Evaluating the Process and Outcomes of Collaborative Conservation: Tools, Techniques, and Strategies

Abstract

Collaborative conservation has been touted as a viable option for addressing contentious natural resource stewardship issues in a way that represents the diverse voices impacted by, and involved in, conservation decisions. Engaging meaningfully in collaborative conservation involves overcoming a unique set of challenges while also realizing opportunities. In this special issue, we use the term collaborative conservation evaluation to encompass research and evaluation related to collaborative governance and collaborative natural resource management projects, programs, or decision-making processes that leverage a participatory approach, involve multiple stakeholders, and incorporate a range of contemporary evaluation approaches. Here, we provide a series of articles and tools intended to highlight different approaches to evaluation that utilize a variety of methodologies adapted for different contexts. We intend for these articles to spark further conversation and inspire future directions in evaluating collaborative conservation for researchers and practitioners.

Keywords:

• Assessment
• collaborative conservation
• collaborative governance
• evaluation
• human dimensions of natural resources
• participatory methods

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Ch’aska Huayhuaca and Heather Knight for their valuable feedback throughout this process, in addition to the Colorado State University Center for Collaborative Conservation for ongoing guidance and support in developing this special issue. We would also like to thank the individuals who submitted articles as well as those who served as reviewers. Their perspectives reflected a diversity of worldviews and experiences with collaborative conservation.