Toyama City is promoting integrated and inclusive care services for the elderly population, and local networks play a key role. The city has 32 community general support centers as contact points for the elderly people in each community, where experts (e.g. nurses, certified social workers, welfare caretakers) monitor and guide the health of the elderly people and advise them to attend the Kadokawa Care Prevention Center, when necessary. The city also works together with a city-based voluntary club which 36% of all the elderly citizens of the city have joined. The city asks several members in the club to take a leadership role in promoting community-based activities for preventive care and communicating with the support centers and the City of Toyama. This community-based approach also helps members become more aware of their own health, and it enhances self-reliance and encourages mutual help among communities.

Developed attitude and behavior assessment surveys targeting specific groups (e.g., visitors, local communities, and productive sectors) who visit or reside near MPAs carried out at different times. A web-based “Friends of the SMPA Society” comprised of national and international scientists and members of civil society were put in place. The project developed an information dissemination and communication strategy specific in marine topics, which will inform the general population about MPAs through print, audiovisual (radio, TV, newspapers, and internet), as well as dissemination meetings. The main activities were: a)Dissemination campaigns; b)implementation of the SAMP web page; c)awareness campaigns in educational centers (schools and universities); and d) establishment of a data base of images and videos bilingual (Spanish and English). SAMP promoted in international and national events of scientific nature, such as seminars, congresses, side-event in COP of Biodiversity, among others. Main results: 11% increase over the baseline of behavior and attitudes test scores; 5 new funding proposals leveraged by the “Friends of the SMPA Society"; national recognition at the end of the GEF-Project promoted a participatory roadmap for sustainability of next 5 years reacheness.

The sustainable financial management plans are oriented to meet the needs of the Subsystem through the identification of activities  run by the local communities which can raise revenues. Such activities include eco-tourism (scientific tourism, birdwatching, marine mammal watching), sport fishing, scenic diving and sustainable use of biodiversity resources. These plans are entailed towards the conservation of the ecosystem goods and services while giving economical opportunites to local communities and environmental entities. A financial framework ensuring the sustainability of the SAMP consolidated through the strengthening of current sources of financing and the inclusion of new ones. The framework includes the development of provisions and mechanisms to increase the current government and non-government contributions to the MPAs. Agreements to override MPA management cost with the direct beneficiaries of conservation was defined. To assess the potentiality of payments for avoided deforestation in mangroves as a financing option for MPAs and SAMP, a pilot project for the reduction of emissions caused by deforestation-degradation of mangroves was formulated and executed in Cispata. Now under replication and apply for "bluecarbon market". 

This initiative brings together all stakeholders, including different levels of government, around a 'collective responsibility' approach. The National Park is managed by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (a central government agency). Ensuring coherence between park management and planning processes and development at the wider landscape is a challenge.Addressing deforestation in the National Park while supporting improved farmer livelihoods requires improved links, policy coherence and an integrated approach between different government levels and agencies. Our initiative has sought to achieve this through government engagement at district, provincial and central government levels, securing support from each level for the 'Collective Statement of Intent'. Understanding what opportunities this presents for supporting the separate aims of individual government agencies (such as improved park management and protection, rural development and improved agricultural production) has been critical in engaging government. 

This building block is crucial in ensuring R2R is successful in the long term future.

A variety of marketing strategies are used to market R2R. These include a website, social media platforms, merchandise, printed flyers and brochures, attendance at national and international travel trade events and educational travel shows, email marketing, marketing through TIDE, and hosting familiarization tours. 

Initially, it was thought that R2R would attract mainly students wanting to enhance their resume. However, it was found that marketing costs associated with finding each individual participant were high. Now, the primary focus is on partnering with universities and travel planners who organize group trips.

R2R seeks to work with partners who may be initially costly to acquire, but who then provide a regular stream of participants. This includes universities who send one large group per year, and travel agents who may send five groups a year to take part in the program. Over time, building these relationships will mean that marketing costs will be reduced, and the focus will be on retaining those partnerships.

To date, R2R has formed excellent relationships with its partner agents, and continually strives to improve the services provided to ensure long term commitments from them.

Between 2012 and 2014, the Strategic Management Plan was developed in partnership with CI - Conservation International, document that defines the objective and the management strategy of Legado das Águas, covering the business plan and the management plan in a single document . Divided into three volumes - Diagnosis; Zoning; Development Strategies and Programs - The Strategic Plan guides all actions towards the core objectives. In this sense, progress has been made with regard to social performance with the implementation of organizational structuring programs and training in the territory in which the Legado das Águas is inserted, as well as the opening of the area for ecotourism activities and the development of a scientific research center conservation of biodiversity.

Capacity building has been an important component of developing the R2R program. Prior to this program, TIDE had one tour guide on staff, and a number of ‘community researchers’, who are trained to carry out part time research and monitoring work.

With the program starting small and growing gradually, it was impossible to hire a full staff of fully qualified staff from the off-set, so R2R invested in those staff already working with TIDE to provide additional employment opportunities for them.

Since inception, capacity building amongst staff has continued in an effort to continually ensure that participants have a great experience with knowledgeable, professional staff. This has included providing SCUBA training, tour guide training, science training, marketing training, accounting training, and health and safety training.

Volunteer safety is considered priority, so staff undertake regular health and safety training, and follow risk assessment and emergency procedures set out by R2R. 

In order to host volunteers, the necessary physical and organizational infrastructure has to be in place. This includes, but is not limited to: accommodation; transportation; science equipment such as SCUBA gear, binoculars, and protective wear; health and safety equipment at all fieldsites; office equipment such as laptops and cameras; health and safety procedures, risk assessments and emergency plans; storage facilities; insurance policies; household and kitchen equipment.

For the R2R program, this process started two years prior to the program launch, when TIDE did an inventory of TIDE assets that could be utilized by future R2R groups. Where there were gaps, TIDE sought funding to better prepare for visiting groups. TIDE and R2R continue to invest in further infrastructure developments, for example in 2018 a new field station is planned that will open another of TIDE’s areas to visitors.

The key thing with this building block is to continue evaluating what infrastructure is in place, can currently be offered to groups, and what is needed for potential future groups. It is also important to review how effective these investments are. For example, what is the return on investment for more accommodation, larger vehicles, etc. Knowing this helps guide future investments. 

Farmer groups develop business and advanced marketing plans to guide their continued activities and farm and business growth. When we initially select farmers, we ensure they are a part of a farmers group, which enhances their power as sellers, as they can sell in bulk and work as a group to market crops.. In Kaffrine, Senegal and Singida, Tanzania, some of our farmers grow higher-value crops like Hibiscus, Cashew, and Sunflower:We build capacity of farmers to approach buyers in regional capitals  export quality crops . In Kenya, we work with a dairy cooperative to offset their cattle feed costs, and give them the opportunity to sell extra tree fodder they product to other cooperative members. Ownership of the project is fully transferred to the farmer groups. After graduation, farmer groups continue to support each other as a team in the on-going development and management of Forest Gardens and marketing of products.  

After the 4-year project, farmers are expected to continue their Forest Gardens, given the significant successes they have seen and training they have received.  In the future, TREES is hoping to follow-up with farmers after the program, however we do not yet have the capacity to continue monitoring farmers outside of the 4-year program.