BCN: Overview of the Biodiversity Conservation Network

1. Overview of the Biodiversity Conservation Network

1.1 BCN Goals
1.2 BCN Core Hypothesis
1.3 BCN Program Highlight -- 1997

1.1 BCN Goals
The BCN program was established to fulfill two main programmatic goals:

Support enterprise-oriented approaches to biodiversity conservation at a number of sites across the Asia/Pacific region, and

Evaluate the effectiveness of these enterprise-oriented approaches to community-based conservation of biodiversity and provide lessons and results to BCN's clients. These clients include communities and groups implementing projects, USAID and US-AEP missions and offices, members of the Biodiversity Support Program (BSP) consortium (World Wildlife Fund, The Nature Conservancy, and World Resources Institute), and the broader conservation and development community.

1.2 BCN Core Hypothesis
The Biodiversity Conservation Network's core hypothesis is that, if enterprise-oriented approaches to community based conservation are going to be effective, they must: 1) have a direct link to biodiversity, 2) generate benefits, and 3) involve a community of stakeholders.
More specifically, these three elements of the core hypothesis are:

Linkage between the enterprises and biodiversity: The enterprises must directly depend on the in-situ biological resources of the region. BCN thus seeks to develop enterprises whose financial viability is directly dependent on sustainable use of local biological resources.

Generation of short and long-term benefits: The enterprises must generate benefits (economic, social, and/or environmental) for a community of stakeholders both in the short run and, with a high probability, in the long run, after BCN funding ends.

Community/Stakeholder involvement: The enterprises must involve members of the local community, and often others, who are stakeholders in the enterprises and biodiversity of the area.
In effect, the hypothesis is that if local communities receive sufficient benefits from an enterprise that depends on biodiversity, then they will act to counter internal and external threats to that biodiversity.

1.3 BCN Program Highlight -- 1997
The BCN program consists of five components (Figure 1). In the past, we reviewed activities under each of these components. This year's highlights are only focused on the Analysis (D) and Communications components (E) and do not address components A through C.
D. Collect Data and Analyze Results
The fourth component of BCN activities involves analyzing the results in conjunction with both grantees and other groups involved in similar efforts. Highlights include:

In depth Enterprise Data Collected at most sites and for most businesses. All BCN-supported businesses have kept records of their revenues. However, many have not kept adequate accounts for their costs, especially those related to overhead and other fixed costs. Over the past year, staff have begun to systematically collect this information from projects. This issue of enterprises not adequately accounting for costs is discussed in greater detail in Chapter 3 of the report.

Impact Indicators Developed with USAID Global Bureau. USAID and its implementing partners developed a series of indicators to track the impacts of its conservation investments. BCN Staff submitted final projections for 1997 during April, 1997. Preliminary analysis of the results for 1997 have been completed and BCN Projects have met or exceeded all targets. A full indicator report will be completed by December 15, 1997 that will contain actual results for 1997 and projected results for 1998. This report will be available upon request.

Analytical Framework Finalized. BCN staff have finalized the analytical framework. The analysis of the BCN projects will include various types of quantitative and qualitative analyses, case studies, and thematic studies. A variety of analytical approaches have been developed to suit various audiences. The analytical framework will be available during December, 1997.

Analysis of Field Stories Completed. The first application of BCN's Analytical Framework was completed by applying it to the stories received for this Annual report. Please refer to Section 2.1.

Note: The above diagram focuses exclusively on BCN's staff activities. The communities and groups implementing the projects in the BCN portfolio are concurrently addressing the similar issues as they design and implement their projects.

The BCN Program has five distinct components as shown above. BCN is focusing on these components in a sequential manner as indicated by the large arrows in the diagram going from left to right. A key premise behind this diagram, however, is that the activities and products of each component are highly interconnected. Thus, for example, in order to design the program concept and structure (in Component A) it is necessary to consider who the audiences are and to determine how results will be communicated to them (in Component E). Likewise, BCN's ability to conduct effective analysis (in Component D) will be influenced by the selection of projects (in Component B) and the type of information that is collected through monitoring efforts (in Component C).
Furthermore, although the general flow of the program will be sequentially from left to right in the diagram, there is also an iterative feedback process (represented by the curved arrows on top of the diagram) between the components. This iterative process enables BCN to respond to the concerns of its clients and make use of the lessons it has learned to improve the quality of the individual projects within the Network as well as the overall program. In particular, as represented by the heavy arrow between Components C and D, project-based monitoring efforts are an important tool to provide the adaptive management necessary to improve project quality.

