QUICK SCAN OF THE PROJECT

The first step of the analysis is to assess if the project is applying one or more OH principles within its scope of work. Seven OH principles, adapted from the literature, are used in the framework (i.e., multisectoral, transdisciplinary, participation, prevention, decentralisation, evidence-based, multi-scalar). Not all principles in the framework have equal value, with the multisectoral principle considered an essential component in the proposed tool. The reason for this is that the basis of One Health is the collaboration among different sectors. The framework allows multisectoral collaborations at any level, for example where an MoU has been signed between ministries, or at community level through the joint effort of village health workers, animal health volunteers and rangers.

  • Refer to the provided definitions of each principle to ensure a correct understanding of its meaning in reference to the analysis framework
  • Review the project simply by looking for the mere application of principles and avoid jumping to quick conclusions regarding the adoption of the One Health approach

A quick scan of the project gives insight into the project’s current state. If the project already applies one or more OH principles, there are immediate opportunities to design and plan a One Health component within its scope of work. However, failure to apply even a single principle does not prevent the One Health approach to be implemented, nor does it imply that the framework analysis has to stop. The quick scan of the project will help to clarify what principles need to be explored and included to successfully implement a One Health approach.

FORM A REVIEW TEAM

Once formed, a review team will lead the analysis of the project and the potential integration of the One Health approach. It is key to initiate a discussion across sectors, identify opportunities of collaboration among stakeholders, and enable the co-design of One Health components that align with and push the project goals towards a holistic approach to the biodiversity-health nexus. The review team is multidisciplinary and should be made up of all the project owners, including institutional and development partners.

  • Multidisciplinary composition of the review team, including experts from different sectors (e.g., conservation, animal health, human health, education, social science)
  • Transdisciplinary composition of the review team, including experts from different levels of intervention and with different roles (e.g., researchers, policymakers, service providers, community members)

External assessors can greatly contribute and amplify the outcomes of the project analysis at the biodiversity-health nexus. They can guide the project team through the analysis process providing a fresh and independent perspective to the project analysis. External assessors should have some sort of experience in multisectoral collaborations and One Health to guide the review team in the project analysis and identification of opportunities to integrate a more holistic approach. 

ALIGNMENT OF FUND-FOR-EMPLOYMENT MECHANISM

After the socialization and validation of the plan, the following steps are taken:

  • Execution of the Plan:
    • Meetings to prepare the budget for each work (with quotations). These included the formation of work teams, preparation and signing of lists of workers, letters of commitment (with agreement on a fixed payment) and schedules within the project's timeframe.
  • FundManagement Process: The fund was distributed to the participating communities in the 2 PAs, covering the following expenditure categories:
    • Purchase of community materials. Using the "Affidavit" tool for the economic payment received by the community members providing these materials.
    • Purchase of construction materials (not available in the community). For this purpose, the payment vouchers were considered as means of verification, together with a Materials Delivery Record.
    • Payment of local labor: a distinctive element of this mechanism that made it possible to recognize the time and effort of each inhabitant in the construction that their own community identified in their plan. To achieve this, the following tools were designed:
      • Letters of commitment, with the workday of each settler.
      • Work follow-up card, with the control of the time worked by each inhabitant.

Affidavit of receipt of payment.

The limited access to other sources of local income (labor vulnerability) allowed the involvement of people around the identified works. In addition, the openness of the beneficiary communities was key to the sustained development of each project.

In some communities, the participation of their local and community authorities was key, giving legitimacy to the works. It should be noted that during this process, neither children nor adolescents (members of the participating families) were involved in the work.

The works developed thanks to the Fund-for-Employment mechanism had to be in line with a tourism product vision; that is, in addition to benefiting the community (in terms of usability), they had to fit in with the tourism experience proposals developed for each community. The articulating and permanent monitoring role of the Field Officers ensured that the works were carried out within the estimated deadlines, under the principles of transparency, flexibility and assertive communication.

Within each community, a "Master Builder" was chosen to guide the quality of the work performed; in addition, the project provided information and reference models for the implementation of the works.

