6 Project management considerations

The Theory of Change, in the “Getting a site conserved” chapter, outlines the suggested steps required to ultimately achieve a conservation outcome through a site-based conservation approach. These steps are a guide only and can be a useful project planning tool. Each project will differ in the overall number of people required and total steps that need to be achieved in order to deliver a conservation outcome for a site, or network of sites important for biodiversity.

In the context of Key Biodiversity Areas in general, a recent paper Plumptre et al. (2024) recommended that for a comprehensive national assessment across all taxonomic groups (i.e. to only identify or reassess KBAs in a country):

• “Experience to date suggests that a budget of c.$300,000–500,000 US dollars is needed per country (in the Global South) to engage stakeholders including governments and biodiversity experts to compile existing data, identify and propose KBAs, and that this process can take 2–3 years.”

While $300,000–500,000 US dollars and a timeline of 2 - 3 years can help achieve a comprehensive national assessment across all taxonomic groups, proposing a KBA can also be done by a single individual. Where a single individual already has the data, identifying or reassessing a site can be done in a single day.

Key message: there is a massive spectrum of work that can, or will be required to be done, when identifying or proposing an important site. Project managers must consider this when executing projects. We strongly advise contacting a KBA regional focal point before beginning an assessment. They can help advise on current best practice opportunities.