As environmental problems grow larger and more pressing, conservationists have had to adapt. With a shrinking window of time to act, they are turning to broad approaches to combat continental- and global-scale crises of biodiversity loss, invasive species, and climate change. Pathways to Success-the long-awaited successor to the classic volume Measures of Success-is a modern guide to building large-scale transformative programs capable of tackling the complex conservation crises we face today. In this strikingly illustrated volume, coauthors Nick Salafsky and Richard Margoluis walk readers through fundamental concepts of effective program-level design, helping them to think strategically about project coordination, funding, and stakeholder input. Chapters in the first part of the book look at all aspects of designing and implementing large-scale conservation programs while the second part focuses on how to use data and information to manage, adapt, and learn from program strategies. In addition, the authors offer practical advice for avoiding pitfalls, such as formulaic recipes and simplistic silver-bullet solutions that can trip up otherwise well-intentioned efforts. Abundant graphics help to explain and clarify concepts presented in the text, and a glossary in the back matter defines technical terms for the reader. Pathways to Success is the definitive guide for conservation program managers and funders who want to increase the scale and effectiveness of their work combating biodiversity loss, climate change, and other pressing environmental issues.
Nick Salafsky is Executive Director of Foundations of Success, the Product Manager of Miradi Adaptive Management Software, and one of the initial founders of the Conservation Measures Partnership. Over the past two decades he has worked with hundreds of conservation projects and programs around the world on strategic planning, adaptive management, and cross-program learning. Richard Margoluis is Chief Adaptive Management and Evaluation Officer at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation where he and his team support grant-making in environmental conservation, basic science, patient care, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Before joining the Moore Foundation, Richard worked with Nick as codirector of Foundations of Success and was also one of the initial founders of the Conservation Measures Partnership.
Foreword Aileen Lee Preface Taking Conservation to Scale in Complex Systems About This Book Acknowledgements Introduction Focus of This Book How This Book Is Organized Overarching Themes Sources and Further Information PART I. Designing and Implementing Your Program Chapter 1. Framing and Assessing the Situation Clarifying Your Purpose Understanding the System in Which You Are Working Developing a Shared Situation Model Situation Model and Situation Pathway Examples Sources and Further Information Chapter 2. Planning Your Strategies Understanding Your Overall Impact Trajectory Finding Key Intervention Points in Situation Models Identifying Candidate Actions Creating Strategy Pathways to Show Theories of Change Developing Your Approach for Going to Scale Determining Your Program's Investment Approach Sources and Further Information Chapter 3. Operationalizing and Implementing Your Program Setting SMART Goals and Objectives Analyzing Trade-Offs and Conflict Turning Your Strategic Plan into an Actionable Work Plan Assembling a Programmatic Investment Portfolio Awarding Contracts and Grants That Enable Adaptation Sources and Further Information PART II. Using and Expanding Your Evidence Base Chapter 4. Synthesizing Existing Evidence Determining Investment in Evidence Based on Your Burden of Proof Identifying Critical Claims Requiring Evidence Compiling Evidence Sources and Assessing Claims Sources and Further Information Chapter 5. Monitoring and Adapting Developing Your Monitoring Plan Monitoring Your Strategy Effectiveness Defining and Measuring Long-Term Program Success Analyzing Data and Using the Results to Adapt Reporting to Your Team and Stakeholders Exiting Responsibly Sources and Further Information Chapter 6. Promoting Collaborative Learning Contributing to the Global Evidence Base Developing Collaborative Learning Programs Building the Discipline of Conservation Sources and Further Information Some Final Words Glossary Keys to Diagrams Used in This Book About the Authors Index
