Implementation | PANORAMA

Stakeholder engagement and collaboration

stakeholder meeting

Cecilia Banda

Enhancing governance and conservation in biodiversity protected area management requires robust stakeholder participation and collaboration by all the actors in the protected areas. This was key as the shared resources made it possible to accomplish the project implementation within the schedule and timeframe. This process also involved stakeholder analysis and their contribution to the governance of the site. Shared vision planning and established mechanism for continued coordination.

Good stakeholder participation, and support by the government and the traditional leadership. The participatory nature of the tool allows broader collective action planning and assessment.

Stakeholder participation helped to pull resources together and a joint action agreed and made implementation much easier. It requires proper planning and identification of key governance issues to be analyzed and acted upon. Usually, you would want to focus on those governance issues that are relevant such as gender equity, participation, and information sharing. The process became expensive especially the implementation of other activities due to a high number of stakeholders.

Information booklet for Mufunta GMA

Project blog

Site-level profile and governance gap analysis

stakeholder meeting

Cecilia Banda

Data Collection

Cecilia Banda

A brief site-level profile (baseline) was developed to assist in understanding the governance gaps and issues in the targeted protected areas. In this case, a SAGE too was identified to assist with a quick assessment of governance issues. This process also helped to identify key stakeholders relevant to the implementation of the project at the site level.

The community buy-in, and commitment from the government and other stakeholders made the process more participative. The use of the SAGE tool encouraged more interaction and contributed to the implementation of the project. The Technical staff and field-based teams were also always available to guide the process through.

The baseline survey to establish site level profile and governance gap analysis required cooperation and collaboration from other stakeholders, especially the traditional leadership and government. It is also a slow process and requires adequate planning and preparation.

Information booklet for Mumbwa

Project blog

Via behaviour change communication increasing the demand for improved cookstoves

The project is putting a heighted focus on demand side measures in terms of behaviour change communication targeting especially rural areas. By this the project aims at increasing the knowledge of the target populations on the benefits of ICS to ensure that households buy ICS and integrate them into their cooking energy system. in order to further mainstream and increase efficiency of the outreach different partners and networks are involved.

To increase the demand on a larger scale the project is implementing widely ranging demand side activities. These include i.e. broadcast via the national as regional radio stations, product placement in soap operas, sensitisation of local leadership and government extension workers as well as caravan events and cooking performances on local markets and in communities.

To kick-start this development the ICS market in the relevant country or region must have moved already from the from Pre-Commercial towards Pioneering stage which means that there is a growing awareness in the market on the technologies and its benefits and early adopters already use the technology.

Sustainably scaling up the production of improved cookstoves

Supporting artisanal, professional and business class ICS producers in scaling up their production by providing them with tools to increase the efficiency of workshop processes as well as business development services to enable them to increase their sales.

The project is using a market-based approach to facilitate of the growth of the ICS market. In terms of this approach the project enables the supported ICS producers to significantly increase their production of climate friendly cookstoves as well as their market reach. Furthermore, the ICS producers access to market-based finance is facilitated by the project. This is further supported by demand side measures to increase the knowledge on the benefits of improved cooking technologies especially in rural areas as well as improving the enabling environment.

To kick-start this development the ICS market in the relevant country or region must have moved already from the from Pre-Commercial towards Pioneering stage which means that there are already a few mostly informal low-sales volume artisanal ICS businesses and existing but weak distribution channels that are mostly situated in urban or peri-urban settings.

The Agreement

The agreement for the use and management of hydrobiological resources and fishing activity in the Tumaradó marshes is an effort between the PNN Los Katíos (PNNLK) and the Tumaradó Community Council (CCT), formed in 2012, is coordinated by a local committee that is composed of 4 representatives, 2 from the CCT and 2 from the Park, and its purpose is to develop actions, competencies and responsibilities that promote conservation within the PA, mainly through fishing regulations that include the establishment of minimum catch sizes, permitted fishing gear and reserve zones.

Initially it was signed for 5 years, then the community stated that it should not have an expiration date; therefore, the agreement continues to be implemented.

-The community of Tumaradó built the agreement jointly with the PA.

-It reflects local feelings and knowledge for the implementation of the measures.

-Results have been seen over the years with respect to the measures set forth in the agreement, benefiting not only the environment but also the community.

Established coordination bodies: follow-up committees.

-Analysis of the information obtained as a result of monitoring.

-Socialization of the information with the community for management decision making.

-It is possible to conserve resources jointly between the community and PNN Los Katíos.

-Good relations and governance processes are maintained with the communities and the institution.

-Better biological and ecological knowledge of the fishery resources has been obtained.

Implementation

Monitoring

Documentation and dissemination of results

Local

Environmental education

Preschool students on a tour of the Güergüerense micro-watershed.

GIZ/Fabiola Budde

Members of the water board, together with a group of teachers, students and parents.

GIZ/Fabiola Budde

Basic education students together with Fundación Puca technicians in the micro-watershed.

GIZ/Fabiola Budde

An environmental education strategy was implemented to sensitize the population about the importance of restoring and protecting the micro-watershed. To this end, together with the Puca Community Foundation, tours of the micro-watershed were conducted with different groups of the population. In addition, open meetings were held, organized by the municipality of Las Flores, on environmental issues and the participation of women in natural resource management, among others.

