Why Scale?

Scaling promising conservation solutions is our best bet at achieving TNC’s ambitious 2030 goals. That belief, and the following language guided our research:

Designing for conservation impact at scale means creating opportunities for small, intentional ideas and actions to ripple out, create larger patterns of change, and ultimately shape systems and structures far beyond our immediate reach. Replication isn't about applying identical solutions everywhere, but instead, it involves having a systematic approach to adapting solutions to fit local contexts.

Scale is a path to magnify efforts and, when designed with intention and awareness, is a way to nurture a world rooted in adaptive cycles, connection, justice, and equity.

Why Replication?

Replication refers to copying a “model” or conservation solution that has been shown to be effective, with the expectation that it can or will produce the same or comparable results in different places.

There are numerous pathways to scale in the conservation space, but replication stands out for the below reasons, ultimately increasing the likelihood that scaled impact is both equitable and enduring. Replication should:

• Build from existing knowledge and approaches, saving time and resources
• Prioritize starting small and learning fast using an adaptive management approach
• Center interested, involved, and impacted communities from the beginning

Patterns of replication and scale occur throughout our natural world: from cells to societies, ferns unfurling, tiny drops >> mountain streams >> mighty rivers >> vast expanses of ocean…

There is a structural echo that suggests two things: one, that there are shapes and patterns fundamental to our universe, and two, that what we practice at a small scale can reverberate to the largest scale. —adrienne maree brown. Emergent Strategy (p. 54)

Are there Different Kinds of Replication?

There are two kinds of replication to consider—internal and external. We’ve prioritized external replication in our research because even the most effective NGOs cannot achieve global, problem-solving scale alone!

<aside> ➕ Internal replication is when the “scaler” replicates the promising solution in a new context, but continues to be the “doer” delivering the solution.

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<aside> ➕ External replication is when the “scaler” trains an external “doer-at-scale” (government, other NGOs, etc.) to deliver the promising solution.

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