E. Communicate Results to Clients
The fifth and final component of BCN activities involves communicating the results of the BCN program to various clients ¹. This information is being used to generate impacts that reach beyond local project sites and that are stimulating community and national awareness of the benefits of conserving biodiversity. BCN-funded projects are stimulating wide-ranging transformations in conservation efforts and policies in both the Asia/Pacific Region and the United States. Highlights include:

Policy impacts at All 20 Sites Documented.
The USAID Indicators include a strategic level indicator on policy impacts at the local, regional, and national levels. Over the past year staff have been able to document policy impacts at all sites. These range from decisions to curtail certain local fishing practices at the Bioprospecting in Fiji [#20] project to national export license policies for butterflies in Indonesia at the Honey, Butterflies, and Rafting in Indonesia [#9] project. A summary of all of the policy impacts by BCN grantees will be available after December 15, 1997.

BCNet Web Site Launched. On October 15, 1997 the BCN launched its own site on the World Wide Web at www.BCNet.org. The purposes of the web site are to get the word out on what we've have reamed about enterprise-based approaches to conservation in a broad and cost-effective manner and to create a medium for dialogue on conservation issues related to business. Please see the box below for more information on the web site.

Putting the "N" in the BCN -- www.BCNet.org
One of the major highlights of the year was BCN's entrance into cyberspace with the launching of the BCNet web site. You can reach the site by typing (www.BCNet.org) into any Internet Browser program. We view this web site as a key component of our strategy for enhancing the newworking capacity of the program -- putting the "N" in the BCN.
BCN had for several years considered using the Internet as a way of reaching several of our key clients including especially USAID bureau and mission staff, members of Congress, researchers and scholars, and US Taxpayers. We hesitated in devoting effor to developing a site because we feared that developing a website might restrict our overseas partners from accessing the information owing to the technological requirements. Over time, however, we learned from these partners that the Web is actually the best way for residents of many developing countries to access timely and relevant information -- that they prefer it to printed materials.
As outlined in the diagram of the site, the BCNet site is designed to help the user to understand why biodiversity is important and what is occuring at each of the BCN project sites. The user is then guided to participate in an interactive discussion group, review the BCN's results, or learn about the products and services offered by BCN's grantees. Our goal is to create a network of people interested in discussing issues of business, the environment, and local communities. Check it out!

"Measures of Success" Completed. BCN is pleased to announce that the Biodiversity Support Program and Island Press will be publishing Measures of Success: Designing, Managing, and Monitoring Conservation and Development Projects in early 1998. This publication was written by BCN's Nick Salafsky and BSP Analytical Program Director Richard Margoluis. Please see the box below for more information about Measures.

Measures of Success

BCN is pleased to announce that the Biodiversity Support Program and Island Press will be publishing Measures of Success: Designing, Managing, and Monitoring Conservation and Development Projects in early 1998. The systematic approach presented in Measures is based in large part on work done with BCN grantees to develop and implement their projects and monitoring plans. It grew out of a series of monitoring workshops that BCN held with its partners in 1995 and subsequent field-testing with BCN grantees and other BSP projects.
The ultimate aim of Measures is to help field-based project managers measure the impacts of their conservation and development programs. To measure impacts, however, these managers must have a clear understanding of the conceptual foundations of project design and management. Using concepts gleaned from many different disciplines, Measures presents a simple, clear, logical, and yet comprehensive approach to identifying, collecting, analyzing, and using information relevant to project management and impact assessment.
The book integrates theoretical, conceptual, and practical issues of project design, management, and monitoring. Measures uses many examples and illustrations drawn from four scenarios that serve as teaching case studies throughout all the chapters. It attempts to tackle the often neglected issue of data analysis for impact assessment and monitoring. Finally, Measures combines experience from domestic (U.S.) and overseas conservation and development work and incorporates the experiences and feedback of many practitioners who have field tested the guide.
For updates on the publication date for Measures of Success and ordering information, contact Island Press (Tel: 1-800-828-1302, Fax: 707-983-6414, Web: www.IslandPress.org) or check the Measures of Success information website (www.BCNet.org/Measures/).

¹BCN uses the term "client" as opposed to "audience" to denote its commitments to:1) find out what information these groups need, 2) provide this information to them in a proactive as opposed to passive manner, and 3) interact with them on a sustained basis to improve the utility of the information over time

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