The participation of the educational centers through the educational networks promoted environmental awareness not only among students of all ages, but also among their families who participated in the environmental tours of the micro-watershed.
The municipal councils are an excellent way to achieve citizen participation in the management of natural resources.
The willingness and desire of the communities to restore the micro-watershed contributed to the success of the implementation of the Compensation Mechanism for Ecosystem Water Services (MCSEH).

Environmental education workshops in the micro-watersheds, town council meetings and community assemblies are instruments that raise awareness and empower the population about the importance of natural resources.
It is important in environmental education processes, the full participation of citizens, from all the groups involved in the strategy, to the population in general.

Implementation

Local

Green background

Nursery of the municipality of Las Flores for the production of fruit and timber trees.

GIZ/Fabiola Budde

Producers receive trees to plant in the fields near the Güergüerense micro-watershed.

GIZ/Fabiola Budde

The Green Fund or Environmental Fund is part of the Compensation Mechanism for Ecosystem-Water Services (MCSEH) and is created with the financial contribution of water subscribers in the communities, who, in addition to paying the monthly fee for drinking water service, contribute a surplus earmarked exclusively for environmental management in the micro-watershed.

The municipality, commonwealths, private enterprise, and international cooperation also contribute to this fund. In the case of the Güergüerense Green Fund, its creation means economic resources for the purchase of land within the micro-watershed to be used for forest regeneration and reforestation.

The full municipal corporation demonstrated its commitment to the population and the water resource by approving the creation of this fund, establishing a 50% contribution, while the communities earmarked the other 50% for the purchase of land.
The Environmental Fund is also earmarked for fencing off water intake sites, water quality analysis and gauging.

A strategy was implemented to raise awareness among the families that owned the land adjacent to the micro-watershed, which was intended for crops or livestock, and these lands were acquired for reforestation and forest regeneration.
Natural regeneration contributes to guaranteeing the water supply in the municipality, which is why fencing off the land is necessary to guarantee the water supply.
The areas surrounding the micro-watershed were reforested with timber and fruit trees.

Implementation

Local

Collaboration

Blue Parks relies heavily on collaborations with other conservation NGOs, communications and marketing professionals, government leaders, MPA managers, scientists, and local ocean champions. Growing the network of Blue Parks and amplifying the Blue Park standard for conservation effectiveness requires many partners.

Blue Parks has benefitted from the contributions of many partners. These collaborations have been made possible by a growing awareness that MPA coverage alone is not sufficient to safeguard biodiversity -- that we need to fully implement high quality MPAs in order to see conservation outcomes, and most MPAs are not yet well implemented.

These collaborations have also grown out of Marine Conservation Institute's long-standing history as a trusted partner among marine scientists, conservation organizations, and governments.

Nurturing collaborations across multiple sectors (government, NGO, academia) requires clear communication. We have found that regular, though not too frequent, outreach and communication with these partners keeps the collaborations active, and that these communications are most effective when they are designed for the audience, so we often send separate communications to partners in different sectors.

Documentation and dissemination of results

Incentive to improve MPA quality

2017 Blue Park Awards

Marine Conservation Institute

At the heart of Blue Parks is an incentive to improve MPA quality. Governments receive international attention for announcing big new MPA designations; they also need positive feedback for making good on those promises and implementing MPAs well. Being incentive-based, the initiative is focused on success stories of marine conservation and inspires governments, MPA managers, communities, and NGO partners to consider the possibility of excellence and the recognition that comes with excellence.

To be successful as an incentive to improve MPA quality, the Blue Park Awards must be well-known and desireable. Governments, MPA managers, community leaders, and NGO partners must want the award. To build this incentive, we offer a cash prize alongside the award, we make the award announcements at high-profile international meetings so that high-level government officials and compelling community leaders may participate in accepting the award, and we amplify the award announcement through press releases and online media outlets.

We have learned two important lessons -- the first is that conservation successes receive too little fanfare -- MPA managers, in particular, are so grateful for Blue Parks' recognition of their hard work. The second is that a small science-based organization is not well-positioned with the capacity for "brand building" -- we have relied heavily on partnerships to market Blue Parks (one of the other key building blocks of Blue Parks).

International Scientific Expertise - The Blue Parks Science Council

The Science Council is made up of over 30 renowned marine science experts from around the world who make award decisions and help refine the criteria. Their expertise is essential to the Blue Parks initiative as they ground the initiative in good science.

Science Council members are leading experts in science related to marine protected areas -- particularly marine protected area quality -- including management, governance, design, monitoring, and compliance -- and outcomes. These experts ensure that the Blue Park criteria are up-to-date, reflecting the best available science related to MPA outcomes, and provide a meaningful global standard for effective marine protection. With their deep understanding of Blue Parks' standard, the Science Council members also judge the Blue Park nominees against it, ensuring that the Blue Park Award decisions are credible.

The Blue Parks initiative depends on the credibility afforded by the roll that the Science Council plays in setting Blue Parks' standard and evaluating nominees. Science Council members volunteer their time and expertise to the initiative, generously dedicating themselves to improving global marine protection.

The Blue Parks team at Marine Conservation Institute endeavors to facilitate positive and productive experiences for those who serve on the Science Council. We are careful with member's time and good will, and we look for opportunities to collaborate in related research or other projects.

Facilitating consensus-based decision-making among members in diverse time zones is a challenge -- one that we are always working to overcome. We rely heavily on email, Zoom calls, and sometimes recorded videos to communicate about Blue Park Award decisions. We have found that careful documentation is important. It is also helpful to be able to connect in person periodically.

Blue Parks Science Council