Subnational | PANORAMA

Achieving participatory governance for adaptation

Women managing the communal forestry nursery (Esquichá Microbasin)

IUCN @ Paul Aragón

Youth representative taking part in forest monitoring

IUCN @ Paul Aragón

To strengthen governance, improvements needed to be made in the participation of government and local stakeholders in the management of the micro-basin.

At the local level, the organizational base of the communities was reinforced, through community leaders and their understanding of the importance of water recharge areas. It was further supported by the Communal Forestry Nursery Commissions, generally administered by women; and the Community Development Councils, which were more strongly integrated into the Esquichá River Micro-basin Council. Thus, participation was catalyzed from the bottom up, notably with youth also participating, especially in reforestation events that entailed >1000 people.

The role of the state also increased through dialogues and agreements with municipalities, and access by communities to forest incentives. The greatest added value was a local empowerment achieved by social mobilization (including women), "action learning" (process that involves the implementation of EbA activities, coupled with a practical capacity building program), organizational capacity, community and micro-basin governance processes. What has been achieved is a reflection of a strong community commitment thanks to participatory governance.

Climate change related impacts, and in particular the availability of water, are factors of concern to most micro-watershed stakeholders. This awareness increases their willingness to participate in dialogue processes, constant learning, the search for solutions and joint actions. In Esquichá, extreme weather events in previous years had strongly impacted several communities, causing damage to both assets (e.g. crops, housing, productive infrastructure) and water resources.

The Esquichá River Micro-basin Council brings together: municipalities, COCODEs (Community development councils), Communal Forestry Nursery Commissions and municipalities representatives. Pledging to strengthen these communal structures was highly effective, given that the greater organizational capacity and female leadership in the communities helped to consolidate the governance of the Micro-basin Council.
The empowerment of women benefits the management of natural resources and the social cohesion of communities. In the arena of the Communal Forestry Nurseries Commissions, women felt they had much to contribute and having taken ownership of these spaces, their confidence to take part in other structures increased as well.
Women learnt that they can take action, and are key actors in promoting forest restoration for water recharge. They learnt that collective action and leadership is needed for restoration scale actions.

Achieving multi-dimensional governance for adaptation

Instancias de gobernanza en múltiples niveles

IUCN

Showcasing the work of the Esquichá Micro-basin Council

IUCN @ Milton Navarro

The Esquichá River Micro-basin Council acts as a platform for dialogue, advocacy, capacity building and appropriation of lessons learned and tools; therefore, it is a key means for up-scaling EbA to different levels. With a view of vertical scaling, lessons of its work have influenced different levels:

the Municipality of Tacaná that will include EbA measures into municipal planning.
the Coatán River Council (only with national Guatemalan authorities) which facilitates inter-sectoral cooperation and management with a basin-wide vision, beyond the mere political-administrative sphere.
the Coordinator of Natural Resources and Environment of San Marcos Department (CORNASAM). CORNASAM coordinates the efforts of governmental actors and NGOs, as well as the municipalities of the Department of San Marcos.
the National Secretary of Planning (SEGEPLAN) in order to improve guidelines given to municipalites planning.
the Ministry of Environment (MARN), that is using lessons learnt to scale up a Green Climate Fund project that implements EbA measures.
the Forest Institute (INAB)

Further work is needed to have a binational coordiantion of the Coatán river basin, shared among Guatemala and Mexico to have a higher impact on the benefits of EbA.

Using traditional knowledge and local experiences to select EbA measures, enabling the application of EbA
The participatory structure of the Esquichá River Micro-basin Council, which is made up of the Community Development Councils of local communities, fostered the possibility of working in an organized manner and influencing higher levels (e.g. Municipal Councils).
The existence of CORNASAM since 2004 was an enabling factor, since the purpose of this platform aligns well with the objective of improving adaptation capacities in the micro-basin

Platforms such as CORNASAM are ideal for strengthening adaptation governance, since they bring together national and sub-national institutions and authorities from different sectors (vertical integration). CORNASAM seeks to reduce isolated approaches and aims to facilitate the identification of mutual benefits and synergies between sectors and their adaptation needs (horizontal integration).
Governance for EbA must promote open, equitable, respectful, and effective participation, so that planning and decision-making processes are enriched by the participation and the results are accepted by all parties involved.

CORNASAM reflects on 6 years of work

Esquichá micro-basin Council receives ministerial recognition for its work

Creation of the Environmental Investment Fund for the Galapagos Marine Reserve

The objective is to establish and capitalize a trust fund, which is anchored to the Sustainable Environmental Investment Fund (FIAS), in order to protect, preserve and conserve the Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR), ensuring its financial sustainability.

