An Introductory Guide to Participatory 3D Modelling for protected and conserved areas lauched at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi (10 October 2025)

Launched together with the Handbook on Participatory 3D Modelling for Protected and Conserved areas, this guide describes how Participatory 3D Modelling (P3DM) can support the pathway for improving protected and conserved area (PCA) governance, planning and management towards achieving positive conservation outcomes, including as set out in the IUCN Green List Standard.

Across the guide there are blue boxes that present case studies of real-world applications of P3DM in different contexts, especially those that have supported or been co-led by communities. The green boxes are explaining key concepts or processes

Who is this guide for?

This guide is for anyone interested in learning about how using P3DM can support good practice in protected and conserved areas governance, management and planning. This includes:

• Governing actors or decision-makers such as PCA site managers and governing bodies, local government officials and policymakers;
• Local rightsholders including Indigenous peoples and local communities;
• Other stakeholders such as environmental nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society organisations (CSOs), researchers and academics.

It is also for any of the above actors who are using the Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas global Standards as a framework to advance in equitable governance, sound design and planning and effective management and would like to know how can P3DM supports them.