WHSRNews Update
Manomet and Rare Take On a New Challenge to Conserve Shorebirds
Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences and the international conservation organization Rare recently signed a cooperative agreement to formalize their working together to explore and implement social marketing-based actions at Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) sites. Such actions will follow the model of Rare's “Pride” campaign, a highly successful method for motivating positive changes in behavior and community support for conservation.
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Between 2008 and 2010, Manomet’s Shorebird Recovery Project and Rare facilitated, co-financed, and assisted local partners in carrying out Pride campaigns at three WHSRN sites in Patagonia, all in Argentina. Each campaign promoted the conservation of the rufa subspecies of Red Knot (Calidris canutus), a migratory shorebird species that is in serious population decline and winters in Patagonia. As part of the campaigns, a Red Knot mascot explained the species's plight and promoted local pride and stewardship for its conservation within the community. The Pride campaigns achieved very positive results and valuable lessons learned regarding the protection of critical habitats for shorebirds, removing barriers to conservation, and inspiring communities that live in important areas for shorebirds.
“The new conservation paradigm compels us to implement new strategies and to provide our partners with innovative tools that allow them to change the way we relate to critical habitats, how we think, and how we act—from communities to decision makers," noted Charles Duncan, Director of Manomet’s Shorebird Recovery Project. "In that sense, social marketing opens a new window of opportunity.”
The new signed agreement gives stability to future joint efforts by Manomet and Rare, capitalizing on the experience and lessons learned from campaigns they worked on together in Argentina.
“Using the concept of ‘bright spots’ we can find solutions and conservation approaches with demonstrated successes, and replicate them. In many cases, success was possible when communities learned to recognize the value of conservation," said Keith Alger, Vice President of Rare for Latin America. "Using social marketing techniques, we at Rare and Manomet and our local partners can boost the power of communities to conserve shorebirds throughout the hemisphere, as has already been seen in recent campaigns in Argentina.”
Under this agreement, Manomet and Rare will first identify the potential scope and opportunities for implementing campaigns focused on shorebird conservation. At the same time, both partners will be exploring ways to raise the funds needed to co-finance this new challenge.
For more information, please use these relevant links:
Social Marketing Workshop in Chile (WHSRNews, June 2011)
Pride Campaigns in Argentina (WHSRNews, September 2010)
Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences
Rare Conservation
Shorebird Recovery Project (Manomet)
Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN)
