Forests for Live Movement (Network Building)

Forests For Life is an environmental conservation movement/network that envisions the restoration of Philippine rainforests using native tree species with support from various sectors. It began as a movement called ROAD to 2020, which worked with communities, local government units, indigenous peoples, academe, like-minded groups and the youth to bring back the lost forests. Through the movement, Haribon was able to empower local communities, build native tree nurseries, provide guidance in establishing conservation areas, influence policies, organize tree planting drives and encourage the public to take part in citizen science. To date, 13,416 Volunteers and 14 community partners in 30 Municipalities have been mobilized, which significantly shows raised awareness on biodiversity.

A Rain Forest Restoration Initiative (RFRI) Network was formed during the National Consultation on Rainforest Restoration in November 2005, which has initiated forest restoration efforts since 2006; Government Policy-Memorandum Circular 2004- 06; Executive Order 23 and 26; Support from Local Government Units, Peoples Organizations; Corporate and Individual donations

The clear targets of sustaining the ecological goods and services of our forests for the present and succeeding generations can only be achieved if we restore our forests using native trees. Engagement from the different sectors of the society is vital. This can be achieved if stakeholders share the same vision, and understand how biodiversity is interconnected and affects their everyday lives. It is important that the corporate sector and local government units understand their big role in providing assistance to the different stakeholders, which in return favors the sustainability not only of the local communities, but of the bigger population. Government priorities and policies that favor the improvement of livelihood and capacities of the communities will help in attaining success of restoration initiatives

Upcycling glass bottles on a touristic and party island of Gili Trawangan

The Gili Eco Trust created a service and product in 2012 that stays within a circular economy that not only increased employment opportunities in waste management on Trawangan for the local community, but started to drastically reduce the size of the landfill, whilst offering beautiful handmade unique personalized products to businesses and tourists alike. On top of this, all glass that can’t be upcycled into new glassware, crockery and gifts, gets crushed into a sand, which is then used in the production of bricks (mixing glass sand, fresh water, a bit of glue and cement). The "glass sand bricks" are then sold on Gili Trawangan for buildings. This means that 100% of all glass waste produced on Gili Trawangan can then be used in other projects, to reinvent this originally single use material as a valuable product once more. Using these different techniques, not only providing employment to the local community in the fast growing waste management sector, we are reducing the amount of glass going to landfill and educating the local businesses why and how they can separate all of their waste to create a zero waste to landfill initiative.

The success of this building block is the combination of projects that garantee that glass waste is fully reused, recycled and upcycled, and do not end up on the landfill. Only local beer bottles (BINTANG) are refilled, all the other glass bottles, jars are all ending up on the dump, with no future except piling up. To enable these glass projects, we learned about glass upcycling and invested in machinery to cut, polish and crush the bottles. We trained 5 people to be safely handling glass and now they are proud of their projects.

Our sole intention of our glass upcycling campaigns is to limit the amount of glass making it to landfill, now that we have proven that we can recycle 100% of glass waste we create. We used to received glass waste from neighbour island, Gili Meno. So we decided to teach them with training in glass cutting and upcycling. We also donated them a glass crushing machine to aid their independent work. This demonstrates that these campaigns can be shared, expanded and work in many different locations giving local communities a source of income and solution to previously unrecyclable and undegradeable waste.

- Upcylcing glass bottles into glass ware and glass sand

- Protecting material for our employees to not breathe glass dust

- Educating local communities about possibilities of upcycling glass bottles / jars

- Marketing and promoting our upcycled glassware and glass sand bricks for a revenue from waste.

- Empowering local communities with new skills and jobs from waste

Colombian and international communities are aware of SAMP - Communication and Outreach

Developed attitude and behavior assessment surveys targeting specific groups (e.g., visitors, local communities, and productive sectors) who visit or reside near MPAs carried out at different times. A web-based “Friends of the SMPA Society” comprised of national and international scientists and members of civil society were put in place. The project developed an information dissemination and communication strategy specific in marine topics, which will inform the general population about MPAs through print, audiovisual (radio, TV, newspapers, and internet), as well as dissemination meetings. The main activities were: a)Dissemination campaigns; b)implementation of the SAMP web page; c)awareness campaigns in educational centers (schools and universities); and d) establishment of a data base of images and videos bilingual (Spanish and English). SAMP promoted in international and national events of scientific nature, such as seminars, congresses, side-event in COP of Biodiversity, among others. Main results: 11% increase over the baseline of behavior and attitudes test scores; 5 new funding proposals leveraged by the “Friends of the SMPA Society"; national recognition at the end of the GEF-Project promoted a participatory roadmap for sustainability of next 5 years reacheness.

