An Institutional Application of the One Plan Approach to Conservation Planning

Convenors: Christoph Schwitzer, Bryan Carroll

Aim: To determine the most effective ways for individual institutions, and in particular zoos and aquariums, to implement CBSG’s ‘One Plan Approach’ to species conservation planning, and to compile guidance for such institutions wishing to participate in/implement OPAs.

Process: Starting with an example for an institutional application of the ‘One Plan Approach’ that Bristol Zoo has developed over the last year, this workshop will engage participants in brainstorming further ideas on how individual institutions can effectively participate in and/or implement OPAs for the species they are concerned with. We will do this in a structured way in order to be able to compile the outcome of the brainstorm into written guidance on OPAs for zoos and aquariums.

Background: To achieve the vision of the world’s zoos becoming effective conservation organisations, ex situ populations must be integrated closer into global species conservation planning and implementation. The ‘One Plan Approach’ proposed by the IUCN SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group promotes such integration through the joint development of one comprehensive conservation plan for a species, covering all populations inside and outside its natural range. The ‘One Plan Approach’ aims to: establish new partnerships; ensure that intensively managed populations are as useful as possible to species conservation; increase the level of trust and understanding among conservationists across all conditions of management of a species; accelerate the evolution of species planning tools; and ultimately lead species conservation towards the aspirations embodied in the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. Bristol Zoo has developed an institutional framework for implementing the ‘One Plan Approach’, integrating its ex situ collection planning with its own in situ conservation, research and behaviour change programmes. These programmes are guided by national and global species conservation strategies and action plans. Since there surely are other zoos and aquariums who have developed similar frameworks, we would like to know what others have done, brainstorm what can be done even better, and ultimately compile written guidance to zoos and aquariums on how an OPA can be implemented for the species they are concerned with.

 
Preparation:

WAZA Magazine 14 (download the magazine here and read the specific articles listed below)

  • Byers O, Lees C, Wilcken J, Schwitzer C. 2013. The “One Plan” Approach: The Philosophy and Implementation of CBSG’s Approach to Integrated Species Conservation Planning. WAZA Magazine 14: 2–5.
  • Lees C, Andrew P, Sharman A, Byers O. 2013. Saving the Devil: One Species, One Plan. WAZA Magazine 14: 37–40.
  • Mickelberg J, Ballou JD. 2013. The Golden Lion Tamarin Conservation Programme’s One Plan Approach. WAZA Magazine 14: 27–29.
  • Schwitzer C, Simpson N, Roestorf M, Sherley RB. 2013. The African Penguin Chick Bolstering Project: A One Plan Approach to Integrated Species Conservation. WAZA Magazine 14: 23–26.
  • Traylor-Holzer K, Leus K, McGowan P. 2013. Integrating Assessment of Ex Situ  Management Options into Species Conservation Planning. WAZA Magazine 14: 6–9.

 

Back to 2013 Briefing Book.