In most cases, SeaSketch is used to support large-scale planning efforts where governments have mandated the establishment of a marine spatial plan and where broad stakeholder involvement is essential. In these cases, SeaSketch must be licensed by a lead agency or partner. SeaSketch may be used to visualize geospatial data as map services, collect to information via surveys, sketch and discuss plans. If plans are to be evaluated using analytics, geoprocessing services and reports must be developed in our lab. Note that a free license is available for educational institutions to use SeaSketch for strictly educational purposes.
In January 2022, we will release the next version of SeaSketch which will be entirely free and open source. Just as with the current version, many of the features within SeaSketch may be configured with minimal knowledge of or experience with GIS. The analytics and reports will be run on lambda and encoded using programming languages such as Javascript. Owners of projects may, therefore, set up their own SeaSketch project – from beginning to end – without intervention from our lab. It should be noted, however, that the geoprocessing and reporting framework, though free and open source, will require significant programming experience.
Currently the implementing agency (such as a government body, foundation or NGO) must purchase the license and contract for developing analytics. The current version requires an Internet connection, but the next version will include some offline capabilities. Successful implementation of SeaSketch will require some assistance from a GIS technician, for example publishing and importing map services.
SeaSketch is extremely valuable in creating a transparent and collaborative atmosphere, maximizing stakeholder participation, and grounding decisions in science-based information. We see the best results when SeaSketch is used in combination with other tools such as desktop GIS applications, trade-off analyses, prioritization tools (e.g., Marxan, Prioritizr), and cumulative impact analyses.
Partnership strengthens stakeholder linkages for Sustainable Growth
Start of Kinondo bank's construction in 2015
KMFRI
Ongoing construction of Kinondo Bank
KMFRI
Measuring the building during construction
KMFRI
Partnerships with KMFRI and other relevant county departments have enabled the proposal development by the association to be review regularly and more effectively in order to submit a clear and non-ambiguous proposal to the World Bank and other funders. Handholding by partner agencies such as KMFRI, WWF, National Bank, Base Titanium, etc. has been essential in enhancing the knowledge on tendering, procurement of construction material, furniture and equipment.
Recognition that the project is addressing the need of the entire community.
Presence and participation of stakeholders from various sectors is providing effective technical knowledge and know how, as well as opening career opportunities for the youth.
Participation of community members in the activities of various stakeholders is creating job opportunities.
Appropriate timing for engagement of the local communities is crucial for success – the day, place and time of engagement must be agreeable to all otherwise the partnership will be skewed and might appear to be imposed.
Respecting and appreciating community culture and traditions is critical for smooth implementation of project activities e.g. ceasing to work during prayer time, or rescheduling to attend meetings (Known as Baraza) hosted by area Chief or Government representatives.
Culture of saving part of the income earned from daily activities is possible through discipline and good planning.
Antagonizing the community against fellow partner agencies should be avoided at all time.
All partner agencies working with the communities must stick to their roles and responsibilities at all time.
Sustainability of the community project is the most crucial aspect that will ensure the project doesn’t collapse once the champions exit or move on. New members must therefore be recruited constantly and trained on the ideals of the project through an internship programme.
Soqotra is a “must see” tourism destination, all the more so as it is difficult to reach and is hard work when you arrive. Local tourism infrastructure is not well established, and local actors offer very similar and restrictive opportunities to visit a small number of localities.
The Soqotra Heritage Project sought to change this behaviour through documenting sites and practices and compiling a broader itinerary that could offer added value to tourists, local actors and global operators while at the same time increasing the conservation of sites and localities through diversification.
Sustainable heritage tourism is now being discussed again as a potential livelihood enhancement mechanism on Soqotra while at the same time addressing potential mechanisms to input directly into heritage conservation measures.
Involvement of expert sustainable tourism consultant (Carey Tourism) with knowledge and experience in this specific geographic context and with regional experience in less well known locations.
This required to gain and ensure access to tourism stakeholders at all levels.
It is extremely challenging to work on re-invigorating sustainable tourism ideas in a location with poor infrastructure and enforcement, with very limited travel options, and under a conflict scenario nationally with little access to regional and global stakeholders beyond the direct tourism industry makes it extremely challenging to achieve practical and measureable outcomes.
A key component of the Soqotra Heritage Project is the ability to access information about the heritage of Soqotra to allow for decision-making. This was realized by incorporating all documented tangible and intangible heritage in the Soqotra Heritage Database implemented through the Arches Project. Although maintained externally, and although internet connections on Soqotra prevent access to such resources in any meaningful way, the local team have access to all information through the Arches Collector App which can be used to visualize information, and also to collect and add information in the field.
Updates can be verified and enabled at regular meetings at the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage until a sustainable internet provision is enabled on Soqotra.
This has allowed stakeholders on Soqotra to access information for planning purposes, and to raise awareness with stakeholders about the importance of considering heritage components in development activities.
The building block required adequate provision and maintenance of the central database at a secure location as well as the ability to regularly update and access information.
Online solutions are not appropriate for Soqotra while the internet connections and availability is unsustainable and of low quality. This applies to ALL sustainable solutions on Soqotra and is not confined to heritage programmes.
Provision of an offline App is the first step, but requires routine updates that can only be accomplished at the expense of international travel and availability of flights.
Local capacity development and awareness raising is at the heart of the Soqotra Heritage Project which includes both training of heritage professionals and of members of local communities. Building on existing local capacity is fundamental for the long term implementation of effective conservation and management efforts with particular focus on ensuring the inclusion of heritage in sustainable local development as well as in ensuring the sustainability of the local communities.
