DRAFT AGENDA
FIRST MEETING OF CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL’S
SITE1 PLANNING PEER NETWORK
September 12-16, 2005
La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica
OVERVIEW
In 2004, CI published Conserving Earth’s Living Heritage: A Proposed Framework for Designing Biodiversity
Conservation Strategies, a strategic planning handbook intended to support and promote more consistent,
systematic planning across the organization. The handbook includes methods for defining conservation
outcomes; conducting assessments and designing strategies to conserve species, Key Biodiversity Areas, and
Biodiversity Conservation Corridors; and a protocol for monitoring the status of our conservation outcomes and
the effectiveness of our conservation actions. Although the handbook reflects cutting edge thinking on how to
design conservation strategies and is based upon CI’s more than 15 years of experience in biodiversity
conservation, further work is needed to test, evaluate, and refine the methodologies in the handbook to ensure
that they are scientifically robust, practical, useful, and appropriate for application in the many contexts in which
CI works.
At the same time that CI is working to refine its strategic planning methodologies, we are also increasing our
focus on building our overall capacity through technical exchanges among our staff and with partner
organizations. Many of CI’s staff around the world encounter similar challenges in their work and respond to
these challenges with innovative, high-impact approaches. Providing opportunities for exchange where these
tools, tactics, and techniques can be shared rapidly increases the rate at which we learn as an organization and,
ultimately, improve our overall effectiveness.
This workshop, the first meeting of CI’s Site Planning Peer Network, will have as its overarching structure the
framework for site planning described in Conserving Earth’s Living Heritage. The workshop will also address
key factors to the successful implementation and adaptation of this approach, including clearly defining CI’s role
in a site planning process, the effective engagement of key actors, and regular monitoring and evaluation of
conservation effectiveness and impact. The meeting will cover the following topics, in order:
 Conservation Planning in Theory and Conservation Planning in Practice
 CI’s Role and Engaging Stakeholders
 Setting Conservation Targets for Sites
 Evaluating Context
 Integrating analyses to develop a strategy and portfolio of actions
We will also have a short session on site-scale monitoring and evaluating management effectiveness of
protected areas.
Workshop participants will share and discuss the approaches they have used to carry out these tasks as they
have developed conservation plans for Key Biodiversity Areas around the world. Through this dialogue, we
hope that this group of technical experts will identify ways to improve site-scale conservation planning and also
arrive at proposed key improvements to CI’s site planning framework. To ensure that this process of learning
and exchange continues beyond the workshop itself, participants will also be asked to define an agenda for
research, learning, and tool development that would assist them in their site planning activities. Finally, we will
consider how to implement this agenda and facilitate continued dialogue and consultation among the group in
the future.
1
We use the term ‘site’ rather than ‘protected area’ acknowledging that CI and its partners work on many different types of conservation
management units, including national protected areas, private protected areas, community reserves, indigenous reserves, sustainable use
reserves, agroforestry sites, concessions held by private industry, and others. Ultimately, the majority of CI’s effort at the site scale will
focus on Key Biodiversity Areas identified through outcomes definition processes; however, such processes have not yet been carried out
fully in all regions.
First Meeting of CI’s Site Planning Peer Network
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DRAFT AGENDA
PURPOSE
The purpose of this first meeting of CI’s Site Planning Peer Network is to contribute to CI’s knowledge and
standards for the design and implementation of conservation plans to ensure the effective protection of Key
Biodiversity Areas prioritized through outcomes definition processes.
OBJECTIVES

To exchange information and lessons learned on site (Key Biodiversity Area) planning approaches.

To pool our knowledge to improve CI’s methodology for site planning, as currently articulated in CI's
strategic planning handbook, Conserving Earth's Living Heritage.

To articulate an agenda and associated priorities for future learning and exchange regarding site and
protected area planning.

To develop a learning, consultation, and information-sharing network of experts within CI and with close
partner organizations that will carry out the learning agenda for site-based conservation planning and action.
OUTPUTS

Documentation on various approaches currently being used to develop strategies for KBA conservation.

