PARTICIPATORY MODELLING

What? Modelling used to be an activity for specialists. Nowadays simple modelling platforms are available and easily useable by non-specialists, even in a workshop setting. Models are built using a combination of activities, including historical trends analysis and scenario visioning, participatory mapping and our chosen modelling software, STELLA.

Why? Participatory modelling can be useful in building stakeholder commitment to a conservation and development initiative. It can make the links and trade-offs between conservation and development explicit. It can enable people to discuss their assumptions and identify information needs for decision making. It can help develop a strategy for WWF activities in a complex landscape.

What’s the time investment? A simple model can be built and run by a group of up to 20 stakeholders in about 4-5 days. It can be useful to repeat the exercise periodically to track progress and build in changes and new information.