The Community Conservation Conference organised by the Global Forest Coalition in Durban, South Africa kicked off today. Programme on Monday 31st of August:

9:00 – 12:30 Opening plenary
– Wally Menne, Timberwatch Coalition, word of welcome and some remarks on the threats to sustainable livelihoods in South Africa
– Simone Lovera, GFC, word of welcome and introduction to the CCRI
– Axel Benemann, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, Germany on supporting community conservation (via video)
– Ville-Veikko Hirvelä, Siemenpuu Foundation, Finland, on community rights, alternative views on the economy and elements for a global democratic dialogue
– Delfin Ganapin, GEF Small Grants Programme, UNDP on importance ICCAs for biodiversity conservation (via video)

10:30 – 10:45 coffee break
– Philip Owen and Alexander Mashile: Presentation preliminary results community conservation resilience assessments in South Africa
– Ronnie Hall, Critical Information Collective, UK: Presentation on commonalities in the draft findings of national CCRA processes followed by initial discussion

12:30 – 14:00 lunch

14:00 – 15:30 Afternoon plenary
– Onel Masardule and Hilda Lopez: Presentation preliminary results community conservation resilience assessments in Panama
– James Meinama and James Iroga: Presentation preliminary results community conservation resilience assessments in Solomon Islands
– Proposal for parallel working groups to analyse draft findings on resilience of community conservation and how it could be enhanced.
15:30 – 18:00 working groups
– Coffee break followed by first session of parallel working groups to discuss the contribution of community conservation to sustainable livelihoods

18:00 Reception