The main long-term milestone to be achieved with this fund is to increase the 40 miles of the GMR. In addition, the fund will be used to develop and implement a plan for the prevention, conservation and preservation of the GMR. To achieve these milestones, three main programs were defined. However, two cross-cutting themes were identified as crucial to achieving good preservation and conservation of the GMR, namely Climate Change and Environmental Communication and Education.

The three programs are:

Maintain and strengthen the Monitoring and Surveillance program of the GMR to protect the marine heritage;
Guarantee the conservation of the GMR and its ecological integrity, through monitoring and research for the rational use of its environmental goods and services;
Contribute to the development and implementation of the Emergency Plan for the GMR.

The updating of the value of tourism operation patents;
In Ecuador there is a Sustainable Environmental Investment Fund (FIAS) that will allow us to create this GMR fund under its umbrella;
The existence of a Galapagos Invasive Species Fund, anchored to the FIAS, is an example of success for the creation of the marine reserve fund, providing confidence for investors.

The creation of this type of fund helps to mitigate the instability of financing by the State and external cooperation;
In negotiations with external cooperation to seek their willingness to invest in this fund, or help in the search for donors for it, it has been well received in this environment due to the factor of sustainability over time;
The State, through its Ministry of Finance, has positively received the GNPD's initiative to implement the fund;
One of the main barriers that had to be overcome was political instability. However, as explained in the previous building block, the technical nature of this project outweighed the political.

Documentation and dissemination of results

Increase in the collection of tourist operation patents

The reasons that prompted the process of updating the fee were:

20 years without updating the value of the tourist operation patent fee:
It was derisory compared to the income that tourism operators receive;
The cost of administration and management of the reserve where users benefit from its environmental services;

Relevant aspects of the agreement reached to update the fee:

Sociabilization with the tourism sector for payment agreements;
4-year negotiation process
Different types of negotiations (larger and smaller depending on the type of tourism);
The value is updated each year based on the unified basic salary SBU in force in Ecuador, the formula multiplies the Net Registration Tonnage of the vessel by 80% of the SBU;
Payment facilities to the operator, i.e. the value can be paid in three installments.
The Reserve has optimized its systems to make the collection order online and payment through bank transfers.
Smaller vessels pay less
The state charged 492,000 USD for 162 tourist vessels, with the increase the charge will be progressive, in 2018 will be collected 1'902,847 USD; in 2019 2'885,540 USD; and from 2020 onwards 3'915,312 USD.

Socialization with the tourism sector and other stakeholders;
Political will;
Quality technical report;
Dissemination of management issues and needs of the reserve, community and key stakeholders;
The reserve's zoning process was created and socialized with the different users;
It was accepted by the tourism operators because they themselves were aware that the increase was necessary for good management of the reserve, meaning the conservation and preservation of the zones in which they operate.

That processes that are socialized and negotiated with key stakeholders from the outset bring fewer problems in their implementation;
That decision making with quality technical reports support the decisions taken;
Despite the high turnover of the highest authorities, the project had to be presented on several occasions to be approved by the current authority;
Despite the political will, the process has to be carried out in a technical manner and not get involved in the political arena;
The government itself realized that it is a process that can be replicated in other issues.

acuerdo_ministerial_086_cobro_de_patentes_2018.pdf

Sustainable coffee agroforestry systems

The agroforestry systems of coffee cultivation that are developed in the buffer zone of the PNN Tamá are part of a joint work that has been done from the protected area with the surrounding communities in order to promote processes of conservation of ecosystem services and sustainable local development. The consolidation of the Rural Women's Team of the San Alberto Village in the municipality of Norte de Santander has strengthened empowerment and the gender approach to sustainable rural development through the cultivation of organic coffee as a productive activity that has also strengthened the shared management of the protected area and its relationship with the communities based on the ecosystem services it provides.

These productive alternatives have been developed with strategic allies such as KFW, which has allowed the consolidation of a development approach that considers the importance of PNN Tamá and its ecosystem services. From this perspective, the rural women's association has become a successful management strategy represented in communities surrounding the park that are part of the conservation, planning, and management of the protected area.

Empowerment of rural communities under the approach of sustainable agroforestry systems that favor the conservation and connectivity of the buffer zone of PNN Tamá.
Strengthening of strategic alliances with local beneficiaries of the protected area's water resources, which has favored the recognition of the importance of the conservation of strategic ecosystems.
Building a gender focus that has allowed the development of sustainable rural activities that favor conservation.

