Broad scale adoptions of conservation technologies

Technology provides a new opportunity to conduct conservation work in all new ways. Remote sensing, new types of communications, and software that allows for the sharing and analysis of information between organizations make it possible for projects that span enormous areas to be undertaken and organized, creating possibilities for data collection.

In this session titled 'Achieving conservation outcomes at scale - Broad scale adoptions of conservation technologies' held on 4th September 2021, speakers discussed SMART and EarthRanger software and how they’re used by a variety of organizations to collect, analyze and leverage data sourced across countries and even whole continents. After an introduction to the tools, an array of conservationists from around the world discussed how their programs are enabled by these technologies, and share their experiences about how they’ve used technology to scale their work from individual, on-the-ground teams all the way to country-wide implementations and collaborations between organizations and governments. More information about SMART is available here.

Dr. Inaoyom IMONG, Cross River Landscape Director at WCS Nigeria, presenting at the session

WCS Nigeria has implemented SMART for a number of years across multiple sites with different governance, and presents an excellent example of how SMART can be used. Dr. Inaoyom IMONG, Cross River Landscape Director at WCS Nigeria, presented ​​how WCS Nigeria is using SMART to improve law enforcement monitoring and protection of key species including Cross River gorillas, Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees, drills, elephants, and lions. Using SMART and similar technologies improves quality of ranger patrol data and monitoring of ranger performance. It also improves efficiency of data analysis, presentation and reporting, and increases accountability and transparency in law enforcement and protected area management. 

Moderators

Dr. Richard BERGL, Director of Conservation, Education and Science,  North Carolina Zoo

Mr. Jes LEFCOURT, Director of Conservation Technology,  Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence 

Speakers

• Mr. Kinley TSHERING, Chief Forestry Officer,  Department of Forests and Park Services, Bhutan
• Mr. Nestor Hernan ZABALA BERNAL, Ingeniero,  Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia
• Dr. Inaoyom IMONG, Cross River Landscape Director, WCS Nigeria
• Mr. Geoff CLINNING, Technology Manager,  African Parks Network 
• Mr. Barry CORK, Director Training and Development, 51 Degrees Ltd
• Mr. Batian CRAIG, Director, 51Degrees
• Mr Nelson MWANGI, Research Assistant,  Save the Elephants