Setting conservation objectives with value-focused thinking

The approach common to well-known conservation planning frameworks is rooted in values, like species persistence and quality habitat, and expectations resulting from conservation actions, like restoration and protection. We evaluated value-focused thinking (VFT) as a framework for setting objectives based on personal or group values. Our approach included five steps: eliciting individual participant values, specifying objectives, organizing objectives, structuring multiple objectives, and a quality check. We implemented these steps with 12 conservation planning teams at a global conservation organization. We performed descriptive analyses based on comparisons between final group objectives and initial individual objectives as well as the quality check. We found that participants could only self-identify a proportion of the team's objectives, which VFT strengthened. Participants were equally challenged with identifying means and ends objectives, contrasting with general VFT theory. Both experienced and newly formed teams effectively applied VFT. Our study formalizes a common-sense approach to evaluating the underlying drivers of conservation planning so that its resulting outcomes can be most impactful.