5.Plan And Get Moving - Develop An Action Plan

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2013, Jennifer Corriero and Ping Ya-Lee, TakingITGlobal,   "The Youth Guide to Biodiversity" 1st Edition (Chapter 13) Youth and United Nations global Alliance. Reproduced with permission.

Chapter 13. Verbatim.

 © FAO /Riccardo Gangale

By now you have identified biodiversity issues of concern, you’ve learned more about the issues, and have recognised your skills and those of your team. You have also learned about the importance of networking and connecting with people who can help you to achieve your goals. You are ready to develop and implement an action PLAN.

Keeping in mind the issue you identified, what goal, or desirable outcome, will you work towards in your action plan? Here are some possible examples:

Conserve:  

• Campaign to prevent the destruction of a natural area.
• Raise awareness of a product or service that threatens biodiversity. 

Protect: 

• Campaign to have an ecosystem recognised as a United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Biosphere Reserve.
•  Get an at-risk plan or animal specieson the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

Restore: 

• Plant native aquatic and wetland species to restore a degraded shoreline, stream bank or wetland.
• Start a tree nursery to replant an old growth forest. 

Develop a Mission Statement 

Project Mission 

Clarify what you want your project to achieve and write it down in the form of a mission statement, a short clear sentence of your purpose. For example: Restore endangered bird habitats in local wetlands.

Project Activities 

What actions can you take to work towards achieving the mission of your project? Example: Plant native wetland and aquatic plant species. 

Break it down 

You know your mission. Now, use the sample chart below to break your project down into specific activities, resources, responsibilities and deadlines. Planning these activities in detail will ensure your project is a success. If your goal is to restore endangered bird habitats in local wetlands, your chart might look similar to this example:

Implement

Once you have finalised your plan, it is time to GET MOVING to implement your project. Take time to chart your progress so that you can appreciate and assess the impact of your actions. Document your project with pictures and videos. It is also a good idea to keep a project journal or blog. 

Try to refer to your plan along the way, but don’t expect everything to go according to the plan because many circumstances are unpredictable. 

You may need to revise your plan as you encounter challenges. So, remember to enjoy the entire experience as a learning process. 

Raise Awareness 

Create promotional materials, such as press releases and flyers, to get publicity and to let people know about your project! Word of mouth is one of the strongest marketing tools. Be enthusiastic and stay positive when you let others know how and why they should get involved. One way to promote your project is to create a project page on TakingITGlobal (takingitglobal.org) or add it to The Green Wave (greenwave.cbd.int) website. 

Stay Motivated 

Be sure to stay motivated, especially in the face of obstacles. Every challenge is an opportunity to learn. Problem-solving will require you to use your creativity to come up with innovative solutions to each challenge