A presentation on a theory of change for engaging communities in tackling illegal wildlife trade given by Dianne Skinner and Holly Dublin. The presentation was given at the Community Voices: Local Perspectives on International Responses to Illegal Wildlife Trade on Wednesday, 10 October 2018 at the Zoological Society of London. More details: https://www.iied.org/CommunityVoices Also, learn more about the new “People not poaching” online platform that supports communities as the first line of defence against illegal wildlife trade: https://peoplenotpoaching.org

1. A theory of change for engaging
communities in tackling IWT
FOUR KEY PATHWAYS
Copyright: Lion Guardians

2. HELP GUIDE DONORS AND
IMPLEMENTERS
BY BETTER UNDERSTANDING HOW
TO MEANINGFULLY ENGAGE LOCAL
COMMUNITIES
IN TACKLING IWT

3. 1. Beyond Enforcement Symposium (Muldersdrift, South
Africa, February 2015)
2. Beyond Enforcement Regional Workshop for West and
Central Africa (Limbe, Cameroon, February 2016)
3. Beyond Enforcement Workshop for Southeast Asia
(Hanoi, Viet Nam, November 2016)
BEYOND ENFORCEMENT

4. DECREASED PRESSURE ON SPECIES FROM ILLEGAL
WILDLIFE TRADE
A.
Increase
costs of
participating
in iWT
C.
Decrease
costs of
living with
wildlife
D.
Increase
non-wildlife-
based
livelihoods
B.
Increase
incentives
for
stewardship

5. DECREASED PRESSURE ON SPECIES FROM
ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE
.
FOUR PRIMARY PATHWAYS & KEY ASSUMPTIONS
A.
Increase
costs of
participating
in IWT
C.
Decrease
costs of
living with
wildlife
D.
Increase
non-wildlife-
based
livelihoods
B.
Increase
incentives
for
stewardship

6. EXPLORING ASSUMPTIONS FOR EACH
PATHWAY IS KEY
ENABLING ACTIONS
INTERVENTIONS
OUTPUTS
PRIMARY OUTCOMES
ASSUMPTIONS
ASSUMPTIONS
ASSUMPTIONS
INTERIM OUTCOMES
ASSUMPTIONS

7. e.g. Strengthen partnerships
between community scouts &
formal LE agencies
Stronger and more effective collaboration between well-
capacitated community scouts and well-trained formal
enforcement agencies
Reduced active or tacit community support for poaching / trafficking for IWT
Strengthened community action against internal or external poachers /
traffickers engaged in IWT
Reduced poaching / trafficking for IWT by community
A-I
A-R
A-P
E
F
Formal and traditional disincentive mechanisms are
strengthened, socially acceptable, and applied
Social norms effectively imposed on individuals
engaged in poaching / trafficking for IWT
Reduced recruitment of community members by poachers / traffickers
engaged in IWT
e.g. Strengthen traditional sanctions
protecting wild plants & animals
e.g. Train & equip community
members to act as effective law
enforcement partners
e.g. Train & equip formal LE agents
to act as effective LE partners w/
communities
Reduced poaching / trafficking for IWT by outsiders
PATHWAY A – INCREASE COSTS OF
PARTICIPATING IN IWT
e.g. Collaboration between communities and formal
enforcement agencies leads to stronger action against
IWT and not stronger collusion in IWT.
e.g. Better trained, better equipped community
members do not use their more advanced equipment
and training to engage in IWT.
e.g. Intimidation by poachers/traffickers does not deter
community action against IWT.
e.g. The relative risk of being apprehended, arrested or
prosecuted is not so low that it undermines community
action against IWT.
e.g. Poaching/trafficking is reduced to within
sustainable levels.

8. Reduced active or tacit community support for poaching / trafficking for IWT
Strengthened community action against internal or external poachers /
traffickers engaged in IWT
Reduced poaching / trafficking for IWT by community
E
F
Reduced recruitment of community members by poachers / traffickers
engaged in IWT
Reduced poaching / trafficking for IWT by outsiders
PATHWAY B - INCREASE
INCENTIVES FOR STEWARDSHIP
e.g. Support other activities
to generate livelihoods &
other benefits from wild
plants & animals
Communities recognise and access tangible and
intangible benefits from wild plants and animals
Communities are more empowered to manage and
benefit from wild plants and animals
B-I
B-R
B-P
Communities value wild plants and animals
more as a result of increased benefits
e.g. Recognise & profile
effective community
approaches against poaching
/ trafficking for IWT
e.g. Support / reinvigorate
traditional values around
wild plants & animals
e.g. Generate / support paid
jobs for local people as
community scouts
e.g. The relative value of illegal wildlife products is not so
high that corruption undermines community action against
IWT.
e.g. The full suite of benefits (tangible and intangible) from
wild plants and animals are enough to deter poaching.
e.g. Benefits are distributed widely enough to ensure that
the wider community, rather than just a few individuals,
values wild plants and animals.
e.g. Communities have rights to benefit from managing and
using wild plants and animals.

