Glossary

These terms are commonly used in Miradi and by conservation practitioners using the Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation and similar adaptive management tools and frameworks.

Action – A general term used to refer to the work of conservation teams. This includes strategies, activities, and tasks. Alternatively, a synonym for "strategy", represented by a yellow hexagon in Miradi.

Action Plan – A description of a project’s goals, objectives, and strategies to abate identified threats and make use of opportunities. 

Activity – A specific action or set of tasks undertaken by project staff and/or partners to reach one or more objectives. Sometimes called an action, response, or strategic action. (See relationship to strategies.) In Miradi, activities are child elements of strategies, and are represented as yellow hexagons on the diagrams including their parent strategies.

Adaptive Management – The incorporation of deliberate learning into professional practice to reduce uncertainty in decision making. Specifically, it is the integration of design, management, and monitoring to enable practitioners to systematically and efficiently test key assumptions, evaluate the results, adjust management decisions, and generate learning. The Conservation Standards explicitly bring adaptive management principles into conservation practice. 

Assumption – What a team believes to be true, such as an assumed causal relationship between two or more factors in a situation assessment or a strategy pathway, aka theory of change. Assumptions can be framed as statements or questions (e.g. analytical questions or learning questions) and they broadly include assumptions supported by existing evidence (e.g. claims) as well as those requiring additional evidence for assessment (e.g. hypotheses or uncertainties). In Miradi, assumptions (and subassumptions) are represented as lavender rounded rectangles on situation models and results chain diagrams.

Audience – Those individuals or groups a project team is trying to reach, be it for communication purposes or to influence a particular behavior. 

Audit – An assessment of a project or program in relation to an external set of criteria, such as generally accepted accounting principles, sustainable harvest principles, or the standards outlined in this document. (Compare with evaluation.) 

Biodiversity Target – A synonym for conservation target. 

Biophysical Factor - Any factor that connects a direct threat to a conservation target and helps clarify the threat-target relationship. Examples might include drought, rain-on-snow events, habitat conversion, unnaturally dense forest, altered hydrological regime, etc. In Miradi, biophysical factors are represented as olive rectangles in situation models. 

Biophysical Result – A positive change in a biophysical factor. In Miradi, biophysical results are represented as teal-colored rectangles in results chain diagrams.

Community of Practice – A group of practitioners who share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interacting on an ongoing basis. 

Conceptual Model – A synonym for situation model. 

Conservation Focus – A synonym for conservation target. 

Conservation Practice – A process that involves a defined group of practitioners agreeing on desired outcomes for a given situation and then taking action(s) designed to achieve these outcomes. The Conservation Standards provide a common framework and set of “best” practices that explicitly incorporate principles of collaboration, evidence-based conservation, and adaptive management. More broadly, a discipline that encompasses the collective people, institutions, and body of knowledge of the global conservation community.

Conservation Target – An element of biodiversity (species, habitat, or ecological system) at a project site on which a project has chosen to focus. All targets should collectively represent the biodiversity of concern at the site. (Synonymous with biodiversity target, conservation focus, or conservation value.) 

(Focal) Conservation Value – A synonym for conservation target. 

Contributing Factor – A human-induced action or event that underlies or leads to one or more direct threats, aka root causes, underlying causes, or indirect threats. In Miradi, a contributing factor is represented by an orange rectangle in a situation model.

Critical Threat – Direct threats prioritized as the most important to address. 

Direct Threats – Primarily human actions that immediately degrade one or more conservation targets (e.g., illegal logging or unsustainable fishing). They can also be natural phenomena altered by human activities (e.g., increase in extreme storm events due to climate change). Direct threats are typically tied to one or more stakeholders. (Sometimes referred to as a pressure or source of stress. Compare with indirect threat.) In Miradi, direct threats are represented as pink rectangles in situation models.

Driver – A synonym for indirect threat. 

Ecosystem Service - Services that intact, functioning ecosystems, species, and habitats provide and that can benefit people. 

Enabling Condition – A broad or high-level opportunity within a situation analysis. For example, the legal or policy framework within a country. 

Evaluation – An assessment of a project or program in relation to its own previously stated goals and objectives. (See monitoring and compare to audit.) 

Evidence – Relevant information (data, studies, syntheses, or theory) used to assess one or more assumptions (aka claims or hypotheses) related to a question of interest. 

