The project team has worked with the Ministry of Environment to construct and implement the National Route for reporting OECM and submitting to WCMC. This route was designed by the Ministry of Environment, as CBD focal point for Colombia, GEF Small Grants Programme in Colombia and the project. It is structured to guarantee the validation of each potential OECM by the government (Ministry of Environment), civil society (an NGO such as Fundación Natura) and Humboldt Institute linked to the Ministry with the scientific support necessary. These three entities comprise the Coordinator Group of the route. External evaluators and regional authorities will participate in the validation. It includes the individual assessment of each potential OECM by three verifiers who work independently from one another and send their evaluation to the Coordinator Group that establishes a consensual agreement on whether or not the area complies with OECM criteria and can be submitted by the Ministry to be included in WCMC data base. The project has also carried out capacity building of national verifiers, which will evaluate if potential OECM meet the criteria.
Colombia has not reported the existing OECM to WCMC data base. One of the main achievements of the project is that two OECM cases have already been approved through the National Route and the Ministry will be sending in the short time the requirements for the WCMC verification process.
Moreover, this project contributes to the implementation in Colombia of the CBD Decision 14/8 of 2018: “Submitting data on OECMs to the UNEP’s World Conservation Monitoring Centre for inclusion in the World Database on Protected Areas”.
The joint effort to construct and implement the National Route, that is easy to apply, enhances the social appropiation of the OECM and the interest of rightholders and skateholders to report to WCMC.
It is important to highlight that the National Route was designed and constructed through a joint effort between multiple stakeholders.
The National Report represents an important step in the formal recognition of biodiversity conservation, beyond protected areas, in Colombia. It contributes to the international commitments acquired by Colombia, such as the CDB, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the climate change adaptation goals and the Post 2020 framework, among others.
To Foster that Wildlife Friendly Actions (i.e, guanaco use) could bring solutions on the conflict generated between conservation and livestock production paradigm.
Communication is vital for any company, business, or professional activity. It is useless to have a lot of knowledge and great abilities to generate a good product if we do not manage to make ourselves visible in an effective way, attracting consumers. For large companies (due to having a budget and specifically assigned), it is relatively easy to find the perfect insight and get to shape the campaign. SEO strategies, SEM, usability and UX issues, social media, implementation of channels such as email marketing or SMS, etc. A good campaign knows how to make room in all these areas. However, it is a mistake to think that only companies with large resources can gain a good digital presence or outside it. When we talk about "social communication" we must bear in mind that not everyone has access to each of the available digital platforms, nor are they present in all existing social networks. We consider a "successful" strategy if we manage to gain visibility using the most frequent communication channels available to capture interest and loyalty.
“create, measure, and learn” potential communication (comm) strategies on WFA. These workshops will explain basic guidelines on comm styles, impacts of different strategies, and the scale of those. Some campaigns will want to gain visibility, notoriety, generate engagement in social networks or simply cause a considerable impact to make the audience act. Training for comm actions to build and strengthen capacity within national stakeholders and local communities to expand on WFA.
The PayúnMatrú Cooperative members may be able in the future to teach the methods they learn during this project to other groups that wish to manage guanacos in Patagonia. Wildlife Friendly Actions to obtain guanaco fiber become a standard procedure by guanaco-fiber producers all around the Patagonian Steppe.
The communication efforts applied so far, through small notes on science pages, television, and radio channels to disseminate our project paid off. Since one of them reached the managers of Good Growth, the international company that connects science, customers with the world´s most successful Brands. With the help of WCS that is a representative of the WFEN and as such, acting as a link between both companies to sign a contract, which states two important points: a)the parties understand that the costs of a well-conducted management operation imply that the base price of guanaco raw fiber should be 200$; b)the purchase of 100 kilos from the Payun Matru Cooperative.
