BioNet is the Regional Network of Biodiversity Civil Society Organizations in the Balkan region. As part of a wider project to build the capacity of civil society to address conservation issues, Planet4People was engaged by the GIZ to develop a workshop train CSOs involved in BioNet to deal with funding opportunities for conservation, particularly using marketing for conservation of protected areas.
The main objective of the workshop was to provide participants with an overview of “marketing with the purpose” for supporting nature conservation and community engagement.
Specific objectives included:
- Understanding the value of marketing for protected areas.
- Evaluating the “why” of engaging in marketing and the “purpose” of marketing for protected areas.
- Building capacity for marketing actions for protected areas looking at 3 key areas: understanding the visitors; products; and communications.
- Provide guiding tools.
- Evaluate the readiness of the participants to implement recommended actions.
Participants walked away with an appreciation for the opportunities for conservation funding using traditional marketing concepts. The organizers recognized the opportunity for future capacity building workshops in this area.
