Every community has a story about its Commons: the cultural traditions and knowledge passed down through generations, the livelihoods sustained by shared resources, and the collective efforts that keep these connections alive. The Call for Abstracts for the Community Conference on Commons 2026 invites communities, custodians and practitioners to share these stories. Through its 10 themes, the conference creates space for experiences that highlight the relationship between the Commons, cultural heritage and community livelihoods. Does your community have a tradition, practice or initiative that sustains cultural connections or supports livelihoods through the Commons? Share your experience and bring your community’s story into the conversation. Abstract deadline: 30 October 2026, 5:00 PM IST. Submit your abstract: forms.gle/Y6e789CEYncqK6zQA Explore all 10 themes: promiseofcommons.in/communit… For queries, write to [email protected]. Stay tuned as we explore the other thematics in our upcoming posts! #CommunityConference #CallForAbstract #Land #Commons #Water #Livelihood #Knowledge #Ecological #Rights #CollectiveAction

Biodiversity does not stop at protected area boundaries. Forests, rivers, grasslands, wetlands, agricultural lands and Commons are interconnected and their conservation calls for coordinated action across landscapes. At CBD COP17, the Foundation for Ecological Security (FES) presents From Global Biodiversity Targets to Local Action: Community-Led Landscape Conservation in Practice. Our panellists bring diverse perspectives on community-led Commons stewardship and Landscape Conservation. * Bhushan H Sethi, Steering Committee, 1000 Landscapes for 1 Billion People & Founder, GALLOP Initiative * Elisabetta Cangelosi, Gender Justice Advisor, International Land Coalition * Archana Chatterjee, Programme Manager, IUCN * Virginia Foster, Director, 1000 Landscapes for 1 Billion People * Himani Sharma, Senior Programme Manager, FES * Sanjay Sharma, General Manager, FES Drawing on FES’s experience with Landscape Conservation Action Planning (LCAP), the 100 Landscapes Initiative and community stewardship in Northeast India, the panel will explore how ecological data, traditional ecological knowledge and community institutions can help translate global biodiversity commitments into local action. Join us as we explore pathways to strengthen landscape governance, connect community priorities with conservation planning, and advance the implementation of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Date: 26 October 2026 Time: 12:15–1:15 PM Venue: FPWC Pavilion Know more about LCAP: fes.org.in/resources/2026/la… Know more about 100 Landscapes Initiative: fes.org.in/resources/2026/10… @UNBiodiversity #CBDCOP17 #CommunityLedConservation #LandscapeConservation #Biodiversity #Commons #Commoning #KMGBF #FESforCommons

What does caring for the Commons look like in your community? From bringing diverse stakeholders together to protecting biodiversity, communities have different ways of working collectively to sustain our shared resources. The Community Conference on Commons 2026 invites communities, custodians and practitioners to share these experiences through its call for abstracts, spanning 10 themes on community-led stewardship and collective action. Conference dates: 2–4 December 2026 Submit your abstract by 30 October 2026, 5:00 PM IST. Submit your abstract: forms.gle/Y6e789CEYncqK6zQA Explore the themes and submission details: promiseofcommons.in/communit… For queries, write to [email protected]. Glance through the slides to learn our thematics: Multi-Stakeholder Engagement in Commoning, and Commons and Biodiversity Stay tuned as we explore the other thematics in our upcoming posts! #CommunityConference #Commons #GlobalPlatform #Biodiversity #Forests #Water #Rights

The Call for Abstracts is now open for the Community Conference on Commons 2026, taking place from 2–4 December 2026! A global platform for communities, custodians and practitioners to share their experiences, knowledge and initiatives around protecting and sustaining the Commons, the conference brings grassroots voices and community-led action to the forefront. With 10 diverse themes, we look forward to stories of collective stewardship, local innovations and the many ways communities are governing, restoring and caring for our shared resources. Have a story or initiative to share? Submit your abstract by 30 October 2026, 5:00 PM IST, and be part of the conversation. Submit your application now: forms.gle/Y6e789CEYncqK6zQA Explore the themes and conference details: promiseofcommons.in/communit… For queries, write to [email protected]. Glance through the slides to learn on our thematics: Water and Coastal Commons and Community Governance of Forests and Other Land Commons. Stay tuned as we explore the other thematics in our upcoming posts! #CommunityConference #Commons #GlobalPlatform #Biodiversity #Forests #Water #Rights

FES was awarded the HDFC Bank Parivartan Excellence Award 2026 in the Impact, Rural Development (West Region) category for its work in Gujarat. Across the Mahi River landscape in Kheda district, the team collaborates with communities to restore degraded lands, address soil erosion and improve water availability for agriculture. This recognition celebrates the collective efforts of communities, farmers, village institutions, and our work in advancing community-led restoration and sustainable rural development. @HDFCBankCSR #FES #EcologicalRestoration #RuralDevelopment #CommunityLedConservation

