CMS releases new reports on importance of community-led conservation
Community-led conservation strategies can be instrumental for the successful conservation of migratory species according to two major reports released by the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), a global wildlife treaty of the United Nations.
The report Community Participation and Livelihoods focuses on 10 key guiding principles for community-led conservation strategies, while the study Potential for Community-Based Wildlife Management in Central Asia presents real-world insights into how community-led initiatives can achieve biodiversity conservation and sustainable livelihoods.
Indigenous peoples and local communities are custodians of over a third of the world’s most important places for biodiversity and play a vital role in the conservation of migratory species and their habitats. Integrating their traditional knowledge and practices with modern wildlife management approaches can lead to successful management, conservation, and sustainable use of wildlife and their habitats.
“For many migratory species of wild animals, having the engagement and expertise of local communities and traditional knowledge is vital for effective conservation. We are very pleased to issue these two reports on the critical role that local communities can play in ensuring that migratory species will continue to thrive for generations to come,” said Amy Fraenkel, CMS Executive Secretary.
CMS is the only global UN convention that focuses on the conservation and sustainable use of migratory species of wild animals and their habitats. Sustainable use is allowed for species listed on the treaty’s Appendix II, and can include both extractive and non-extractive uses, such as tourism, use of fur, and others. Appendix I-listed species are considered in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of their range and their use is prohibited.
Community Participation and Livelihoods: Guiding Principles for Wildlife Conservation
Seasonal migrations and aggregations of wild animals affect local communities differently across regions and require international coordination, often beyond the immediate scope of local interactions.
Community-based wildlife management (CBWM) has gained significant attention in international policy from both human rights and biodiversity conservation perspectives. For example, several targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMFBG) are particularly relevant to CBWM, including Target 5 on ensuring sustainable, safe and legal use, harvesting and trade of wild species, and Target 9, which focuses on linking benefits from sustainable use to indigenous peoples and local communities.
To strengthen local engagement and maximize successful community participation in conservation, governments gathered at the 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP14) to CMS adopted ten key guiding principles on the involvement of communities in the conservation of migratory species. The Community Participation and Livelihoods study demonstrates how these principles are at play in real-world examples of CBWM experiences from around the world.
For instance, exemplifying land and user rights, local communities in Bolivia and Peru were granted sustainable use rights to shear live wild vicuña for high-value fibre. This has provided significant income (USD 3.72 million in Bolivia from 2007–2014), improved local tolerance for rising vicuña populations, and empowered communities with legal ownership and custodial rights.
Similarly, Vamizi Island, which harbours Mozambique’s most critical green turtle nesting site, has successfully implemented the Maluane Project since 2003, combining community-based conservation, sustainable development, and luxury tourism. This has resulted in reduced turtle bycatch and poaching, alternative livelihoods, empowered fisheries councils, and the establishment of a marine sanctuary.
The ten principles showcased in this report were synthesized from an analysis of 78 case studies from 50 countries involving 82 migratory species (39 terrestrial, 24 avian and 15 aquatic):
Land and user rights
- Secure and equitable land and resource user rights for communities are important for migratory species conservation.
- Communities need to be supported in their rights to manage and protect migratory species from external influences.
Management responsibilities
- Local management can support the long-term sustainability of conservation measures to increase coexistence with migratory species.
- Co-management and collaboration can integrate traditional ecological knowledge and practices into successful migratory species conservation.
- Community involvement can facilitate sustainable use of migratory species as part of international coordinated and regulated management.
Spiritual values and attitudes
- Understanding and integrating traditional beliefs can increase migratory species conservation effectiveness.
- Cooperation among communities along migratory pathways
- Bottom-up knowledge exchange between community members promotes effective cooperation in migratory species conservation and can be facilitated through top-down involvement in transboundary initiatives.
Intersectional issues
- Communities located around important migratory species aggregation sites can be a priority for engagement with conservation.
Conflict can arise between migratory species management in different parts of their range, leading to disbenefits for some local communities.
