Conservation triage in action: Planning, governance and knowledge co‐production for biodiversity protection

Abstract

Abstract Conservation triage is an evolving strategy designed to allocate limited resources to address pressures that require urgent actions due to their consequences on biodiversity and essential ecosystem services for human well‐being. This perspective proposes a structured, ethical and inclusive conservation triage‐based framework for efficiently addressing socio‐ecological requirements in biodiversity conservation, leveraging limited resources. Based on three main pillars—conservation planning, policy and governance and co‐production of knowledge—our goal is to promote conservation triage as a pragmatic and comprehensive approach. We explore the application of conservation triage principles in Chile, following the recent establishment of the Conservation and Human Well‐being programme, a science‐based initiative promoting the conservation of Chile's unique biodiversity and informing the development of conservation policies. Synthesis and applications. This perspective offers guidance to scientists and practitioners on how to prioritize conservation efforts while taking resource constraints into account when navigating conservation triage. It emphasizes how crucial it is to integrate ethical issues, fostering a decision‐making process enriched by diverse perspectives and collaborative knowledge co‐production. Through the alignment of strategic resource allocation with socio‐ecological aspects, this approach offers insights for developing equitable and well‐balanced conservation outcomes that are transferable to other geographical and environmental settings.