‘INTERDISCIPLINARY LEADERSHIP FOR THE PRODUCTION OF NATURE’ COURSE

Training course for leaders in conservation (8th edition)

Reserva Natural Iberá (Corrientes, Argentina)

22th to 26th September 2014

Results Report

Organized by

Justification

This is an intensive course aimed at professionals who have a high impact on the field or

"conservation leaders" who are currently running, coordinating or supervising nature production

programs –more commonly known as “biodiversity conservation”– in different parts of Latin

America with emphasis on Argentine professionals. The course presents a holistic approach to

complex conservation processes management for a period of five days by means of introducing,

linking and discussing issues related to research, promotion, planning, regulations, evaluation,

conflict management, organizational structures and adaptive leadership. In parallel, the course

works on concepts and tools aimed at the efficient management of work conservation teams.

This course has been taking place, with regular updates, since 2006 in Argentina, Chile, and

Costa Rica. The course, which at the beginning was called “Interdisciplinary Principles and Tools

for the Recovery of Threatened Species” has undergone conceptual enrichment; as a

consequence of this, its name has been adapted. Throughout several discussions and collective

analyses in previous editions of this course, we have noticed how the concept of "leadership"

constituted a mainstay in conservation processes that have been successful in Latin America

and other regions. Therefore, in 2010, we decided to adapt the course content and expand its

approach in order to center it on the concept of training all types of leaders in the complex task

of biodiversity conservation. Thus, the course was renamed "Interdisciplinary Leadership for

Biodiversity Conservation." In recent years we have adopted the concept of production of nature

which we favor over “Biodiversity Conservation.” In particular, the latest edition of the course has

been enriched with the theoretical contribution of the “Practical Learning from the Conservation

Masters” meeting, which was held in June 2014 in the framework of the activities organized by

the Iberá Center for Biodiversity Conservation Leadership. During the meeting, leaders from four

continents reflected and demonstrated their knowledge gained through their practical

conservation work. The pieces of advice given by the Conservation Masters pervade the current

course contents.

Background

Below is a brief report of the eighth edition of the course held between 22 and 26 September 2014. This course was organized by The Conservation Land Trust (CLT) and funded by

Michael-Succow-Stiftung (MSS), Manfred-Hermsen-Stiftung (MHS) and The Conservation

Land Trust.

The course was held in the Reserva Natural Iberá (Corrientes, Argentina). The first four days

took place at the Casa Santa Ana in Colonia Carlos Pellegrini and the last day was spent at

Estancia Rincón del Socorro owned by CLT.

The total number of applicants for the course was 29, out of which 19 professionals from

Argentina and Uruguay were selected. The pedagogical sessions were also open to the local

staff of CLT reserves. As in previous editions of the course, we sought to establish a group

where different institutional origins, different degrees of professional experience, gender and,

wherenever possible, different professional training converged. Among the participants, there

were professionals working within government agencies in managing protected areas,

conservation NGOs and research centers (see annex 1: list of participants).

The main learning activities were conducted and coordinated by Ignacio Jiménez Pérez (M.Sc.

in Conservation and Wildlife Management, and current coordinator of the CLT-Ibera recovery

program for endangered species). George Gibbons, with a degree in biological sciences and

with over fifteen years of experience in companies international consulting and training, gave his

support during the session on conflict and group management.

The course combined several teaching tools: theoretical presentations , video presentations,

exercise solving, group analysis, and games. The teachings and cases examples (Masters of

Conservation’s contribution) could be seen in classes in short videos during which the students

listened to each of the Masters (see annex 2: schedule course).

After having completed the course, the participants answered a course feedback questionnaire

(see annex 3: questionnaire model). According to their opinion, the didactic quality of the course

was excellent or very good (85%) and each of the two teachers was very well evaluated.

