Small Island Landscape Management
With Birdlife International
We developed the Dukunu Mole game in partnership with BirdLife in São Tomé. Using a Companion Modelling approach, we co-created the conceptual model together with key stakeholders and the BirdLife team, and then translated it into a strategy game. The game was tested and validated through a series of game sessions with local stakeholders
It served to identify key challenges in landscape management and informed BirdLife in better planning targeted action for greater impact.
In a second phase that was implemented by ETH Zürich, the insights and tensions emerging from the game sessions were further explored through a collaboration with local professional actors. Together, a Forum Theatre play was developed to capture the lessons, conflicts, and perspectives raised during gameplay. The play was then performed in several communities, with the aim of extending the dialogue beyond the original participants and broadening the project’s reach.
Workshop Highlights:
- Stakeholder Engagement: Over four missions, the game was co-created with local communities, NGOs, and policymakers, ensuring cultural relevance and applicability.
- Knowledge Sharing: Enhanced understanding of sustainable land-use practices and biodiversity conservation among participants.
- Scalability: Successfully piloted in São Tomé, with adaptations made for replication in Príncipe and other regions.
Outcomes:
- Educational Value: Simplifies complex environmental challenges, making them accessible to diverse audiences.
- Behavioral Insights: Highlights gaps in stakeholder collaboration and the need for long-term planning.
- Actionable Outcomes: Sparks discussions on practical strategies to align economic and environmental goals.
- Education: Promote long-term thinking about land use and biodiversity conservation.
The Dukunu Môlé project demonstrated the power of participatory tools to foster collaboration and strategic thinking for sustainable land use. Its success highlights the potential for similar approaches to be adapted and scaled in other regions facing environmental and socio-economic challenges.
Story copied from IUCN and adapted by: LEAF
Photo credits: P. Bommel
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For further information about this project, please contact us.