Conservation Reimagined: Scaling Community-Led, Rights-Based Approaches for People and Planet
As the climate and biodiversity crises deepen, the path forward must center those who are most connected to the land. Community-led conservation is no longer a niche approach—it is a critical solution for protecting ecosystems, strengthening climate resilience, and advancing local livelihoods. But to scale its impact, we must rethink how conservation is funded, governed, and measured.
This session explores how local organizations, Indigenous communities, women leaders, and faith-based networks are driving powerful conservation outcomes—and how funders, intermediaries, and private sector actors can play a meaningful role in supporting them. We’ll dive into strategies for mobilizing capital, strengthening customary land rights, and shifting power in conservation finance. Participants will also discuss ethical grantmaking, spiritual and cultural values in stewardship, and how to better track the impact of rights-based conservation at scale.
Key Questions:
What models are working to scale community-led and Indigenous conservation, and how can we support them more effectively?
How can funding intermediaries help channel climate and biodiversity finance to the grassroots with transparency and trust?
What is the role of gender equity, health, and spiritual values in holistic conservation strategies?
How can we engage the private sector in supporting local economies and land rights while safeguarding biodiversity?
What are the opportunities and challenges in measuring impact and ensuring accountability in rights-based conservation?
This session invites conservation leaders, funders, community organizers, and intermediaries to reimagine how we protect nature—not by sidelining communities, but by empowering them as stewards of the planet’s most vital ecosystems.
Session Co-Leaders:
Doug Satre is Senior Director at Plant With Purpose, connecting global stakeholders to local reforestation and agroecology initiatives.
Helen Buckland is CEO of Sumatran Orangutan Society, championing rainforest conservation through community-centred approaches.
Helen Tugendhat is Programme Coordinator at Forest Peoples Programme, working on indigenous land rights and conservation justice.
Luize Guimaraes is CEO of Muva, advancing gender and economic justice through inclusive systems transformation.
Paul Thung is Director of Conservation Social Science at Planet Indonesia, leading research-driven approaches to community conservation.
Pramudya Lazuardi is Scaling & Partnership Supervisor at Planet Indonesia, focused on ethical grantmaking and scaling conservation impact.
Tørris Jæger is Executive Director of Rainforest Foundation Norway, driving rights-based rainforest protection and advocacy.
Kathryn Lloyd is Senior Manager: Programmes at Margaret Pyke Trust, designing and managing multisectoral projects that address communities' health and livelihood needs and enhance conservation outcomes.
Marc Fruitema is Executive Director at Menjadi, focused on community-based development and sustainability.
Andrew Parker is Conserve Global’s co-founder and Director of Strategy and a seasoned conservationist