Sustainable and integrated productive land management approach
Promoting sustainable livestock management to support livelihoods and conservation
Innovation
The project had a number of innovative elements. It brought together the elements of a smartphone (camera, gps, dropdown menu's) and designed a recreational site management system to utilise them - this is a world first.
It is an open system so additional devices can be added - people counters, flood monitors all via Internet of things (IOT)
- trusted local company to work on the project was essential
- worldwide approach to sourcing and ideas (IOT devices sourced from New Zealand)
- having a project manager of 13 years outdoor recreation expierence and an innovatie thinker to develop and drive the project
Partner implementing company
We worked previously with a company that didn't work out as they were only commited to the research phase rather than the project inisiative and management phase
Keep up to date
The area is changing quickly so it is important to keep watch for new developments and have a platform that can integrate them
Through this project I have brought together a number or local and national partners:
Organisation
Burren Geopark
Clare Local Development Company
Dept of Rural & Community Affairs
National Parks and Wildlife Service
Purpose
Each partner has either a local or national remit for an area in the project. By bringing them together we pool the resources and knowledge to deliver the system
Coordinging
The bringing together of all the bodies with each focusing on a specific area. As each partner joined they added an element to the system and then the other partners gained this feature.
These are public government funded bodies and the features they pay for are given provided to local comunities in a fremium model offering
Resources
Each organisation has resources and contacts that are utilised in the project.
The main lessons were:
- make sure you are meeting with a person who can make a decision
- show the benefits of the system
- show the advantages of the colaborative approach (tide rises all boats etc)
- give all partners credit as the program progresses
- analysis what a partner can give (they may be able to contribute time / work instead of financial)
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.
The basic purpose of engaging with the local community members was to identify the challenges faced by them and the feasible solution to overcome them. Moreover, this engagement facilitated in making the intervention/solution a local asset and encouraged community to take ownership of the solution. This is pivotal for the sustainability of the project and to create awareness among the community.
For making this building block a success, it is important to take on board the community since the inception of the project. This helps in building local partnerships for giving a social uplift to the solution. Some of the conditions that play a significant role in enhancing the efficiency of this building block include;
1.Focus Group discussions with the community
2.Seeking consents from the community for installing the solution
3.Training and awareness sessions
4.Door- to- door Campaigns
5.Developing Community based Groups
Some of the lessons learnt during the process of implementing this building block are enlisted below;
1. Community engagement in benefit sharing, transparency and awareness creation were vital for the success of this project.
2. It was with this engagement that the community's willingness to install a Floating Treatment Wetland for improving the condition of wastewater pond were inferred.
3. The community felt that there are local home grown solutions to be adopted for the wastewater treatment instead of high tech solutions.
Realising ecological, economic and social benefits
Community Meeting
Ayanda Cele
Biodiversity stewardship can be important to realising the ecological, economic and social benefits that healthy ecosystems can deliver over the long term. Biodiversity stewardship can stimulate rural economic development by creating a focus for nature-based tourism and sustainable natural resource use. This assists in the diversification of rural livelihoods, especially in agriculturally marginal areas. Biodiversity stewardship sites can also support job creation and skills development through direct land management and restoration, or indirectly through compatible commercial activities. In South Africa, land reform often results in new communal land ownership. In these areas, biodiversity stewardship can help to ensure access to the economic opportunities associated with protected areas.
Any project that is in the national biodiversity stewardship program but comply with the National Environmental Management Protected Areas Act (NEMPAA) regulations and ensure they take care of biodiversity on their property.
WWF-SA learnt that training in fire management also helps community members to get job opportunities within big municipalities and also contributes to food security.
Inclusion of women for a more gender balanced world.
Ayanda Cele
Biodiversity stewardship is an approach to entering into agreements with private and communal landowners to protect and manage land in biodiversity priority areas, led by conservation authorities in South Africa. It recognises landowners as the custodians of biodiversity on their land. Biodiversity stewardship is based on voluntary commitments from landowners, with a range of different types of biodiversity stewardship agreements available to support conservation and sustainable resource use. Some types of biodiversity stewardship agreements are formally declared as protected areas in terms of the Protected Areas Act, providing long-term security for the sites involved.
Any project that is in the national biodiversity stewardship program must comply with the National Environmental Management Protected Areas Act (NEMPAA) regulations and ensure they take care of biodiversity on their property.
WWF-SA learnt that training in fire management also helps community members to get job opportunities within big municipalities and also contributes to food security.
Realising ecological, economic and social benefits
"Wildlife-friendly Community: Products delivery from farm to Table"
Linkage with the restaurant network adds on the demand for healthy produce of the Wildlife-friendly Community. Sideline production of the nature-based food containers increase value of the produce and enlarge the market, in particular by urban consumers.
Increased awareness of the urban population on the healthy consumption, especially post-covid.
Matching the demand and supply of the produce determine the trust and continuity of production. Capacity in business plan and management of product delivery is the key. Meeting the demand on time and standard quality (including the story of telling on the linkage to support biodiversity of the World Heritage) build loyalty to long term support.
