NaturaConnect took the global stage at the 32nd International Congress for Conservation Biology (ICCB 2025), held in Brisbane/Meanjin, Australia, from 15–19 June. This premier international event brought together over 1,500 conservation professionals, with more than 100 participants joining our dedicated session on integrated spatial planning. 

Our symposium highlighted the importance of biodiversity-inclusive spatial planning — not just for Europe, but as a globally relevant framework. We demonstrated how NaturaConnect’s work directly contributes to achieving the first three area-based targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework, by increasing ecological representativeness, improving connectivity, and enabling effective and inclusive management of landscapes. 

A key strength of NaturaConnect session was its integrative approach: combining ecological science with social, economic, and cultural dimensions of land-use. The discussions emphasised the need to include local and Indigenous knowledge in spatial planning — a perspective increasingly central to conservation worldwide and one NaturaConnect is keen to embed more deeply. 

ICCB also served as a springboard for new collaborations, with joint efforts now forming with colleagues from the UK and Australia to tackle shared spatial planning challenges.  

Our key message to the global community:

To truly achieve nature-positive outcomes, we must go beyond protected areas and ensure that all land and sea-use decisions are informed by ecological knowledge, respect for local communities, and a commitment to sustainability.

NaturaConnect is proud to be part of this dynamic, global network of conservation leaders.