Monitoring | PANORAMA

To create a model of integrated development of the scenic and the urban areas and raise local communities’ living standards

Er’dao Baihe Town

Rongjie Zhang

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.

1. Thorough data analysis was conducted on recent years’ tourism in Changbai Mountain and the ecological carrying capacity of Changbai Scenic Area is hence determined based on science.

2. A scientific and sound tourism plan was formulated based on statistics. 3. Secured sufficient funding ensured the implementation of the planned projects.

Special attention should be given to localisation during the urbanisation process of the scenic area. Native ecology should still be the underpinning foundation and preserved as most as possible. The emphasis should be put on maintaining and highlighting local distinctive features instead of the sheer scale of urban development. It should be avoided that the authenticity of local landscapes or characteristics are destroyed only to copy a model of other places or cities.

Monitoring

Documentation and dissemination of results

To create a model of integrated development of the scenic and the urban areas and raise local communities’ living standards

Thorough data analysis was conducted on recent years' tourism in Changbaishan, and the ecological carrying capacity of Changbai Scenic Area was hence determined based on science. A scientific and sound tourism plan was formulated based on statistics. Securing sufficient funding ensured the implementation of the planned projects. A number of mechanisms and measures are put in place to ensure an accurate calculation of the number of visitors of the day and a forecast in the following 3 days, such as merging the two ticket-checking points, real-name ticketing, ticket-booking based on the selected time of entry. When the crux comes, such measures as ceasing ticket sales and imposing restrictions on the number of visitors can effectively avert overcrowding in the scenic areas and raise the level of comfort for visitors.

The administrative agency also innovated in ecotourism practices, developing the urban areas as part of the scenic area, promoting economic development in neighbouring communities and increasing their income and job opportunities. Thus the administrative agency was able to not only improve the tourism quality, but also enhance ecological protection and stimulate the development of various industries in the neighbouring communities.

Monitoring

Local

Subnational

Acciones de Conservación

Rescate Zamia montana Murri

Sociedad Colombiana de Cycadas

Analizando Amenazas para Zamias en Bajo Calima

Sociedad Colombiana de Cycadas

Este componente se enfoca en las acciones concretas de protección, restauración y uso sostenible para poblaciones y hábitats: Las acciones de protección son las más importantes, dado que las principales amenazas para estas especies son la destrucción y degradación de sus hábitats. Para proteger efectivamente las poblaciones y sus hábitats se realizan gestiones con parques nacionales y reservas privadas, para fomentar la conservación de plantas en estas áreas protegidas y apoyarlas en sus actividades de control y vigilancia, monitoreo, educación ambiental, implementación de incentivos de conservación, entre otras. Para las especies críticamente amenazadas se han llevado a cabo acciones de restauración, para rescatar adultos en sitios deforestados y propagar plantas para colecciones exsitu y para potenciales reintroducciones. También se han identificado algunas especies que pueden ser usadas de manera sostenible en horticultura y ecoturismo, que proporcionarían incentivos para la conservació de bosques. Un ejemplo de éxito en conservación de Cycadas ha sido la gestión en el Parque Nacional "Las Orquídeas". Allí se declaró la especie Zamia wallisii como objeto de conservación, y los funcionarios y comunidades campesinas se han apropiado de la especie para proteger su hábitats.

Para poder lograr impactos positivos en la conservación de especies es necesario contar con las bases del conocimiento, la apropiación de los diferentes actores claves (con acciones de divulgación y la educación) y el uso de las herramientas normativas apropiadas. La colaboración entre instituciones con aproximaciones complementarias a la conservacion tambien es crítica, como actores que trabajan en conservación insitu (áreas protegidas y de manejo integral del territorio) y en conservación existu (jardines botanicos, horticultores).

Una lección aprendida importante es que es más viable comenzar a colaborar con instituciones que trabajan en conservación insitu (como áreas protegidas) y exsitu (como jardines botánicos) que ya tienen programas de conservación en implementación, en donde se pueden incorporar fácilmente nuevos objetos de conservación, como especies de plantas carismáticas. Luego de lograr implementar acciones de protección, restauración y uso sostenible en estos escenarios, se puede proceder a usar lo aprendido para enfrentar retos más grandes, como por ejemplo establecer nuevas áreas protegidas (en nuestro caso, reservas privadas). Otra lección aprendida es que es importante tratar, lo más temprano posible, de entender bien las amenazas a la biodiversidad (sus causas socio-económicas, etc.) e identificar potenciales barreras a la implementación de acciones de conservación (como procesos burocráticos).

