Develop a Follow-Up and Monitoring Plan

The objective of this building block is to provide technical teams with parameters for measuring the effectiveness of restoration actions in the field.

The monitoring plan should include elements to evaluate the following parameters: 1) degree of development of planted species and their response capacity, 2) changes in water patterns and abundance, 3) changes in biodiversity dynamics (presence and abundance), as well as in the disappearance of exotic and/or invasive species, 4) changes in the environmental conditions of the area, and 5) changes in land dynamics and use, as well as public use and community demands.

  • Social auditing favors accountability in the quality and quantity of public investment in the territories.
  • Co-administration or co-management agreements favor accountability in the quality and quantity of non-governmental investment in the territories.
  • The creation of local governance platforms favors the creation of robust and transparent accountability systems.
  • The data provided by the monitoring system should have a technical component (how have we progressed in the restoration of our area?) and a social component (what are the monetary and non-monetary benefits of the investments made?), so that the actors involved maintain a real and effective interest in contributing to the restoration of these sites.
Acoustic monitoring and analyses

The acoustic component of the project holds special significance, as it played a pivotal role in the automatic detection of over 138 species, with 95 of them being integrated into our pattern matching algorithms. This forms a robust foundation for the continuous monitoring of the region over the upcoming years, allowing us to observe how various environmental factors influence species presence

Our success in species detection was made possible through the data collected from the devices and the strategic partnerships we established, particularly with Rainforest Connection. Additionally, local experts played a crucial role in validating species presence.

The integrated passive acoustic monitoring combined with AI techniques allowed for the identification of 95 species. There is a positive correlation between species richness and low-canopy forest cover. Furthermore, the soundscape analyses revealed variations tied to different seasons and habitat types. However, the pilot encountered the challenge of  limited training data for rare species. To mitigate this, we conducted multiple rounds of sensor deployment across various seasons.

Measuring the Impacts on Ecosystem Services

The objective of this building block is to provide developers and implementers of ecosystem and landscape restoration projects with a tool that uses remote sensing, augmentation factors, and the integration of the two as a way to evaluate the effectiveness of restoration interventions on the ground.

To evaluate the line of impact of ecosystem services based on remote sensing, baseline data (baseline, management units and recent images) are collected and the differential between the initial and final year is calculated through: the definition of the increment tables, the normalization and adjustment of images, and the modeling of ecosystem services.

The increment factor approach is used for cropland and/or livestock where spectral indices derived from satellite imagery fail to accurately detect vegetation changes; and is calculated through: definition of baseline data, categorization of restoration practices and estimation of increment factors per implemented measure.

By executing this process, the area directly and indirectly impacted is available.

  • Have a baseline with the same variables and geospatial models to make credible and reliable comparisons over time.
  • Have a database of management units that clearly reflects the restoration actions that were executed in the field.
  • Implement a training and capacity building process with an assigned advisor, where doubts and uncertainties about methodological aspects and technologies to be used are resolved, which facilitates their adoption.
  • The databases that include the restoration measures in the territories should be reliable and preferably have been verified through supervision and control of data in the field.
  • If the developers and executors of restoration projects implement these methods in different areas, it is important to homogenize the variables, their treatment and the scale at which they execute them.
Funded Projects

Following two funding calls, a total of 17 projects were selected. The projects represent a very wide range of different approaches and solution ideas for pursuing the Alliance's goals, depending on the respective context.

To increase the visibility of the projects and to foster knowledge exchange they are invited to present their ongoing work, intermediate goals and preliminary results to the Alliance community through posts on the website or at online events.

Sufficient funding is necessary to ensure long-term support and sustainable implementation of the project goals.

Continuous communication between those responsible for the project and the Alliance secretariat ensures the success of the project, the feedback of results to the community and thus added value for the community.

Adequate feedback from project partners can be challenging and requires good communication strategies.

Members Area

The members area is exclusive for registered members (individuals or organisations) of the Alliance. The membership is free of charge and gives you the chance to join forces for a common cause as well as connect, collaborate and partner with other members.

The Members Area serves as a platform for internal exchange, sharing of interesting articles, job opportunities and event dates as well as having access to video recordings of past events on demand.

  • maintaining the website and members area
  • it needs motivated and committed members who are willing to actively participate on the platform

At the beginning of the implementation, direct and regular contact with members is necessary to encourage them to post and interact with each other. Direct inquiries via email or reminders in the newsletter can help. Active support for posting from the secretariat is initially necessary but can be reduced over time.

Country packages

The aim is to establish practices, rules and/or standards to reduce risks to the environment, human and animal health in trade in wild animals and wild animal products in selected partner countries in global biodiversity hotspot regions. Among other things, risk assessments, the design of educational measures in different formats (digital and non-digital campaigns, training courses, etc.) and the scientific monitoring of the implementation of good practices (e.g. impact assessments) are to be promoted. The Alliance brings the relevant actors together across sectors and use concrete findings to formulate adapted regulations or or supports the institutionalization of relevant practices.

Existing political and GIZ structures, as well as other local partner organizations in the selected partner country.

Depending on the initial situation in the partner countries, you have to start at different levels. In some cases working together at the political level is possible, in other places it is more effective to implement the goals via a partner organization that already has experience on site and a network of local actors.

Working Groups

The International Alliance currently has 3 Working Groups, which are led by the members themselves and receive support from the Alliance Secretariat. Each Working Group is led by 1-2 chairs and the group meets every 6-8 weeks to ensure a continous work process.