Evidence Base – The body of all information (data, studies, syntheses, and theory) used to assess a particular set of assumptions. 

Evidence-Based (or -Informed) Conservation – The explicit use and generation of relevant information in all steps of conservation practice. Specifically, practitioners make decisions and take actions informed by systematic analyses of both their own and the world’s previous experiences. Practitioners also document their results and contribute their findings back to the evidence base. The Conservation Standards explicitly bring evidence-based conservation principles into conservation practice. 

Factor – A generic term for an element of a situation model, including direct and indirect threats, and opportunities. It is often advantageous to use this generic term since many factors – for example, tourism – could be both a threat and an opportunity. (See also root causes or drivers). 

Goal – A formal statement detailing a project’s desired impact, such as the desired future status of a target. A good goal meets the criteria of being specific, measurable, achievable, results-oriented, and time-limited (SMART). 

Human Well-being Target - In the context of a conservation project, human well-being targets are those components of human well-being affected by the status of conservation targets. All human well-being targets at a site should collectively represent the array of human well-being needs dependent on the conservation targets. 

Impact – The desired future state of a conservation target. A goal is a formal statement of the desired impact. (Synonym for ultimate outcome)

Indicator – A measurable entity related to a specific information need, such as the status of a target, change in a threat, progress toward an objective, or association between one or more variables. A good indicator meets the criteria of being: measurable, precise, consistent, and sensitive. 

Indirect Threat – A factor identified in an analysis of the project situation that is a driver of direct threats. Often an entry point for conservation actions. For example, logging policies or demand for fish. (Sometimes called a root cause or underlying cause. Compare with direct threat.) 

Information Need – Something that a project team and/or other people must know about a project. The basis for designing a monitoring plan. 

Intermediate Result – A specific result that a project is working to achieve en route to accomplishing a final goal or objective (“intermediate” typically refers to a temporal dimension). 

Intervention – A synonym for a specific or targeted strategy. 

Key Attribute – Aspects of a target’s biology or ecology that, if present, define a healthy target and, if missing or altered, would lead to the outright loss or extreme degradation of that target over time. (Also known as key ecological attribute). 

Key Ecological Attribute (KEA)– Synonym for key attribute. 

Key Intervention Point – Priority factors (threats, opportunities, or targets) within a situation model on which a team should take action. 

Logical Framework (logframe) – A matrix that results from a logical framework analysis that is used to display a project’s goals, objectives, and indicators in tabular form, showing the logic of the project. 

Monitoring – The periodic collection and evaluation of data relative to stated project goals and objectives. (Also referred to as monitoring and evaluation (M&E) or monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL).) 

Monitoring Plan – The plan for monitoring your project. It includes information needs, indicators, and methods, timeframe, and roles and responsibilities for collecting data. 

Method – A specific technique used to collect data to measure an indicator. A good method should meet the criteria of being accurate, reliable, cost-effective, feasible, and appropriate. 

Objective – A formal statement detailing a desired outcome of a project, such as reducing a critical threat. A good objective meets the criteria of being specific, measurable, achievable, results-oriented, and time-limited (SMART). If the project is well-conceptualized and -designed, the realization of a project’s objectives should lead to the fulfillment of the project’s goals and ultimately its vision. Compare to vision and goal. 

Operational Plan – A plan that includes analyses of funding required, human capacity and skills, and other non-financial resources required, risk assessment and mitigation, and estimate of project lifespan and exit strategy. 

Opportunity – A factor identified in an analysis of the project situation that potentially has a positive effect on one or more targets, either directly or indirectly. Often an entry point for conservation actions – for example, demand for sustainably harvested timber. (In some senses, the opposite of a threat.) 

Outcome– A synonym for a result or impact along a theory of change. Intermediate outcomes and threat reduction outcomes are synonyms to the corresponding result factors in Miradi whereas ultimate outcomes correspond to target factors. A goal or objective is a formal statement of the desired outcome.

Output – The tangible product (aka deliverable) of a Task, Activity or Strategy.

Pathway – A set of factors that have an assumed causal relationship to one another. A situation pathway is in a situation model whereas a strategic pathway is in a theory of change.

Practitioners – All people involved in designing, managing, and monitoring conservation projects and programs. 

Pressure – Synonym for direct threat. 

