Our vision
We envision a world in which community-based conservation is a widespread and effective approach integral to achieving local and global goals in biodiversity conservation, community empowerment, and poverty alleviation.
What is a Horizon Scan
A horizon scan is a methodology aimed to foresee the future of a discipline based on the opinion of as many members of that discipline as possible. This information is then analyzed and ranged by a group of experts using an approach based on the anonymity and the consensus.
The Project
The Wilder Institute Calgary Zoo’s Conservation Team spearheaded a collaborative effort to conduct a community-based conservation horizon scan to identify emerging opportunities and risk to support development and strategy for effective community conservation over the next 15 years. In this case, ‘effective’ community-based conservation was seen as contributing to positive conservation and livelihood outcomes for both local people and wild species.
Our team solicited input, via an online survey, from as many people as possible who have experience in community-based conservation to generate insights on major risks and opportunities anticipated for community-based conservation within the next 15 years. In other words, a horizon scan of what to expect and prepare for.
The goal is to share insights gained with policy-makers and grass-roots initiatives to ensure that community conservation initiatives keep successfully improving livelihoods and nature conservation.
Project Stage
Thank you for your massive participation! The survey closed in June 2021 and we have been working through all the valuable input. Please see our News & Outputs for further updates.
The Wilder Institute Calgary Zoo’s Conservation Research
The Wilder Institute Calgary Zoo’s Conservation Research is focused in two areas – reintroduction and community conservation. Community conservation empowers local communities to benefit from and protect wild species. These initiatives protect nature while improving the livelihoods of local people by building capacity, increasing ecological awareness and creating employment opportunities. The Wilder Institute Calgary Zoo has been involved in community-based conservation for over two decades, with current initiatives in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and Madagascar supporting imperiled species while also improving local livelihoods and conservation capacity. To aid nature and people beyond the locale of specific initiatives, the Wilder Institute Calgary Zoo strives to also broadly advance science and application of community-based conservation. It is in this spirit that we hope to garner your support and expertise in exploring and addressing emerging risks and opportunities in this area.
Community Conservation Horizon Scan 