Convenors: Phil Miller and Bob Lacy
Aim:
The aim of this Working Group session is (a) to identify ways in which our species conservation efforts are hampered by limited access to information across biological and non-biological (e.g., social, anthropological, economic, etc.) disciplines, and (b) for CPSG to develop the concepts and technical methods for integrating these data sources in a way that improves species conservation planning.
Background:
Biodiversity conservation practitioners are now well aware of the importance of bringing many different types of information to the process of saving endangered species and their imperiled habitats. The emergence of new disciplines such as conservation psychology, ecological economics, and the application of social marketing to biodiversity management has revolutionized the ways in which we think about collecting and using disparate data to solve conservation problems. The Conservation Breeding(Planning) Specialist Group has been working to address this need for almost 20 years, recognizing the critical need to explicitly incorporate the “human dimension” into conservation planning – defined in terms of both participation by a diverse body of stakeholders and the integration of their disciplinary data into the analysis phase of that planning (Westley and Miller 2003).
While we have long recognized the need to assemble and integrate diverse types of data and information, practically achieving that goal has proved to be challenging. Many questions have emerged during our thinking around this general topic:
- What types of species conservation issues require us to look for diverse types of information to improve our analyses?
- What kinds of data do we need to address these issues?
- Do the required data exist? If so, where can we find them? Are they accessible to us?
- How do we assemble these different datasets into meaningful collections of information to assist us in our conservation planning?
- Do we have access to the technology required to implement the assembly of these diverse datasets? If not, how do we gain that access?
- Are there issues of data ownership that we must address in order to use disparate sources of information for participatory conservation planning efforts?
- What partnerships with the information technology industry or other communities may be necessary for CPSG to facilitate meaningful progress on the challenges around integration of diverse datasets for effective species conservation?
An organizational strategic planning meeting held in San Diego, CA (USA) in May 2019 led to the identification of a major pillar defining future CPSG activities around the topic of knowledge/data integration: “Access to Knowledge”. But identifying this as an important theme for future CPSG work, we now have the opportunity to directly address the above questions in order to improve our ability to assemble disparate information in more meaningful ways to influence successful species conservation planning.
Process:
The working group will begin by reviewing past discussions on the topic, and revisit the important questions (summarized above) guiding our thoughts on the topic. Participants will be encouraged to brainstorm potential mechanisms for effective data integration, and alternative technologies that may be best suited to implement these mechanisms. Where appropriate, we will have targeted discussions intended to identify key partners, not yet identified in past CPSG-led discussions on this topic,that should be invited to collaborate with us to move this workplan forward.
Outcomes:
The group will produce a set of suggestions for advancing the conceptual design of an effective knowledge integration system useful to CPSG in species conservation planning. Furthermore, recommendations can be made for who to engage in this effort, including both technical experts from the information science and computer technology fields, as well as those with expertise in securing the necessary resources – financial and otherwise – to complete the proposed work and generate the desired products.
Materials:
Westley, F.W., and P.S. Miller (eds.). 2003. Experiments in Consilience: Integrating Social and Scientific Responses to Save Endangered Species. Island Press, Washington DC.
Using Data to Foresee and Respond to Species Conservation Crises
CPSG Strategic Planning Workshop (May 2019) - Technology Working Group Notes