Generate wildlife friendly certifications that increase the market value of the fiber
Cooperativa Payun Matru members
Ramiro Ovejero
Guanacos
Ramiro Ovejero
Ramiro Ovejero-Wildlife Researcher
Agustina Novillo
Payun Matru Spinning Mill
Cooperativa Payun Matru
Guanaco yarn
Cooperativa Payun Matru
The province of Mendoza has what we currently consider to be the most wildlife-friendly guanaco-shearing project that has been underway for ten years. Due to the type of management carried out in La Payunia, there is the possibility that the products can be certified Wildlife Friendly. The Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network (WFEN) is a global community dedicated to developing and marketing products that conserve endangered wildlife while contributing to the economic vitality of rural communities. The Network sets the global standard for selling "green" products and helps members reach new and dynamic markets. WFEN's Mission is to protect wildlife in the wild by certifying businesses that ensure that people and nature coexist and thrive. WFEN certification will seek to promote wildlife conservation by facilitating responsible production practices, business development, education, and branding. It will also seek to access new and dynamic markets and achieve a fair price for wildlife-friendly products.
First, an applicant must submit the WF Global Products Pre-Assessment Form and Reference Form, to apply for the Certification. The Pre-Assessment Form provides background about producers, their products, and wildlife conservation conditions in their area to understand if the products may meet the WFEN Mission Criteria. The Reference Form must be completed by someone at a conservation organization who is familiar with the program and its conservation context. A non-refundable fee of $250 must accompany the Pre-Assessment and Reference Form.
Based on the principles of wildlife conservation, economic well-being, and accountability, each of our certified product lines illustrates the possibilities of triple-bottom-line success for people, planet and profit.
A direct link between production and conservation is essential for certification by the Network. Products that donate a percentage of profits to conservation but do not abate threats to key species fall outside of WFEN. To help ensure communities living with wildlife adopt conservation practices, the associated benefits should be tangible and significant. Certified products must contribute to increases in local incomes and/or improvements to livelihoods. The product’s conservation mission includes a clear enforcement mechanism, such that failure to follow through with required conservation actions results in immediate consequences, including forfeiture of any economic reward. Inability to make substantive corrections in a reasonable timeframe will result in suspension from the Network, including loss of certification and provision of information to vendors and distributors.
The transhumant conference is a consultation platform that brings together local and foreign transhumant pastoralists in order to discuss the resolution of conflicts between breeders - farmers, breeders - gamekeepers and wild animal breeders.
The strengthening of collaboration between institutions has made it possible to build a solid basis for dialogue and to put in place lasting resolutions.
The participation of Nigerian transhumant herders also made it possible to establish frank collaboration between the countries in terms of transhumance management.
The possibility of implementing concrete actions to resolve the problem of overgrazing, the creation of grazing areas, water points, and the facilitation of the sedentarization of foreign breeders.
Godrej Group has Good & Green strategy that dictates mangrove management. Godrej mangrove management is done by three pronged scientific strategy of Research, Conservation & Awareness. Output of each activity is input for other activity. For example insights from biodiversity research help to conserve biodiversity. Conserved biodiversity is used for public awareness through nature trails and other awareness media. Biodiversity observations of nature trails are recorded in research documents closing the loop.
Skilled professionals, adequate infrastructure, organizational commitment, partnerships with education & research institutes, commissioning of special research projects to external experts
Research, Conservation and Awareness are cyclic and linked to each other to manage local biodiversity.
Godrej has maintained access roads, nature trails, theme gardens, marine aquarium, watch tower, mangrove information centre and other infrastructure for mangrove research, conservation & awareness. Additionally Godrej has installed sewage & effluent treatment plant for stringent water pollution control. Godrej has initiated integrated waste management system to ensure zero waste dumping in mangroves.
Dedicated Environmental Engineering Services department with skilled professionals & adequate infrastructure to prevent pollution, 6 ETP-STP to treat & recycle wastewater, SWM facility to prevent garbage dumping, Security to stop encroachment % destruction
Identify indirect adverse factors that can affect mangrove ecosystem and provide adequate infrastructure to prevent and mitigate risks. Keep infra management with one dept to coordinate diverse management activities
Godrej has dedicated Wetland Management (WMS) Department with skilled professionals to manage mangroves. WMS Dept supported by Horticulture Department for plantation, Construction Department for infrastructure management, Planning & Development Department for initiatives planning monitoring. WMS initiatives are monitored on weekly basis and presented to Godrej Management Committee every year. Department targets are linked to Godrej's Good & Green sustainability strategy targets to ensure systemic approach to mangrove management
Internal management & technical capacity of Godrej & Boyce, Commitment of Senior Management to mangrove conservation, Cascading of targets at all levels & their review
Formation of dedicated department with human, infrastructure, financial resources is important
Application of management principles & processes helps in continual improvement
