Nexus Collaborators Soar at the Conserva Aves Workshop in El Salvador
As we observe International Day of Climate Action, it’s a timely moment to reflect on the ongoing efforts to protect our planet’s most vulnerable ecosystems. Earlier this year, in April 2024, Nexus collaborators Michael Wodzicki and Suzanne Belliveau traveled to El Salvador to facilitate a workshop for the Conserva Aves Initiative. This mission aimed to establish a shared understanding for the expansion of Conserva Aves, get to know its partners, and initiate the development of a comprehensive implementation plan.
For an entire week, representatives from Birds Canada, Audubon, RedLAC, ABC, Bird Life International, and various NGOs from seven Latin American countries gathered in San Salvador to dive deep into the project. The atmosphere buzzed with collaboration and the exchange of ideas, setting the stage for a productive workshop.
Highlights from the Workshop
Developing an implementation plan, which maps out in detail how a project will be realized, is an intensive process. Guided by Nexus, participants validated the project's theory of change and outcomes, generated a shared vision of gender equality and social inclusion in conservation, and identified the main milestones and activities for the project's three-year period. Participants also focused on generating essential inputs and defining roles to develop the implementation plan.
Throughout the week, the guiding principles of the workshop were:
Building on Existing Successes: Leveraging the experience and achievements of current initiatives.
Openness to Contributions: Valuing and incorporating everyone’s ideas and opinions.
Accountability: Ensuring responsibility towards the project's beneficiaries and participating organizations.
By the end of the trip, the team had established a solid work plan for developing the implementation plan, with everyone clear on their roles and responsibilities. But it wasn't all work and no play.
The workshop concluded with a memorable volcano climb and a visit to a coffee farm nestled within a crucial bird habitat. Here, our team had the opportunity to observe the diverse and vibrant bird species native to the region. This encounter with nature served as a reminder of the vital importance of this initiative’s conservation efforts.
Ongoing Impact
This assignment in El Salvador was about more than advancing the Conserva Aves Initiative. Like with all complex projects, it starts with reinforcing strong relationships and fostering a collaborative spirit among all stakeholders. The energy and commitment displayed by everyone reaffirmed our dedication to impactful and inclusive conservation work.
On International Day of Climate Action, the relevance of initiatives like Conserva Aves is more evident than ever. The recent global conversations around biodiversity loss and climate change underscore the need for coordinated international action, and the Conserva Aves Initiative stands at the forefront of this effort. As we look ahead to 2025, the collaborative spirit that defined the kick-off workshop continues to fuel progress.
We look forward to sharing more updates as we continue to work together to protect and preserve our avian friends and their habitats.