CONSERVATION AGREEMENTS© BENJAMIN DRUMMONDEMPOWERING PEOPLE TO CHOOSE NATURE

“I BELIEVE THAT IF WE WANT TO LIVE A HEALTHYLIFE, WE HAVE TO PROTECT OUR FOREST…WEREALIZED THAT WE DIDN’T KNOW HOW TOGROW OUR COFFEE PROPERLY IN THISREGION. WE USED TO DO IT, USING SLASH AND
BURN PRACTICES, BUT IT DIDN’T PRODUCETHE BEST RESULTS. NOW WE HAVE A GOODCOFFEE SEEDLING AND SOME VEGETABLESTHAT WE SELL IN OUR OWN COFFEE SHOP THATWE BUILT WITH SUPPORT FROM THECONSERVATION AGREEMENTS.

”-MARÍA HERNÁNDEZCONSERVATION AGREEMENTS SUBSCRIBERIN AGUAS VERDES, PERU

© THOMAS MULLER)CONSERVATION AGREEMENTS: ENDURING
SOLUTIONS FOR COMMUNITIES AND NATURE
Over half of Earth’s land belong to communities, who often manage their lands
through traditional and customary systems. These areas account for 25 percent
of global carbon stocks and host exceptional cultural and biological diversity—
and, 2.5 billion people depend on them for daily survival.
In many parts of the world, however, communities use their land, water and other naturalresources in unsustainable ways simply because they have no economic alternative.
Protecting biodiversity and ecosystem services in these places requires conservation toolsthat create development opportunities for local populations.

When conservation offers concrete benefits to local communities,
protecting the environment becomes a fair, viable choice.

CONSERVATION STEWARDS PROGRAM
Since 2005, Conservation International’s (CI’s) Conservation Stewards Program (CSP) andpartners have worked with communities and individuals around the world who agree to protect
their natural resources, as well as the benefits they provide, in exchange for a tangible stream ofincentives from investors. This approach helps to conserve natural resources while improving thequality of life for local communities.
We emphasize creating sustainable livelihood opportunities, strengthening community
governance structures, and cultivating effective relationships between communities, government
institutions, and other stakeholders in the landscape.
We do this by providing our partners with:• Technical assistance in project design• Training on the conservation agreements model• Direct funding for specific interventions• Linkages to impact investments and sustainable supply chains for enterprises

HOW CONSERVATION AGREEMENTS WORK
CSP’s conservation agreement model offers direct incentives for conservation through a negotiatedbenefit package in return for conservation actions by communities. Thus, a conservationagreement links conservation funders—governments, bilateral agencies, private sector companies,foundations, individuals, etc.—to the custodians of natural resources.
Incentives typically include investments in sustainable livelihood enterprises and social services
like health and education. Incentives can also include wages for locally driven monitoring andpatrolling. The size of these benefit packages depends on the cost of changes in resource use, as
well as conservation performance. Rigorous monitoring verifies conservation and socioeconomic
results and compliance with the negotiated commitments by all parties.

PRESSURES ON
NATURAL RESOURCESCOMMUNITY ACTIONSCOMMUNITY BENEFITS

ExamplesExamples• Manage hunting• Conduct patrolling andmonitoring• Implement a land-use plan
• Protect threatened species• Wages for patrolling• Market access for localenterprises• Technical training andphysical inputs• Education funds

COMMUNITYNEEDSACTIVE DEALS
2.7 MILLION

2,20078,000

HECTARES PROTECTEDAGREEMENTS WITH INDIVIDUALSAND COMMUNITIESDIRECT BENEFICIARIES

“WHEN YOU VALUE OUR CATTLE…

THEN WE WILL VALUE YOUR RHINO”—COMMUNITY ELDER IN UTAH VILLAGE,NEAR KRUGER NATIONAL PARK, SOUTH AFRICACREATING A
REPLICABLE
MODEL

277,000 HECTARES
3 LANDSCAPES

SOUTH AFRICARESTORING RANGELANDS AND BOLSTERING LIVESTOCK INCOME

THE PROBLEM

THE AGREEMENTTHE RESULTS

One of Earth’s most biodiverse

Communities commit to practice a

INCREASED INCOMEecoregions, the Namaqualandplanned grazing system, control soil

Farmers earned $1 million throughSucculent Karoo hosts about a thirderosion and remove invasive plant

livestock sales in the MNP auctionsof all known succulent plants in thespecies. In return, the communities

in 2017-2018.

world, half of which are native toaccess premium meat auctions

WETLANDS RECOVERY

the area. During spring, the semi-organized by Meat Naturally PTY

In restored areas, dip well readings

desert explodes into a phenomenal(MNP), a local social enterprise

after rainfall showed water tables

floral bloom. Livestock production is

jointly owned by Conservation

rising to above 50 cm

the most widespread economic

South Africa and farmers co-activity. However, decades ofoperatives. Additionally, farmers

REPLICATION

overstocking communal rangelands

access breed improvement

In 2018, Conservation South Africa,

with small livestock and ploughing

support, veterinary care services,

MNP and Peace Parks Foundation

for fodder have led to extensive

and fodder at subsidized rates.

entered into a partnership todegradation, negatively affecting

replicate this rangeland restorationboth agricultural productivity andmodel across four transboundaryecosystem health.

national parks spanning Botswana,Mozambique, South Africa andZambia.

