Achieving multi-dimensional governance for adaptation
Achieving participatory governance for adaptation
Achieving flexible governance for adaptation
Achieving ecosystem approach for adaptation
"Action learning" and monitoring to increase capacities and knowledge
Delfino Roblero, youth representative, forest monitoring for pests and disease. Esquichá Microbasin (Coatán Basin)
IUCN @ Paul Aragón
Sanajabá community forestry nursery, Esquichá Microbasin (Coatán Basin)
IUCN @ Paul Aragón
There is a continuous process of capacity building with local communities and institutions to identify, design and implement ecosystem-based adaptation (EBA) measures, generating evidence on their benefits, and creating conditions for their sustainability.
The process includes not only theoretical workshops but also: technical assistance, field practices, exchange tours and a diploma for municipal technicians. The process is collaborative and participatory, and the experience was of great learning and empowerment for the groups involved, especially women.
Some examples of activities include:
Application of the CRiSTAL tool - "Community-based Risk Screening Tool - Adaptation and Livelihoods" with municipal and community representatives
Along with 16 communities and the Municipality of Tacaná, the forest restoration strategy was designed and implemented, supporting community nurseries
Communities are accompanied in the management of forest incentives for sanitation, reforestation and protection actions.
Local leaders are trained in methodologies to monitor the effects of forest restoration and protection of water sources on food and water security.
The Municipal Council of Tacaná provided accompaniment to the communities in the process of access to forest incentives.
IUCN had 10 years of experience in the territory and local technical staff.
There is excellent community leadership, which increases their willingness to dialogue, learning and the search for solutions.
There is an awareness of climate change, since extreme events in previous years have impacted several communities, damaging both their assets (crops, housing, productive infrastructure) and the water resource.
Having knowledge on water security and specific technical information on EbA facilitated the processes of awareness raising, participation, adoption of community agreements and implementing targeted actions, which in turn helped to avoid the dispersion of resources.
Since there is an organizational base in the communities, in the form of Communal Forestry Nursery Commissions and in some cases Community Development Councils (COCODEs), the process of "learning by doing" is greatly facilitated since, through these local platforms, it is possible to promote the exchange of experiences and knowledge, and collective learning.
Local empowerment through social participation is key to ensure the implementation and continuous improvement of a Monitoring and Evaluation system, as well as to obtain lessons learned. Communities are convened thought their leaders. This approach has greater chance to ensure sustainability in time and replicability of EbA measures.
Implementation of scalable EbA measures to increase forest cover and water availability
Reforestation in water recharge zones, Esquichá Microbasin
IUCN @ Paul Aragón
Reforestation in water recharge zones, Esquichá Microbasin
IUCN @ Paul Aragón
Based on the vulnerability analysis and by common agreement, the communities prioritized several EbA measures in order to increase their resilience:
Protection and restoration of water recharge zones. Includes reforestation on municipal or communal lands with water sources; protection of community pine forests where the largest areas of natural forests (Abies guatemalensis) in good condition are found; reparation of communal forests affected by pests; and reforestation of areas without trees adjacent to natural forests. For these actions that improve connectivity and forest cover, access to forest incentives is also promoted.
Establishment (1) and strengthening (15) of community forestry nurseries, to support reforestation actions.
Agro-forestry systems and good practices: Productive systems on 16 farms are optimized and diversified, incorporating timber and fruit trees to improve soil conservation, productivity and food security.
Recovery of lands affected by landslides: Agroforestry systems as well as access to forest incentives for the recovery of areas damaged by storms are promoted.
The communities of the microbasin embraced these measures and support their implementation with important technical resources.
The Tacaná Municipal Council gave support to communities for access to forest incentives.
IUCN had 10 years of experience in the territory and local technicians.
There is excellent community leadership, which increases their willingness to dialogue, learning and the search for solutions.
There is an awareness of climate change, since extreme events in previous years have affected several communities, damaging both their assets (crops, housing, productive infrastructure) and the water resource.
