LONG TERM FINANCIAL MECHANISM TO GUARANTEE THE EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION F THE PROTECTED AREAS’ MANAGEMENT PLANS
With the revenues from the endowment and the investment in the sinking fund, La Minga provides the financial resources to implement the prioritized actions from the management plans. To that end, the members of the Technical Committee decide together what strategies are the most vital to implement, the cost of the activities and the terms of refence for hiring a community-based organization to execute the components.
The donation of the Walton Family Foundation to la Minga will be in the fund for at least 30 years, and therefore this mechanism can guarantee that the protected areas will have financial resources for every year over a long time.
It is necessary to get to the 5 Million USD Goal in the endowment and 1 million USD in the sinking found. Otherwise we won’t have enough revenuers to support the implementation of the management plans of the three protected areas.
These endowment funds are subject to an investment policy focused on generating annual income while simultaneously preserving and enhancing the value of endowment capital through adequate diversification of high quality instruments, balanced by an acceptable degree of risk.
The process of building an endowment and a sinking fund is long and difficult. Most of the potential donors’ can´t give money for a long period (La Minga is conceived at least for 30 years). Also, it is very important to set strict and clear rules regarding the investment of the money, because of different expectations that can emerge in the country.
DEVELOPMENT OF A GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE TO GUARANTEE THE STAKEHOLDER´S PARTICIPATION IN THE RESOURCES INVESTING PROCESS
All of the protected areas that are covered by La Minga are managed by Community Councils and the regional environmental authorities. Net interests of La Minga will be transferred to community-based organizations (Community Councils) and other nonprofit organizations to support the implementation of management plans for the protected areas, under the
supervision of an Endowment Fund oversight structure.
A Technical Committee for La Minga directs and oversees the use of La Minga Endowment revenues that are channeled annually to the account
opened and held by Fondo Acción. The Technical Committee is composed of representatives from Conservation International Colombia, Fondo Acción, local environmental authorities, Community Councils with participation in the protected area management, and an academic advisor. The Technical Committee reviews and approves annual investment plans
presented by both Regional Environmental Authorities and Community Councils.
The Executive Committee makes the funding decision in accordance with the recommendations that it receives from the Technical Committee.
A big enabling factor is the transparency required in the governance mechanism and also the need to guarantee the effective participation of the community council´s representatives and of the environmental authorities. Also, the thorough following of the proposals and projects are a key factor for the mechanism to work. And -lastly- is it of high importance to continue with the building capacities process with local stakeholders to ensure that the proposals will be in line with the management plans and the prioritized needs.
We learned that the involvement of the community’s actors is required from the very beginning to obtain an acceptance of the rules and an empowerment of the local stakeholders regarding the management of the areas that they use to satisfy their needs. We also learned, that building this kind of mechanisms requires a lot of time and it´s very important to make that clear with all the allies so they don’t expect the financial support in an early stage.
The consolidation of a co-management mechanism requires that the public entities understand the value of the inputs of the community, and that they are willing to prioritize the investment needs in accordance with the needs of the local stakeholders.
Lastly, it´s important to mention that an endowment can create a lot of false expectations in different actors, and that´s way is necessary to consolidate a communications strategy that can reach national, regional, and local levels.
Using tourism economic data for analysis, reporting and influencing decision-making
Iguaçu National Park
thiago Beraldo
The main objective of tourism and recreation economic analysis have been used for public relations objectives. Common objectives of tourism economic analyses have been to increase support for raising PA budgets, for building partnerships, and for influencing local policies and planning decisions.
These types of uses require lower levels of detail or accuracy compared with other studies focused on evaluating management alternatives for specific PA issues, like decisions about new investments, facilities or services. For instance, park managers may wish to use this tool for the purpose of adaptive management and/or integrate economic impact evaluation with a livelihoods or social analysis of the PA that reveals non-monetary benefits and costs. In such cases, the study should be designed to allow for estimation of local level impacts.
At the same time, government administrators may wish to compare the national level value of a park with other land uses or parks in similar regions. What is important is that major stakeholders are consulted prior to the design phase so that chosen measures and their relationship to the park reflect what is desired to be known by the intended audience.
The presentation of the results should be focused on the purpose of the report and the audience. Figures and examples facilitate the public understanding. In order to support presentations,
PA managers should communicate the TEMPA results in order to raise awareness among policy-makers, conservation and commercial stakeholders, local communities, and the public at large of the value that PAs serve not just for conservation but also as engines for benefit-sharing.
