Cooperation between various interest groups and the appropriate use of evidence are key components of conservation. Decisions that benefit both people and biodiversity must be made. However, misplaced conservation happens when polarization and false information make it difficult to work together and weigh the evidence. This impedance affects decisions that directly endanger biodiversity, alienate collaborators and undermine collaborative efforts, waste resources, mislead the public, and/or undermine evidence. These acts lead to misdirected conservation consequences, which make it more challenging to achieve beneficial outcomes for biodiversity. Here, we discuss instances where attempts to conserve biodiversity have been undermined by a failure to value cooperation, evidence, or both. These case studies generally show that preventing misguided conservation calls for stricter adherence to procedures that prioritise the use of evidence in decision-making and prioritise the long-term, communal benefits for biodiversity over the immediate interests of individuals or groups. The effectiveness and success of attempts to protect the world's biodiversity while assisting humans will rise with efforts to incorporate human elements, cooperation, and evidence into conservation.

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Keywords: conservation, Cooperation, Polarization, Biodiversity, Human Elements.