Communities have long sustained our forests, grasslands, wetlands and other Commons through collective action, traditional knowledge and locally rooted institutions. Yet, the ongoing work of stewardship often remains underfunded beyond project cycles. At COP17 CBD, join us for From Recognition to Action: Financing Community Stewardship — a panel discussion on how financing can better recognise community contributions, strengthen local institutions and support long-term stewardship. Our panellists bring diverse perspectives on community-led Commons stewardship and its long-term financing. * Femy Pinto, Non-Timber Forest Products – Exchange Programme (NTFP EP) Asia * Vivian Silole Malih, M., Head of Strategic Partnerships, Collaboration and Sustainability, IMPACT Kenya * Jailab Rai, EC (ICCA Consortium Network Nepal) * Joe Kiesecker, Lead Scientist, Land and Water, The Nature Conservancy * Sona Kalantaryan, Project Director, Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC), Armenia * Chetan Jha, Director, TEI, FES Date: 24 October 2026 Time: 4:30–5:30 PM Venue: FPWC Pavilion Let’s explore how we can move from recognising community stewardship to resourcing it for the long term. @UNBiodiversity #COP17CBD #CommunityStewardship #Commons #BiodiversityFinance #IndigenousPeoples #LocalCommunities #Commoning

The Community Conference on Commons 2026 is bringing together communities, custodians and practitioners to share their experiences, knowledge and initiatives for protecting and sustaining the Commons. Taking place from 2–4 December 2026, the conference will celebrate community-led action and create space for grassroots voices to shape conversations around our shared natural resources. Have questions about submitting an abstract? Join us for a live Q&A session on Monday, 26 October, at 4:30 PM. Whether you need clarity on the 10 themes, the submission process or the kind of community initiatives and experiences you can share, this is your opportunity to ask questions and learn more about being part of the conference. Date: Monday, 26 October 2026 Time: 4:30 PM Submit your abstract: forms.gle/Y6e789CEYncqK6zQA Explore the themes and conference details: promiseofcommons.in/communit… For queries, write to [email protected]. Join us for the Q&A, spread the word, and bring your community's story to the conversation. We look forward to connecting with you! #CommunityConferenceOnCommons2026 #Commons #CommunityStewardship #CommunityLedAction #CallForAbstracts #CollectiveAction #CommonsGovernance #LocalKnowledge #SustainableLivelihoods #CommunityVoices

Biodiversity does not stop at protected area boundaries. Forests, rivers, grasslands, wetlands, agricultural lands and Commons are interconnected and their conservation calls for coordinated action across landscapes. At CBD COP17, the Foundation for Ecological Security (FES) presents From Global Biodiversity Targets to Local Action: Community-Led Landscape Conservation in Practice. Drawing on FES’s experience with Landscape Conservation Action Planning (LCAP), the 100 Landscapes Initiative and community stewardship in Northeast India, the panel will explore how ecological data, traditional ecological knowledge and community institutions can help translate global biodiversity commitments into local action. Join us as we explore pathways to strengthen landscape governance, connect community priorities with conservation planning, and advance the implementation of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Date: 26 October 2026 Time: 12:15–1:15 PM Venue: FPWC Pavilion Know more about LCAP: fes.org.in/resources/2026/la… Know more about 100 Landscape Initiative: fes.org.in/resources/2026/10… @UNBiodiversity #CBDCOP17 #CommunityLedConservation #LandscapeConservation #Biodiversity #Commons #Commoning #KMGBF #FESforCommons

Communities have long sustained our forests, grasslands, wetlands and other Commons through collective action, traditional knowledge and locally rooted institutions. Yet, the ongoing work of stewardship often remains underfunded beyond project cycles. At COP17 CBD, join us for From Recognition to Action: Financing Community Stewardship — a panel discussion on how financing can better recognise community contributions, strengthen local institutions and support long-term stewardship. Date: 24 October 2026 Time: 4:30–5:30 PM Venue: FPWC Pavilion Let’s explore how we can move from recognising community stewardship to resourcing it for the long term. @UNBiodiversity #COP17CBD #CommunityStewardship #Commons #BiodiversityFinance #IndigenousPeoples #LocalCommunities #Commoning

We are pleased to share that Chetan Jha, Sanjay Sharma, Himani Sharma and Shilpi Roy Varghese from FES will be participating in the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to (COP 17) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)  (UNCBD COP 17), taking place from October 19–30, 2026, in Yerevan, Armenia. We look forward to connecting with fellow delegates, exchanging insights, and contributing to the global dialogue on Commons, pastoralism, and community stewardship. If you are at the UNCBD COP 17, let's connect! @UNBiodiversity #FES #COP17 #UNCBD #Biodiversity #CommunityStewardship #Commons #Pastoralism #NatureConservation #UNBiodiversity #Yerevan2026

Applications are invited for the First Residential Winter School on “Forest Commons in India: Legal Framework, Community Rights and Institutions”, organized by Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur (@hnluofficial), in collaboration with the Foundation for Ecological Security, from 7–12 December 2026 at HNLU, Nava Raipur. Apply by 10 November 2026. The detailed programme note and application form are available at hnlu.ac.in/uncategorized/cal…" #Commons #FES #Community #Rights #ResidentialWinterSchool

