Evaluation, Monitoring and Data Collection

Before and after each Wild Surakshe workshop, we conduct pre and post surveys. The surveys allow us to record the baseline level of knowledge of participants and to receive feedback about the workshops. So far we have conducted more than 3000 pre surveys and 2500 post surveys. We are currently analyzing the information collected from these surveys from over 150 workshops.To enable offline data collection in remote areas we have developed an application and platform called Wild Connect. Our staff download the app on their phone to access the forms they need to fill. Once the data is entered, the forms are stored locally, then uploaded to the cloud whenever internet connectivity is available. This cloud data can be accessed and downloaded by our central office staff for validation and further analysis. Our staff also use the app to collect data on human-wildlife conflict incidents. Wild Connect is only used by CWS staff to collect data, and is not used for any insurance or compensation payments. The results and outputs from the Wild Surakshe program will be shared with relevant government and private agencies and published in peer-reviewed scientific articles and reports to develop targeted long-term interventions to prevent future outbreaks and the rapid spread of zoonotic diseases.

1. We ensure field staff are well trained in unbiased and accurate data collection. 

2. The pre and post surveys administered are well structured and detailed, which enables effective evaluation. 

3. The participants are asked about the effectiveness of the program twice, at the end of the workshop and while conducting post surveys.

1. Sometimes, using laptops or mobile phones to gather data makes some of the participants uneasy. Some of them are still skeptical about the use of technology. 

2. When field staff conduct a workshop and contact participants post surveys over the telephone to seek suggestions, participants have been very welcoming and our relationship with the communities has grown stronger.

3. Currently, our app does not have multilingual services and support, but we plan on incorporating this in the future.

Radical Listening

Radical Listening initiates a paradigm shift by asking Traditional and Indigenous rainforest communities this simple question. “You are the guardians of a rainforest that is valuable to the health of the whole planet. How might the world community assist you to live in balance with this rainforest as a thank you for your guardianship of it?”  Our belief is that communities hold the key to humanity’s longevity. Traditional conservation approaches are often based on punitive measures and seldom linked to human well-being. Our approach is based on reciprocity, and valuing local people and traditional science. 

No intervention from third parties, all local communities (man and woman) have the right to express their opinions during Radical Listening sessions.

Core to ASRI’s mission is democratising protecting rainforests. Local ownership is key to our approach where all programs, products, and resources are owned by the local communities. ASRI plays a key role in organizing, convening, and supporting rapid development and uptake of interventions that support a just transition to regenerative livelihoods. The iterative and ongoing process of Radical Listening continuously improves programs over time and ensures local ownership and efficacy. Involvement is paramount and integrated throughout the planning, implementation, and ongoing sustainable practices. The in-country staff are 100% nationals, and we prioritize hiring local community members whenever possible.

 

Promoting sustainable livestock management to support livelihoods and conservation

Livestock plays a critical social and economic role in Laikipia – over 50% of the land is under livestock production. This building block aims to support local rural communities increase livestock productivity whilst reducing environmental damage. The approach supports livelihoods as well as addresses key threats to biodiversity.

Livestock extension services improve skills and knowledge in all aspects of livestock husbandry and natural resource management. Artificial insemination services are provided at affordable prices to improve cattle quality and can demand higher prices. Training and support are provided on:

  • Husbandry – livestock disease management, health care, administration of drugs to prevent disease.
  • Resource management – water and land management including best practice grazing management to support livestock and reduce land degradation.
  • Alternative micro-enterprise – aimed at women and youth, support in establishing enterprises such as poultry and beekeeping.

Trained farmers are encouraged to share their knowledge and skills with other community members. This approach means more people are reached. Livelihoods are enhanced as well as building support for conservation through benefit-sharing.

