CPSG develops and employs a wide variety of tools to assist conservation professionals in developing effective strategies for averting extinction of endangered species. These tools range from sophisticated analytical simulation software for studying population dynamics to structured workshop facilitation techniques aimed at helping people reach shared understanding. We are committed to evaluating the contents of our “conservation toolkit” and to improving them as new concepts and technologies emerge. Moreover, collaboration with other wildlife conservation organizations gives us exposure and access to a wealth of additional tools that broaden our capabilities and increase our effectiveness.

Species Conservation Planning Tools Library

The Species Conservation Planning Tools Library is a new resource to connect species conservation practitioners to well-tested planning tools suitable for use in a variety of planning situations. This tools library is intended for use by species conservation experts that seek a practical and accessible reference to the many tools and processes available for designing and implementing a detailed and effective conservation planning approach. Visit the Tools Library.

Tools for Quantitative Analysis

Vortex - Vortex  is a computer model that simulates the complex dynamics of wildlife population growth and how those dynamics may change through time in the presence of threatening human activities.

Outbreak - Outbreak simulates SEIR-style disease dynamics, using familiar basic conceptual algorithms of infectious disease transmission.

Spatial - Spatial is an agent-based model of the movements of animals on landscapes.

MetaModelManager - A “metamodel” links multiple, discrete models that depict separate components of a complex system, governing the flow of information between models and the sequence of events in the simulation process.

PMx - PMx is a package of demographic and genetic analysis tools to assist with the management of breeding programs for wildlife species.

Species Conservation Toolkit Initiative (SCTI)

CPSG has partnered with the Chicago Zoological Society and Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute to establish the Species Conservation Toolkit Initiative (SCTI). SCTI is a partnership to ensure that the new innovations and tools needed for species risk assessment, evaluating conservation actions, and managing populations are developed, globally available, and used effectively. Learn more about SCTI.