Managing change: managing people Opportunities CEPA offers to nature managers in Europe

1. Managing change: managing peopleOpportunities CEPA offers to nature managers in Europe CEC Expert Meeting, Valsain Spain, 13 – 16 June 2004 Frits Hesselink

2. CEC & CEPA • Conventions/CEPA: one of the 3 CEC spearheads • CEPA makes the conventions work! • But ‘how to sell the added value of CEPA’?

3. CEC focus Advocacy Capacity development Knowledge management

4. New website – tools for programmes

5. Challenge for this conference • Define CEPA more concretely • Identify opportunities for nature conservation • Analyze the principles of CEPA • Formulate guidelines for CEPA

6. This presentation • Conservation: how to deal with changes • Added value of CEPA to realize change • Suggestions for further discussion • Definition • Opportunities • Principles • Guidelines

7. Conservation = change management

8. urbanization, roads, dams, windmill parks mass tourism, consumerism, waste impact of mountain bikes, motor bikes, cars international conventions, Natura 2000 society becomes core to conservation managers constantly face new challenges managing change becomes a primary task people are key to realize the needed changes Changes conservation faces

9. Managing people’s behavior

10. Managing people Stick - Carrot - Drum People’s behavior is part of (social) systems CEPA: social instruments

11. NORMAL REFLEX Laws, regulations, plans; Request (in vain) for more money as an incentive for change; More research on nature and people, more pilot projects… BUT stay behind your desks…! RESULTS: NO CHANGE unsolved problems, paper parks no public awareness, no cooperation negative image, bad publicity fear to meet real people It takes more to change systems: CEPA can make a difference here Conservation managers & people

12. Usually most managers think CEPA is a responsibility for the PR experts and educators… In reality managers take many (un-informed) CEPA decisions!

13. Example Communicating Biodiversity to private forest owners

14. Intended un-informed CEPA approach We need a movie to convince private forest owners to care about biodiversity Show the differences between clear cutting and selective cutting We need animation, dramatic pictures, visuals of forest managed close to nature When does the movie reach all 200.000 owners? What will motivate them to watch? What will it change in them? Strategic social intervention in the system Introduction of a new way of forest management, concentrate on pioneers Pioneers doing a successful experiments will set the agenda Forest Department Use inspectors to identify potential pioneers (opinion leaders, academics, not dependent on forest) Small seminars, fieldtrips, helpdesk for ‘guided’ experiment Movie or innovation?

15. Un-informed CEPA approach Managers focus on media; come up with fun idea, that captures the imagination Approach convince people individually; social environment not analyzed Content and message are secondary and cannot answer why or what questions Strategic social intervention in the system Managers analyze social system; plan strategically to achieve desired outcomes Interventions are focused on goals - audiences and messages determine media Target audiences are involved in planning; Interventions are based on their values What triggers change?

16. Pulsatilla grandis in Boč threatened by trampling by visitors Relation management Triggers change

17. Previous approach: Law enforcement, education, public awareness, fences by PA - not being aware of other interest groups with different and conflicting messages Each year escalation of the problem and conflictsbetween visitors and interestgroups; and between interest groupswho all think they have the rightsolution and approach. CEPA approach: relation management Bring stakeholders together Focus groups to explore motivesfor cooperation Management plan realizing joint solutions Joint execution of management plan Communication interventions (timely tailored and targetted information on event management) Mobility interventions (ramps, parkings, busses) Evaluation and follow-up (outsourcing event management) What laws cannot do!

18. The results of the CEPA approach Boč, 1st May 2003, 2004

19. Wolves - recently appearing in Beskydy - threatened by farmers Crisis management approach triggers change

20. Previous approach Formal compensation procedures Publications, lectures on how farmers should protect their sheep Communication aimed to prove through facts and figures that wolves do not pose a threat & press ‘has it all wrong’. Increase of public outrage in press, relationships worsens; farmers propagate shooting wolves&PA staffs. CEPA approach: crisis management Overcome own fears, prejudices visit farmers, listen to concerns Start regular meetings with opinion leaders on common concerns and interests Provide bureaucratic support for farmers’ needs, e.g. approach municipality to improve roads; proposal to Ministry to improve indemnity procedure; help with procedure; support local publication on sheep farming. Some farmers start taking preventive measures Joint evaluation and planning of next steps. What money cannot do

21. Disappearing ecological networks in Slovenian Karst and Istria Marketing approach triggers change

22. Previous approach Research by different organizations funded by EU, lectures, conferences, website, exchange with similar initiatives in Italy and Croatia, science approach, laws regulations, legal enforcement, no restoration action Each year more ponds used as garbage dump, dried up, falling apart, or totally disappear, mapping more and more difficult CEPA approach: marketing Opinion leaders Focus groups Motives fornew use ofponds Management plan realizing joint solutions, joint execution of plan Communication interventions (timely tailored and targetted information on opening ceremony) Technical interventions (funds, construction material, detailed technical plan, supervision ‘sustainable’ and traditional construction) Evaluation, report recommending next steps What research cannot do!

23. ‘Paper’ Park Peca Topla Customer orientation triggers change

24. After three years Biodiversity Strategy is still not coming off the ground: Personal approach triggers change

25. Over exploitation threatens peat bog in Sucha Hora Informal approach triggers change

26. Spiranthis spiralis threatened by natural succession in Bukovske Vrchy Network management triggers change

27. CEPA: changes in approach

28. Conclusion 1 CEPA definition

29. CEPA Series of planned targeted interventions in the social environment (people as customers) of a concrete issue we want to solve producing the change/result desired by nature management objectives (often in combination with ‘stick & carrot’)

30. Conclusion 2. CEPA opportunities

31. Public-private partnerships Participation & support Local capacity Introduction new policy New constituencies Agenda setting Making programs sustainable Better conservation practice Improving reputation Etc. CEPA offers opportunities for

32. Conclusion 3 CEPA principles

33. Face to face meetings opinion leaders Focus groups, Kitchen meetings, Round tables, Joint exploration Joint strategic planning with stakeholders of instrument mix Free publicity, media as tools Feedback, Adaptive management System approach Marketing Relation management Network management Crisis management Customer orientation Personal approach Characteristics of CEPA interventions in the social system

34. Conclusion 4 CEPA guidelines Appreciate complexity Invest in human capacity Psychology of value systems Take enough time

35. Guidelines - lessons learned • CEPA = management responsibility: change in management style – trans-diciplinary approach • Invest in situation & system analysis – real problem, pressure point – go only for essential changes • Involve individuals in planning for change: ‘second best’ is ‘better’ than ‘best’! • Give people a chance to air their objections; always take group norms and habits into account • Internal communication: everyone is a PR officer – horizontal and vertical (involve bosses) • Learn how to work in teams; monitor, evaluate, adapt and give positive feedback

36. Thanks to IUCN project teams from Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic for learning and photos! I look forward to your reactions! hesselink@hect.nl www.hect.nl