Effective conservation efforts follow three essential steps:
Assess, Plan and Act.
Reverse the Red provides tried and tested tools to successfully complete this cycle and save species from extinction.
ASSESS
We start by understanding the conservation status of species by assessing their distribution, the size and trends of their populations, as well as the threats affecting them.
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is the main tool in this process. Dozens of scientists have engaged to develop a standard set of categories and criteria, and thousands more follow these standards to assess species. Standards are there for both global and national assessments.
PLAN
Effective species recovery programs must bring together a broad array of stakeholders, perspectives and expertise, from governments to local communities alongside species experts.
The IUCN SSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group has demonstrated one of the main planning methods, integrating ecological and social sciences to engage diverse stakeholders into comprehensive conservation strategies. Collaborative, inclusive and evidence-based, action plans define species conservation success, agree on goals and strategies and establish accountable parties to ensure effective conservation actions.
ACT
An action plan is only as good as its implementation.
A conservation program must convene and mobilize key stakeholders to deliver conservation actions. And those actions must be based on the best available tools and practices. IUCN SSC has developed many of them, covering actions such as conservation translocations, ex situ management, control of invasive species, management of confiscated organisms, and trophy hunting as conservation incentive.
To monitor progress, the IUCN Green Status of Species measures conservation success and recovery potential. And the Species Conservation Cycle starts again.