Proposed refinements to CI’s site planning framework.

Articulation of an agenda for research, learning, and exchange regarding site and protected area planning to
be pursued by the network.

Draft operations strategy for the Site Planning Peer Network to support the implementation of the learning
agenda, future communication, and consultation.
WORKING AGENDA
Monday, September 12, 2005
15:00
15:30
17:00
18:00 – 19:00
19:30
Participants gather at the Hotel Villa Tournon (near San Jose airport)
Depart hotel by bus
Arrive at La Selva Biological Station
Dinner
Welcome Cocktail
 Welcome to La Selva - Deedra McClearn, Director, La Selva
 Welcome by CI-Mesoamerica Program – Jim Barborak, Mesoamerica CBC
 Introductions of participants
First Meeting of CI’s Site Planning Peer Network
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DRAFT AGENDA
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
06:30-07:30
08:00
Breakfast
Opening of Meeting – Elizabeth O’Neill
 Meeting Overview: The evolution of systematic planning at CI
 Review of agenda: objectives, process, outputs, ground rules
 Introductions of participants
Site Planning in Theory
08:30-10:00
Site planning frameworks used by leading conservation organizations
o The Evolution of Site Planning Frameworks at TNC and WWF – Nick Salafsky,
Foundations of Success
o IUCN – Marina Cracco
o US Forest Service – John Sidle
o IBAMA (Brazil) – Enrico Bernard
o The Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation – Nick Salafsky, Foundations
of Success
o CI’s proposed site planning framework – Elizabeth O’Neill
10:00 – 10:15 Coffee break – [sign up for optional activities]
Site Planning in Practice
10:15 – 11:15 Case study presentations by Regional Program (RP) representatives
o Mantalingahan (Philippines) – Jeannie Baldera, Philippines CBC
o Protected Area Planning in Madagascar Under Different Data Scenarios – Bruno
Rajaspera, Madagascar CBC
o Marine Protected Area Planning in Milne Bay – Peter Mackay, Melanesia CBC
o Conservation Planning in the Pantanal (Brazil) – Elaine Pinto, Brazil CBC
11:15 – 12:00
12:00 - 13:00
13:30 - 14:00
Structured discussion
o What are the fundamental elements of site-scale conservation planning?
o Are these elements captured in CI’s site planning framework? If not, what key
modifications are needed?
o How do we use tools in site-scale planning? Are there ways existing tools can be
adapted or made more accessible to facilitate their use?
Lunch
Review of meeting structure
CI’s Role and Engaging Stakeholders
14:00 – 14:15 Intro to session and instructions to working groups
14:15 – 15:15 Presentations
o Problems associated with stakeholder engagement in the process of updating the
Pilon Lajas Biosphere Reserve and Indigenous territory's management plan
(Bolivia) – Jordi Surkin, Andes CBC
o CI as Implementer vs. CI as Coordinator in Madagascar – Bruno Rajaspera,
Madagascar CBC
o Engaging communities in conservation planning – Susan Stone, Conservation
Stewards Program
o Building partnerships for conservation action in the Succulent Karoo – Daphne
Hartney, CI-Southern Africa Hotspots Program
15:15 – 15:30 Coffee break
15:30 – 18:00 Discussion – Activities, Products, Best Practices, and Tools Involved in Defining Our Role and
Engaging Key Actors in Site Planning
18:00-19:00
19:30-20:30
Dinner
Evening session: Opportunities presented by the CBD Program of Work on Protected Areas -Luis Pabon, Protected Area and Corridor Planning Support Program
First Meeting of CI’s Site Planning Peer Network
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DRAFT AGENDA
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
05:30-6:30
06:30-07:30
Birdwatching with guide (optional activity)
Breakfast
Setting Conservation Targets for Sites