Primary Interests – What stakeholders ultimately care about or value. Depending on the type of stakeholder, these could be conservation targets or contributing factors (indirect threats and opportunities) in a situation model. 

Program – A group of projects which together aim to achieve a common broad vision. In the interest of simplicity, this document uses the term “project” to represent both projects and programs since these standards of practice are designed to apply equally well to both. 

Project – A set of actions undertaken by a defined group of practitioners – including managers, researchers, community members, or other stakeholders – to achieve defined goals and objectives. (Compare with program.) 

Project Area – The place where the biodiversity of interest to the project is located. It can include one or more conservation areas or areas of biodiversity significance, as identified through ecoregional assessments. Note that in some cases, project actions may take place outside of the defined project area. 

Project Team – A specific core group of practitioners who are responsible for designing, implementing, and monitoring a project. This group can include managers, researchers, operations staff, and other key implementers or stakeholders. 

Result – A desired change from the current context resulting from successful implementation of conservation actions. An intermediate result is a result en route to the final goal or outcome; it often represents a positive change in a contributing factor from the situation analysis. A threat reduction result represents a positive change in a direct threat.

Results Chain – A visual diagram of a project’s theory of change. A results chain includes core assumptions and the logical sequence linking project strategoes to one or more targets. In scientific terms, it lays out hypothesized relationships or theories of change. 

Risk Factor – A condition under which the project is expected to function but which can cause problems for the project. Often, a condition over which the project has no direct control. Killer risks are those that when not overcome, will completely stop the project from achieving its goals and objectives. 

Root Cause – A synonym for indirect threat. 

Scope – The broad geographic or thematic focus of a project. 

Situation Analysis – A process that will help you and your project team create a common understanding of your project’s context – including describing the relationships among the biological environment and the social, economic, political, and institutional systems and associated stakeholders that affect the conservation targets you want to conserve. Depending upon the scale of the project and the resources available to it, a situation analysis can be an in-depth formal review of existing evidence and study of the area/problem or a less formal description based on input of those familiar with the area/problem. 

Situation Model – A visual diagram of a situation analysis. A situation model (diagram) represents relationships between key factors identified in a situation analysis believed to impact or lead to one or more conservation targets. A good model should link the conservation targets to threats, opportunities, stakeholders, and key intervention points. (See also conceptual model.) 

Stakeholder – Any individual, group, or institution that has a vested interest in or can influence the natural resources of the project area and/or that potentially will be affected by project activities and has something to gain or lose if conditions change or stay the same. Stakeholders are all those who need to be considered in achieving project goals and whose participation and support are crucial to its success. 

Strategic Plan – The overall plan for a project. A complete strategic plan includes descriptions of a project’s scope, vision, and targets; an analysis of project situation, an action plan, a monitoring plan, and an operational plan. 

Strategy – A set of activities with a common focus that work together to achieve specific goals and objectives by targeting key intervention points, optimizing opportunities, and limiting constraints. A good strategy meets the criteria of being: linked, focused, feasible, and appropriate. (See also intervention.) 

Stress – An impaired aspect of a conservation target that results directly or indirectly from human activities. For example, low population size, reduced river flows, increased sedimentation, and lowered groundwater table level. Generally equivalent to a degraded key attribute (e.g., habitat loss). 

Target – Shorthand for conservation target.

Target Audience – A specific group of individuals a project is seeking to influence or inform. A target audience may be those causing or contributing to direct threats (e.g., illegal fishers, commercial farmers, policy makers) and/or they may be those supporting or contributing to a project (e.g., partners, donors, general public). 

Task – A specific action in a work plan required to implement activities, a monitoring plan, or other components of a strategic plan. 

Theory of Change – A series of causally linked assumptions about how a team thinks its actions will help it achieve both intermediate results and longer-term conservation and human well-being goals. A theory of change can be expressed in text, diagrammatic (e.g., results chains), or other forms. 

Threat – A human activity that directly or indirectly degrades one or more targets. Typically tied to one or more stakeholders. (See also direct threat and indirect threat.) 

Vision – A description of the desired state or ultimate condition that a project is working to achieve. A complete vision can include a description of the biodiversity of the site and/or a map of the project area, as well as a summary vision statement. 

Work plan – A short-term schedule for implementing an action or monitoring plan. Work plans typically list activities and/or tasks required, responsible individuals, and timing of the activity or task. They often link to budgets showing the money and resources required to implement the work plan.