• Departments & Offices
• IIC
• Capacity Development
• Integrative Conservation Clinic

Integrative Conservation Clinic

An open-source and frequently updated online platform connecting conservationists with curated tools and networks to support informed action

The Integrative Conservation Clinic is an international and multi-agency initiative to develop a free, open-source, frequently updated, and multidisciplinary online platform to bridge the knowledge-action gap. The Clinic will connect research and expertise to conservation decision-making needs so that practitioners have access to evidence-based approaches and researchers can ensure that their findings are informing practice. The tools and approaches provided by the Clinic come from all disciplines relevant to conservation - from economics to biology, anthropology to genomics – so that practitioners can plan, implement, and assess integrative and effective conservation strategies.

How Does it Work?

Single column table of collapsible items for formatting purposes.

Evidence-based Pathways for Conservation Action The clinic will provide curated content focused on evidence-based pathways to action. Pathways have three levels: an approach to dealing with a challenge, the theoretical background that is the basis of that approach, and specific tools that are used to implement that approach. Backgrounds, approaches, and tools are pulled from across the social, natural, and applied sciences.  Pathways to action that are well-known or established in conservation will be presented with insights and perspectives from other disciplines that can increase both their efficacy and ethical rigor.

A Platform for Knowledge Exchange Conservation practitioners and researchers are an untapped source of experiential knowledge. The Clinic provides a platform for knowledge exchange so that the conservation community can tap into the experience and lessons of their colleagues. Users can share their successes and failures with approaches to help others avoid pitfalls when addressing a similar challenge, or help users find a new way to address an old but persistent challenge. Features of the Clinic like tool reviews, forums, and user-contributed tools are just some of the ways that users can connect with others that have complementary knowledge and experience.

User Need-based Engagement Conservation practitioners have vastly different information and knowledge needs depending on a given project, geography, and social landscape. The resolution and type of information needed may vary greatly - from general knowledge on a topic to a downloadable online tool and user guide, presented via text, video, code, or another format. The clinic will provide a search and filtering feature for the user who knows exactly what they need, a ‘pathways explorer’ for the user who just wants to see what options are out there, and a diagnostic tool for the user who has a challenge that they are not quite sure how to address. We are developing the technical capability to provide tailored pathways to action, in an initial release by building on information input by users, and in a later release, by leveraging AI.

The Conservation Clinic Team

The Clinic is led by a small team from the Institute for Integrative Conservation at William & Mary, the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, and the University of California, Los Angeles. However, we rely on a much larger team of volunteer contributors who are researchers and practitioners and are experts in their fields. These practitioners come from 20+ universities and non-governmental organizations. The Clinic and its supporting funding structure are currently in development.