IUCN WCPA Technical Note 28: Using Strategy Games to Support Ecosystem Restoration Planning

Purpose of this document:
This technical note aims to provide guidance on the use of participatory strategy games to support ecosystem
restoration planning. It introduces the rationale behind using serious games as tools for stakeholder engagement,
knowledge co-production, and decision-making in complex social-ecological contexts. Drawing on literature and
case studies, this note outlines the design principles, implementation strategies, benefits, limitations, and ethical
considerations associated with applying these methods in restoration projects.
Audience: Restoration and protected area practitioners working within larger landscapes or seascapes with
diverse stakeholders. This note will help them understand how strategy games can help them bring diverse
stakeholders together to discuss issues around the landscape/seascape that needs to be restored.