This selection of key projects illustrates CIC’s commitment to addressing today’s urgent conservation challenges. From Europe’s Alpine heights to Mongolia’s vast steppes, the CIC is committed to delivering on-the-ground results for conservation. 

Guided by the CIC 2030 Strategic Plan, each initiative reflects our focus on biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and fostering sustainable relationships between people and wildlife.

CIC empowers local communities, drawing on the knowledge of our experts and network to build conservation leaders where they are most needed. Science-based solutions and a dedication to sustainable use, supported through international partnerships, balancing local needs with global goals.

Chamois in a Changing Climate
Led by CIC Applied Science Division President, Professor Dr. Klaus Hackländer, this project examines the adaptive challenges facing Europe’s alpine chamois as temperatures shift. While some chamois are retreating to higher elevations, others are moving into lower-altitude forests, adding pressure to forest ecosystems already stressed by drought and pests. CIC’s research explores these population shifts to inform sustainable management practices that protect both chamois and their habitats as environmental conditions change.

LECA Project: Conservation of Carpathian Large Carnivores
In the Carpathian Mountains, where lynx, wolves, and bears are reclaiming their historical ranges, the LECA Project fosters balanced conservation. Funded by Interreg and supported by partners like WWF Hungary and Mendel University. LECA is facilitated by the Carpathian Convention, with CIC representing the voices of hunters and local stakeholders. Our role is critical in developing monitoring protocols, enhancing law enforcement against poaching, and advocating for hunters as conservation allies, helping communities and large carnivores to thrive together.

Flying Vets Mongolia: A One Health Initiative
Launched by the CIC in 2022, the Flying Vets Mongolia project brings together local communities, veterinarians, and conservationists to address zoonotic diseases. The CIC provides training in disease surveillance, rapid reporting, and participatory monitoring, empowering hunters and herders to act as first responders to disease outbreaks and to implement preventative measures. This initiative strengthens both Mongolia’s biodiversity and the resilience of its nomadic communities. With funding from UNEP’s Nature for Health initiative, the project is set to expand, improving coordination among veterinary, environmental, and community sectors to prevent zoonotic diseases, enhance data sharing, and promote sustainable ecosystem management.

The Wild Harvest Initiative

Led by Shane Mahoney, President of the CIC Policy and Law Division, is a pioneering project that quantifies the ecological, economic, and cultural benefits of wild food harvests—hunting, fishing, and foraging. By measuring these contributions to food security and biodiversity conservation, the initiative underscores the importance of sustainable use in maintaining healthy ecosystems and supporting human livelihoods.

Through comprehensive data collection and analysis, the Wild Harvest Initiative informs conservation policies and promotes public understanding of how wild harvest practices contribute to ecosystem health and cultural heritage. This work exemplifies the CIC’s commitment to conservation through sustainable use, demonstrating the interconnectedness of natural resources and human well-being.

For a broader view of CIC’s work, we invite you to explore our project portfolio, where each initiative reflects our commitment to a future where people and wildlife thrive together.