Adaptive Management: Conservation Project Design and Planning

Faced with limited resources to confront growing challenges, conservation organizations and professionals must show that their efforts are strategic, systematic, and results-oriented. This course provides learners with the skills and knowledge to collaboratively design and implement effective conservation projects and to generate strategies to evaluate clear evidence of their progress toward achieving conservation and sustainability results. The course provides theory and practice in adaptive management (AM) planning for real-world conservation projects for continued monitoring, implementing, analyzing, learning from, and adapting – offering essential knowledge and skills for current and emerging conservation practitioners. Learners in conservation-focused programs require experiential learning in the practical and applied processes (i.e. adaptive management) and skills (e.g. evaluating systems, identifying threats, developing goals and objectives, creating theory of change, and teamwork) that are essential for achieving conservation results. In addition, this course offers a review of literature on theoretical and applied conservation topics related to conservation project design and planning that provide a history of the formation of the Conservation Standards (CS) as it has evolved and improved conservation practice over the last 20 years.

Learn at your own pace with instructor support (see Online Course Format Chart below for details).

Spring: January 19 - May 2, 2027 (Early bird* ends December 20th)

See TOPICS & LEARNING OUTCOMES below for the details.

*Early bird saves $75 off Standard, $85 off Premium

Basic understanding of ecological and conservation practices is helpful, but no prior experience with adaptive management or the Conservation Standards is necessary.

Module 1: Introduction to Adaptive Management

• TBD

Module 2: Project Team, Scope and Vision

• Describe the general purpose and potential of Adaptive Management / conservation planning and begin to learn how to use Miradi software

• Apply information related to a conservation case study and develop a Scope and Vision

• Analyze and evaluate available information related to a conservation case study enabling clear Scope and Vision that conform to established criteria

• Create, using Miradi, the first steps in a case study conceptual model (Scope and Vision)

Module 3: Conservation Targets and Viability Assessments

• Discuss the importance of identifying biodiversity targets/values and human well-being targets/values in conservation planning;

• Apply information related to a conservation case study and identify a set of targets;

• Analyze and evaluate available information related to conservation targets identified and conduct a viability assessment on at least one target;

• Create, using Miradi, the next steps in a case study conceptual model (Targets, KEA and Viability Assessment)

Module 4: Threats, Threat Rating, & Conceptual Models

• Discuss the linkages among biodiversity threats and their contributing factors (indirect threats and opportunities);

• Apply information related to a conservation case study and identify direct threats impacting selected biodiversity targets;

• Analyze and evaluate available information related to direct threats to determine highest priority threats to key biodiversity targets, stakeholders (and their primary interest);

• Create, using Miradi, the next steps in a case study conceptual model (threats, threat ranking and situational analysis of indirect threats and opportunities)

Module 5: Goals & Strategies, Revised Situation Models

• Discuss the role of the Conceptual Model in identifying key intervention points for resolving direct threats to targets;

• Apply information related to a conservation case study and identify goals and strategies for conservation effectiveness;

• Analyze and evaluate available information related to the case study to develop goals for biodiversity and human well-being targets and innovative strategies that focus on key intervention points linking direct threats and causal factors;

• Create, using Miradi, the next steps in a case study conceptual model (goals and strategies)

Module 6: Results Chains, Theory of Change & Objectives

• Discuss the role of the Conceptual Model as a basis for building a ‘theory of change’ of key results that need to occur to achieve goals and vision of the project;

• Apply information related to a conservation case study and identify results chain and objectives for conservation effectiveness;

• Analyze and evaluate available information related to the case study to develop results chain for a key strategy and evaluate priority results for monitoring through development of measurable objectives;

• Create, using Miradi, the next steps in a case study conceptual model (results chain and objectives)

• Identify a new project for the second part of our course to run through a second planning cycle of Steps 1 and 2 in the Open Standards.

FORMAT:

15 weeks of access to course materials as you work at your own pace

Get instructor support for the 15-week term via email, discussion threads, group meetings, and one-on-one appointments

After working through the course materials, set up an optional meeting with the instructor to discuss your own personal project from work or school

CONTINUING EDUCATION:

16 CEUs with The Wildlife Society

CERTIFICATIONS:

Earn 1 credit toward certification as an Associate/Certified Wildlife Biologist® (at any level) with The Wildlife Society

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FORMAT:

12 months of access to course materials as you work at your own pace

Get instructor support for the 15-week term via email, discussion threads, group meetings, and one-on-one appointments

After working through the course materials, set up an optional meeting with the instructor to discuss your own personal project from work or school

CONTINUING EDUCATION:

16 CEUs with The Wildlife Society

Go to our Continuing Education Page for more details

CERTIFICATIONS:

Earn 1 credit toward a professional certificate in Conservation Planning with CWS

Earn 1 credit toward certification as an Associate/Certified Wildlife Biologist® (at any level) with The Wildlife Society

ACADEMIC CREDIT:

Earn 1 academic credit (go to our Academic Credit Page for details)

Earn an additional 1-2 academic credits with an Applied Project