HIVAIDS and Conservation Capacity: Impacts and Coping Strategies Society for Conservation Biology An

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HIV/AIDS and Conservation Capacity Impacts
and Coping StrategiesSociety for Conservation
Biology Annual Meeting, July 2005Judy
Oglethorpe, WWF Nancy Gelman, Africa
Biodiversity Collaborative Group
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Adults And Children Estimated To Be Living With
HIV/AIDS, End 2004
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Impacts on Conservation Capacity

• loss of capacity in conservation organizations
• loss of community capacity for land and natural
  resource management

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Loss of Conservation Staff

• KwaZulu Natal Wildlife lost 9 of its 3000 staff
• Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi lost
  7 of its 50 staff
• a fire awareness program in Southern Africa lost
  10 out of 12 extensionists

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Vulnerability of Conservation Sector

• protected area staff posted to remote areas away
  from families
• drivers and community workers frequently away
  from home, visiting different areas
• law enforcement officers may use undue influence
  over local women
• rotation of law enforcement staff

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Impacts on Conservation Organizations

• loss of productivity reduced conservation
  success (e.g. law enforcement, policy, research,
  education, tourism, community work)
• loss of institutional memory
• threat to conservation partnerships
• loss of training investment
• increased financial burden

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Financial Costs of AIDS

• Medical expenses
• Sick leave
• Terminal benefits
• Funeral expenses
• Extra salary costs if recruiting replacement
  staff
• Training of replacement staff
• potential loss of tourism revenue

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Loss of Community Capacity

• Loss of community champions
• Loss of social structures for resource management
• Loss of indigenous knowledge
• Loss of time for conservation (more time spent
  nursing the sick and meeting basic needs
  especially for women)

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Agriculture and Natural Resources

• AIDS results in increased consumption of timber
  and medicinal plants.
• Changes in livelihood strategies result in
• more extensive farming
• increased use of fire
• increased use of natural resources

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Longer Term Impacts

• Resource and environmental degradation
• Increased poverty
• Insecurity

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HIV/AIDS is Our Problem

• The health sector is not addressing the
  AIDS/conservation linkage
• a multi-sectoral approach is needed
• the conservation community needs to take action

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Maintain Conservation Capacity

• Develop HIV/AIDS institutional policies
• Promote awareness, VCT and wellness programs
• Overcome stigma and discrimination
• Reduce remoteness of staff from families
• Consider providing ARV drugs for staff
• Integrate HIV/AIDS in planning and fundraising
• Partner with other sectors to find solutions

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KwaZulu Natal Wildlifes Policy

• Providing HIV/AIDS awareness and wellness program
  for staff
• Providing incentives for employees to seek
  HIV/AIDS testing
• Transitioning infected staff to easier duties
• Negotiated with retirement funds to remove
  exclusion clauses about HIV/AIDS
• Partnered with local clinics for employee care

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Modify Training Programs

• train more people on shorter courses, broadening
  their skill base
• incorporate HIV/AIDS in conservation curricula
  and college policies
• reduce separation of staff from families (e.g.
  distance learning)
• provide pre-departure HIV/AIDS awareness for
  those going away for training
• mentor junior staff who take over senior jobs

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Maintain Community Capacity

• Integrate HIV/AIDS into community conservation
  programs (with health partners)
• promote HIV/AIDS awareness
• promote VCT and treatment where possible
• document/foster indigenous knowledge
• mentor youth in natural resource management
• encourage education
• integrate HIV/AIDS work with family planning as
  appropriate

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Help Community Livelihoods

• Promote sustainable livelihoods through sound
  resource/land use with low labor inputs
• Promote labor-saving agriculture
• Promote sustainable enterprises
• Establish grant funds for communities relief
  efforts

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Where Does This Work Best?

• in countries with strong HIV/AIDS policies early
  on (e.g. Brazil, Thailand)
• where good health services and partners are
  available
• where stigma and discrimination are overcome
• where there are strong peer champions
• where action is taken early (opportunity for next
  wave countries)

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• For more information on HIV/AIDS Conservation
  www.abcg.org
• Contact
• judy.oglethorpe_at_wwfus.org
• nancy.gelman_at_wwfus.org
• Special thanks to USAID, WWF, and Daulos
  Mauambeta for use of their photos
• __________________________________________________
  __________
• Africa Biodiversity Collaborative Group member
  organizations