From August 31 to September 4, 2026, the Society for Conservation Biology – Africa Region hosted the 5th Africa Congress for Conservation Biology (ACCB) at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. Under the theme “Embracing Indigenous Solutions and Strengthening Policies for Conserving Africa’s Biodiversity in a Changing Climate,” the congress drew over 200 participants from 20 countries across Africa and beyond.
As part of the congress program, the SCB Impact Evaluation Working Group (IEWG) hosted a 1.5-hour workshop introducing counterfactual thinking as a tool for understanding the true impact of conservation interventions. We packed the room with a mix of Master’s and PhD students alongside conservation practitioners from both government agencies and NGOs.

Effective conservation depends on knowing what works, what doesn’t, and why, and this session gave attendees an introduction to the concepts, methods, and practical strategies behind rigorous impact evaluation. Participants divided themselves into small groups for a thought experiment on identifying rival explanations for real conservation outcomes.

A few days later, we had the opportunity to bring this training to a group beyond Lagos. The IEWG was invited to present a training session for the international Reverse the Red Accelerator Award cohort.

Our engagement continued after these sessions ended. Numerous attendees followed up asking for further learning materials and how to get involved with IEWG’s ongoing mentoring program and webinar series. This included Michael Haruna, an MSc student at the University of Ibadan, who shared this reflection:
“Some encounters don’t just leave you with a photograph; they leave you with a new way of thinking. Meeting Dr. Claire Vincent at ACCB 2026 and learning from her workshop on Impact Evaluation for Conservation was one of the highlights of my conference experience. Her insights on counterfactual thinking, Theory of Change and understanding the real impact of conservation interventions have given me a fresh perspective on my own research and the questions I want to ask going forward. Thank you, Dr. Claire, for sharing your knowledge and for inspiring a deeper way of thinking about conservation.“

We’re looking forward to welcoming our new connections into the IEWG community in the months ahead.
Interested in learning more about impact evaluation for conservation, or getting involved with the IEWG’s mentoring and webinar offerings? Join our Email group or follow us on Social Media to receive all of the latest updates from the IEWG.