Download Capability Statement Biodiversity Conservation and Natural

Capability Statement
Biodiversity Conservation and Natural
Resources Management
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Biodiversity Conservation and Protected Areas Management
Integrated Natural Resources Management
Participatory Forestry
Biodiversity Conservation and Protected Areas Management
Euroconsult Mott MacDonald‘s
experience:
 Developing guidelines and
approaches for sustainable
utilisation of biological resources
 Development of protected area
systems, strategies, guidelines
and regulations
 Wildlife management and
improved habitat management
 Developing and implementing
plans for habitat restoration
 GIS and database management
for ecosystem planning and
management
 Contribution to international
conservation treaties
 Control of invasive alien species
 Biodiversity trust funds
 Design of GEF biodiversity
conservation projects
 Identifying and promoting
sustainable use of biodiversity
 Equitable sharing of biodiversity
benefits
Biological diversity or biodiversity is the variety of life in its various forms:
plants, animals and micro-organisms, their genes and the ecosystems of
which they form a part. Conservation of biodiversity is central to safeguarding
the environment and is enshrined in the Convention on Biological Diversity
(CBD), one of the key agreements to emerge out of the 1992 Earth Summit in
Rio de Janeiro. Biodiversity conservation is not only a matter of preserving
unique species, but is seen as part of an overall strategy for survival of the
planet. Loss of biodiversity means a loss of options, something mankind
cannot afford. Loss of biodiversity is perceived by many to be among major
risks linked with unsustainable development, deforestation, climate change
and sea level rise.
Biodiversity Conservation is often one of the main objectives for Protected
Areas Management, along with natural heritage safeguarding, protecting
scientific, educational and recreational interests, and protection of
ecosystem functioning. In protected areas, human exploitation and
interference is often limited, and allowable activities are restricted according
to the category of protection.
Conservation efforts
It is now generally accepted that preservation of the gene pool of indigenous fauna
and flora is of crucial importance to man’s survival. This awareness has resulted in
the launching of the World Conservation Strategy (IUCN) and the adoption of the
World Biodiversity Convention (1992). National conservation strategies and
biodiversity conservation strategies of many nations have acted as a catalyst and
have put nature conservation on a higher footing.
While early conservation efforts focused on protection of species, the current focus
is on preservation of the whole range of biodiversity ranging from broader
ecosystems to genetic diversity within species. It is also recognised that all levels
must be addressed, as species require habitats for their survival, and if significant
genetic erosion occurs within a population, this is destined to decline and disappear.
Maintaining biological diversity is a responsibility that comes with being stewards of
the environment. It also makes economic sense to maintain diversity, as in this way
we maintain our options, for example, for future utilisation of a species or its genetic
diversity. Central to conservation of biological diversity in most cases is a nation’s
protected area (PA) system, which aims at protecting key species and habitats. In
addition, tools are often in place for protection of key species outside PA systems,
for example via protective legislation and agreements restricting trade in
endangered species. Maintaining intra-specific diversity is often more problematic
and more difficult to address, although translocation (e.g. of individuals between
populations), preserving sub-populations and maintaining of seed banks and
collections (e.g. of varieties of rice and fruit trees) are tried and tested approaches.
Significant effort has been devoted to gene pool conservation and impressive
achievements can be reported in the field of conservation of threatened species.
Both in situ and ex situ conservation successes can be reported. However, there are
still too many examples of loss of species, declining populations of already
endangered species and irreversible impacts on species’ habitats.
Sustainable and equitable use of biodiversity
Biodiversity has its intrinsic value, but in many societies it also has a direct value, for
example as a source of food, medicine, materials, clothing and so on. Utilisation can
be a boon to communities, but over exploitation of the resource can lead to
population decline and eventually (local) extinction of species, often combined with
impacts on the wider ecosystem. Key is nurturing forms of sustainable use of
biodiversity. Many traditional communities have developed forms of self regulation
that promote sustainable use of resources. However, in changing societies such
systems often unravel, and over exploitation often results. Developing new
approaches for sustainable use or rediscovering former systems of resource
management form the key to long-term use of biological diversity.
Biodiversity utilisation can benefit few or many, but in order for this usage to be
sustainable, an equitable distribution of benefits is required. Local communities are
the traditional stewards of biodiversity resources, but are often not in a good position
to benefit from new markets or forms of use. As a result, external entrepreneurs
often end up reaping short-term benefits, while local stakeholders – who are more
inclined to take a long-term view – are marginalized.
Establishing Partnerships for Biodiversity Conservation and Protected Areas
Management
Often, the enforcement of protection measures in newly established parks and
reserves entails changes in land use practices: no more livestock grazing, shifting
cultivation, felling of trees, wood collection, hunting and poaching, accidental fires
and so on. This leads to changes in the biotic communities that may require
intervention if we do not want to lose some of the elements we initially sought to
preserve. The question then arises whether to interfere or to let nature take its
course. We feel that clearly and unambiguously stated “Objectives for Management”
will answer this question. Also, even the most restricted and regulated form of use
by visitors causes disturbances that require effectively enforced control measures.