Between 2018-2020 the project team members met at the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage in Manama, Bahrain, four times for training workshops on recognizing, documenting and recording cultural heritage on Soqotra. Training in documenting cultural heritage included detailed survey methods for a range of sites, including specialist training in recording rock art and in the use of Kite Aerial Photography. Recording intangible heritage included detailed training in cinematography to enable the full detail of traditional practices to be brought to life. Further training in education and awareness techniques, presentation, and story-telling also featured strongly. Additionally, interested members of the Soqotri community have been directly involved in documentation of cultural heritage assets.
The first enabling factor is to ensure that the requirements of the local team were met and matched to strategic outcomes agreed by project partners and stakeholders.
This was further supported by the involvement on the ground of ARC-WH’s Project Coordinator for Socotra who is fluent in English, Arabic and Soqotri, facilitating the communication and knowledge transmission.
The availability of travel funds to conduct face-to-face and in situ training is fundamental to ensure the effectiveness of these activities.
Good and inclusive capacity building activities requires close collaboration between project partners that bring complementary expertise.
The specific inclusion of women in the capacity building programme, allowing them to expand their technical knowledge is a clear rarity in an Indigenous society such as it exists in Soqotra, where women traditionally refrain from (or not always benefit from equal opportunities) having key roles in public activities. The inclusion of Soqotri women gave access to information sources which would have not been accessible otherwise.
It is critical to collect feedbacks throughout the training process to ensure that team members have the required skills, and also experience to pass skills on to communities and local professionals.
High quality translation services are necessary to be able to adequately communicate and engage with communities and local actors. Additionally, the direct involvement of heritage professionals with Indigenous language skills is a fundamental asset for the effective delivery of training and capacity building.
From biodiversity conservation to a wider nature-culture heritage approach
Soqotra
Soqotra Heritage Project
Ceramics and goat herding
Soqotra Heritage Project
For many years, the focus of conservation projects on the island has been solely on nature and biodiversity. The Soqotra Heritage Project aims at addressing both natural and cultural heritage as one interlinked element that is widely interconnected within the life and culture of people that are indigenous to the island and are a key component of the bio-cultural landscape of the Soqotra Archipelago.
This act of reconnection is firstly established through the identification and documentation of tangible and intangible heritage manifestations and expressions as well as the establishment of awareness raising activities. The project team cooperated with a group of local interested individuals in the documentation of over 400 tangible cultural heritage assets (buildings, monuments, historic places as well as artefacts and objects) and the oral and intangible traditions - particularly the local Indigenous language and oral history - of Soqotri communities through report, photographs and films. This process included consideration of the integration of cultural heritage into protected area systems designed for biodiversity conservation, and raising awareness of the importance of conserving heritage in its wider form with local communities.
The interdisciplinary partnership behind the project is the backbone of the application of a more comprehensive heritage approach.
Furthermore, the fact that the local ARC-WH staff member and the project team are well connected with key local stakeholders, such as the Governorate representatives, GOAM and EPA, facilitated the communication and dissemination of key information which will motivate a widening of pure biodiversity focus to a more nature-culture approach of conservation.
The project focused on challenging the existing separation between nature and culture that is still widely integrated into conservation thinking. This divide can also be found in the differences between the understanding and thinking of local communities and the external professional influence. A key element in overcoming these divides has been the involvement of local Soqotri communities in the set-up, planning and implementation of the project, including discussions with local professionals and community members representing the interest of Soqotri communities.
The project has allowed to recognise and explore the existing differences between biodiversity and heritage conservation theory and practice, and the requirement to consider novel approaches from all participants to adapt to a local system – especially where this system is a relatively isolated archipelago and where there is little or no governance or infrastructure for heritage conservation and management.
Multidisciplinary partnership of the Soqotra Heritage Project
Deqwelhel Leem.
Soqotra Heritage Project
Field team on Soqotra
Soqotra Heritage Project
The Soqotra Heritage Project is a coordinated by the Centre for Middle Eastern Plants (part of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh) in cooperation with the Freie Universität Berlin, the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH), the Senckenburg Research Institute, the Soqotra Culture and Heritage Association, the Yemeni Environmental Protection Authority, the General Organisation for Antiquities and Museums (GOAM), Carey Tourism (sustainable tourism partner) and Stories as Change (production of visual storytelling and project' films). Additionally, the project benefits from the initial support of the UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport through the British Council Cultural Protection Fund. Further funds are being acquired for follow on programmes.
The key element of the partnership established for the Soqotra Heritage Project is its interdisciplinary character that brings together different experiences in the field of cultural and natural heritage conservation, including the intangible cultural heritage of Soqotri communities.
The partnership is a fundamental element of the project, which through its interdisciplinary character seeks to enhance the biodiversity focus through increasing knowledge about the not yet fully explored cultural heritage of the Soqotra Archipelago.
The Soqotra Heritage Project is possible through the financial support of the UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport and the British Council received through the Cultural Protection Fund, with subsequent funds about to be implemented.
Planning and communication have been key components in the success of the project activities. Furthermore, having an ARC-WH staff member on-site who is part of the local community with the necessary indigenous language skills tremendously facilitated the successful implementation of the project.
The element of multidisciplinary partnership is the backbone for the implementation of the Soqotra Heritage Project. Bringing together institutions and organisations with different foci and experiences in the fields of cultural and natural heritage conservation, including the intangible cultural heritage has been of key importance for the successful implementation of the project.
Having ARC-WH’s Project Coordinator for Socotra on-site, facilitating and able to communicate in the local Indigenous language has allowed for a more effective communication with the participants in the project and local Soqotri.
Lastly, the simplification of the project management process has made the implementation of the project more straightforward. The multidisciplinary partnership has been based on agreed roles and responsibilities which were established at the beginning of the project.
