About the Social Context Materials -- How these Materials are Organized

"Putting Conservation in Context: Social Science Tools for Conservation Practitioners" builds on a strong history of collaborative learning among more than 30 conservation, development, population, research and policy organizations within to provide easy access to and guidance on over 100 innovative social science tools, resources and case studies for conservation practitioners, originating from a diversity of sources.


The materials are organized according to the following sections:


Tools by Theme:

This section highlights eight social science themes relevant to biodiversity conservation practitioners. Each theme opens with an example of how relevant social science knowledge and practices can be strategically used in situations commonly faced by conservation practitioners. This is followed with more conceptual information about the theme. Each theme also has its own Resources section, where the user is provided with an annotated list of thematically relevant tools, resources, case studies, and links.

The themes covered in this section are:

• Participatory approaches to conservation
  
• Population and environment dynamics
  
• Gender issues
  
• Communication and education approaches
  
• Adaptive management
  
• Socioeconomic assessments and alternative livelihoods
  
• Governance and conflict management
  
• Capacity building and organizational development
  

• Define goals and objectives
  
• Develop plans
  
• Implement actions
  
• Monitor results and progress
  
• Analyze and adjust the project
  

This project cycle is designed to provide practitioners with a systematic framework for the integration of themes and tools over time. A brief description of each stage in the project cycle is provided and followed by a list of relevant tools, resources, case studies and links. These documents are cross-referenced from the Tools by Theme section.


Index of Tools:

In this section, all of the references from the Tools by Theme and Project Cycle sections of the materials are categorically listed in alphabetical order according to tools, resources, case studies, and links.


Glossary:

Since the definitions of many words and phrases used throughout Putting Conservation in Context are not readily available in standard references, the CCC has compiled this glossary to assist users in understanding the specialized words that are used in applying social science tools to biodiversity conservation efforts.

Icons for Easy Reference

Throughout Putting Conservation in Context, icons are used to distinguish between different types of information available to the user:

Tools: These documents offer methods for addressing social issues in biodiversity conservation. Tools provide ways to understand what is taking place, to think about problems and opportunities, and to begin to address them.

Resources: These documents offer background information on a theme and often contain tips and recommendations.

Case studies: These documents highlight the lessons learned from practical application of tools within a specific context.

Links: Links offer the user the opportunity to have direct access to Web sites with related tools, resources and case studies. The user must have Internet access while using the links to function properly. (Note: The CCC, whether affiliated or not affiliated with Web sites linked is not responsible for their content. The linked sites are for the convenience of the user only, and may be accessed by the user only at the user's own risk.)



©2003 Community Conservation Coalition