Key factors for the implementation of EbA measures were: a strong organizational base, community agreements, social participation and leadership from local authorities (both indigenous and municipal).
To ensure that EbA was able to demonstrate an initial impact in communities and in this way, create confidence in the adopted strategy, the first step was to promote reforestation in the upper parts of the micro-basin (water source areas) or in areas affected by landslides, as well as community work around forestry nurseries. These actions helped to consolidate the concept that forest cover is "an insurance" in the face of climate change.
Valuing the ecosystem services of the basin helped to see adaptation as a task for all communities, in order to obtain benefits for both the Esquichá micro-basin and for other communities located further down in the Coatán River basin.
Sanajaba community identifies threats within the Esquichá micro-watershed (Coatán Basin)
IUCN @ Paul Aragón
Meeting with forest managers from El Rosario to plan activities. Esquichá Microbasin (Coatán Basin)
IUCN @ Paul Aragón
Valentina Ortiz (Tojchoj Grande community, Tacaná) member of the Esquichá River Micro-watershed Council
IUCN @ Milton Navarro
The stakeholders of the Esquichá River micro-watershed face governance challenges for adaptation, such as insufficient coordination between the community, municipal, departmental levels, and the sectors. The Council of the Esquichá River micro-watershed, gathers municipalities, communities, and the Communal Nurseries comissions. A multilevel technical support is provided to ensure sustainability:
With technical support, the Committee has learned about EbA measures and has incorporated them into the micro-watershed Management Plan. Technical assistance has been provided to identify efforts for its implementation and financing (e.g. forestry incentives). This is how the Committee, now with greater organizational capacity, has had an impact on other instances (Municipal and Departmental Councils, INAB) and has achieved the allocation of funds for the EBA measures.
Technical assistance provided on management of communal forest nurseries.
Implementing a gender approach that actively involve women in capacity building and decision making. Women have been trained in communication skills, to improve their leadership abilities (https://www.iucn.org/node/29033).
Support for the Municipality of Tacaná to integrate adaptation measures into the local planning (Municipal Development Plan).
Under Guatemala’s System of Development Councils, the Esquichá River Micro-watershed Council is made up of the Community Development Councils of the micro-basin communities, which allow to work in an organized manner and influence higher levels (eg. Municipal Councils).
CORNASAM, created in 2004 as a platform for departmental coordination, has allowed for an articulated dialogue between the municipalities of San Marcos, basin organizations and micro-watersheds.
Gender approach to actively involve women in decision making and capacity building.
The improvement of local women leadership skills, has a long-term impact in the management of natural resources and the social cohesion of communities. Women felt they had a lot to contribute; having taken ownership of these spaces, their confidence to act in other circles also increased. When consulted, women indicated that after gender and communication training, they have “lost the fear of expressing themselves in meetings where there are men," noting that they are aware of their right to participate as key actors in promoting forest restoration in water recharge areas as a climate change adaptation measure.
Governance for adaptation must promote open, equitable, respectful, and effective participation, so that planning and decision-making mechanisms are enriched by inclusive participation.
The EbA measures implementation builts upon community participation and local leadership. Communities are convened thought their leaders. This approach has greater chance to ensure sustainability in time and replicability of EbA measures.
Creation of a fund to sustain conservation programmes
Partnerships with UNDP-GEF and GIZ resulted in the Mangrove Cell taking up conservation initiatives beyond the usual mandate of forest protection. These initiatives brought out success stories in conservation that were possible solely due to the support from these projects. To ensure sustainability of these interventions, efforts under these projects needed to be incorporated into the regular conservation on mangrove, coastal and marine biodiversity in the state of Maharashtra. Thus it was proposed to the provincial government that an autonomous organisation, the Mangrove Foundation, be formed that can take on the broader responsibility of mangrove and marine ecosystem conservation while the government body focuses on protection of mangrove forests.
The Foundation was provisioned with a fund generated as a mitigation measure for development activities. This fund was in addition to the compensatory afforestation and mitigation funds calculated as per the Net Present Value of the mangrove forests affected due to the development projects.