The transfer of materials was a major challenge, due to the abrupt weather changes suffered by both PAs, as a result of global warming and the instability of rainfall. Prevention and permanent communication were the keys to overcoming this obstacle.

PaRx Program: Collaboration with Parks Canada

PaRx and Parks Canada worked together to identify shared objectives around increasing access to nature and the connection between health, well-being and spending time in nature. This collaboration was formalized in a three-year partnering agreement, establishing that Adult Discovery Passes (valued at $72.25 a year) would be provided free of charge to PaRx to be prescribed by health-care professionals during the course of regular visits. The Parks Canada Adult Discovery Pass provides admission for one adult to over 80 Parks Canada administered places across Canada that typically charge a daily entrance fee for an entire year, including national parks, national historic sites, and national marine conservation areas. When prescribing Adult Discovery Passes to patients, health care providers are asked to prioritize those who live close to national parks, national historic sites, or national marine conservation areas, and who could benefit from it the most, such as those for whom cost of accessing nature may be a barrier.

  • Parks Canada’s willingness to present and protect natural and cultural spaces for overall ecosystem health benefits and benefits to human health.
  • Knowledge and capacity within the BC Parks Foundation to design and run a national health-care-provider-driven program.
  • Parks Canada’s management of a well-established and trusted network of nationally managed cultural and natural spaces across Canada.
  • Initial administrative challenges in issuing Parks Canada passes to prescribers are being overcome and streamlined through new practices and Customer Management Systems (CRM) to improve ease of access for prescribers and patients.
  • Requirement for flexibility in issuing passes based on demand from prescribers. Originally 100 Adult Discovery Passes were offered as part of the program. When interest in the program ballooned after the launch of the collaboration, Parks Canada substantially increased its support in the form of additional Adult Discovery Passes,  to approximately 1500 passes in the first year of the collaboration.  
PaRx Program: connecting nature to physical and mental health

The PaRx program is Canada’s national nature prescription program. Developed by the BC Parks Foundation, PaRx creates a framework to guide health-care practitioners in prescribing nature to improve patient health and wellbeing. The PaRx program features practical, clinician-focused resources like quick tips and patient handouts, in order to make prescribing time in nature easy and effective. PaRx prescriptions for nature recommend spending at least 2 hours a week in nature, at least 20 minutes at a time, in order to achieve the health and wellbeing benefits of connecting with nature.

 

The PaRx program design is based on studies suggesting that written prescriptions are better received than oral advice in motivating patients to make a change. Moreover, surveys indicate that health-care providers are consistently ranked among the most trusted professionals, increasing the likelihood that patients will adhere to recommendations to connect with nature for their health and well-being.

  • Formal connections with and strong support from the health care community to issue prescriptions and track outcomes for the program.
  • Extensive research that supports the connections between time spent in nature and improved health outcomes.
  • Important that the program be health-care-provider driven to ensure its relevance to prescribers and best support patients whose health can most benefit from time spent in nature.
  • The collection of data over time in the implementation of the program is key to determine if it is meeting objectives.
Partnerships with local partners

Partnerships with the provincial Taskforce, which oversaw the project's activities in general, and the provincial Agriculture Extension Center and Farmers’ Union helped achieve the expected results despite travel restrictions owing to COVID-19.

 

Partnerships with these local partners also led to the later integration of the project’s interventions into provincial partner’s programmes.

* Engagement with all levels of government in the province, specifically, at the project's sites, was critically important to establish the partnerships

* Endorsement of the project at national level was critical to ensure provincial and local buy-in

* Widespread availability of smartphones and access to network and desktop computers was vital to ensuring progress even during the pandemic's travel restrictions

* Building strong partnerships is a risk-reduction strategy, as shown during the pandemic wherein local partners were able to conduct many activities with guidance remotely by expert staff

 

Building long-term, multi-sectoral, trans-disciplinary partnerships and capacities

Building long-term partnerships and capacity for multi-sector surveillance of zoonotic diseases along wildlife trade chains promotes and supports effective One Health collaboration from the spillover frontlines to national and international policy makers, and improved understanding of pathogen diversity, disease dynamics and potential risks posed by wildlife trade. Platforms for regular multi-sector discussion between animal health, environment, enforcement, and human health sectors, as well as with and amongst international and multi-lateral partners, is essential for open discourse and sharing of information on the risks, challenges and opportunities for pandemic prevention. This is critical to improve cross- sectoral trust, understanding, communication and coordination to increase opportunities for effective legislative change and cultural shifts.

