Practicing Evidence-Based Decision-Making in Conservation Biology

It is important for emerging conservation practitioners to gain experience in the use of evidence-based practices, by way of critical analysis and understanding of the context and application of conservation actions. We developed a learning activity based on the use of evidence-based decision-making in sea turtle conservation. The prompts build conservation science literacy as learners identify published methods to assess risks and mitigate threats. A practical exercise asks learners to assess threats at different locations and propose the most appropriate protection strategy. The activity familiarizes learners with decisions and challenges common to conservationists.