Implementation

Monitoring

National

Generación de Conocimiento

Explorando Poblaciones Zamia pyrophylla Quibdo

Sociedad Colombiana de Cycadas

Equipo de Monitoreo Zamia manicata Uraba

Sociedad Colombiana de Cycadas

Este pilar busca que todas las especies de Zamia conocidas cuenten con diagnósticos de la distribución y abundancia de sus poblaciones para definir poblaciones prioritarias para las acciones de conservación. Además, se pretende generar información científica de calidad que fundamente el diseño de estrategias de conservación para las especies amenazadas. Para lograr esto se han establecido colaboraciones con instituciones de investigación, jardines botánicos, áreas protegidas públicas y privadas, ONGs, entre otros, para hacer exploraciones en búsqueda de poblaciones, estudios de biología poblacional (demografía, rasgos funcionales) y estudios de interacciones ecológicas (con polinizadores, dispersones de semillas, herbivoros). Además se han establecido programas de monitoreo de poblaciones a largo plazo (para 12 especies), que generan información sobre la dinámica de las poblaciones, condiciones de sus hábitats y el impacto tanto de amenazas como de las estrategias de conservación. Estas acciones de generación de conocimiento se han realizado desde el principio y se continuan y continuarán realizando durante toda la implementación del Plan de conservación. Para conocer algunos de los productos de gestión del conocimiento visita el sitio web de la Sociedad Colombiana de Cycadas.

Para lograr generar el conocimiento necesario para implementar acciones de conservación ha sido fundamental entablar colaboraciones con actores clave. Estos actores incluyen instutiones académicas y jardines botánicos que hacen investigación, pero también autoridades ambientales regionales, parques nacionales, reservas privadas y gente local que apoyan las investigaciones y los programas de monitoreo, y que en general nos ayudan a que toda la gente se apropie mejor de la conservación de plantas.

Una lección importante es que para poder llevar a cabo investigación y monitoreo a largo plazo es necesario contar con actores clave en las localidades, que se apropien de los proyectos y les den continuidad. Otra lección es que los sitios a elegir para hacer monitoreo a largo plazo deben ser áreas protegidas públicas o reservas privadas que garanticen que esos habitats serán dedicados para conservación de la biodiversidad a largo plazo.

Implementation

Monitoring

National

Data recovery and identification

The Administration Bureau arranges the office workers to identify, classify and input data according to the staff, human activity information, and animal resource information. The office workers distinguish the photos of the human activities, and determine the specific information of the personnel (community personnel or not ).

1. Recycle and appraise camera data timely in accordance with the plan.

2. Maintain equipment regularly.

3. The identification of the camera data must be unified.

4. Carry out follow-up work immediately for discovered human activities.

5. Corresponding reward and punishment mechanisms.

1. Number the camera´s data cards uniformly to avoid data confusion.

2. Replace the malfunction cameras timely.

3. Arrange fixed staff to identify the data.

Monitoring

Documentation and dissemination of results

Local

Subnational

Setting up a partnership for the cartographic study

Bathymetry Reserve

Réserve Marine

The University of Perpignan is a long-standing partner of the Reserve, and a number of academics are members of the Reserve's Scientific Council and are regularly involved in numerous monitoring projects. They took part in the drafting of the latest 2015-2019 management plan, helping to define the manager's expectations and responses to the various problems encountered. The proximity of the site makes the Reserve a veritable open-air laboratory for these researchers. The University of Perpignan had already mapped the Reserve's rocky substrates in 3D to an accuracy of 30 cm (see PJ). This mapping enabled us to gain a better understanding of the area and adapt the means used to obtain results of such precision. Thanks to this knowledge of the terrain, our mastery of this technical equipment and the expectations of the Gestionnaie through precise specifications, we were able to obtain an appropriate and fair price for this monitoring project.

It was important to identify the partners capable of meeting the manager's expectations. The numerous monitoring projects carried out in this field have enabled us to adapt the objectives and fill in the gaps left by previous studies. The partners' knowledge of the field helped us to carry out this study. Last but not least, the mastery of the various tools used during the study enabled the monitoring to be carried out in an optimal manner.