9. Reduced active or tacit community support for poaching / trafficking for IWT
Strengthened community action against internal or external poachers /
traffickers engaged in IWT
Reduced poaching / trafficking for IWT by community
E
F
Reduced recruitment of community members by poachers / traffickers
engaged in IWT
Reduced poaching / trafficking for IWT by outsiders
PATHWAY C - DECREASE COSTS
OF LIVING WITH WILDLIFE
e.g. Support practical approaches to deterring problem
animals at the site level
Costs to communities imposed by presence of
wildlife are reduced
Communities can mitigate conflict better
Decreased antagonism toward wildlife
C-P
C-R
e.g. Support insurance,
compensation or offset
schemes that reduce the
cost of living with wildlife
e.g. Support land use planning
that reduces the human-
wildlife interface
C-I
e.g. The full costs of living with wildlife are known and
can be quantified
e.g. Resources and tools are available to mitigate HWC
e.g. Communities with decreased antagonism towards
wildlife have a decreased incentive to directly or
indirectly support IWT.
e.g. Communities with greater ability to mitigate HWC
(resources, tools, policies) feel less antagonism towards
wildlife.

10. Reduced active or tacit community support for poaching / trafficking for IWT
Strengthened community action against internal or external poachers /
traffickers engaged in IWT
Reduced poaching / trafficking for IWT by community
E
F
Reduced recruitment of community members by poachers / traffickers
engaged in IWT
Reduced poaching / trafficking for IWT by outsiders
PATHWAY D – INCREASE NON-
WILDLIFE BASED LIVELIHOODS
e.g. Support interventions to generate livelihood
options from non-wildlife-based activities
Communities have a greater diversity of non-
wildlife-based livelihood options
D-I
Viable non-wildlife-based livelihood strategies in
place & generating sufficient income to substitute for
poaching income
D-R
D-P
e.g. Non-wildlife-based livelihoods generate enough
income to substitute or remove the incentive for
engaging in IWT, rather than acting as additional
income to IWT.
e.g. Non-wildlife-based livelihoods have sustainable
markets and supply chains.
e.g. Non-wildlife-based livelihood schemes do not
generate perverse incentives — eg, money earned is
not reinvested in poaching or in other land uses that
negatively affect conservation.

11. A. Increase the cost of
participating in IWT
B. Increase incentives for
stewardship
C. Decrease costs of living
with wildlife
D. Increase non-wildlife-based
livelihoods
e.g. Strengthen
partnerships between
community scouts &
formal LE agencies
e.g. Support other
activities to generate
livelihoods & other
benefits from wild
plants & animals
e.g. Support practical approaches to
deterring problem animals at the site
level
e.g. Support interventions to generate
livelihood options from non-wildlife-based
activities
Stronger and more effective collaboration
between well-capacitated community scouts
and well-trained formal enforcement
agencies
Communities recognise and access
tangible and intangible benefits from
wild plants and animals
Communities are more empowered
to manage and benefit from wild
plants and animals
Costs to communities imposed by
presence of wildlife are reduced
Communities have a greater diversity of
non-wildlife-based livelihood options
Communities can mitigate conflict
better
Decreased antagonism toward wildlife
Reduced active or tacit community support for poaching / trafficking for IWT
Strengthened community action against internal or external poachers / traffickers engaged
in IWT
Reduced poaching / trafficking for IWT by community
B-IA-I C-I D-I
B-RA-R
B-P C-P
C-R
E
INDICATIVE
ACTIONS
RESULTS
OVERALL
OUTCOMES
LONG-TERM
IMPACT
Viable non-wildlife-based livelihood
strategies in place & generating
sufficient income to substitute for
poaching income
D-R
F
ENABLING
ACTIONS
Support development & implementation of legal & institutional frameworks for effective & fair wildlife protection & management
Build community capacity and institutions
Fight corruption and strengthen governance
Analyze to better understand the differences in accrual of costs and benefits at the individual vs. community level.
PATHWAY
OUTCOMES
Formal and traditional disincentive
mechanisms are strengthened, socially
acceptable, and applied
Social norms effectively imposed on
individuals engaged in poaching /
trafficking for IWT
Communities value wild plants and
animals more as a result of increased
benefits
Reduced recruitment of community members by poachers / traffickers
engaged in IWT
e.g. Strengthen
traditional sanctions
protecting wild plants &
animals
e.g. Recognise & profile
effective community
approaches against
poaching / trafficking
for IWT
e.g. Support insurance,
compensation or offset
schemes that reduce the
cost of living with wildlife
CROSS-CUTTING
OUTCOMES
e.g. Train & equip
community members to
act as effective law
enforcement partners
e.g. Train & equip
formal LE agents to act
as effective LE partners
w/ communities
e.g. Support /
reinvigorate traditional
values around wild
plants & animals
Reduced poaching / trafficking for IWT by outsiders
e.g. Support land use
planning that reduces
the human-wildlife
interface
e.g. Generate / support
paid jobs for local
people as community
scouts

12. GUIDANCE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE
FLoD METHODOLOGY
https://www.iucn.org/flod

13. THANK YOU
https://www.iucn.org/flod