Results should be communicated in terms that are understandable to the intended audience. Normally, a summary and glossary of economic terms is helpful for most audiences. The most common measures are sales, income, jobs, GDP and taxes; formal definitions of the measures are also needed to clarify these terms and the measurement units.
Tourism Economic Model in Protected Areas (TEMPA) assessment tool
Table Mountain National Park - Boulders - South Africa
Thiago Beraldo
As part of a larger effort to assess the socio-economic impacts of GEF-funded Protected Areas, the Tourism Economic Model for Protected Areas (TEMPA) was developed to help guide project managers and others in the collection, analysis and display of tourism spending data using an easy to use spreadsheet-based tool, which is also provided. Despite the fact that economic impact analysis has been applied in many countries, such as, USA, Canada, Australia, Finland, Namibia, and South Africa, this preliminary version of the tool and accompanying spreadsheet represents an initial step in a longer process of testing and refining TEMPA in a wide range of protected area categories globally. At present, TEMPA has been tested only in one selected park in Southern Africa, and nationally for Brazil. Results show significant direct and indirect economic gains from parks at the local and national level. It is hoped that the widespread use of tools such as TEMPA can continue to build from this effort to highlight the important multi-faceted role that protected areas play in supporting nature and livelihoods.
Estimating the economic effects of visitor expenditure
Economic Effects = Number of Visitors * Average spending per visitor * Economic multipliers
To complete the analysis, the manager undertaking a park study needs to collect or estimate the following:
the number of visitors who visit the parks and surrounding area;
the average spending per visitor in the region, and;
apply economic multipliers to measure the ripple effects of expenditure within the region (TEMPA).
The TEMPA model assists the manager with entering data and calculating the economic impact of a park. Setting up the calculations to estimate the economic effects of tourism expenditure may seem rather daunting, especially to people with little experience in economics and the analysis of economic data. Therefore, the model that will do most of the work, and is likely to surprise with how easy it is to use.
Identifying the problem: Conducting economic instead of financial analysis
Tourism Economic Model in Protected Areas (TEMPA) assessment tool
Using tourism economic data for analysis, reporting and influencing decision-making
Table banking and group with a difference
The table banking aspect of the project was responding to the needs of the community to access affordable loans for businessess and farming activities.
We supported the group in training on financial management and accountability.
The table banking aspects has attracted the younger people who are interested in doing farming as a business. This has helped in improving livelihod food security
Increased production has enabled the emergence of small businesses with table banking enabling access to affordable loans.
Farmers have also been able to take their children to schools thus increasing knowledge and skills within the community
Access to cheap and affordable loans to engage in business and farming activities is fundamental in improving community livelihoods.
It is vital to include capacity building in leadership and financial accountability skills to enhance governance on the resources.
Training was also done to increase the repayment period from one month to at least 6-12 months. This is what is referred to as group with a difference where the loans do not become a burden to the community members who have adequate tim to repay and get returns on investments.
Communities in two counties formed a Community Forest Association (CFA), which was empowered through training and the sustainable use of non-timber forest products.
They were also trained in surveilance and reporting, while ensuring government officers work in close collaboration with these groups with timely action on any reporting.
Mutual trust among community members
Government agencies partneships with local communities
Paradigm change in forest management that allowed nearby commnunities have user rights, and partcicpate in decision making process
Building mutual trust between communities and government agencies is key in sustainable ecosystems management (forests and riperaian zones included)
Community capacity building can better monitor natural resources just as well as other institutions due to sense of ownership
Famers are assisted in prevention, and restoration of degraded lands and ecosystems leading to more land production, increased family income and improved standards of living.
Land avalilability
Community cohesion
Institutional capacity
Technical expertise
Improving farmer capacity through knowledge and financing for better land management has huge potential in improving family income, food security and livelihood.
Targeting primary school students for environmental education leads to behavioral change not only among the students but also entire society. Students are voices of change.
The Seed Sovereignty Project has been able to work with women farmers to restore beneficial and traditional seed varieties that had been lost like sorghum, millet, legumes and other grain crops.
The community faced food insecurity mainly due to climate change related challenges and overdependence on maize. Tharaka Nithi County is generally an arid and dry area where maize does not do well. the farmers were encouraged to focus on climate resilient crops like millet, sorghum and green grams.
The willingness of the community to engage in participatory planning and embrace the proposed strategies to revive local and indigenous crop varieties.
Diversification of grain and legume varieties increased food security and enhanced their nutrition status.
The seed and traditional food fairs revived and enhanced cultural values and practices with the young people being thus contributing to intergenerational learning.
Collaboration with others like the National Museums of Kenya was important in ensuring the continuity of the annual Meru Cultural and Food Festival to date.
