A project in mind?

Structuring a complex, cross-border
rewilding project: Jaguar Rivers Iniciative




















Overview


The Jaguar Rivers Initiative is a large cross-border rewilding movement for the protection of rivers and land in South America. As the project had just launched, there was an opportunity to build the communication strategy from the ground up, both externally and internally, taking deliberate steps toward positioning Jaguar Rivers Initiative as the anchor alliance for conservation in South America. 


Communications Strategy and Communications Plan
for Jaguar Rivers Iniciative


All rights and images: Jaguar Rivers Iniciative







(Translation) The Jaguar Rivers Initiative is a large cross-border allied movement for the protection of rivers, especially in the Paraná Basin.










The Paraná Basin, with its current endangered territories, sensitive to deforestation.




Context

Jaguar Rivers Iniciative (JRI) defines itself as a guardian of the basin, above countries, governments, and borders.
Faced with this, it confronts the following positioning and communicational challenges:

  1. Build and legitimize their identity

  2. Anchor its messages to concrete facts from the territory, reinforcing the relevance of the project and focusing on the importance of transboundary protection.

  3. Make sure they’re speaking to their primary audience, made up of those who can drive the expansion of the initiative: donors, media, and opinion leaders.









Research and Problem Definition
To better understand JRI’s pains and needs, essential data about the initiative was gathered, analysing the areas that directly impact the development of the project’s communication strategy. These insights came from both research and a series of interviews and questionnaires with the team, which allowed better understanding of scope, internal capabilities, and a clear definition of the problem/objectives. 

Topics included:











History



JRI is focused on the protection of a major river basin and its surrounding ecosystems. At the time of the project, the initiative was in an early stage of consolidating its public presence and defining its role within the international conservation landscape.




Internal structure
and culture



The initiative operates as a coalition of partner organizations, each working on their own front within a shared ecological corridor. This decentralized structure makes communication both a strategic and operational priority. Coherence across the network depends on all members aligning around a single,  unified voice.




Analysis of the brand,
its core value


At the center of JRI is a territorial brand shaped by the people who know the land best: scientists, activists, farmers, and local communities. The 




Goals and scope



To gain recognition as a legitimate political and conservation actor at the international level, influence policy and decision-makers, and grow a base of engaged donors and allies.




Positioning



Credibility, narrative, and political positioning are as important as on-the-ground results. For JRI it is fundamental to emphasize territorial governance, and make southern rewilding inciatives relevant to the global north.















Challenges



Maintaining authenticity and territorial grounding in external communications, ensuring content quality and visual consistency across a decentralized partner network, and avoiding the institutional tone common to traditional NGO communication.





Key stakeholders



International donors, press and opinion leaders, local communities within the basin, partner organizations, and, as a mid-term priority, international policy bodies and decision-makers.






Examples of visual, strategic, and communication referents






Project Mission and Strategic Directions


Three objectives are proposed as communication priorities, as explained before:

1. Build identity

2. Reflect the territory

3. Activate audiences

These are core outcomes the project aims to achieve for communications in 2026. They are also reflected in the detailed plan, which translates strategy into concrete actions.

From each objective, different strategic lines emerge, serving as an internal tool and a decision-making framework to help the communications team make informed content choices, while clarifying who they are as an organization, what they stand for, why they exist, how they are different, and who they are for.

In JRI’s case, given its intersectional nature and the need to coordinate multiple sub-organizations, this framework is essential to align all efforts in a shared direction. It provides a common reference point that all teams can rely on, reducing the need for continuous debate over next steps.










For the strategic plan, we built a Framework that aligns content iniciatives with higher communication objectives.









Applying strategy to the Content Plan
        The Jaguar Rivers Initiative's 2026–2027 focus is built on a content plan fully aligned with its communication strategy (undisclosed). For 2026, the program is structured around four narrative pillars: breaking boundaries and building alliances, Binational Arks, rivers as connectors, and the launching of the Iberá Institute. These content pillars are distributed across quarters to maintain narrative continuity throughout the year.

        In the first half, they are activated in a balanced way; Q1 prioritizes alliances and Binational Arks, while Q2 deepens the exploration of Arks and rivers, with the Libera School running as a transversal thread across both quarters, ensuring coherence and preventing any single objective from standing in isolation.

        The content plan ties everything together, four pillars, a clear quarterly rhythm, and a transversal thread that keeps the Libera School present throughout. The structure was designed so that no objective gets lost along the way and the initiative's communication stays consistent.













Learn more about the project at Jaguar Rivers Iniciative, and join the current!











Freelance strategist and designer based in Barcelona

+34 603 148 603
clementina.altube@gmail.com
Barcelona, 08815, Spain

Offering:
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Cultural research & insights
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