Conduction of scientific research on the effects of human activities on wildlife allowed us to better understand the effects of humans on wild animal populations. Today, we are the only who carry out scientific studies on biodiversity in the central High Atlas. The solutions proposed consist in encouraging research institutions to participate in these scientific studies and to study other zoological groups.

Scientific research is essential for conservation as it helps establish solutions based on scientific results. For example, we have shown that hunting currently used in Morocco to limit the growth of wild boar populations has, on the contrary, a postive impact on wild boars and that the conservation of wild boar predators is the best method to regulate wild boar populations. We have also shown that poaching affects populations of the Barbary macaque, Cuvier's gazelle, and of other species. The prohibition of poaching and the sensitization of habitats were the main causes for the increase in  the Barbary macaque population in the site of Ouzoud, Morocco.

The area of the reserve barely received any visitors before we developed the eco-tourism infrastructure and facilities that serve both the day visitors such as various hiking trails, restaurants, or accommodation cabins that attract nature lovers who desire to stay overnights in the area. We made sure that our ecotourism products depended on natural and cultural resources, low level of technology with a low negative impact on nature respecting the carrying capacity of the site.

We also linked the reserve with the surrounding historical and cultural attractions to create benefits and alternative income for the people living around the reserve who we assisted in the rehabilitation of their houses that are located along the hiking trails to be stop points for food and beverage.

Last year we made a qualitative leap in tourism by launching a Zip-line game that significantly contributed in enriching the experience of the visitors of the reserve, we also enhanced many of our trails and added more signs to guide the path and give more information about the reserve and its biodiversity.

Ajloun Reserve which was established in 1987 covers 12 km2 from the remaining fragile and fragmented forest patches in northern Jordan, In 2004 eco-tourism concept was introduced to the reserve, 10 tented bungalows and a summer restaurant were built, we created various hiking trails that connect the reserve with the surrounding villages and archeological sites. In 2009 we built 5 new cabins with private facilities, the occupancy rates increased significantly and the demand for the cabins was very high hence in 2012 we received a grant from the Ministry of Planning to build 8 cabins and a winter restaurant.

In 2009 HRM King Abdullah II laid the foundation stone of the Royal Academy for Nature Conservation and it was officially opened by HRH the Crown Prince. The building consists of an educational center, Socioeconomic projects for the locals and a restaurant. In 2016 we converted the old bungalows to new cabins with private facilities.

The reserve became a very famous and unique tourist attraction, we receive visitors from all the different social classes including HRM the Queen and other members of the Royal family.

REDD projects require long term commitments between the forest-owning communities and the project developer in order to deliver genuine, high integrity carbon credits that avoid emissions through reduce deforestation while improving livelihoods and protecting biodiversity. Contracts guarantee that both parties are aware of this long-term commitment and of each parties’ responsibilities. 

The contract between the forest communities of the Ntakata Mountains and Carbon Tanzania, the project developer is 30 years. This includes the two years it takes to develop and certify the REDD project. Before contracts are signed Carbon Tanzania conduct introductory meetings with community members that focus on free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) to ensure the rights of the communities are upheld during the development of the contract.

Indigenous people are the most effective stewards of forest ecosystems, and the success of the Ntakata Mountains REDD project can be directly attributed to the involvement of the forest communities who live in and depend on the forests for their livelihoods. By working with indigenous peoples and forest communities who legally own and manage their natural resources we can ensure they directly benefit from both the protection of their natural resources and the carbon finance that is generated through the project’s activities.

Land use plans that are determined and demarcated by community members increases local awareness and reduces conflict.

Local resource owners are directly involved in the development of the Ntakata Mountains REDD project from the beginning with introductory meetings with the project villages and communities that focus on free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC). Participatory land use management then begins with the communities determining how their land use plans will be zoned and agreeing on boundaries. Once all community members agree to the established land use plans, the boundaries of the Village Land Forest Reserves are then demarcated to facilitate protection. 

During cultivation farmers will be involving in tree planting to recover the deforested areas. This will be done parallel to practicing Sustainable Agricultural Land Management that involves recovering of soil and other maintainance practises done on the land surface during cultivation.

Through agroforestry farmers will be able to produce crops, animal keeping and tree plantation at the same time. This will help them to have food security, economic stabilization and conservation of the environment.

HAF is dedicated to the capacity building of community and cooperative members, especially in natural resource management and participatory decision-making among people who understand their local environment best. HAF provides consultancy and capacity-building workshops to achieve value added processing and marketing of agricultural products by the growing communities and their cooperatives. HAF does not control or own the raw or processed products, the farmers do, but this activity is an indirect and significant local income benefit that yields high quality and quantity product standard. Examples include supporting a cooperative in blanching almonds produced by their trees, developing a business plan for value-added walnut processing, and organic certification.

This solution combines several actions to make the application of efforts in conserving a site more efficient. Habitat protection and management are framed in the territorial analysis of priority sites and the application of conservation instruments suitable for conservation and sustainability.

Through different instruments, site protection creates a legal basis for the adaptive management of the most critical areas for their biological value. Some of these instruments may be conservation agreements, land purchase, federal coastal zone concessions for protection in their own right, or collaboration to create Ramsar sites, sites of the WHSRN, Natural Protected Areas in different categories, Destination Agreements, among others. Collaboration is a guiding principle for this strategy, which is why we have a very close link with the authorities of the state of Baja California, with the municipal and local authorities in the ejidos and communities, as well as a strong collaboration link with the environmental sectors at all levels, such as SEMARNAT, CONANP, PROFEPA, and the General Directorate of Federal Maritime-Terrestrial Zone, among others. These collaborations have translated into thousands of hectares protected in Baja California, mainly in essential areas such as San Quintín.

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.