Name: Concept Mapping

Reference: Conservation Measures Partnership (2013) Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation. Version 3.0. http://cmp-openstandards.org/.

Conservation planning step(s) when this would be used: This is used during the Plan Actions step to identify possible actions.

Description of tool use: A process through which direct and indirect threat drivers are mapped, allowing identification of key areas for management interventions, and key players in those interventions. It is designed for use as part of the Conservation Measures Partnership planning framework which is supported by the Miradi software application.

Experience and expertise required to use the tool: This tool can be used with relatively little expertise, however will be most effective with a facilitator and experts who understand the conservation context of the species of interest.  

Data requirements: The tool is suitable for data poor situations.

Cost: The tool concept itself is free though if used in conjunction with the Miradi software costs may apply.

Strengths and weaknesses, when to use and interpret with caution: A strength of this tool is the ability to bring diverse stakeholders together to understand the underlying drivers for why there are threats to conservation targets. There are no limits to underlying condition (just time for the facilitation) and as such novel or unexpected drivers can sometimes be uncovered in the facilitation process.  

One weakness of the concept mapping process as it is currently defined in the Open Standards (CMP 2013) is that it is not directly tied to the biological conditions that enable those threats unless they are identified as stressors.

Case Study: Hundreds of case studies that use the threats analysis process can be found at https://www.miradishare.org/ and at https://www.rare.org/campaign/miradi-example#.W-rqlNVKgdU.

Example: Salmon River Conservation Area, USA; https://www.miradishare.org/projectDiagrams/tnc-thenatureconserva-2014-00009/

Back to Abruzzi Table 1.
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Contributor(s): Amielle DeWan            
Affiliation:  IFAW            
Date:  7 February 2011