Managing change managing people Opportunities CEPA offers to

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

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

CEC focus Advocacy Capacity development Knowledge management

New website – tools for programmes

Challenge for this conference 1. Define CEPA more concretely 2. Identify opportunities for nature conservation 3. Analyze the principles of CEPA 4. Formulate guidelines for CEPA

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

Conservation = change management

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

Managing people’s behavior

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

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

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

Example Communicating Biodiversity to private forest owners

Movie or innovation? Intended un-informed CEPA approach Strategic social intervention in the system We need a movie to convince private forest owners to care about biodiversity Introduction of a new way of forest management, concentrate on pioneers Show the differences between clear cutting and selective cutting Pioneers doing a successful experiments will set the agenda Forest Department We need animation, dramatic pictures, visuals of forest managed close to nature Use inspectors to identify potential pioneers (opinion leaders, academics, not dependent on forest) When does the movie reach all 200. 000 owners? What will motivate them to watch? What will it change in them? Small seminars, fieldtrips, helpdesk for ‘guided’ experiment

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

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

What laws cannot do! Previous approach: CEPA approach: relation management Law enforcement, education, public awareness, fences by PA - not being aware of other interest groups with different and conflicting messages Bring stakeholders together Focus groups to explore motives for 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) Each year escalation of the problem and conflicts between visitors and interest groups; and between interest groups who all think they have the right solution and approach.

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

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

What money cannot do Previous approach 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. Increase of public outrage in press, Some farmers start taking preventive measures relationships worsens; farmers propagate shooting wolves&PA staffs. Joint evaluation and planning of next steps. 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’.

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

What research cannot do! Previous approach CEPA approach: marketing 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 Opinion leaders Focus groups Motives for new use of ponds 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 Each year more ponds used as garbage dump, dried up, falling apart, or totally disappear, mapping more and more difficult

‘Paper’ Park Peca Topla Customer orientation triggers change

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

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

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

CEPA: changes in approach From Focus only on conservation Focus only on science Focus on media Push strategy Behaving as experts Villagers as ‘objects’ Planning based on assumptions To Focus also on wider system Focus also on people Focus on change strategy Pull strategy Behaving as partners Villagers as ‘subjects’ Planning based on motives stakeholders

Conclusion 1 CEPA definition

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’)

Conclusion 2. CEPA opportunities

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

Conclusion 3 CEPA principles

Characteristics of CEPA interventions in the social system System approach Marketing Relation management Network management Crisis management Customer orientation Personal approach 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

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

Guidelines - lessons learned 1. CEPA = management responsibility: change in management style – trans-diciplinary approach 2. Invest in situation & system analysis – real problem, pressure point – go only for essential changes 3. Involve individuals in planning for change: ‘second best’ is ‘better’ than ‘best’! 4. Give people a chance to air their objections; always take group norms and habits into account 5. Internal communication: everyone is a PR officer – horizontal and vertical (involve bosses) 6. Learn how to work in teams; monitor, evaluate, adapt and give positive feedback

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