BY QSHURTLIFF
Introduction to the Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation—Self-Paced
Stop writing conservation plans that have low buy-in and become obsolete after a few years. Learn how to create a unified vision and a strategic, adaptable plan for addressing the greatest threats to natural resources at your project site—learn the Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation!
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Modules
5
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Sessions
12
(4.0)
About This Product:
Are you worried that:
- You are investing money into species or landscapes without a clear roadmap marking the pathway to success?
- Stakeholders are not unified in their approach?
- Your work may not be moving the conservation needle significantly?
- Stakeholder meetings seem to rehash the same topics without making meaningful progress?
What this course is about
This course will introduce you to, or deepen your understanding of the compilation of tools and best practices known as the Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation (i.e., the Conservation Standards), a world-wide conservation planning framework. For a brief overview of the Conservation Standards and why they are important, check out this video. To see how other organizations have significantly changed their practices and outcomes by integrating the Conservation Standards, watch this short video.
Through training videos and activities based on a real project in Africa, you will learn how to implement each step of the Conservation Standards action planning process, which comprises steps 1 and 2 of the 5-step project management cycle. At the end of the course, bonus materials are provided to teach you how to adapt your project to be climate-smart and what the next steps are once the action plan is complete.
Specifically, you’ll learn how to:
- Choose the right people for your team;
- Create a unifying and compelling team vision, even if some stakeholders have different priorities;
- Narrow the team’s focus to the few vital conservation and human wellbeing priorities, regardless of how complex your system is;
- Quantitatively define success and identify the greatest threats and barriers to such;
- Build consensus about the root and nature of threats and barriers;
- Brainstorm and prioritize strategic actions designed to reduce critical threats and improve the status of conservation priorities;
- Check the team’s underlying assumptions about how a strategic action is expected to produce the desired result, while avoiding unintended consequences and negative side effects;
- Create a monitoring plan that tracks implementation success and conservation impact;
- Adapt your plan routinely based on monitoring results and changing circumstances;
- Weave climate change considerations into your action plan;
Your Course Includes:
- 11 training videos (20–25 min. each) that teach each step of the Conservation Standards action planning process;
- Background information on a Cameroonian case study;
- Instructional worksheets and a PowerPoint file that you can manipulate to complete each activity. The PowerPoint file also includes an "answer key" so you can see what the Cameroon team created (with Dr. Shurtliff's coaching assistance).
- Unlimited email access with the instructor, Dr. Quinn Shurtliff, so you can get all your questions answered; Zoom meetings are available upon request.
- Free one-on-one virtual meeting with Dr. Shurtliff at the end of the course to assist you and your team in determining your next steps.
- 3-month free access to Conservation Insiders—a monthly webinar with the instructor and others in the Conservervation Standards community where Dr. Shurtliff shares planning and implmentation tips, answers questions, and goes deeper on different tools and principles of the Conservation Standards.
- Certificate of completion.
- 30-day money back guarantee if you are not completely satisfied with the course.
Module 1 // Introduction (2 sessions)
Watch an overview video of the Conservation Standards and download materials you will need throughout the course.
Module 2 // Step 1: Assess (5 sessions)
Training and practice in how to assess the project situation. Sessions include instruction on selecting team members, identifying the project scope, developing a vision statement, selecting focal conservation and human wellbeing targets, quantifying target health, identifying critical threats, and conducting a situation analysis.
Module 3 // Step 2: Plan (3 sessions)
Training and practice with developing an action plan designed to reduce threats, improve focal targets, and achieve the vision. Sessions include instruction on brainstorming and prioritizing strategies, developing a theory of change for high-priority strategies, and setting SMART objectives and goals.
Module 4 // Next Steps (1 session)
With an action plan completed, you will receive instruction on how to prepare for implementation. This includes creating a work plan, monitoring plan, and operational plan. Learn what systems your team needs to put in place to ensure the plan remains a living, adaptive roadmap into the future.
Bonus Module // Climate-Smart Planning (1 session)
A video overview of how you can adapt your action plan to account for anticipated future climate scenarios.
Program Details
Introduction and Course Resources
Course Resources
Available Now
What is the Conservation Standards
Available Now
Step 1. Assess
Team Scope and Vision
Available Now
Conservation and Human Well-being Targets
Available Now
Viability Assessment
Available Now
Critical Threats
Available Now
Situation Analysis
Available Now
Step 2. Plan
Strategies
Available Now
Theory of Change
Available Now
Objectives and Goals
Available Now
What Do People Think About This Program?
Reviews
Madison Roberts
Sep 13, 2024
Thank you. A lot of material to work through but I did find the activities helpful to work through a project.
Amber Thatcher
Sep 17, 2024
Quinn Shurtliff, Ph.D.
Certified conservation coach and wildlife biologist who is on a mission to build the capacity of natural resource professionals and organizations so they may achieve better conservation outcomes.
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Dr. Quinn Shurtliff is a Conservation Coach, certified by the Conservation Coaches Network to teach and facilitate strategic conservation planning using the Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation (Conservation Standards). Since 2013, he has trained over 550 natural resource professionals from 5 continents how to apply the principles and tools of the Conservation Standards to their projects. Dr. Shurtliff has coached and mentored teams in project planning from a diverse suite of organizations, including The Nature Conservancy, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Puget Sound Partnership, Arkansas Game and Fish, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, U.S. Department of Energy, and U.S. Navy (Pacific Fleet).
As a practicing wildlife biologist, Dr. Shurtliff employed the Conservation Standards with his own team for over 12 years to strategize, take action, and adapt their approach for the conservation of greater sage-grouse and the sagebrush steppe ecosystem it inhabits. He is passionate about teaching the principles and processes embodied in the Conservation Standards, as they provide a time-tested, systematic process that will take any team to the next level of coordination, transparency, accountability, adaptability, and effectiveness.
As a practicing wildlife biologist, Dr. Shurtliff employed the Conservation Standards with his own team for over 12 years to strategize, take action, and adapt their approach for the conservation of greater sage-grouse and the sagebrush steppe ecosystem it inhabits. He is passionate about teaching the principles and processes embodied in the Conservation Standards, as they provide a time-tested, systematic process that will take any team to the next level of coordination, transparency, accountability, adaptability, and effectiveness.
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Disclosure: Experiences shared in the course may not represent the typical participant. They are used as examples and not a guarantee of success. Your background, education, experience, and work ethic may differ, and therefore your results may vary.