Openness of host governments to coordination between environment, law enforcement, animal health and human health sectors and investment of time and personnel from those sectors in wildlife surveillance for One Health intelligence; patience; funding; One Health coordination platforms

Trans-sectoral coordination and support from the government is essential from the beginning to ensure effective surveillance for diseases of zoonotic origin along wildlife trade chains and to promote understanding and sharing of findings. Openness of national governments to make science-based policy changes to reduce health risks posed by wildlife trade is essential for meaningful, long-term impact. 

Technical knowledge on sites, species and nurseries

The sites are heterogeneous and have different degrees of degradation, resulting in different intervention needs and opportunities. It is crucial to understand which species appear in nature as groups and to design the planting design accordingly. Mother trees, flowering periods and storability of seeds need to be known and the planting has to be adapted according to suitable planting periods. In the nursery, the focus on good root systems of the seedlings is key, requiring appropriate nursing equipment, substrate and trained staff.

- knowledge, link to research and traditional knowledge

- capacities to collect seed material from the right tree for the right place and the right purpose

- sufficient funding and training capacities

Investment of time and funding in the above-named factors pays off in form of higher survival rates, better growth, and project success. Some aspects should not be compromised, for example the size of the seedling containers and the substrate.

Coordinación multisectorial para el monitoreo, vigilancia y manejo adecuado de vicuñas

El fortalecimiento de lazos de confianza entre las comunidades manejadoras de vicuñas y el área protegida (trabajamos en conjunto hace 17 años), y con la Asociación Nacional de Manejadores de Vicuñas (trabajamos en conjunto hace 3 años), es crítico para fortalecer la conservación de la vicuña y de su hábitat. Esto ha permitido realizar monitoreos sobre el crecimiento poblacional y la sanidad de las vicuñas; realizar vigilancia de contaminantes y su impacto en la especie; desarrollar capacidades en bienestar animal, bioseguridad; obtener fibra de mayor calidad; e iniciar, recientemente, una línea base sobre la depredación de vicuñas y ganado por perros pastores, así como el estado de salud y de bienestar de los perros.

- Apoyo y compromiso de las comunidades manejadoras de vicuñas de Apolobamba.

- Apoyo y compromiso del área protegida SERNAP Apolobamba.

- Apoyo y compromiso de la ACOFIVB - Asociación para la Comercialización de la Fibra de Vicuñas en Bolivia.

- Complementariedad con otras organizaciones conservacionistas como la AGA - Alianza Gato Andino.

- Involucrar constantemente a los diferentes sectores permitió establecer una mayor confianza de trabajo conjunto, favoreciendo el cumplimiento de nuestros objetivos.

- Los esfuerzos en capacitaciones sobre el manejo de las vicuñas en silvestría con estándares de bienestar animal y sanidad, y de la fibra obtenida con mejor calidad y mejores ingresos para los comunarios, son impulsores de la conservación de la especie y su hábitat.

Generation of inputs for the strengthening of AI tools and resources for biodiversity protection

Among the strengths of the pilot is the ability to translate learnings into opportunities and recommendations, especially on issues of innovation, digital transformation and technological ethics for biodiversity protection. For this reason, we closely monitored the implementation of the pilot to develop a public report with a recommendations section, fed by the experiences, inputs, achievements and learnings of the implementing team.

What was learned at each step and with each partner contributed to strengthening AI tools and methodologies for biodiversity protection.

Beyond the boundaries of the Reserve, the Tech4Nature Mexico project has sparked a transformative wave in regional conservation efforts. The fusion of advanced technology with multi-stakeholder collaboration is redefining biodiversity protection. Innovative tracking algorithms have revealed crucial data confirming the presence of threatened species in an unprecedented way. These revelations enrich our understanding of regional ecology and empower local communities, driving lasting commitment to conservation.