Assessing and Using the Proposed Guidelines for Interacting with Faith-Based Leaders and Communities in Conservation Research and Practice Projects

Summary:

This interactive session will provide an opportunity for LACCCB participants to assess and discuss ways of using the proposed Guidelines for Interacting with Faith-Based Leaders and Communities (February 2018) developed by and for SCB members to consider following in their research and practice projects. 

Interactive Session

July 26 late morning or Early afternoon

Dr. Jame Schaefer: Marquette University United States (USA)  

Robert Sluka, A ROCHA

Max Capacity:30

Minimum Required: 10

Details:

Because 84% of people in the world identify with religions and spiritualities, profess ultimate reasons for acting ethically, and can be mobilized to act, they may be helpful to conservation biologists in their research and practice projects. The Best Practices Project was initiated in March 2016 by the Religion and Conservation Biology Working Group of the SCB to solicit successful practices members have used when interacting with faith leaders and communities and to encourage all members to consider implementing these practices in their conservation projects. After an iterative process that included a Society-wide survey, various sessions at international and regional congresses, contextualized affirmations of specific guidelines by individual members based on their projects, and comments by faith leaders, the proposed Guidelines for Interacting with Faith-Based Leaders and Communities when planning, initiating, implementing, closing, and following up conservation projects was completed in February 2018 and will be the focus of this workshop. Participants will (1) examine the proposed guidelines, (2) volunteer to share their experiences when implementing similar practices, (3) collaborate in developing a basic outline for case studies using the guidelines for presentation in a symposium to be proposed for the 2019 International Congress for Conservation Biology, and (4) recommend promising possibilities for disseminating the guidelines.