“BY WORKING IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE
LOCAL PEOPLE, THE COMPANYCAN BETTER UNDERSTAND ITS
SUPPLY CHAIN AND IMPROVETRACEABILITY”—OLIVIER FALLETHEAD OF PROCUREMENT AT GIVAUDANCREATINGSUSTAINABLE
SUPPLYCHAINS

150,000 HECTARES
100 FAMILIESVENEZUELAPRIVATE SECTOR SUPPORT FOR INDIGENOUS LIVELIHOODS

THE PROBLEM

THE AGREEMENTTHE RESULTS

While a key area for biodiversity,
the Caura Forest Reserve faces aCSP brokered a relationshipbetween the communities, a local

RELIABLE INCOME
A storage facility helps the farmers

range of threats, from illegal mining

NGO, and Givaudan, a leading

survive weaker harvest years

and timber extraction to agricultural
expansion and uncontrolled

fragrance and flavor company and amajor user of tonka beans, toBIODIVERSITY PROTECTED

hunting. For indigenous and creole

conserve the forest

Key species benefiting from better

communities, the harvestingof tonka beans—a prized ingredient(through activities like a community
patrolling system) while also ensuring

forest management include theAmerican tapir, jaguar andin fragrances and flavors—has beena sustainable supply of tonka beans

spectacled caiman

a traditional income-generating
activity for generations.

and other non-timber forest products
like copaiba oil.

COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT
Thanks to capacity-building
workshops, community members
are now taking over leadership ofthe administration and technicalaspects of the agreements,
including their livelihoods, having
a stronger hand in their future

“WITH STABLE INCOME FROM HARVESTING
HONEY, SOME LOCAL VILLAGERS NO LONGER
NEED TO RESORT TO HUNTING OR INTENSIVEEXCAVATION OF MOUNTAIN HERBS”—GUANBA COMMUNITY LEADERADOPTING
AGREEMENTS
THROUGH
POLICY

600,000 HECTARES
10,000 VILLAGERS

CHINA
FROM ILLEGAL LOGGING TO DIVERSE LIVELIHOODS

THE RESULTS

THE PROBLEM

THE AGREEMENT

Deprived of their main source ofincome after a logging ban went

Local NGO Shanshui Nature
Conservation Center is using

into effect, timber-dependent

conservation agreements withresidents of Guanba valley
turned to illegal hunting, logging

villagers to develop lessdestructive livelihoods, includingREVIVED FISH POPULATION

and harvesting products from thebeekeeping and fish rearing,

15cm in 2017

forest, often at the expense ofgiant panda habitat.

to take pressure off the valley’s
ecosystem. They also formed a

GOVERNMENT ADOPTION

patrol team to combat illegal
poaching and logging.

INCREASED INCOME$100,000 of honey sold eachyear, 2015-2017

Size grew from 6cm in 2014 toShanshui and partners have
replicated the model in multiple
landscapes and in neighboring
Myanmar. A national nature
reserve used the model to invest
money from the central
government’s Eco-compensation
funds in communities whoagreed to protect the forest—
demonstrating the model’s use inprotected areas management

LEVERAGING THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO FINANCE CONSERVATIONIn many places, conservation agreements are an

landowners who commit to achieve biodiversity

impactful tool that support communities sustainably

conservation, reduce land degradation, support

increase their agricultural productivity as well as theirclimate regulation efforts and promote sustainable

enterprise governance capacity. The communities

natural resource management.

become dependable business partners for the privatesector, thus de-risking their investments.

As of April 2019, the CAPPP includes 17 conservationagreements, each with unique environmental andIn fact, half of CSP’s project portfolio includes

socioeconomic objectives and metrics. Results topartnering with community enterprise and thedate include:

private sector to develop sustainable supply chains
and improve local economic development.

• Nearly 10,000 square kilometers (3,800 squaremiles) of areas important for nature underimproved management across the portfolio

Given the popularity of the conservation agreements
model with private-sector partners, Conservation
International launched the Conservation Agreements• 30,000 people directly benefitting throughconservation agreements• Improved water production and improved

Private Partnership Platform (CAPPP) in 2015 tomanagement of 14,000 hectares (35,000 acres)

catalyze private-sector support for biodiversityof key watersheds in Bolivia, benefiting 264

conservation and maintenance of ecosystem services

familiesin globally important sites. With support from the GEF• Protection of important mangrove forests andEarth Fund, and in collaboration with the United

key species by communities on Colombia’sNations Environment Programme as implementing

Pacific coastagency, the CAPPP forges mutually beneficial links
between the private sector and local communities or

CONTACT US
GENERAL INFORMATION
Zachary Wells

ASIA-PACIFIC
Fitri Hasibuan

zwells@conservation.org

fhasibuan@conservation.org

LATIN AMERICAPRIVATE SECTOR ENGAGEMENT

Alejandro Rosselli

Juliette Crepin

arosselli@conservation.org

jcrepin@conservation.org

AFRICA
Amos Thiongo
athiongo@conservation.org

LEARN MORE
www.conservation.org/csp