The Motivation and Success in the Management of Conservation Units project was divided into phases. All of them can be accessed at this STORYMAP.

In the first of them, a survey was carried out on innovative initiatives in the management of UCs with the aim of increasing the conservation of these areas or overcoming major obstacles that made it difficult to achieve their objectives. The evaluation was carried out through an online questionnaire in which more than 100 federal UCs in Brazil participated. At this stage, an economic and financial analysis was also carried out to identify and characterize potential sources of resources for the management of UCs and propose new arrangements to improve their economic and financial independence.

The second phase aimed to celebrate managers' initiatives and evaluate human capital issues in UCs in more detail. Thus, the project was divided into two parts. On the one hand, a survey of alternative labor hiring models was carried out based on experiences developed in Brazil and abroad. Strategies developed by institutions that work in the conservation of protected areas and on various other topics were considered. The main focus was to identify solutions that managed to overcome the UCs' lack of human capital. On the other hand, two seminars were promoted with the aim of carrying out an exchange between UC managers about possible solutions to the challenges they face in their daily lives . The 1st Seminar on Good Practices in UC Management was carried out in 2014 and,for the second, a online platform it's the first bilingual magazine to disseminate good practices.

The success of the first seminar motivated the holding of the II Seminar on Good Practices for Management of Conservation Units, in 2016, which again was a valuable opportunity to exchange experiences, in addition to advancing the discussion of the concept of innovative management itself. Just like the previous seminar, the second seminar also gave rise to a new edition of the bilingual magazine, recognizing the efforts of managers who undertake in their routine activities and inspiring the replication of good practices in other UCs.

The project even supported some of the experiences with the aim of enhancing dissemination, aiming to achieve even more visibility and encouraging its adoption by other areas. In addition, contributions were made to hold some events whose themes were considered priorities among UC technicians and managers during the II seminar, including a Research Seminar and a Participatory Management Seminar. Still in this sense, and aiming to expand the training of protected area managers, the project has also invested in structuring a distance learning platform with ACADEBio.

The project is currently in its third phase, which involves the implementation of some strategic actions identified in the previous stages and outlined with partners to strengthen the management of UCs. One of the strategic actions is the strengthening of ICMBio's Volunteer Program, which counts on support from the project to carry out its strategic planning, the design of its visual identity, the preparation of the Manager's Guide and the Volunteer Notebook, in addition to other materials . This strategy also aims to develop a data system that increases the visibility of its results, in addition to providing training for managers and volunteers.

Another strategic action in this phase is related to the implementation of a Management Tool that integrates strategic information about the UCs and supports institutional decision-making processes. Furthermore, through an online data platform (Dynamic Panel), information about federal UCs is made available, promoting greater transparency and expanding their access by society. As part of the structuring actions of the third phase of the project, a pilot experiment will be carried out to Strengthen UC Management with the establishment of an institutional arrangement that strengthens local institutions and promotes the hiring of labor for field operational and administrative support to UCs. . In total, 16 areas will be covered, made up of UCs and integrated management centers belonging to the Amazon Biome. For each of these areas, institutions will be identified that are interested in participating in this pilot experience, which will be selected and will receive monitoring of the project with a view to institutional strengthening and the recruitment of local labor to support UC activities. Hiring should total 60 professionals and will be divided into lots according to the specificities of each area. By encouraging the hiring of local labor, the project aims to a) generate employment and income in the communities involved with the UCs; b) overcome problems associated with the difficulty of adapting contractors to local customs and ways of life; c) increase the community’s bond with the UC and; d) strengthen the organizational structure of local institutions that already have some relationship with the UC.