The 2nd National Conference on Collaborative Bird Monitoring was held in Raipur last month . The conference was hosted by the Birds and Wildlife of Chhattisgarh, the Chhattisgarh Forest and Climate Change Department, and FES. Birds are an important part of our ecological commons, and reliable data on their populations, distribution and habitats is essential to understanding ecological change and informing conservation priorities. Strengthening data quality is therefore central to building a more robust evidence base for bird conservation in India. The conference brought together 40 participants from 13 states and one Union Territory to address challenges in bird monitoring, with a focus on data accuracy, representation and standardisation. Across three days of discussions and collaborative problem-solving, participants identified 80 challenges and developed 100 solutions. These included systematic monitoring to address geographic and seasonal data gaps, multilingual learning resources, a train-the-trainer model to strengthen monitoring capacity, and a shared knowledge library to make resources and best practices more accessible. The conference concluded with a shared direction for strengthening collaborative bird monitoring: improving the consistency and coverage of data collection, building local capacity, and making knowledge more accessible across the bird monitoring community. Together, these efforts can help generate more reliable and representative data to guide conservation priorities and deepen our understanding of India’s birdlife. @birdcountindia @ForestCgGov #BirdMonitoring #BirdConservation #Biodiversity #EcologicalCommons #CitizenScience #Conservation #FES

Commons and the practices of Commoning have long nurtured our communities, sustained livelihoods, and cared for nature. Across the world, communities continue to draw on this shared heritage to protect and restore the Commons, building resilience and hope even as climate change brings new challenges. The Community Conference on Commons 2026 returns as a global platform where community members, custodians, and practitioners share their lived experiences of protecting and conserving Commons, in their own voices. We are inviting abstract submissions that showcase community experiences, campaigns, and initiatives on Commons stewardship to be shared at this year's conference. Share your stories and learnings with peers across geographies. Abstract Deadline: 30th October 2026, 5:00 PM IST Submit here: forms.gle/Y6e789CEYncqK6zQA Let's come together to reimagine and strengthen our shared future with the Commons. #PromiseOfCommons #CollectiveAction #CommunityPower #ClimateAction #Conference #GenerationRestoration #Community #ConferenceOnCommons #CommonsCommunity Conference on Commons 2026

After a successful pre-monsoon campaign, Napo Jal Bachao Kal (NJBK) returns on 15 October 2026 for its post-monsoon cycle of groundwater monitoring. By measuring well water levels, communities, partners and organisations can better understand changes in groundwater availability, a resource that sustains livelihoods, livestock and agriculture. These local observations build the evidence needed for informed water management and community-led action. Groundwater is part of our shared natural commons, and caring for it begins with understanding it. Join the campaign this post-monsoon. One well at a time, we can build a clearer picture of India’s groundwater. Learn more about the campaign here: indiaobservatory.org.in/grou… @IOforCommons #NapoJalBachaoKal #GroundwaterMonitoring #NaturalCommons #CommunityAction #WaterSecurity #FoundationForEcologicalSecurity

We are excited to partner with the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology Tirupati (@iit_tirupati) for a six-day Winter School on “Natural Capital, Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Change, and Valuation of Ecosystem Services: A Commons Perspective.” The Winter School brings together perspectives on the Commons and commoning, natural capital accounting, nature-based solutions, and ecosystem services valuation. It will explore how these ideas can strengthen collective stewardship, restore shared ecosystems, and contribute to more resilient futures. An opportunity to engage with interdisciplinary perspectives, learn from experts, and develop new research ideas around the governance and sustainability of our shared natural resources. Venue: IIT Tirupati, Yerpedu, Andhra Pradesh Duration: 9–14 December 2026 Apply by: 31 October 2026 Limited seats Apply here: tinyurl.com/4hyb3sse For queries reach out at: [email protected] #WinterSchool #Commons #NaturalCapital #NatureBasedSolutions #EcosystemServices #Commoning #Sustainability #ClimateChange #EnvironmentalEconomics #NaturalResourceManagement

Call for Nominations | 2027 Elinor Ostrom Award The Elinor Ostrom Award on Collective Governance of the Commons reflects what becomes possible when communities come together to manage their Commons in innovative ways. It celebrates contributions that demonstrate the value of collective action, while advancing both practical and scholarly understanding of how the Commons can be managed and strengthened worldwide. Nominations are now open across two categories: Practitioners and Scholars. If you know an individual, group or a community whose group or community whose contributions need to be brought into the spotlight, this is your opportunity to nominate them. Deadline: 15 October 2026 Submit the nomination to: [email protected] Please note: nominations are by recommendation only; self-nominations are not accepted. Learn more about the Award and nomination process at elinorostromaward.org. @Ostrom_Workshop @iasc_commons #ElinorOstromAward #CollectiveGovernance #Commons #CommunityStewardship #CommoningTheCommons