Summary
Migratory species face escalating pressures from habitat loss, climate change, pollution, and unsustainable exploitation. Addressing these threats requires timely, evidence-based action and strong cross-border collaboration. The Global Species Action Plan (GSAP) and its digital knowledge platform, GSAP SKILLS, offer a transformative opportunity to accelerate conservation efforts by consolidating tools, resources, and case studies that support science-based decision-making.
This interactive session will explore how combining strategic action planning through GSAP with digital innovation from Tech4Nature’s flagship projects can enhance conservation outcomes for migratory species and protected areas. Experts from Mexico, Brazil, and Costa Rica will showcase how emerging technologies—ranging from artificial intelligence and acoustic monitoring to Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and digital participation platforms—are generating measurable conservation impact on the ground.
Following these short showcases, an audience-driven discussion will invite participants to guide the conversation through live questions. The exchange will highlight how GSAP and GSAP SKILLS can help mobilise resources and technologies, facilitate cross-border cooperation, and support the replication of successful approaches elsewhere.
Description
Migratory species depend on healthy ecosystems across multiple countries, making coordinated, evidence-based conservation essential. The Global Species Action Plan (GSAP) provides a unifying framework for action, while GSAP SKILLS serves as a digital gateway to practical tools, guidance, and case studies that help practitioners implement effective, science-based interventions. Together, they create an enabling environment for innovation, knowledge exchange, and collaboration.
Across Latin America, Tech4Nature’s flagship projects are demonstrating how digital innovation can transform conservation practice for species and for protected and conserved areas. Technologies such as artificial intelligence, acoustic monitoring, IoT sensors, and citizen science platforms are strengthening biodiversity data, supporting local participation, and improving conservation outcomes.
This What the Tech?! session will highlight three distinct applications of technology in conservation:
Brazil: IoT sensors and environmental monitoring systems track tidal movements, salinity, and temperature in the Soure Marine Extractive Reserve, informing mangrove conservation and supporting community-led management.
Mexico: AI-powered image analysis, acoustic monitoring, and citizen science platforms enhance jaguar and ecosystem monitoring in the Dzilam de Bravo Reserve while building local capacity for data collection and analysis.
Costa Rica: Digital participation tools and citizen science initiatives connect communities directly to protected area governance and species conservation, strengthening collaboration between conservation authorities and local stakeholders.
After the showcases, an audience-driven Q&A will invite participants to explore how these real-world examples align with the GSAP framework and how GSAP SKILLS can support replication, adaptation, and scaling. The discussion will address practical considerations such as data collection and verification, community engagement, and the partnerships required to enable success.
This participatory exchange offers a unique opportunity to engage directly with the teams implementing these technologies on the ground while also learning how GSAP and GSAP SKILLS can help accelerate conservation action for migratory species globally.
Key takeaway: Participants will gain practical insights into how emerging technologies and digital knowledge platforms – anchored in the Global Species Action Plan – can generate real-time ecological data, strengthen community engagement, and drive measurable conservation impact for migratory species across Latin America and beyond.