Conservationists at Kent have adapted a best practice global business framework to help managers improve the management of conservation programmes.

A best practice framework employed by thousands of successful businesses worldwide has been adapted by two members of the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) to help conservation managers improve their consideration, analysis and management of the programmes for which they are responsible.

In a paper published by the international journal Conservation Biology, Dr Simon Black and Dr Jim Groombridge have proposed that an understanding and application of their adapted framework, now known as the Conservation Excellence Model, will enable: greater clarity in goal setting; more effective identification of job roles within programmes; better links between technical approaches and measures of biological success, and more effective use of resources. The model could also improve how a conservation programme's effectiveness is evaluated and may be used to compare different programmes – for example, during reviews of project performance by sponsoring organisations.

Dr Black, a conservation biologist with experience in organisational and management development, said: 'The conservation sector is traditionally overstretched and remains relatively underdeveloped in terms of management thinking. At the same time, there is an increasing expectation that conservation programmes should pay their way. Consequently, conservation practitioners and charities need to demonstrate that genuine achievement in conserving species or habitats is occurring and that their efforts are seen as value for money. We feel that it is important to lead and manage a programme in a way that enables people working on the ground to make a difference to the species or habitats with which they are involved.

'The model we are offering will enable managers to think about which results should be analysed and on which work activities they should focus their efforts in order to achieve the best long-term outcomes.'

Dr Black is also Director of the DICE EARTH Centre, an innovative training and consultancy hub that provides support to the global conservation community.

Find out more:

• Further information about Dr Simon Black and Dr Jim Groombridge
• Find out more about the DICE EARTH Centre
• More about the University of Kent Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology
• More about research in the School of Anthropology and Conservation at the University of Kent.

Related courses at Kent:

Postgraduate courses (Master's and PhDs)

• Conservation postgraduate degree programmes

Undergraduate courses (Bachelor's)

• Conservation undergraduate degree programmes