People and nature

Involving the community in biodiversity conservation can have multiple positive benefits for both people and the environment. These include sharing knowledge, learning new skills,  increasing the amount of valuable ecological data collected, and co-contribution to on-ground management actions. Many of ARI’s projects involve local community members, such as land holders, naturalists and fishers, through training in survey and monitoring techniques, hearing about local observations and experience, or contributing to large scale habitat restoration. This collaboration recognises the value people place on their local environment, supports local leadership and advocacy in conservation, and can progress conservation in a highly effective, sustainable  way.