Dr. L. Jen Shaffer recently joined the IUCN's Commission on Ecosystem Management Cultural Practices thematic group. This group was founded after the recent World Conservation Congress in Hawai'i, September 2016. Broadly, the IUCN has five inter-related priorities that they will pursue over the next four years (2017-2020) in preparation for the next global meeting. These priorities include: 1) Disaster Risk Reduction, 2) Ecosystem-based Adaptation (in relation to climate change), 3) Red Listing of Ecosystems, 4) Resilience in ecosystems; and 5) Managing Ecosystems (Ecosystem Services).

"The mission of the IUCN CEM Cultural Practices and Ecosystem Management Thematic Group is to provide expert knowledge and guidance on: the values and roles of culture and cultural practices to support biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services, and ecosystem management; best practices for incorporating, maintaining and enhancing cultural diversity in relation to ecosystem management;  understanding how cultures contribute to climate change, the impacts of climate change on cultural knowledge and practices, and ways to incorporate cultural practices into solutions for the management of ecosystems under climate change; and to share this knowledge about biocultural diversity and practices with ecosystem managers and policy makers."

More information about the IUCN can be found here. https://www.iucn.org/