- Community-based conservation of migratory species can be undermined by the illegal wildlife trade.
Complementing the above study, the Potential for Community-Based Wildlife Management in Central Asia report showcases the use of CBWM on the ground in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and parts of Mongolia. It focuses on four migratory species—the Bukhara Deer, Saiga Antelope, Argali Sheep, and Snow Leopard, all of which are listed under CMS and covered by its Central Asian Mammals Initiative (CAMI).
“Historically, the people of Central Asia have maintained a strong connection with wildlife, but today there is a notable absence of peaceful and positive co-existence, and human-wildlife conflicts are emerging. I hope the study can advance community-based wildlife management in Central Asian nations, as it not only provides economic advantages for communities but also aids in wildlife conservation,” stated study author Steffen Zuther, Research Fellow at the Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS). “This research holds the potential to mitigate, if not entirely resolve, current conflicts and improve the conservation status of the region’s remarkable wildlife,” he added.
In Central Asia, Soviet-era centralization marginalized communal traditions that once fostered human–wildlife coexistence, as seen in local folklore. After the Soviet Union’s collapse, reduced enforcement and resources fuelled poaching and habitat loss. Today, conservation efforts have been strengthened but adoption of community-based strategies has been slow despite increasing interest.
Key findings of the study include:
Bukhara Deer: Community-based tourism offers non-extractive benefits like eco-tourism and cultural exchanges, but innovative solutions are needed to balance overpopulation with habitat conservation.
Saiga Antelope: Pilot projects in Kazakhstan show that local involvement in population management, such as hunting quotas and revenue-sharing models, has shown promise in reducing poaching and conflict.
Argali Sheep: Trophy hunting programs managed by community NGOs have demonstrated success as generated revenues are reinvested into local community projects, such as schools and healthcare, while also supporting wildlife monitoring and habitat preservation.
Snow Leopard: Measures such as predator-proof livestock enclosures and compensation schemes have been instrumental in mitigating human-wildlife conflict.
The study further emphasizes four key policy recommendations for implementing CBWM in Central Asia: 1) developing legal frameworks, 2) fostering community engagement, 3) providing economic incentives, and 4) enhancing capacity building.
High-level Quotes from Central Asia Governments
“In the framework of the CMS Bukhara Deer MOU and in close collaboration with other Range States, experts and NGOs, we have achieved significant success in conserving one of our flagship species, the Bukhara Deer—endemic to the desert river ecosystems of Central Asia,” said H.E. Aziz Abdukhakimov, Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan and CMS COP14 President. “We appreciate the recommendations outlined in the report and we are actively seeking ways to emphasize local knowledge and engage communities in the conservation and management of this species,” he continued.
“Kazakhstan hosts over 99% of the world’s saiga population, once on the brink of extinction. Decades of conservation action by the Kazakh government, NGOs, international partners, facilitated by the CMS and CITES Conventions, have led to a remarkable recovery. However, this success has brought challenges, including competition for land between wildlife and agriculture. Kazakhstan is exploring possibilities of engaging local communities in saiga conservation and addressing these conflicts. It is hoped that the report’s recommendations, with international support, will aid in achieving this goal,” said H.E. Yerlan Nyssanbayev, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
“The Kyrgyz Republic’s experience involving local people in wildlife conservation has been positive. Our legislation allows locally-founded civil society organizations (CSO) to create and manage small nature reserves (micro-reserves). This approach has garnered strong support from rural populations, reinforcing national traditions of living in harmony with nature while preserving it for future generations,” said Mr. Mirslav Akalovich Amankulov, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources, Environment, and Technical Supervision of the Kyrgyz Republic. “Local CSOs oversee some hunting areas and invest part of the revenues in conservation, leading to notable achievements such as increased populations of rare wild ungulates and snow leopards. This success is attributed to the integration of local knowledge in wildlife protection and enhanced anti-poaching measures. We are ready to share our experience and welcome further international support in developing wildlife-watching and eco-tourism,” he added.