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Devex profiles our community-based conservation model

September 16, 2016

Devex, a worldwide organization that seeks to connect global development professionals, recently spoke with Seacology staff, field representatives, and board members, and profiled us in an article, “Ocean conservation starts — but doesn’t stop — with communities.” The well-researched piece details our successful model of involving local stakeholders in environmental conservation to the benefit of both communities and ecosystems.

From “Ocean conservation starts — but doesn’t stop — with communities”:

The importance of working in partnership with coastal communities goes beyond equity, [Seacology Executive Director Duane Silverstein] continued, explaining that conservation projects will never work in the short term, nor be enforced in the long term, without the active involvement of the people who are closest to the problems and solutions.

“Don’t write projects up in an office. Come meet local partners and ask them what might work. Then write the project around that,” said Ian Drysdale, a field representative for Seacology who lives on Roatán, an island off the coast of Honduras.

Drysdale urged organizations to engage communities as partners in conservation projects for nearby forests or coral reefs in exchange for something they need, such as a new school or health clinic. In a recently launched project in Costa Rica, Seacology is funding local partner Misión Tiburón to provide environmental education programs for children while also promoting the designation of a marine protected area to protect giant manta rays and their ecosystem.

We invite you to read the entire piece at Devex’ website.