Workshop 1: IUCN CTSG Training for Effective Conservation Translocations
This four-day workshop was run by members of the IUCN SSC Conservation Translocation Specialist Group
Workshop aim: We aimed to create profound benefits for nature and people by saving species and restoring the function of ecosystems. To do so, we aimed to support conservation biologists and managers in designing and managing the complexities surrounding conservation translocations in terms of multi-stakeholder interests, biological uncertainties, and risk. We thereby hoped to ultimately increase knowledge to plan, courage to act, certainly to secure resources, skill to respond to challenges, and the achievement of successful conservation outcomes.
Learning outcomes: By the end of the workshop, participants were able to apply the IUCN Guidelines for Reintroductions and Other Conservation Translocations by:
1. Developing conservation translocation Goals, Objectives, and Actions that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound.
2. Utilising a range of decision-making tools in order to develop, monitor, and adapt conservation translocation projects to achieve pre-determined objectives.
3. Identifying and managing risks.
4. Drawing on a suite of stakeholder engagement tools (group problem-solving, expert elicitation, etc) to overcome challenges and improve success.
5. Understand and critically judge the conservation translocation plans received as part of an approval process.
Workshop 2: Disease Risk Analysis for Conservation Translocations
This one-day workshop was co-run by the University of Edinburgh (UoE) and ZSL.
Workshop summary: Disease risk analysis (DRA, also called health risk analysis) is an important evaluation of conservation translocations to safeguard the health of animals, humans and the ecosystem both at the source and destination sites.
Our vision is to ensure healthy and abundant free-living wildlife populations result from conservation translocations. We aimed to provide conservation translocation stakeholders with an insight into disease threats associated with conservation translocations and to promote best practice in mitigation of those threats to promote successful conservation outcomes. Workshop participants had the opportunity to gain an understanding of how the DRA process is applied, possible pitfalls and how to address them by considering real conservation translocation scenarios.
The workshop was facilitated by a number of tutors from the ZSL and UoE with expertise in assessing and managing risks from disease in conservation translocations of various species, including invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. The day started with an overview of the topic followed by group sessions to work through the DRA process.
Workshop 3: From Planning to Persistence: Best Practices and Lessons Learned in Plant Conservation Translocations
This one-day workshop was run by experts from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.
Workshop summary: This workshop focused on best practices and lessons learned from plant conservation translocations, drawing on real-world case studies from around the world. Participants explored how IUCN conservation translocation guidance and Best Practices are applied for plants, from early planning and risk assessment through implementation, monitoring, and long-term persistence.
Through a combination of short presentations, facilitated discussion, the workshop highlighted successes, challenges, and unresolved questions across regions and taxa. Emphasis was placed on bridging research and practice and ensuring that plant translocations are fully integrated within the broader conservation translocation framework.
The workshop was intended for practitioners, researchers, and decision-makers seeking practical, experience-based insight into effective plant translocation design and delivery.
Workshop 4: Human Dimension of Conservation Translocations
This one-day workshop was run by members of the IUCN SSC Conservation Translocation Specialist Group - Human-Wildlife Interactions Working Group.
Workshop summary: Issues arising from human–wildlife interactions (HWI) are often experienced in conservation translocations (CT) and can occur at any stage of a project life cycle. Overlooking or failing to consider the human dimensions could jeopardise the long-term success of CTs. When the human dimensions are included, there is a greater possibility of community involvement, peer acceptance, support from various interest groups and, ultimately, the avoidance of conflict situations.
In this action-oriented workshop, we invited participants to bring real-life human–wildlife interaction issues from their projects and offer a step-by-step process to identify what to look for at each stage of a CT cycle, with recommendations on how to address these issues. Participants worked in groups facilitated by core members of the IUCN/SSC CTSG Human–Wildlife Interactions Working Group. Together they addressed key issues guided by a newly launched framework for HWI in CT.