Management

For Community-Led Conservation areas to succeed, they must operate as efficiently and professionally.

Our Management Assessment & Tools (ma&t) program is the core framework designed to transform Wildlife Management Areas into resilient, self-reliant social enterprises.

By applying Ma&T, we ensure WMA management teams have the professional aptitude necessary to maintain robust governance systems and fulfill their complex roles as leaders of conservation social enterprises.

Why Management Matters

We believe that strong management capacity is crucial for the long-term viability of community conservation efforts. WMAs are complex organizations where communities dedicate their land and resources to generate revenue. Professional management ensures that day-to-day activities—from conservation planning to revenue generation—are carried out efficiently.

By focusing on management capacity, we provide the foundation necessary to attract investor confidence, secure long-term financing, and gain the policy and political support needed for WMAs to thrive.

The Management Assessment & Tools (ma&t) is a structured framework specifically designed to assess and improve the management capacity of Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), recognizing them fundamentally as social enterprises.

What is ma&t?

The Management Assessment & Tools (ma&t) framework helps WMAs operate as professional, self-reliant social enterprises. It combines an assessment of management strengths with practical tools for planning, financial oversight, and operational efficiency. By guiding teams through staged development, ma&t ensures best practices are embedded in daily operations, covering seven key management areas. The result: WMAs run efficiently, generate sustainable revenue, and achieve lasting social, financial, and ecological success.

STANDARD-FOR-SUCCESS MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE

Key Components: Assessment and Development

The ma&t approach has two main components that work together to professionalize WMA teams:

The Management Assessment Tool

This is a comprehensive assessment tool that evaluates the WMA's management strengths and weaknesses, providing an in-depth view of the status of management and a clear development path. It assesses capacity across 7 core management areas required for a WMA to function effectively.

The Suite of Practical Tools and Systems

This is a set of customized resources designed to strengthen management development. It provides WMA teams with practical tools for strategic planning, financial management, and operational efficiency, enabling them to run conservation areas effectively while generating sustainable revenue.

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25 standards across the 7 management areas

Setting the Standard for Success

The ma&t framework outlines the standard that WMA management must reach, detailing the necessary tools and a pathway of development stages required to attain that standard.

The framework consists of 25 standards across the 7 management areas. Achieving these standards defines the level of accomplishment needed for a WMA to become a legal, robust conservation business entity.

The ma&t framework organizes all management functions into seven distinct, yet interconnected, themes:

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5 Development levels

Development levels for ma&t

We use the ma&t tool not merely for evaluation, but as a strategic roadmap to achieve the highest possible standards. For each of the seven themes, we measure progress across five defined levels of excellence, providing a clear trajectory for sustainable growth.

The five levels of ma&t:

Basic Systems and Legal Compliance

Intention to Improve. Focus on meeting minimum legal requirements and demonstrating a clear intention to improve existing structures.

System Development and Policy in Place

Documentation and Structure. All legally required documents and foundational policies (e.g., plans, regulations) are developed and in place, moving towards implementation.

Professional Management and Embedded Culture

Implementation and Accountability. A professional management team is fully established, and structures and systems are actively being followed and integrated into the daily "culture" of the organization.

Desired Standards and Stakeholder Trust

Full Integration and Transparency. The WMA is managed to a high, desired standard, with systems fully embedded. Operations are transparent, and stakeholder relationships are strong and accountable.

Highest Standards and Sustainability

External Recognition and Sustainability. The WMA is professionally managed to the highest standards. The organization is entirely sustainable, and is externally recognized as an exemplary model for others to adopt.

Our long-term target is for WMAs to reach Stage 4 of the Ma&T framework, where the WMA has a well-equipped and experienced management team, and systems and structures are embedded in the culture and day-to-day operations. Level 5 is considered exemplary but might not be the goal for every community.

The implementation of the Ma&T framework directly leads to enhanced operational efficiency, improved accountability, and better decision-making.

Q&A

The primary goal of the Ma&T program is to transform Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) into well-run, resilient, and self-reliant social enterprises. It achieves this by providing a core framework to build the professional management capacity and governance systems necessary for the long-term viability of community conservation efforts.

 Strong management capacity provides the foundation necessary to attract investor confidence, secure long-term financing, and gain the crucial policy and political support needed for WMAs to thrive. Professional management ensures that complex day-to-day activities, from conservation planning to revenue generation, are carried out efficiently.

The long-term target is for WMAs to reach Level 4: Desired Standards and Stakeholder Trust of the ma&t framework. Achieving this level signifies that the WMA has a well-equipped and experienced management team, and its professional systems and structures are fully embedded in the organization's culture and daily operations, resulting in transparency and strong stakeholder relationships.