term mentorship rather than a one-off effort to ‘check the box’. This requires resources, as we will discuss later, but it is undoubtedly worth the effort.

Inclusive approaches in research

Adopting inclusive approaches in research refers to the involvement of key stakeholders in the research process (people who need the change, want to see the change and can make it happen). By co-designing what the research questions might be and being part of the research team, increases their understanding of the problem and the ability to use the evidence that emerges in their roles and responsibilities for change.

Inclusive approaches in research also means engaging in building capacity and knowledge, and creating the conditions for change. At the end of the day, research is not about just accumulating knowledge; it's about striving to make positive changes that enhance people's lives with the knowledge we have.

Inclusive approaches in strategy development

Here are some key considerations to ensure maximum inclusion in your behaviour change strategy:

Pay attention to power dynamics among actors: Recognise and address the influence and relationships between different stakeholders to ensure equitable participation.

Monitor the distribution of benefits and harms: Assess how environmental issues impact various groups to ensure fair distribution of both benefits and burdens.

Involve key actors and beneficiaries in framing the problem: Engage those directly affected to ensure that they recognise the issue and feel empowered to contribute to the solution.

Follow ethical guidelines during data collection: Adhere to ethical standards to ensure respectful and accurate data gathering.

Engage in deep and active listening: Listen to understand people’s full experiences, focusing on their perspectives rather than preparing responses.

Ensure your hypothesis reflects the gathered data, not assumptions: Base your conclusions on evidence rather than preconceived notions, even if it shifts your story. Remember, the focus should be on "them," not "us."

Create space for diverse ideas: Allow room for multiple perspectives to emerge, which helps in identifying motivations and barriers effectively.

Context and target groups: Tailor your strategy to the specific context and needs of the groups you are aiming to reach, ensuring it is relevant and effective for them.

Local context and preferences: Design your intervention to align with local context and preferences, taking into account not only behavioural motivations but also cultural and situational factors.

Simplify and ensure accessibility: Make sure the solution is straightforward and easily accessible to all participants, removing barriers to understanding and implementation.

Reflect on potential negative impacts: Assess and address any potential negative impacts or harms that could affect those involved, ensuring the strategy does not inadvertently disadvantage or harm participants.

Incorporate community feedback: Actively incorporate feedback from the community to refine and improve the strategy, ensuring it remains responsive to their needs and concerns.

Report all outcomes: Share both the successes and shortcomings of the intervention with the communities and provide them with the opportunity to express their thoughts and feedback on these outcomes.

Communicate results clearly: Present results in a straightforward and accessible manner, and ensure that data is disaggregated by relevant groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity) to provide a nuanced understanding.

Monitor long-term and unintended effects: Continuously track the long-term impacts and any unintended consequences of the intervention to ensure ongoing effectiveness and address any emerging issues.

Co-production of knowledge

For an inclusive co-production of knowledge, you need to create an equal partnership where both parties participate and are consulted in every step; from the conception of figuring out what questions need to be asked to figuring out how to gather the information, analyse and share the information.

To achieve co-production of knowledge, you will have to overcome some challenges. Sometimes, it will be difficult to have the right people on the table that represents both parties and have mutual trust and respect. Sometimes the process will take time and there might be external pressures that hinder the co-production of knowledge, sometimes the resource-demand will be difficult to navigate and sometimes, the contrast between knowledge systems —specifically, the rapid advancements in scientific knowledge versus the deep, time-honed insights of traditional knowledge will make it difficult to put both parties on the same page. Because, while scientific approaches often promote quick solutions, traditional knowledge systems require years to develop and understand.

However, if we don't take time to navigate and overcome these challenges, the loss of traditional knowledge—said the urgent need for sustainability and adaptation in a rapidly changing world—could hinder our ability to address them effectively. Ole Henrik, Professor at Sami allaskuva (Sami University of Applied Sciences), summarises it in the following quote.

I hope it's not too late because so much of that knowledge is disappearing day by day. I have seen it, of course, in my own life, what people knew when I was a child. That knowledge isn't there anymore. It's forgotten. It's lost, but much is there still, and that is… therefore it's a good opportunity, but we don't have much time. So there must be resources to do something about this knowledge and not only to collect it but to include and combine it with other kinds of knowledge.

Ole Henrik

Notes from the field

A year ago, I participated in the ACLIE (African Conference for Linear Infrastructure & Ecology) in Kenya, where we discussed the impact of infrastructure on wildlife and ecosystems while sharing best practices and mitigation solutions. The conference brought together participants from across Africa—countries like Rwanda, Uganda, Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and more—and even some Europeans, including representatives from Sweden.

One of the most memorable insights, aside from the examples shown in participatory community mapping exercises, was the importance of engaging local communities in a truly inclusive way. To achieve this, it was recommended to develop and use context-specific language tailored to different levels of education and cultural backgrounds so that everyone could fully understand the situation and participate meaningfully in decision-making. The presenter emphasised that too often, consultants, productions, or projects approach communities with questions that are unclear or inaccessible to them and extract information that might not be true leading to harmful approaches and community abuse. Therefore, for genuine inclusion, it’s essential that communities fully comprehend what is being asked of them and what their 'yes' or 'no' truly leads to.