Conflict-sensitive Conservation

What is "Conflict-sensitive" Conservation?

Conservation in conflict zones involves a range of challenges that call for new approaches in project implementation. Conflict situations present risks to project personnel, resources and biodiversity. Yet volatile social and political dynamics can also mean that conservation activities have both positive and negative impacts on conflict. By understanding these impacts, conservationists can plan activities that do not exacerbate tensions, but instead promote cooperation and peace-building—i.e., make their work more conflict-sensitive.

IISD is working with conservation organizations in Africa to design conflict assessments that systematically consider how conservation interventions impact local peace and conflict issues. The results will then be used to integrate conflict-sensitivity into conservation programming.

Current Project

Promoting conflict-sensitive conservation in the Albertine Rift

The Albertine Rift is one of the most biodiverse regions in Africa. Sadly, it has also been the site of some of the world's worst violent conflicts in recent history. Instability persists but the prospects for peace are growing, prompting conservationists to launch or re-launch efforts in the region. IISD is building on its experience with IGCP (see below) and helping other conservation NGOs based in the Albertine Rift to integrate conflict sensitivity into the planning and implementation of their projects. This project was funded by the MacArthur Foundation, with technical support from the Conservation Development Centre.

Project documents:

Conflict-Sensitive Conservation: Practitioners' Manual (PDF - 15 mb) » by Anne Hammill with Alec Crawford; Robert Craig; Robert Malpas and Richard Matthew The Albertine Rift is one of the most biodiverse and ecologically unique regions of Africa. Sadly it has also been the site of some of the world's most violent conflicts in recent history. This turbulent context can pose a range of risks and opportunities to conservationists who are managing resources that can be both a seed of conflict and foundation for peace-building.

With the financial support of the MacArthur Foundation and the technical support of the Conservation Development Centre, IISD has been working with the World Wide Fund for Nature and the Wildlife Conservation Society in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and CARE (Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere) International in Uganda to better understand the context in which they operate and apply a conflict lens to their work. This work led to the development of the "Conflict-Sensitive Conservation Practitioners' Manual," which provides an analytical and decision-making framework to help conservationists understand and address natural resource-based conflict, and integrate this understanding into conservation programming and implementation. In so doing, conservationists can avoid exacerbating conflict and maximize opportunities for peace-building.
Conflict-sensitive conservation: Field report from Queen Elizabeth National Park (PDF - 582 kb)» by Rob Craig, Conservation Development CentreIn December 2006, IISD and the Conservation Development Centre (CDC) undertook consultations with a range of fishing, pastoralist and agricultural communities within and adjacent to Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP) in Uganda. The focus of these consultations was the conflict situations being addressed by the CARE Rights Equity and Protected Areas (REPA) program in and around the park. A workshop was subsequently convened at the CARE office in Kampala, with a specific focus on discussing the conflicts around QENP. The workshop introduced and presented various conflict analysis techniques, which were discussed in both plenary and working group sessions that used real conflict scenarios from QENP to test and to draw out the key learning points and recommendations for the future application of these techniques. This report reflects this field research. It is available in English.
Renforcement de la capacité de l’ICCN à la gestion et la résolution des conflits lies aux ressources naturelles dans le Parc National des Virunga (PDF - 921 kb)» by Deo Kujirakwinja and Joseph Matunguru, Wildlife Conservation SocietyIISD and its lead partner for the case study, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), convened a workshop in December 2006; in Goma, DRC to discuss conflict sensitivity and resolution strategies for conservation actors working in Virunga National Park (PNVi). The meeting, attended by staff from the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN) and its conservation partners, aimed to come up with conservation activities that could be used to build peace among the stakeholders in and around the park, as well as building up the capacity of ICCN on the ground. Findings were strengthened with community consultations in and outside of the park. This workshop report details those discussions. It is available in French.
Renforcement de la capacité de l’ICCN à la gestion et la résolution des conflits lies aux ressources naturelles dans le Parc National de Kahuzi-Biéga (PDF - 395 kb)» by Robert Kasisi, University of Montreal, and Oli Brown, IISDIn early August 2007, IISD and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) facilitated a workshop on conflict-sensitive conservation in Kahuzi-Biéga National Park (PNKB). The workshop, held outside of the park in Bukavu in eastern DRC, had two goals: a) to begin thinking about how to integrate conflict-sensitivity into the general management plan of the park; and b) to evaluate the working draft of IISD’s Conflict-Sensitive Conservation manual. The workshop was attended by PNKB staff, their partner organizations, civil society groups, NGOs, customary chiefs from the region and members of the media. It was supported by community consultations in and outside of the park. This report is available in French.
Conserving the Peace: Analyzing the links between conservation and conflict in the Albertine Rift. (PDF - 276 kb)» Anne Hammill, Oli Brown March 2006 Strategy Report prepared following the Project Inception Meeting in Nairobi, 1-2 February 2006. This paper charts the variety of forms of conflict that conservationists in the Albertine Rift face. It then analyzes seven conflict assessment tools that conservationist might use to obtain a better, more systematic understanding of conflict in their project area, assess how their interventions could affect conflict dynamics and use this understanding to design and implement activities that will avoid or mitigate conflict.

Past projects

Assessing the peace and conflict impacts of the International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP)
Between 2004 and 2008, IISD worked in partnership with the International Gorilla Conservation Project (IGCP) in Rwanda, Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to conduct a peace and conflict impact assessment (PCIA) of their conservation work. The partners undertook field research and outreach activities that helped IGCP conservation managers to design, implement and monitor projects that minimize risks and maximize peace-building opportunities in the Virunga-Bwindi region of Central Africa. The project was funded by the Buffett Foundation and USAID CARPE (Central African Regional Program for the Environment).
Project documents:
- Gorillas in the Midst: Assessing the peace and conflict impacts of International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP) activities (PDF - 2.7 mb)
  IISD's final report assessing the peace and conflict impacts of IGCP activities in the Virunga-Bwindi region.
- Project Summary (2004) - Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment (PCIA) of IGCP Activities in the Virunga-Bwindi Region (PDF - 60 kb)
  A summary of the rationale, purpose and work program for the PCIA project in Virunga/Bwindi.

Where to Read More

Hope and Change are Far from Reality for Congolese and a Threatened Environment (PDF - 205 kb)» Alec Crawford In the IISD Commentary, Alec Crawford notes that the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is home to one of the world's worst ongoing conflicts. For the residents of eastern DRC, caught in this conflict, the only change being seen is the change from a bad situation to one that is worse. Despair, not hope, is becoming further entrenched. And the environment is suffering.
Promoting conflict-sensitivity in transboundary protected areas: A role for peace and conflict impact assessments (PDF - 67 kb)» Anne Hammill, Charles Besançon, 2003. Transboundary protected areas (TBPA) have the potential to promote mutually-reinforcing interests of biodiversity conservation, economic development, cultural integrity, and regional peace and security. Yet many TBPAs are being established in conflict zones. How can we be sure they are contributing to peace rather than conflict? Peace and conflict impact assessments (PCIA) may provide a starting point.

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