The project developed a strategy that entailed reaching out to illegal loggers as well as others, including the forest communities and those parties responsible for regulation and trade. They did this by presenting strong and relevant incentives for engagement, based on empirical information about the current situation and forecast for the country’s environmental resources in the future, and also by offering them the opportunity to help co-develop alternative solutions to these challenges.

Note: while the project was mainly focused on the illegal loggers, and the possibility of developing alternative livelihoods for them, its secondary target audience was the Forestry Commission, which is responsible for managing Ghana’s forestry resources.  Over the years, the Commission has also 

faced numerous challenges from murder of forest guards and accusations of corruption to poor communications with resource managers and forest communities. 

A strategic approach was developed based on information generated, a felt need and a strong sense of trust. The discussions confirmed the need for alternatives livelihoods to illegal chainsaw milling and the concept of support for artisanal milling emerged. 

It was necessary to train the fishers who are part of the process in matters of sustainability and good fishing practices. In our case this focused on the introduction and implementation of fishing logbooks.

Presentations provided a first approach to sustainability issues. They gave examples of fisheries that are developed in a sustainable way worldwide and this proved to be well accepted. The transfer of information through videos or infographics turned out to have better reception than presentations made by experts.

The implementation of fishing logbooks first needed explanation and training on why and what is necessary. The logbooks were successfully explained as an accounting system, that, if well managed, can provide information to facilitate the work of the fishers, such as the early identification of fishing areas with low yields, bad fishing seasons, economic returns of the fleet, and more.

The implementation of fishing logbooks was carried out in three phases:
1. Exercises on land filling the logbooks with fictitious fishing operations;
2. Implementation of a pilot at sea, accompanied by a professional on board;
3. Implementation in the fleet with sporadic supervision of a professional on board to identify filling errors.

International exposure and focus on western gray whales due to WGWAP’s work has catalysed other discussion arenas where NGOS, scientists and business people can exchange information. The Russian Government approached the panel for guidance into mainstreaming biodiversity into development and has created several official structures including an interdepartmental working group on gray whale conservation.

In regards to legislation and compliance, the panel would like to see all governments create a level playing field for companies operating in or adjacent to key marine habitats to ensure that conservation is a broader requirement, not just a lender requirement.  

The panel works with all relevant stakeholders and affected parties, including the International Whaling Commission (IWC), local and federal government, companies, contractors, fisheries, tourism operators, NGOs, lenders, financial institutions and research institutes. It has a huge network of experts at all levels and takes evidence from a range of disciplines and perspectives.

Over the years the panel has helped ease tensions between the different interest groups by creating an open forum for dialogue, particularly between NGOs and Sakhalin Energy. The organisations that campaigned against the company’s financing now participate as observers in WGWAP meetings.

WGWAP has helped increase the number of arenas where whale conservation is discussed with new regional and national fora being established in the Russian Federation. Close connections have been forged between WGWAP and the IWC which supports a broader, range-wide view of gray whale issues. Several Range States have also adopted a Memorandum of Cooperation on Conservation Measures for the western gray whale that refers to the IWC/IUCN Conservation Management Plan (currently being revised), the IWC and WGWAP.

As with all ISTAPs, measures are in place to ensure WGWAP has a clear purpose, delivers high-quality outputs on time and is managed in a way that is consistent with IUCN’s policies and procedures. A project management structure defines the role and responsibilities of the project manager and other IUCN staff members or units. The panel chair is responsible for managing the panel members, who report on scientific and technical issues. All panel members, including the chair, report to IUCN and have their own terms of reference.

There is a regular monitoring system to verify that the panel is operating in full accordance with the ISTAP principles, that it delivers agreed outputs according to the terms of reference and work plan, and that the stakeholder engagement plan and communications strategy are followed. Based on the work plan, annual budgets are developed by the project manager and, if required under the contract, submitted for sign-off to the contracting party.

Transparency is critical to building trust between all stakeholders. Information and documentation on the panel process, its working arrangements, reports, conclusions and recommendations, as well as company responses, are made publicly available on the IUCN website, unaltered. Panel members’ names, biographies and the panel’s terms of reference are also published.

A structure is in place to ensure the panel is free from any external influence whether from government, private sector, NGOs, scientists or IUCN. Panel members are free to reach what they consider to be the best conclusions and recommendations based on the latest available science. They can be free with their opinions and have no contractual arrangement for research funding or other with the funder/contracting party or any of other companies operating on the Sakhalin Shelf (including their parent or sister companies and subsidiaries).

The purpose of this block is to raise the awareness of the climate change strategy on a large scale through communication by means adapted especially to the realities of the park area. The media to use depends on the level of intervention. For example, community radio and posters can be used to educate local people; online platforms are useful for a wide audience at the national and international level; and brochures are useful for visitors etc.

Following the climate change and vulnerability assessment, and review of the GMP to include climate change aspects, a consultant framed draft climate change adaptation objectives and strategies which when implemented would lead to improved park resilience to climate change.

A stakeholder workshop was held in September 2017 in Mpanda to validate and augment the draft climate change adaptation objectives and strategies. The workshop was attended by park managers from Katavi National Park, conservationists from Lwafi Game Reserve, Mpanda District Couuncil officials and representatives from NGOs operating in the Rukwa-Katavi Landscape. Inputs provided by stakeholders was used to further develop the adaptation objectives and strategies into a park climate change strategy which details the strategy's goal and objectives, adaptation strategies as well as implementation and monitoring plans. The latter describes a list of key indicators and parameters for monitoring changes in vulnerability and resilience.

Another workshop was held in October 2017 in Sumbawanga to validate the climate change strategy. The workshop was attended by the same group of stakeholder who participated in the other workshop. The final park climate change strategy was to be integrated into & annexed to the GMP.

This block addresses the work of revising the management plan so that it integrates aspects related to climate change resilience.

A stakeholder workshop, facilitated by an exppert, was organised in 2016 to review the park GMP. The workshop was attended by Park Managers including ecologists, conservationists from sorrounding Game Reserves, NGOs and programmes operating in the Katavi-Rukwa ecosystem. 

The review identified climate change amongst key threats facing biodiversity. In addition, climate change resilience was included in the list of management objectives aimed at capturing climate change resilience amongst GMP objectives and thus reduce its threat to biodiversity and ecosystem. It was agreed by the Park Management and stakeholders, and this was reflected in the revised GMP, that a detailed park climate change strategy should be developed to better address climate change resilience issues.