The Duke/Triangle Initiative has issued a "call for information" among students and researchers in order to develop well-documented case studies to support lobbying efforts for improved international funding policies and programs:
Although more time, effort, and money are being expended for conservation in the tropics than ever before, the loss of natural resources and areas of conservation value is occurring at an unprecedented rate. Numerous proximate variables contribute to this increasing loss, but ultimately the problem revolves around the issue of ever increasing rates of consumption due to a combination of expanding human populations in most tropical countries, and to excessive consumption tied to policies encouraging economic growth in the so-called developed nations.
In the short and intermediate term, however, much of the loss in the conservation race can be attributed to inappropriate foreign aid development programs and projects. These foreign aid efforts either threaten conservation areas directly, or are ineffective in their attempts at conservation. This ineffectiveness is often due to excessive administrative costs, poor planning, contracting inappropriate advisors, and lack of accountability in terms of performance. Underlying these flaws is the practice by government aid agencies of subcontracting the administration and implementation of their bilateral aid grants to commercial companies and NGOs who, all too often, have little or no experience in, or deep-seated concern for the countries and problems they are dealing with. In essence, these are some of the problems resulting from collaboration between government bureaucracies, commercial enterprises, and consulting firms.
Many of us who have participated in conservation in the tropics over the past 25 years feel that it is time for a change. Specifically, we feel that government aid agencies have an obligation to both the donor constituency (the tax payers) and the recipient nations to use foreign aid grants in the most effective manner possible.
Biologists working in the tropics are often in a unique position to observe and collect information on foreign aid programs and projects that influence natural resources and conservation areas. How can this information be used effectively to bring about positive change? There is no simple formula that will apply to all cases. However, once the facts are assembled and alternative plans for more effective conservation projects are developed, a lobbying campaign can be implemented. This depends on effective teamwork between field workers and conservation lobbyists who have access to the decision makers and the media.
We are in the early stages of developing a coalition between field biologists working in the tropics and Friends of the Earth (USA), an NGO based in Washington, D.C. that specializes in lobbying for conservation, and has had long experience in influencing domestic and foreign government expenditures.
One of our first objectives is to develop a network of individuals who are prepared to participate in the resolution of problems involving foreign aid and conservation. We are seeking the collaboration of individuals who are in a position to collect information on specific cases of conservation and foreign aid. Initially we will focus our attention on problems of tropical forest conservation. The immediate goal is to identify and collect information on projects that influence the conservation status of specific forests.
Although most of our efforts will concentrate on projects that either threaten these forests or represent an inappropriate or ineffective approach to conservation, we will also highlight projects that are implementing conservation in an effective and appropriate manner. Understanding the basis of successful conservation projects is as important as identifying and describing the threats and failures.
The kinds of projects we will focus on include a wide range of activities, such as so-called development projects that will destroy tropical forests outright, as well as conservation projects that are inappropriate or ineffective. The specific cases selected for action will depend on the type and amount of information collected by ourselves and our colleagues while in the field. Once sufficient information is collected on a specific project, it will be presented as a case study to FoE in Washington, D.C. Friends of the Earth is committed to examining these reports to determine what the potential and capacity for action are. Actions might include lobbying and publicity efforts that aim to improve the conservation status of the particular area in question, obtaining congressional oversight hearings, etc.
The following is a checklist of the types of information needed for each case study:
If you are able to prepare a case study, can contribute to the development of such a study, or are simply interested in the problem, please contact Carrie Oren. Please include your E-mail address and areas of interest (professional, geographic, specific projects).
webpage by Michelle Merrill Last modified: 16 January 1997, mym