Funding evidence‐based conservation

The magnitude of the biodiversity crisis is widely accepted, as is the need for substantive action implementing the most effective interventions in the right locations (IPBES, 2019). Funding is a key driver of conservation work: its availability and funder preferences often determine what can be done. As representatives of 25 organizations that support conservation projects, we take seriously our responsibilities to ensure that funding decisions support evidence-based conservation actions. There is a growing understanding of the importance of considering the evidence for the effectiveness of actions in decision-making and the risks of not doing so (Brest & Harvey, 2018). However, at present, evidence is not routinely considered when planning and designing conservation projects, despite the fact that some actions are…