The planning and management of protected areas must necessarily involve the management of the different beneficiary sectors and communities surrounding the protected areas, since shared management and the co-responsibility of the actors articulate the different interests in actions that respond to both the conservation of ecosystems and local and regional development.
The protected area has strengthened its management, planning, and administration through the support provided to the rural women's association, since the advances in coffee agroforestry systems have consolidated a productive alternative and built trust with the communities, which in turn represents an effective alliance for conservation as it generates appropriation of the importance of the protected area and its ecosystem services.

Creation of Civil Society Nature Reserves

Gallery National Natural Parks of Colombia

Isolation of properties for conservation

Galería Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia

Nursery for restoration in nature reserves

Galería Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia

The stability of protected areas often depends on Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures to stabilize their buffer zone. Furthermore, these strategies become more effective to the extent that the inhabitants neighboring the protected areas are involved. In this sense, PNN Tamá has focused its efforts on supporting the creation of Civil Society Nature Reserves (RNSC) on the lands of neighboring communities to form a conservation corridor. This type of strategy has proven to be quite effective because the vocation of the property of the peasant families harmonizes with the conservation objectives of the strategic ecosystems. Among others, with the allies, land has been purchased to constitute RNSC.

The strengthening of ecological corridors through strategies such as the creation of Civil Society Nature Reserves favors the connectivity of strategic ecosystems, facilitating the provision of ecosystem services over time.
The purchase of land necessary to create Civil Society Nature Reserves contributes positively to the access of opportunities for local communities.

The creation of community-managed protected areas in the buffer zone is an important complementary strategy that harmonizes private land uses with the conservation objectives of the protected area and surrounding strategic systems.
In some cases, it is necessary to obtain resources to acquire the land on which the protected management areas can be established by civil society actors.

Participatory water resource monitoring

Rainfall monitoring

Galería Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia

Rainfall monitoring 2

Galería Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia

Knowledge of the hydrological cycle in watersheds supplying water resources is considered strategic to favor the provision of hydrological ecosystem services in quality and quantity that favor the different beneficiary sectors. In this sense, knowing through participatory monitoring the behavior and variability of water quality and quantity indicators of water sources is vital to understand how actions in the territory influence the state of the watersheds. Likewise, the inclusion of the communities represents an opportunity for the recognition and appropriation of the importance of conservation and the development of strategies that favor financial sustainability reflected in the attainment of monetary and in-kind resources that allow the development of ways of life of the communities in accordance with the conservation objectives of the protected area.

With our allies at KFW, we have been able to strengthen rural families and associations such as the Rural Women's Team of San Alberto in the municipality of Toledo, thus strengthening the gender perspective as an example of shared management in the planning and management of protected areas.

Consolidation of community networks with rural population.
Strengthening of the gender approach in local associations.
Knowledge of the hydrological ecosystem services and management strategies that favor the additionality of water resources for the various beneficiaries.
Strengthening of complementary strategies that favor the sustainability of long-term actions in the buffer zone, thus protecting PNN Tamá.

Knowledge of the importance of ecosystem services in protected areas should be based on integrated approaches that make it possible to relate social as well as biophysical and economic values and involve the integrated management of resources from a shared management perspective.
Importance of the gender approach in strengthening participatory processes.
The strengthening of community processes in buffer zones of protected areas is of vital importance for the sustainability of actions in the territory that help to reduce pressures on conserved ecosystems. Protected areas cannot limit themselves only to guaranteeing stability within the area, but also to articulating conservation efforts in the buffer zones.

Implementation

Monitoring

Documentation and dissemination of results

Local

Subnational

VIDEO SAN ALBERTO EMURSA

Planning and land management

Knowing and managing the instruments, instances and processes in which land occupation models, land use and activity regulation are planned is fundamental for the effective management of protected areas and the viability of the territory.

Capacity building in land-use planning.

The rise of rural areas in planning and the new global urban agenda that allows us to see that there are not only cities but also human settlements.

The trend and commitment to manage protected areas beyond borders.

The Sustainable Development Goals

Territory is not only a polysemous concept but also the scenario where different social and institutional interests are managed.

In the territory there are not only socio-environmental conflicts but also ethno-territorial, sectoral and political-administrative conflicts, but the management of all of them requires a social agreement.

Positioning biodiversity and protected areas in public policies of development and territorial planning requires intersectoral management and the development of skills for the participation of technical bodies with technical contributions that contribute to common goals, i.e. learning to be part of a collective and to manage in a network.

Bases de la Política General de Ordenamiento Territorial de Colombia

Lineamientos para adelantar el proceso de ordenamiento territorial departamental

Comite Especial Interinstitucional de la Comisión de Ordenamiento Territorial

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.

Subnational

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.

Subnational