Students believed that the most important topics of the course were: conflict management,

organizational/leadership aspects, and “The Conservation Ship”. The ability of the course to

foster personal and professional ties, as well as the personal attention and the human

environment, was considered to be excellent or very good by the 93% and the 100% of the

participants, respectively. The course logistics was evaluated as excellent or very good by all the

participants. The comments indicate that the participants were highly satisfied with the course,

and especially appreciated the dynamic games and the motivating capacity. They also found the

course contents very practical and applicable. They highlighted the meeting human warmth and

the good organization (see annex 4: the results of surveys).

The course was recorded in a 5-minute video which can be seen on the Iberá Training Center

website (http://www.proyectoibera.org/centroibera).

Pictures of the course

- Group Games

- Training Sessions

- Resolution of exercises in small groups

ANNEX 1. List of students.

Name Profession Institution

Place where they came from

1 Laura Fernández

busniess adminitrator

Flora y Fauna Argentina (NGO) Buenos Aires, Argentina.

2 Guido Vittone

naturalist Flora y Fauna Argentina (NGO) Santa Cruz, Argentina.

3 Pablo Díaz

biologist Flora y Fauna Argentina (NGO) Santa Cruz, Argentina.

4 Hernán Povedano biologist Secretaría de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sustentable, Provincia de Río Negro.

Río Negro, Argentina.

5 Hada Irastorza

plastic artist, cultural manager

The Conservation Land Trust (Parque Iberá)

Corrientes, Argentina.

6 Astrid Sanguinetti

photographer The Conservation Land Trust Buenos Aires, Argentina.

7 Ramón Moller Jensen

photographer The Conservation Land Trust (Parque Iberá)

Corrientes, Argentina.

8 Teresita Iturralde

lawyer Conservation Land Trust Buenos Aires, Argentina.

9 Soledad Bustos

biologist Secretaría de Ambiente, provincia de Salta.

Salta, Argentina.

10 Hugo Bay Capello

lawyer Subsecretario de Recursos Naturales, provincia de Formosa

Formosa, Argentina.

11 Anahí Perez

forester Secretaría Técnica de la Reserva de Biosfera Andino Norpatagónica, Administracíon de Parques Nacionales.

Río Negro, Argentina.

12 Alicia Delgado

biologist The Conservation Land Trust (Parque Iberá)

Corrientes, Argentina.

13 Fabián Rabuffetti

biologist Aves Argentinas (NGO). Buenos Aires, Argentina.

14 Xochilt Pocasangre

biologist Instituto Internacional de Manejo y Conservación de Vida Silvestre, Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica.

Corrientes, Argentina.

15 Talía Zamboni biologist Instituto Internacional de Manejo y Conservación de Vida Silvestre, Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica.

Corrientes, Argentina.

16 Constanza Paisan

biologist Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral (Conicet, Corrientes, Argentina).

Corrientes, Argentina.

17 Soledad Ghione

biologist Dirección Nacional de Medio Ambiente, División Biodiversidad.

Montevideo, Uruguay

18 José Hernán Sarasola

biologist Centro para el Estudio y Conservación de las Aves Rapaces en Argentina (CECARA)

La Pampa, Argentina.

19 Sebastián Di Martino

biologist Dirección de Áreas Naturales Protegidas, provincia de Neuquén.

Neuquén, Argentina.

ANNEX 2. Schedule course. Monday September 22: Arrival and Course Introduction.

•Journey from Mercedes to Iberá Natural Reserve. •Accommodation.

•Course Introduction. •Talk: Why do We Need Interdisciplinary Leadership for the Production of Nature? + An

Interdisciplinary Method for Producing Nature: The Wheel of Conservation. •Team Building Exercise: Helium Stick.

Tuesday September 23: Promoting Conservation

•Talk: Meeting the Actors of a Conservation Process + Approaches for a Conservation Process Promotion: awareness, activism, legal complaints and diplomacy. •True Colours: The Four Personality Types in Work Teams. Wednesday September 24: Problems Analysis (Research) + Planning, Evaluation and

Completion.

• Talk: Generation of Quality Information for Decision-making in Conservation: general principles and practical tips + Impact Criteria of a Study: relevance, credibility, legitimacy and accessibility.

• Talk: Planning vs plans + Different Complementary Approaches to Project Evaluation and Sustained Improvement + Using Evaluation to Adapt: identification and termination of inadequate practices.