Expectation about MPAs, as well as, the iconic topics on marine issues

Different audiences require different approaches, different materials and different media for dissemination of their information or experiences.

Protocol of Intentions

In 2012, the Legado das Águas was recognized as a Private Sustainable Development Reserve (PSDR) through a partnership with the State Government of São Paulo. Since then, Votorantim S.A. has signed a protocol of intentions, where it undertakes to protect the area that forms the Legado das Águas . Among the terms signed in the agreement is the proposal of shared management between Votorantim Reserves LTDA and the Government of the State of São Paulo, facilitating advances in scientific studies, environmental education, public use, protection of endangered species, socioeconomic development of the region and, mainly , forest conservation.
The objective of this partnership is to strengthen the work developed in the Legado das Águas and to recognize the importance of the area for the conservation of Brazilian biodiversity by the public power.

In order to celebrate this protocol by both stakeholders, it is necessary that the document describes the importance of conservation of the area to ensure the survival of biodiversity and the various benefits generated by the services provided by the area, both local, regional and global.

The engagement of the public power is an essential element for the consensus in the celebration of the protocol of intentions. However, this commitment is due to the understanding of the new model of management of private protected areas, associated with the understanding of the objectives that guide the actions of the company, in the case of Reservas Votorantim LTDA, and how these objectives are in synergy with the needs of the power public.

Graduation of Farmers

Farmer groups develop business and advanced marketing plans to guide their continued activities and farm and business growth. When we initially select farmers, we ensure they are a part of a farmers group, which enhances their power as sellers, as they can sell in bulk and work as a group to market crops.. In Kaffrine, Senegal and Singida, Tanzania, some of our farmers grow higher-value crops like Hibiscus, Cashew, and Sunflower:We build capacity of farmers to approach buyers in regional capitals  export quality crops . In Kenya, we work with a dairy cooperative to offset their cattle feed costs, and give them the opportunity to sell extra tree fodder they product to other cooperative members. Ownership of the project is fully transferred to the farmer groups. After graduation, farmer groups continue to support each other as a team in the on-going development and management of Forest Gardens and marketing of products.  

 

After the 4-year project, farmers are expected to continue their Forest Gardens, given the significant successes they have seen and training they have received.  In the future, TREES is hoping to follow-up with farmers after the program, however we do not yet have the capacity to continue monitoring farmers outside of the 4-year program.

 

 

  • Farmers have successfully made it through the 4-year program

  • Farmers are willing to continue their FG after they graduate

Farmers who graduated from the program were able to continue their FGA without the regular visits from TREES that they received during the program (follow-up visits and sample surveys show this).

Optimization of Land

Farmers will learn to adopt advanced Forest Garden planting and care, integrated pest management, and conservation techniques that optimize and ensure the long-term health, productivity, and profitability of their land.

  • Farmers are prepared for site visits

    • Technicians perform site visits monthly, and contents of the visit vary by which phase of the project the farmers are in

    • For example, Technicians:

      • check on tree planting and tree health

      • review training modules with farmers

      • check on crop progress

      • make sure farmers adhere to the approach (i.e. not using chemical fertilizers or pesticides, etc.)

      • make sure farmers have the tools to manage any problems that should arise (pest infestations, farm management)

Need to regularly check in on farmers to ensure that they have implemented their Forest Gardens and are practicing the skills they have learned

Diversification of Farmland

Farmers diversify the products they grow in their Forest Gardens. During this phase, farmers plant higher-value vegetables, fruit, nut, and timber trees. They also learn increasingly advanced skills and techniques that will help them manage their Forest Gardens more effectively and sustainably, such as fruit tree grafting, advanced composting, and marketing of crops.

 

  • Farmers need to follow training modules very strictly to ensure success of their FG

    • Training materials can be downloaded on our Forest Garden Training Center (training.trees.org), which allows users to become a certified FG Practitioner.  In 2019, this information will be developed into an mobile app, allowing trainers to access materials offline.

    • In the field, farmers are in constant contact with their technician/other farmers. They are given farmer workbooks to guide them and to take notes and draw pictures in.

