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Themes |
excelling at what we do CDC's strategy is to specialise in a limited number of priority theme areas that we can excel at. By working with CDC, our customers and partners achieve greater impact because their conservation products are more cost effective and they have more time to pursue new conservation opportunities. That way we ensure that CDC complements and adds value to existing conservation efforts, rather than competing with them. We are presently concentrating on six themes, outlined below. Our work in each is guided by CDC's core values, in particular the need to draw on global best practice from the conservation and business worlds, and to be leaders in developing and applying innovative solutions to changing conservation and development issues. Visit our projects page for more information on these approaches. project design and management CDC's contribution to conservation and environmental
projects is often focused on what we believe is one of the critical foundations
for As a result of the cross-cutting nature of many environmental conservation problems, our activities under this theme often encompass CDC's other theme areas - in integrated project solutions. For instance, a particular speciality of CDC is the design, management and evaluation of Integrated Conservation and Development Projects (ICDPs). You can get further information on CDC's contribution to a typical ICDP at the Awash Conservation & Development Project page. natural resources management planning NRM planning - be it a national park general
management plan or a local community environment action plan - is a
vital yet underutilised tool in organisational development Even the best laid plans have little impact if the
responsible organisations cannot implement them. This is an
especially acute problem in Africa where governmental, non-governmental environmental management Good practice in environmental management has the
potential of realising economic as well as environmental benefits. In
light of this, organisations are coming under mounting pressure to
ensure that their operations are environmentally sensitive, and that
they utilise natural resources efficiently to minimise wastage and
pollution. In addition, new infrastructural and other types of
development, both private and public sector, are increasingly subject to
environmental legislation to ensure that they are planned to minimise
environmental impacts throughout their project lifecycles. This is
particularly important in sensitive ecological areas, and CDC provides
services in environmental impact assessment and strategic environmental
assessment to complement its capabilities in natural resource management
and protected area planning. CDC is also developing expertise in
environmental auditing and monitoring for organisations operating in and
around sensitive areas. conservation strategies Although numerous strategies for reconciling conservation and human development needs are being applied around the world, there is little hard evidence for their relative merits and viability. CDC believes that it is vitally important to understand the impact of both conventional and innovative conservation strategies and to adapt the approaches accordingly. Only then will donors, governments and local communities be convinced that well-designed conservation strategies bring long-term benefits for all. (visit the Bwindi ICD Strategies Project) new financing New strategies are helping to resolve conflicts between nature conservation and human development needs, but these efforts are being overwhelmed by growing human numbers and development aspirations. A more concerted effort is needed to halt the destruction of habitats and loss of biodiversity. This means unlocking new ways of financing conservation and development action - both from traditional funding sources as well as through innovative new mechanisms. Especially important will be to find ways of harnessing the growing wealth and influence of the private sector and to make enterprise work for positive environmental change. Facilitating practical joint ventures between firms and civil society institutions to achieve mutually beneficial conservation goals, is a high priority for CDC's work. (visit the Serengeti Trust Fund Project)
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