We are an international community of conservation professionals. We provide a space to exchange ideas, create new solutions, and make new partnerships to enable better, faster, and cheaper conservation that helps save more wildlife. We are a non-hierarchical friendly community of like-minded people, with similar values and different ideas. Our community is free to join and mainly for those currently working in the conservation sector, but it is open to anyone who feels that they can contribute in a meaningful way. Our community is member-led, meaning that members decide what to talk about, how to interact, and how to grow the community.
Recent Comments
The videos included exercises- respond to a post by sharing an experience where a project was (1) undertaken without clear line authorities, and (2) without a phased approach. I wasn't successful in finding the post to respond to, so...
1) I held a job in a large organization. Program success was ultimately dependent on effort and effectiveness of people working locally in the field. The program was not well resourced by the organization, and program activities were treated as collateral to other obligations and accountabilities, rather than the priority focus. Line authority did not exist between the policy office and the implementing staff. While some measure off success was realized by leveraging team building strategies, incentives and recognition and other tools, the lack of line authority and the diminishment of program standing by the organization undermined full performance.
2) I participated in a project where a substantial amount of outside funding was allocated to support collaboration and communications- aspects of work that is often given low priority when it came to decisions about allocating resources. The drive was for innovation. No phased approach was developed, the project went forward generating and pursuing different opportunities to launch a collaborative spinoff project. Ultimately, the work was more of an ongoing activity than a discreet project, and that complicated reporting of effort and outcomes as well as confusing some staff about measures of success.
Above copied/pasted to worksheets.
This event is long-past, but is there a recording available?
I really enjoyed this event. Asha is an amazing spokesperson for cetaceans, marine conservation, and empowerment/entrepreneurship for local science, management and conservation.
The videos included exercises- respond to a post by sharing an experience where a project was (1) undertaken without clear line authorities, and (2) without a phased approach. I wasn't successful in finding the post to respond to, so...
1) I held a job in a large organization. Program success was ultimately dependent on effort and effectiveness of people working locally in the field. The program was not well resourced by the organization, and program activities were treated as collateral to other obligations and accountabilities, rather than the priority focus. Line authority did not exist between the policy office and the implementing staff. While some measure off success was realized by leveraging team building strategies, incentives and recognition and other tools, the lack of line authority and the diminishment of program standing by the organization undermined full performance.
2) I participated in a project where a substantial amount of outside funding was allocated to support collaboration and communications- aspects of work that is often given low priority when it came to decisions about allocating resources. The drive was for innovation. No phased approach was developed, the project went forward generating and pursuing different opportunities to launch a collaborative spinoff project. Ultimately, the work was more of an ongoing activity than a discreet project, and that complicated reporting of effort and outcomes as well as confusing some staff about measures of success.
While still in college, thought I would go on to pursue a career either in business/financial markets, or else in law enforcement. I took a summer job as a ranger, and my penchant for wildlife and the environment came to the forefront of future career goals. I set aside business, as I seem to be deficient in the quantitative arena. I had different positions in public safety and law enforcement, and watching the types of incidents the traditional blue-suit enforcement officers encountered and it's effect on them, decided that wasn't the path for me. I've been fortunate to find jobs in public service that leverage some of my interests to craft better outcomes for wildlife and the environment through planning, regulation and environmental enforcement. I opted for public service and government jobs intentionally, believing it to be the best place for a person with my traits (and admittedly limited personal/networking skills) to deliver positive change.