08:00 - 08:15 Intro to session
08:15 – 09:15 Presentations
o The KBA definition process and setting conservation targets within KBAs – Mike
Hoffman, Conservation Synthesis Program
o Setting conservation targets for Goodenough Island, Milne Bay – David Mitchell,
Melanesia CBC
o Establishing biodiversity conservation targets for connective corridors in Tanzania –
Trevor Jones
o Five-year vision of biodiversity protection areas in Sumatra – Erwin Widodo, CIIndonesia
09:15 – 10:15 Discussion – Activities, Products, Best Practices, and Tools Involved in Defining Conservation
Targets for Sites (coffee break to be determined by each working group)
10:15 – 10:30 Coffee break
10:30 – 12:00 Discussion continued
12:00-13:00
Lunch
Evaluating Context
13:30 – 13:45 Intro to session
13:45 – 14:30 Presentations
o Conducting conservation in a conflict zone (Congo) – Patrick Mehlman, Diane
Fossey Gorilla Fund International
o Developing a conservation incentive agreement with a Chachi community in
Ecuador – Eddie Niesten, Conservation Economics Support Program
o Assessing context for conservation sites in China – Li Shengzhi, CI-China
14:30 – 15:30 Discussion – Activities, Products, Best Practices, and Tools Involved in Evaluating Site Context
15:30 – 15:45 Coffee break
15:45 – 18:00 Discussion continued
18:00 – 20:00
Barbeque Dinner [mixer with La Selva researchers]
First Meeting of CI’s Site Planning Peer Network
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DRAFT AGENDA
Thursday, September 15, 2005
06:30-07:30
Breakfast
Site Visit: Tirimbina Biological Reserve
07:30
Depart by bus for Tirimbina Biological Reserve
08:15-13:00
Site visit and lunch
Integrating Analyses to Develop a Strategy and Portfolio of Actions
14:00 –14:15 Intro to session
14:15 – 15:30 Presentations
o Long-term financing options for different types of protected areas – Bryna Griffin,
Global Conservation Fund, CI
o A long term leasing arrangement and conservation incentive agreement for Sovi
Basin (Fiji) – Lemeki Lenoa, CI-Fiji
o Land Use Planning and Regulation In and Around World Heritage Sites and Other
Protected Areas: A Study of Best Practices and Capacity Building Needs in Mexico
and Central America – Jim Barborak, Mesoamerica CBC
o Integrated Site Planning - The Charrette Process – Chuck Hutchinson, Guianas
CBC
o Linking Communities, Tourism and Conservation: a tourism assessment process –
Kaddu Sebunya, Sustainable Landscapes Program
15:30 – 15:45 Coffee break
15:45 – 18:00 Discussion – Activities, Products, Best Practices, and Tools Involved in Integrating Analyses to
Develop a strategy and portfolio of actions
18:00-19:00
19:30
Dinner
Evening Forest Walk or Lab Tour [optional activities]
Friday, September 16, 2005
08:00-10:00
10:00-10:15
Developing a strategy (continued from previous day)
Coffee Break
Site-scale Monitoring
10:15 – 10:45 Presentations
o Developing a site monitoring protocol -- Hari Balasubramanian, Outcomes
Monitoring Program
o Comparative analysis of frameworks for evaluating management effectiveness of
protected areas -- Marina Cracco, IUCN and Jordi Surkin, Andes CBC
10:45 – 12:00 Discussion
12:00-13:00
Lunch
13:15-15:30
Next Steps for the SPPN
 Refining and applying a CI planning framework
 Priorities and an action plan for learning, exchange, and tool development/dissemination on
site conservation planning
 Implementing the action plan and maintaining communication within the Site Planning Peer
Network
15:30 – 16:00
16:30
18:00
19:00
Close of workshop
Depart La Selva for San Jose
Arrive Hotel Tournon (near San Jose airport)
Depart Hotel Tournon for closing dinner
First Meeting of CI’s Site Planning Peer Network
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DRAFT AGENDA