The Wider Benefits of Conservation

Why this series?

Conservation is one of society’s most important investments in the future. Around the world, countless projects are restoring habitats, protecting species and helping ecosystems recover.

Yet conservation can also do much more.

Well-designed conservation initiatives have the potential to strengthen our connection with nature, contribute to wellbeing, inspire learning, encourage stewardship, support local communities and create a stronger sense of place. These wider benefits can reinforce conservation itself by building understanding, trust and long-term public support.

While these outcomes are increasingly recognised, they are not always well understood or systematically evaluated. Understanding how conservation influences people’s lives, experiences and relationships with nature is an important part of understanding what makes conservation successful.

Social science and humantities have an essential role to play. They provides the theories, methods and evidence that help us understand these wider benefits, evaluate conservation initiatives and learn how projects can be designed to deliver positive outcomes for both biodiversity and society.

Through this series, we’ll explore the wider benefits of conservation through research, practical experience and inspiring examples from around the world. We’ll look at topics including connectedness to nature, wellbeing, stewardship, community participation, monitoring and evaluation, and the growing body of evidence that helps us better understand conservation’s contribution to society.

Our hope is that this series becomes a place to share ideas, learn from practice and celebrate the many ways conservation can make a positive difference.