• Exercise with constructive feedback to enhance relationships within a work team. Thursday September 25: Negotiation and Management Conflicts + Organizational aspects.

• Presentation: Conflict Understood as a Tool of Change in Favour of Conservation + Principles

and Tools for Conflict Management and Collaborative Negotiation. • Negotiation exercises: guanacos and pumas. Ejercicios de negociación: guanacos y pumas

• Talk: Organizational Aspects: people, equipment, organizational cultures and the virtuous circle of conservation organizations + The leader's Role in Conservation: principles and practical recommendations.

• Exercise with colours: deer hunting. Friday September 26: Summary and Closure (It was held in Estancia Rincón del Socorro)

• Summary of lessons learned by leaders from 4 continents.

• Group Summary. • Return trip to Mercedes.

ANNEX 3. Course feedback questionnaire.

1. Didactic Aspects 1.1 Rank the topics covered in the course according to relevance and applicability (1 is the best value and subsequent values imply less interest. You can assign the same value to several topics).

Topic Value Production of Nature

Getting Information

Promotion

Planing and regulation Conflict management

Evaluation

Organizational/Lidership Aspects

The Conservation Ship

1.2 I have found the teaching quality (i.e. way to present the contents, activities, materials, etc.) of the course to be: a) Excellent b) Very good c) Good d) Poor e) Bad f) Very bad 1.3. Could you write any recommendations aimed at improving the teaching quality of future courses? We are especially interested to know your opinion regarding the use of group analysis as learning tools: Teacher Assessment

Teacher Quality of his participation Would you like to invite him to the next edition?

Ignacio Jiménez Very Bad Bad Poor Good Very Good Excelent Yes No Jorge Gibbons Very Bad Bad Poor Good Very Good Excelent Yes No

2. Human and organizational aspects 2.1 I have found the quality of the course in terms of the creation of personal and professional ties for my future work to be: a) Excellent b) Very good c) Good d) Poor e) Bad f) Very bad 2.2 The human side of the course was: a) Excellent b) Very good c) Good d) Poor e) Bad f) Very bad 2.3. Please write any recommendations aimed at improving the personal relationships quality of future courses:

2.4 In my opinion, the organization of the course (i.e. accommodation, food, communication prior to the course, mobility, etc.) has been: a) Excellent b) Very good c) Good d) Poor e) Bad f) Very bad

2.5. Please write any recommendations aimed at improving the organization of future courses: GENERAL COMMENTS: It is very important for us to receive students’ positive or negative feedback which shows their impressions on the course, and highlights both the positive aspects to be reinforced or maintained and the weaknesses to be improved. This feedback provides very relevant information which transcends the quantitative part of the survey. THANK YOU VERY MUCH! (Please write your answers overleaf).

ANNEX 4: course feedback survey results.

Answers (expressed in %) corresponding to 16 questionnaires (84% of all students) I have found the didactic quality (i.e. way to present the contents, activities, materials, etc.) of the course to be: a) Excellent b) Very good c) Good d) Poor e) Bad f) Very bad

Didactic Quality

Excellent 50 Poor

Very Good 36 Bad

Good 14 Very Bad

In regard to assessments of teachers, the following results were obtained:

Teacher Quality of his participation Would you like to invite him

to the next edition? Ignacio Jiménez Very Bad Bad Poor Good Very Good

31 Excelent 69

Yes 100

No

Jorge Gibbons Very Bad Bad Poor Good 12

Very Good 25

Excelent 63

Yes 100

No

Humans and organizational aspects:

Excelente Muy Buena

Buena Regular Mala Muy mala

- Course ability to promote personal and professional

ties. 56 36 6

- Personal and human treatment

81 18

- Organization 64 36

Topics covered in the course were rated according to their relevance and applicability in the following descending order: 1- Conflict Management 2- Organizational / Leadership aspects and The Conservation Ship 3- Production of Nature 4- Promotion 5- Getting Information and Planning and Regulation 6- Evaluation.