 

  • Crop diversification gives farmers more nutritious foods for them and their families, and;

  • Farmers now have products they can sell at markets to boost income to either save or invest in their FG

Protecting Farmland

This block consists of providing farmers with the skills and resources needed to protect their Forest Garden sites. Farmers achieve this by planting green walls – an enhanced version of a living fence that TREES has developed – around the perimeters of their sites. They then plant fast-growing fertilizer trees throughout their sites, often in alleys among their crops, to further stabilize their soils and enhance land fertility. We decide which species to grow based on which species adapt best to the agro-ecological zones where we work. We consult with the farmers themselves on what they want to grow, eat, and sell and our technicians advise farmers on the best way to plant and plant, iterating year-on-year changes that may enhance their garden, sales, and production. For example in drier climates like Senegal and Singida, Tanzania, we train farmers on growing various acacia species, which do not require much rain. We also promote nitrogen-fixing trees and crops, such as gliricidia species, acacia species, pigeon peas, and fruit trees that have a shorter maturing period (3-5) years. We also grow species based on what is culturally popular, nutritious, and marketable, like bananas, a staple food in Uganda.

 

 

  • Fully trained technicians

  • Farmer’s land needs to be prepared and designed for FG implementation

Integrated pest management is crucial in early stages  of FGA as newly planted crops/trees can easily be hurt by diseases and pests

Local capacity building on protected area financing

On the other hand, the Monarch Fund (MF) strengthens the local capacities of 33 ejidos and communities to comply with the fiscal and banking conditions related to annual conservation payments under the concurrent funds' modality. In collaboration with Conafor, Conanp, FMCN and forest advisors, the FM supports the development of 29 Best Management Practices for Conservation Programs (BMPCP). The BMPCP is intended to be a document to guide the implementation of activities aimed at the conservation of forest ecosystems, in order to maintain or improve the provision of environmental services within areas under financial incentives. In addition, the BMPCP are intended to enable beneficiaries to obtain resources from other government programs to carry out the activities proposed in them.

In order to strengthen the MF strategy within the ejidos and communities, the MF Coordinator accompanied the design of dissemination materials with information on the new stage of the MF .

 

Finally, the FMCN, in coordination with the United States Forest Service and the Monarch Network, supports complementary conservation activities in the core areas in the areas of fire management, water monitoring, fire protection and restoration of degraded areas.

As proposed in the case study Funding for Forest and Biodiversity Conservation in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve: the Monarch Fund, in the future, we must maintain recognition that forests play an essential role in the generation of the environmental services provided by the MBBR, so that the conservation of core areas is a very important component. However, it must be made clear that "the maintenance of ecosystem services also requires ensuring the sustainable use of the territory throughout the protected natural area and its immediate area of influence"

Scaling-up and sustainability of adaptation measures

Promoting EbA measures with a high level of community involvement and binational ties was an effective way to achieve greater interaction between community, municipal and national actors, and also between peers (network of resilient producers; local government encounter). The results are, on the one hand, greater local empowerment, and on the other, scaling-up of EbA measures both vertically and horizontally. Thus, contributions are made towards institutionalizing EbA and creating conditions for its sustainability. The replication of the integral farm model arose from networking between producers, communities and local governments, and from a regional project with the Binational Commission of the Sixaola River Basin (CBCRS) that provided the financing. The Agrobiodiversity Fair, the work of producers as a network, and the Binational Reforestation Events, which are now all under the auspices of local and national institutions, were important mobilizing forces of change and spaces for exchange and learning. In the vertical sense, the scaling-up of EbA included working with the CBCRS to integrate EbA in the Strategic Plan for Transboundary Territorial Development (2017-2021), and with MINAE in the National Climate Change Adaptation Policy of Costa Rica.

  • Much of the work was accomplished thanks to the channelling and guiding role of the CBCRS (created in 2009) as a binational platform for governance and dialogue, and the ACBTC as a local development association. Both advocate for local and territorial interests and know the gaps and needs that exist in the area, and with this project were able to address the challenges that communities face and improve governance in the basin, promoting an ecosystem approach and a broad participation of actors.
  • Coordinating efforts through the CBCRS has shown that it is more cost-effective to work with existing structures and governance bodies, with powers and interests in the good management of natural resources and in achieving an appropriate representation of key actors, than to aim to create new groups or committees to deal with EbA issues.
  • Improving multilevel and multisectoral governance is a fundamental part of effective adaptation. Here, the role of subnational governments (such as municipalities) needs to be underscored, since they have a mandate in the management of the territory, but also responsibilities in the implementation of national adaptation policies and programs (e.g. NDCs and NAPs).
  • The identification of spokespersons and leaders (amongst men, women and youth) is an important factor in effectively fomenting the uptake and up-scaling of EbA.