  • Community engagement – building strong relationships with local communities to engage in the initiative and ensure the services meet their needs.
  • Needs driven design – ensure extension services are designed in such a way that they address the needs of and are important to the pastoralist communities.
  • Trusted engagement with communities – important to build strong relationships with regular dialogue, to listen to their needs, and provide opportunities for feedback.
  • Address the whole value chain – need to understand the whole chain, where there might be gaps, and how they can be addressed. For example, access to drugs emerged as an issue as the current supply was a very long distance away and unaffordable. We supported communities to access micro-finance, and facilitated local and fair priced access to drugs.
  • Promote collaboration and knowledge-sharing – encourage farmers’ groups to work together, share learning from training with their peers and neighbours. This collective action also had benefits of greater buying power through economies of scale.
Sustainable and integrated productive land management approach

The innovative integrated land management approach was pioneered by Ol Pejeta and other conservancies in Laikipia County, Kenya. It is a nature-based solution that enables a healthy habitat for wildlife and generates income that can be reinvested in conservation and community development. The approach has been implemented since 2004, along with a community development programme that includes agriculture extension services.

Cattle are integrated with wildlife across the conservancy in carefully managed grazing patterns that replicate the ancient movement of vast herds of ungulates that used to roam the land. As cattle are moved across the rangeland, grasses are kept short and healthy, encouraging those species and new growth that sustains wild herbivores. Cattle are kept in mobile bomas overnight to protect them from predation. This concentration also creates ecological hotspots where manure fertilizes new grass growth. The bomas are relocated every 1–14 days, depending on the weather.

The grass-fed cattle are of high quality and demand premium prices. They are sold under our Conservation Beef brand, generating income for Ol Pejeta. This approach means the land is productive as well as provides healthy habitat that supports a wide range of wildlife species. It also enables benefit-sharing of conservation for communities.

  • Strong management – ensuring cattle numbers achieve the right balance of rangeland management, productivity, and healthy habitat for wildlife.
  • Community engagement – building strong trusted relationships with the community to support the approach.
  • Adaptive management – continuous monitoring of the habitat, wildlife interactions, and cattle densities, to inform adaptation strategies as necessary.
  • Robust monitoring – ensuring grazing patterns and intensity are carefully managed so that habitat is maintained, and wildlife interactions are managed.
  • Boma rotation – understanding when to move the mobile cattle bomas as this is dependent on the weather. For example, in dry periods the bomas can remain in situ for 14 days compared to 1-3 days in wet weather.
  • Market linkages – importance of building strong networks along the supply chain, ensuring products reach market and price volatility is managed.
  • Community engagement – importance of strong relationships with the community to engage in the initiative as well as general support for the approach.
Assessment Studies

The underpinning purpose of this building block is to create baseline for the entire solution. Once the site is selected for solution, primary and secondary data is collected through research and analysis. For instance, It is with the help of bathymetric data that the depth of the shortlisted ponds is identified, which further facilitates in choosing the right pond with the required depth (0.8 - 3 meters) for installing floating treatment wetland.

Some of the important conditions required for enabling the success of this building block include as follows;

1. Accessing credible research sources

2. Liaison with credible technical experts

 

1. Selection of the right pond 

2. Successful installation of FTW while considering all prerequisites suggested by literature reviews

3. Comparative analysis of wastewater quality both pre and post installation of FTW that indicated improvement in water quality

4. Choosing the right plant species 

 

Two main suggestions include

1.Choosing the right design for aligning the floating mats to avoid entanglement of buffalos and

2. Choosing the right raw material of mats to avoid their dislodging in case of storms. 

Manual removal of invasive plants instead of using heavy machinery

Using manual labour allows for selective removal of invasive plants. This protects the other native vegetation in the area, allowing for the native vegetation and grasses to grow back in the following months whereas when using heavy machinery, the top layer of soil in addition to the grass and native vegetation are removed. Using heavy machinery also removes vital seed banks of native plants, which further facilitates the spread of invasive plants.