A large number of upstream exchanges were necessary to carry out this monitoring. New technologies have made it possible to fill in the gaps identified in previous studies. Thanks to these new resources, it was necessary to identify the right partners from the outset. This preparation enabled us to target expectations and thus reduce the cost of monitoring.

Monitoring

Local

Use of a drone to complete the mapping of the Reserve's shallow waters

Orthophotography Peyrefite

Réserve Marine

The shallow depth near the coast precluded the use of sonar in these areas, which have sufficient water transparency to allow remote sensing. In order to complete the mapping of the shallow waters during this survey, the use of a Phantom 4MD drone during one outing enabled a clear interpretation of the Peyrefite area in terms of Posidonia, particularly in view of its shallow depth. A second outing enabled us to obtain further orthophotos along the "Tynes" coast. Due to lack of time and poor weather conditions, the Pin Parasol area did not benefit from orthophotos. Using a drone, we were able to obtain an orthophoto that accurately revealed seagrass beds or dead matte through water transparency.

The choice of using these systems is due to the characteristics of the study sites. The Albères coast has one of the lowest water transparency levels in the Mediterranean. The combined use of these three monitoring systems made it possible to obtain surface data for the various locations and thus determine their evolution. Knowledge of the area also contributed to the smooth running of the monitoring program.

It is necessary to adapt the equipment to the different conditions of the study area. For this survey, the combination of the 3 pieces of equipment was validated for 2 of the 3 sites. The third site, where the meadow was the deepest, did not allow the use of the drone. However, the 2 other methods, combined with ground truthing, produced very satisfactory and complementary results.

Monitoring

Local

Understanding different customer segments and their expectations

The purpose of BB3 was to understand the consumer's specific preferences and willingness to buy with respect to price, presentation, product characteristics and sustainable form of production.

Conduct ongoing market price comparison analysis.
Validate consumers' willingness to buy for various price ranges and product presentations.
Identify specific outlets and channels to reach the right consumer segments.

There is a segment of customers willing to pay a higher price for meat that is healthier for them and has less environmental impact.
Market trends with respect to the various presentations and commercial cuts of the product are fundamental for the economic viability of a sustainable product.
Building alliances with channels is essential to validate the product's value offer.

Implementation

Monitoring

Documentation and dissemination of results

National

Collaboration schemes with farmers

The purpose of BB2 is to identify ad hoc collaboration mechanisms with producers that consider their technical and financial needs, as well as their business management capabilities.

Define mechanisms that provide certainty to producers regarding the price, timing and conditions of the purchase in advance.
To be able to finance the producer under a scheme that makes sense to him and allows him to have real profits.

Collaboration mechanisms should be flexible and varied to adjust to the reality of a wide range of producers.
For producers with less than 10 head under fattening, collaboration mechanisms should include financing schemes.
Sustainable sharecropping has proven to be a viable mechanism for small producers.
Be able to adapt collaboration schemes.

Implementation

Monitoring

Documentation and dissemination of results

National

Convincing producers to adopt regenerative livestock husbandry methods

The purpose of BB1 is to convince producers of the economic benefits of regenerative ranching (in particular SSPi).

Regenerative ranching requires the producer to modify: the way he invests and operates his ranch, as well as livestock management.

Clearly present the economic advantages, even as infrastructure investment priorities change.
Recognize the importance of investing both in the conversion to a silvopastoral system and in infrastructure that facilitates intensive livestock management (e.g. more fencing and/or electric fencing to reduce paddock area, invest in more water troughs to improve animal weight gain).
Leverage on the experiences of pioneer cattle producers who have already converted their ranches.

Producers are not accustomed to investing in the regeneration of their ranches. The cost of converting to a silvopastoral system is perceived as an expense that detracts from their ability to invest in more cattle. "We are not forestry producers" is the typical response from producers.
Even when the silvopastoral system is implemented, intensive livestock management requires more initial effort on the part of the ranch operating team, particularly at the beginning.
Demonstrate the economic benefits of regenerative livestock through visits to converted ranches.
Practical capacity building for producers.

Implementation

Monitoring

Documentation and dissemination of results

National