This interest generated from this fund has been utilised to recruit skilled personnel, and setting up effective governance for successful operations.
The additional mitigation measure for development projects is a provision only with the State of Maharashtra in the country.
Partnerships with organisations and expert institutions developed under the externally-aided projects have helped in continuing conservation efforts being taken up by the Foundation.
Developing a commitment to address the larger goals of conservation has been possible by implementing and proving successful models initiated under the externally-aided projects. Involving key members and allied departments of the government, and obtaining their inputs in different aspects have been keys to ensure participation of all relevant stakeholders in the government. The board of governors of the Foundation has accordingly been constituted with representation from relevant wings of the government and the civil society.
Separate project management units were created for implementation of project interventions under the externally-aided projects. To sustain the momentum in the newly created Foundation, dedicated teams have been created to take on the tasks of research and capacity building, and livelihood development initiatives that support the overall goal of conservation of mangroves, coastal and marine biodiversity.
Landscape approach to conservation through externally-aided projects
While the Mangrove Cell had assumed the task of protecting the mangrove forests in the state of Maharashtra, a broader approach was required for conservation of mangroves, the many creeks, mudflats, and other coastal ecosystems like beaches, rocky shores, coral reefs, that supported the rich biodiversity in the region. This, along with the conservation of marine biodiversity, fell under the mandate of the Mangrove Cell, a challenge that we were not prepared for, the Cell lacking in financial resources and manpower.
Fortunately, the Cell, with the help of the government, was able to receive support from the UNDP-GEF. The UNDP-GEF supported project took on a landscape approach to the conservation of mangroves, and all coastal and marine biodiversity on a pilot basis. This support helped the Mangrove Cell address a wide range of interconnected conservation issues from sustainability of coastal fisheries, conservation of the endangered species, and sustainable livelihood development initiatives.
The Indo-German project, supported by GIZ, further assisted the Mangrove Cell in taking up mangrove conservation issues particularly in the Thane Creek, one of the biggest creeks in Asia. The project made finance available to carry out necessary studies and biodiversity assessment of the Creek.
The Mangrove Cell was able to leverage the networks within the government to enter into agreements for the above projects.
Both projects imbibed a multi-stakeholder approach to conservation. Multi-stakeholder discussions at different levels ensured participation of all relevant sectors from planning to implementation of the projects.
Traditionally, the management of forests was driven mostly through the laws governing the protected areas. These projects, through technical and financial support, made it possible to take on a participatory approach to conservation of biodiversity. This approach has ensured the involvement of other government agencies, and most importantly, the local community, in the conservation of mangroves, coastal and marine biodiversity in the state.
The provincial government of the state of Maharashtra in India, acting on the orders of the court, created a dedicated body in January 2012, to protect and conserve mangrove forests in the state. The dedicated unit, called the Mangrove Cell, started functioning as a part of the state level administrative body responsible for conservation of forests and wildlife. Considering the high level of encroachment in the mangrove areas, pressures of land conversion for real estate and industrial projects, and other anthropogenic factors, the government accorded the highest level of protection to mangrove forests by declaring them as “Reserved Forests”. Further, the Cell was empowered as per the statutory laws governing the management of forest resources in the country. Provisions were also made to engage field level personnel to safeguard these forests. With almost a third of the mangrove forests in the state falling within one of the most populated metropolises of the world, Mumbai¸ a specialised unit was formed to check and prevent incidences of encroachment and mangrove destruction within and around the city. Along with protection of mangrove forests, the Mangrove Cell is also responsible for conservation of coastal and marine ecosystems in the state of Maharashtra.
A judiciary framework that enabled the court to address an administrative gap and dictate the formation of a specialised unit for mangrove conservation.
Laws and regulations that ensure conservation of forests in the country.
In the past, conservation of mangrove, coastal and marine biodiversity was not one of the topics of focus in the conventional framework of managing forests in the country. Since management of these ecosystems require specialised knowledge and expertise, the formation of the Mangrove there has led to a more effective management of mangroves and marine ecosystem.