 

It is critical to remove the IAS before the seeds mature and disperse. Through this project, we aim to remove as much IAS growth as possible manually (inclusive of roots), before they shed seeds. The remaining plants, which are more difficult to uproot, will be removed via a ‘slasher’ and the roots will be removed manually, at a later stage, when the soil is moist and plants may be easily uprooted. FEO has observed regrowth of grass after a couple weeks of IAS removal and the growth of native vegetation inhibits the regrowth of invasive species in the cleared areas.

  • Collaboration with Sabaragamuwa University to research on the most effective methods of removal and obtain scientific data on the prevalance, growth, and regeneration of invasive species.
  • Previous experience of removal of other invasive species in other National Parks in Sri Lanka.
  • Process of identifying the advantages of using manual removal - has a much higher percentage of regrowth of native species as opposed to using heavy machinery.
  • Observed through our camera traps and research that the grass grows back within a few weeks and we have noticed that elephants, deer, and other herbivores are already grazing on cleared areas.
Fragments of Hope website

multiple pages, tabs and pull down menus allow visitors to download both learning tools and manuals and referernces and access articles and videos. "Teacher's Corner" page was added with local schools' input to supplement mandated curriula in Belize with coloring books and other aids specefic to Belize's reef and marine life.

Once the website was established, Fragments of Hope can now receive donations via the US based 501c3 non-profit Fragments of Hope CORP, to supplemntour work in Belize. Lcoalc apcity was used to create the website and built as we trained community member(s) onhow ot update the website, a transferable skill forother job opportunities beyond  Fragments of Hope. We also created a tab to highlight donors, funders and partners. If you click ontheir logos it takes viewer to their website

website photos need to be high resolution/quality. It is harder to update website regularly/frequently  than social media. we are stilllearning about how to get our website to show up in more searches; the website and socialmedia outreach side of things could easily be a permanent if part time position, if we had the funding-we had funding for an Outreach officer for 18 months but this requires more long term funding

Coral Reef Replenishment manual

Fragments of Hope authored this manual (version 2 updated in 2019) to share and standardize our methods used in Belize. There are lectures and videos to accompany the manual and the four day traning course.

it is written for the layman, with many images and no fancy terms/jargon. It is shareable virtually, but the hard copies were printed with notes section at the end, and a list of other references.

We lowered eth number of training participants from 19 to 12, even pre-COVID, as smaller group sizes allow more hands on learning experiences. It is field based, and in 2020 we adapted as much as we could for virtual learning prior to the field days.

Community-led forest monitoring and protection

Empowering the community to take the lead on their forest monitoring and conservation goals is a key building block of this replicable solution. After community volunteer leaders are identified, they are equipped with the training, tools, and materials needed for their management plan. They may also work with local law enforcement on monitoring illegal logging and other extraction of biodiversity from the forest. Some communities in the Chinantla had a need for scientific forest monitoring data to be able to apply for a national program that provided payment in exchange for environmental stewardship work. The training and skill-building elements of the project were adapted to fit this need, so community members were trained in forest data collection so that they were empowered to collect this information on their own, thereby becoming eligible to qualify for the ecosystem services payment program.

  • Beneficiary communities who have self-identified as wanting assistance are more eager to take the lead on forest monitoring activities

  • Willing community members are able to take on volunteer leadership roles

  • Monitoring activities are based on management plan developed along with the community

  • Community leaders become champions of the local ecosystem and can inspire others in their families and communities
Strengthening capacities in the community based on local needs

This solution has been replicated in several different communities successfully by first listening closely to what the current beneficiary community needs support with, and then developing a plan along with the community that addresses those desired goals and outcomes. Through training, workshops, and technical assistance from local field staff, specific skills and capacities are built in the community to empower residents to take charge of restoring their ecosystems. After initial financial and technical support, eventually many of these actions will become sustained over time, requiring less support from partners.

  • Initial workshops held to listen to and document communities’ priorities and goals

  • Local field staff available to provide technical support and training

  • Solutions and activities adapted to the culture and context of the community are more likely to be sustained over the longer term