Building a Landscape Conservation Approach

This working paper reviews the growth of Regional Conservation Partnerships (RCPs) in the United States and the outcomes being achieved by those operating in Canada to determine whether and how these partnerships can support whole-landscape approaches to strengthen and accelerate conservation outcomes. Regional partnership models are particularly relevant for the southern regions of Canada, where a high percentage of land is owned privately or by community-based conservation organizations, often operating in the same, or overlapping, areas. This paper examines the gaps and challenges in forming and maintaining RCPs that need to be addressed and the characteristics of success that should be supported. It also suggests an expansion of the model to directly include climate goals by referring to the partnerships as Regional Conservation and Climate Partnerships (RCCPs). The findings and recommendations affirm that RCCPs should be further investigated for wider application in Canada, with a view to fostering their establishment and development, and significantly expanding their geographic reach and impact