Conservation institutions as agents of change

Key messages to conservation institutions were drafted during the ICCROM Forum 2013 on Conservation Science so they could, in turn, influence the profession. The first message is a general statement of the fact that conservation science is an essential part of conservation. The other messages provide guidance to conservation institutions so that they can achieve maximum impact. Conservation institutions should engage in research and development that anticipate issues, provide sustainable solutions and guidelines, and are conducted in a transdisciplinary way; share resources and expertise to be more efficient, increase access and reduce inequalities; and assume a leadership role, promote conservation, and ensure knowledge is made available. The key messages, five altogether, are reproduced in their entirety in this article, which provides further elaboration and development of each message as well as avenues for making positive changes in strategic areas.