SMART-based strategic planning is an approach that involves setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals to guide the development and implementation of strategies. The SMART platform allows the park administration to improve the management effectiveness in terms of reducing illegal activities and improving patrol teams’ efforts and effectiveness of resources allocation. 

SMART-based strategic planning is used to:

• Set numeric and spatial targets - SMART focal persons in the park, in collaboration with the park management, set numeric and spatial targets for all patrol teams and prepare monthly deployment plans for both terrestrial and aquatic parts of the park. The targets help in setting clear and measurable benchmarks to the goals and objectives of patrol teams in protected areas. It makes tracking progress and measuring the impact of the strategic planning and law enforcement efforts easier.
• Create adaptive management mechanisms - Adaptive management mechanisms are useful for continuously creating a law enforcement plan, acting on the plan, measuring the impact of the plan, and creating a new improved plan based on that information. By learning from outcomes and revising, adaptive mechanisms help to address uncertainties and promote effective management strategies in dynamic systems.

The five villages frequented by cranes, the Cheorwon Crane Protection Association, the Bird Protection Association, the Crane Photography Club, the Farmers' Association, and other local residents and organizations deeply loving cranes formed and operate the ‘Cheorwon DMZ Crane Ecotourism Council’, extending beyond individual efforts. Under the leadership of local communities, it focused on sustaining the crane habitat. These include initiatives such as watering rice paddies, providing cranes with snails as a food source, and preserving rice straws on the fields. Notably, the council advocates for a form of tourism aligned with nature conservation.

Despite potential inconveniences, the emphasis is on a crane birdwatching program that adheres to birdwatching etiquette: 1) loving nature, 2) refraining from entering restricted areas, 3) avoiding collection or damage to natural elements, 4) maintaining cleanliness of facilities, 5) embracing slow travel, and 6) choosing local accommodations.

  In conjunction with the arrival of migratory birds, the local residents actively engage in crane population surveys and feeding activities in collaboration with esteemed experts from organizations such as the National Nature Trust and the Crane Protection Association

Local communities are actively contributing to habitat conservation through initiatives like preserving rice straws and providing water to rice paddies in winter, facilitated by Payment of Ecosystem Service (PES) contracts. Engaging in 'ecotourism programs, including crane birdwatching activities, and hosting 'Crane Seminars,' they create added value for their efforts. Furthermore, farmers in the Cheorwon area have taken an innovative approach by producing 'Cheorwon Odae Rice' and promoting their product brand using the image of the crane.

'The Cheorwon Crane Land,' serving as a conservation asset under the stewardship of the National Nature Trust is situated in Yangji-ri, which boasts a fertile plain and is adjacent to Togyo Reservoir and the Hantangang River, resulting in abundant water resources. This geographical advantage makes it a haven for various migratory birds that flock to the area every winter, typically from mid-October to March. Embracing its rich ecological setting, Yangji-ri has actively pursued becoming a full-fledged eco-village. This commitment has earned notable recognitions, including being selected as an eco-friendly excellent village in 2000, becoming a project operator of the New Rural Construction.

Cheorwon, situated in the vicinity of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), stands as a crucial wintering ground for cranes, an endangered species. Due to restricted development and civilian access since the Armistice Agreement in 1953, the area has become vital for the survival of these birds. The Cheorwon Plain, with its expansive farmlands and reservoirs, along with the wetlands of the DMZ, serves as essential feeding and resting grounds for crane species.

A positive trend has been observed in crane populations, with 372 red-crowned cranes and 474 white-napped cranes in the Cheorwon Plain in January 1999 (Kim Sang-won, et al. 2020). This upward trajectory has continued, reaching 833 red-crowned cranes and 2,766 white-napped cranes in January 2017. The commitment of local farmers, particularly since 2004, in preserving rice straws and providing water to rice paddies under the Biodiversity Management Agreement Project has played a significant role in this success.

This trust initiative aligns with the Global Trust's mission to safeguard private land in the DMZ (South) and the Civilian Control Zone, preserving it as public property and a 'common heritage of mankind' in the face of development pressures.

The data collection and ongoing monitoring of the project's achievements were carried out by a dedicated Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) team. This team, external to MUVA, conducted in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and periodic analysis of each action plan at baseline, midline, and final stages. This systematic approach allowed for comprehensive data collection, culminating in a reflection meeting at the end of the initiative. Facilitated by a senior facilitator, results were presented to the MUVA, Aquapesca, and Pro Azul teams. The meeting provided an opportunity for teams to extract key learnings and formulate a path for scaling and sustaining the initiative.