A Tanzanian conservation assessment tested who gets to choose success measures
WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS
Researchers piloted a Holistic Indicator Selection Protocol in the Magombera forest mosaic. The approach scored conservation-monitoring candidates using threats, a project's causal situation model, professional judgment and priorities expressed through local village committees. Different weighting schemes made visible the choices embedded in what would otherwise be presented as a neutral indicator set.
WHY IT MATTERS / OUR READ
The scientific question is not only whether an indicator is measurable, but whether it represents a conservation mechanism and matters to affected people. Explicitly comparing expert and community priorities can expose blind spots before project evaluation begins.
CAVEATS / UNCERTAINTY
This is a protocol and one implementation case, not an experimental demonstration of improved conservation outcomes. The chosen weights and representation processes remain judgment-laden and require transparent governance.
SOURCE
Conservation Science and Practice — Marshall et al. (2026)
View original evidence ↗
A protocol for selecting indicators combines ecological goals, project strategy and stakeholder judgments.
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