We currently have the following Working Groups:

 

- Science Policy Interface (chair: Sue Liebermann, WCS)

Considering our core understanding of wildlife we want to infuse this understanding, based on scientific evidence, into international political processes.

 

- Transformative System Change: The Big Picture (chair: Alex D. Greenwood, IZW Berlin; Barabara Maas, NABU)

There are underlying fundamental obstacles to achieving the Alliances objectives and goals. Identifying and addressing these is the focus of this Working Group. 

 

- Evaluation/Effective Interventions (chair: Craig Stephen, One Health Consultant)

The aim is to gather good practices on effective interventions from Alliance members to enable learning and knowledge exchange across sectors and regions. 

The success of the working group depends on whether clear goals have been formulated, how committed and well- organized the chair is, how motivated the group members are and whether there is a continuous workflow.

Since most members already have very demanding full-time jobs, the time capacity of individual members may change over time. It can be challenging to ensure a good workflow and working atmosphere. Appreciation and understanding are of great importance in order to enable further collaboration.

Governmental Consultation Facility

The goal of the Consultation Facility is to provide context-specific multidisciplinary consultancy services from Alliance experts to governments/governmental institutions in countries with a high risk of novel diseases of zoonotic origin to prevent spill-over infections.

The expertise of more than 180+ member organisations and individual experts in the Alliance will be used to put together those interdiscplinary teams.

The Consultation Facility specializes on medium-term, primary preventive and context-specific government advisory services with concrete results in the context of health risks in wildlife trade and consumption along the entire contact and trade chain.

Effective and sustainable counseling requires thorough policy analysis/screening to identify suitable governments.

Existing political action or other political regulations regarding the intersection of wildlife and human health for example, are particulary helpful at the beginning of the consultation.

The facility was launched in December 2023. For this reason, the lessons learned will only be communicated in the course of 2024.

Human-Elephant Conflict mitigation through soft barriers protecting crop fields

In May 2023, the Elephants Alive (EA) team embarked on an Human-Elephant Conflict barrier implementation mission to the Namaacha Valley in Southern Mozambique. EA and Mozambique Wildlife Allience (MWA), as well as delegates from Save The Elephants (Kenya) and PAMS Foundation (Tanzania), came together in an inspirational cooperation exercise to implement a 4-way mitigation soft barrier to protect three crop fields. The fields had been identified through field research and GPS tracking data, as high-risk for elephant crop-raiding. One side of the fence was built by hanging beehives. As the hives start to become occupied with wild swarms, we will keep training local farmers on how to keep hives and colonies healthy, by assessing the frame structures and checking if the bees have enough pollen to produce honey. This knowledge will allow the farmers to increase both their crop production, protect crops from hungry elephants and supplement their income from honey sales. The second side of the fence was made up of metal strip fencing, the noise and sight of which has been proven to deter elephants from breaking into farmers’ fields. We set up the third side of the fence with chilli rags. The fourth side of the soft barrier fence was comprised of flashing lights, a technique successfully used in Botswana.

  • Each mitigation method is applied and maintained properly.
  • Following comprehensive beekeeping training and set-up of a monitoring system, the beehive fence will be maintained. 
  • Bee colonies have enough available resources to prevent colonies absconding from hives. 
  • Keen interest from the community. This was facilitated by the previous success of the Rapid Response Units in deterring elephant crop raiding.
  • Access to resources to maintain the soft barriers
  • Monitoring of elephant crop raiding incidents through field reports & GPS data

All barriers held up well despite two collared elephants coming close within the first month. On the 15th and 16th of June a bachelor herd broke in at the unoccupied beehives. They broke out at the chilli rags, as they had not been refreshed as taught. We have been communicating with the chief, who now sees the importance of the chilli rag refreshing routine. He has since collected more chilli and engine oil for reapplication. We have instructed that the smelly elephant repellent is hung at regular intervals of the beehive fences. The community has reported that the elephants avoid the flashing lights so on our next trip we will put flashing lights at regular intervals until the summer brings a greater occupancy of hives. Transport between the plots and supplies storage room is challenging. The straight-line distance is 5km but no vehicles are available. On our next trip, a watch tower will be erected closer to the plots, the base of which will be made into a storeroom. The responsible staff member from Mozambique Wildlife Alliance has now also acquired a driver’s licence so he can ferry supplies as the need arises.

The Bocachico Festival!

In order to make visible and recognize the performance of good fishing practices and compliance with the Use Agreement between the community of Tumaradó and PNN Los Katíos, the Bocachico Festival was created, which in 2023 completes its XVI version. This is a traditional celebration that takes place in the community to promote the proper use of hydrobiological resources, especially bocachico; it is also carried out as an education and communication strategy aimed at organizational strengthening and lines of culture and governance.

This two-day event includes a variety of activities and contests for the whole community around the hydrobiological resource, such as catching the biggest fish, gastronomic dishes, the person who eats the most bocachico, canoeing, swimming, painting, trovas, weaving the net, fixing the fish, interviews with fishermen, among others. In 2020, diplomas were awarded to artisanal fishermen to honor their good work within the framework of the agreement.

-Good relationship between the community of Tumaradó and PNNC through the inclusion of cultural practices in the festival, which are important for the community.

-Valuation of fishing as a cultural activity.

-Compliance with actions related to this aspect within the framework of the agreement.

The cultural component can be strengthened through activities and the development of spaces such as the Bocachico Festival, thus benefiting the protected area by complying with the agreement regarding the measures implemented around fishing and the traditions of the local communities.