Taking an ecosystem approach when managing protected areas is crucial. The cloud forest on St Helena is a threatened habitat that supports numerous endemic species of plants, animals and fungi. Rather than working at a species level, it is important to consider habitats as functioning ecosystems, to manage them holistically, and to integrate the management of land, water and living resources.

In order to reduce the pressures on the environmental capacity of Changbai Mountain Scenic Area, a total of RMB6 billion has been invested since 2010 to build 32 new scenic sites and 10 squares at and near Er’dao Baihe Town, a town neighbouring the northern part of Changbai Mountain Scenic Area.  In 2019, Er’dao Baihe Town was rated as an AAAA Scenic Area, one of the national exemplary areas for integrated tourism, and accredited as an international Cittaslow town by Cittaslow International.  Er’dao Baihe Town has become an open and free-of-charge scenic area and aims to offer high standard services for tourism, leisure and recreation.  While providing high-quality and well-managed leisure space for local residents, it also help stimulate the development of accommodation and catering businesses in Changbai Mountain’s neighbouring communities.  A new development model of sharing and co-building that serves tourists and brings happiness to local residents is hence achieved.  

Using the websites, WeChat Public Account, Newspapers, Popular Science Books, Popular Science Videos, Documentaries, News Coverage, Warning Signs, Field Education Sites, AR Hanma Exhibition Room, Ecological and Cultural Museum, Pamphlets, Summer Camps, Eco-Forums, Publicity campaigns in schools and communities, Eco-education and field studies base, etc., publicity and education are carried out to the public. This makes the public understand the importance of protecting moose population and improve the public awareness of ecological protection.

The CCCA model is still new in Myanmar and it is important to help local NGOs to understand and accept that conservation needs local community participation, and that they need to receive benefits from conservation actions. GEI conducted two trainings focusing on the CCCA model and its implementation and invited international experts who had extensive experience in community-based conservation, to share knowledge and experience. GEI also supported a local NGO for on-site implementation, providing consultation and connection to different donors.

Achieving financial sustainability is the best alternative to effectively manage the Urban Protected Area. The University has the capacity to secure stable financial resources throughout the year and the community of the Faculty of Sciences actively participates in the search for organizations and partners that can support the conservation of the Area.

The threat of human action on ecosystems and their fauna and flora has become the main focus of research and information generation.

The Faculty of Biological Sciences works with integrated information management to ensure that the information generated is accurate, reliable and available at any time and to any public.

This information is used for decision making at the territorial level.

    Aim at human interference information, and timely organize management and protection personnel to carry out community visits, special inspections, etc. For the people involved we can provide verbal warnings, legal warnings and education, and registration for the record in accordance with the "Regulations on the Management of Nature Reserves".

In order to realise the benefits of producing shea in the landscape, it was important to find and partner with a reliable company to fill two roles: develop value chains for women who collect and sell shea nuts, and support the community in conservation actions. This entailed looking at various opportunities, early preparation work with the company and framing it in a way to understand the needs of local communities. It was then that the Savannah Food Company (SFC) was identified and brought on board this journey.

Out of the CREMA initiative came a management plan tailored for the specific target community. The plan helped to shape a vision with all stakeholders in the community of how to manage together natural resources. The plan and the vision helped to solidify the importance of protecting nature and the benefits that come with doing so. Short-term benefits to improve livelihood were identified such as beeping or providing farmers support to increase their harvests. This highlighted the necessity to identify more durable revenue sources: the traditional commodity shea was integrated as a component of the shared vision.

The Community Resource Management Area (CREMA) is a governance and management framework, which aims to build the capacity of local communities to manage sustainably natural resources in off-reserve areas. The CREMA provided a structure to gather traditional authorities and communities and find common solutions to increase their income sources without threatening natural resources in the Park.