These are two key principles of Euroconsult Mott MacDonald’s approach to
Biodiversity Conservation and Protected Area. Next in our approach is to seek solid
support from communities and stakeholders in the periphery of protected areas. Our
approach to buffer zone establishment is based on both existing guidelines and on
our own experience.
Integrated Natural Resources Management
As a concept, Integrated Natural Resources Management (INRM) brings
together many aspects with the broad objective to sustainably manage the
ways in which humans interact with natural resources, in order to promote a
We have provided expertise in
the following fields:
 Design and implementation
of soil and water
conservation structures
 Advising on INRM related
policy and strategy
development
 Restructuring and
institutional strengthening
 Advising local governments
on partnerships for INRM
 Participatory approaches in
INRM
 Training, on-the-job knowhow transfer, and capacity
building for INRM
 Diversification and
intensification of agricultural
production
 Crop-livestock diversification
and production technology
 Farm and production
innovation systems, agroforestry
 Development of agricultural
value chains
 Gender and environmental
studies
 Social impact and benefit
assessment
sustained quality of life for both present and future generations. INRM
incorporates all aspects of natural resource use (land use, water use) into a
management system to meet the needs of direct users (i.e. farmers who aim
for productivity, households who have a need for food security, etc) as well as
to meet indirect objectives (e.g. environmental conservation). INRM can only
successfully take place when it promotes sound multi-sectoral and multi-level
collaboration between institutional actors, private sector parties (the industry:
agriculture, mining, tourism, fisheries, forestry etc), and civil society (local
populations, NGOs). The agricultural sector is in many cases key to INRM, as
it is integral to resource use (land and water use) as well as providing outputs
for other direct users.
Euroconsult Mott MacDonald has been committed to INRM , in specific agricultural
sector management & development and soil & water conservation, virtually all over
the world for more than 50 years now, This includes advice on INRM related policies
and strategies, and assistance in designing, managing and monitoring INRM related
development projects and programmes. Euroconsult Mott MacDonald views
agriculture as a key element in achieving sound INRM. Land used for the production
of agricultural crops generally leads to a significantly higher rate of erosion than land
covered by natural vegetation. Improved land use and agricultural practices such as
terracing and conservation tillage, serve the dual purpose of combating these soil
losses effectively while at the same time conserving water. Water harvesting and/or
conservation methods may transform rain-fed agriculture into a sustainable system
in areas prone to periods of droughts. Water conservation methods will reduce the
need for irrigation and can thus save ‘blue water’ for other purposes.
INRM is by nature trans-sectoral and a long-term affair, which places a large
responsibility on cooperation between national, regional and local administrations,
the industry and civil society, in order to create lasting and sustainable effects. In our
approach we promote the establishment and maintenance of partnerships and
sound collaboration between these (and other relevant) actors as a key to
successful INRM.
Participatory Forestry
It is increasingly recognized that participatory approaches and community
involvement are essential for the sustainable use and successful
management of forest resources. In the past, efforts to protect resources by
preventing people from using them proved to be unsuccessful. Gradually,
the appreciation that local people depend on resources and are thus
interested in managing these resources has grown, especially in relation to
improving or promoting sustainable livelihoods for the poorest or
disadvantaged groups.
Forests and Poverty Reduction
About 1.6 billion people in the world depend to some degree on forest resources for
their livelihoods. For millions of people living in poverty forests and trees outside
forests provide food, fuel and building material. Additionally, forest resources provide
income through employment and through the sale of wood and non-wood forest
products. Forests and forestry can thus contribute to the efforts of the Millennium
Development Goals, especially the one of halving the number of people suffering
from poverty and hunger by 2015.
We have provided expertise in the
following fields:
 Reforestation of degraded
lands
 Community organization
 Extension to farmers
 Participatory planning
 Technical support to community
groups
 Village nursery establishment &
management
 Forest management advice
 Forest governance, law and
policy
Forests, Climate Change and Ecosystem Restoration
Climate change is emerging as one of the greatest challenges of the twenty-first
century. Forests play a major role in climate change, as they currently contribute to
about one-sixth of global carbon emissions through clearance and over exploitation;
they could produce wood fuels as alternative to fossil fuels if managed in a
sustainable way, and they have a potential to absorb a large portion of the global
carbon emissions.
Extensive land use potentially has a significant impact on the functioning of
ecosystems, specifically in areas with vulnerable ecosystem services. As
ecosystems are cyclic by nature, degradation of one ecosystem service can lead to
further degradation of other interlinked ecosystem services. Forestry, (and in a
broader sense, re-vegetation) practices, have in many cases worldwide proved to be
a strong tool towards restoring natural ecosystem services (i.e. soil and water
restoration, desertification control).
Focus on Community Participation (participatory forestry)
From this situation, a new role has emerged for forests and forest management. The
new approach seeks to integrate forests and trees firmly into the process of rural
development, shifting the responsibility for forest or woodlot management to local
communities by stimulating their active participation. Only when people appreciate
the social, economic and environmental benefits from forests does sustainable
exploitation seem to be feasible.
Contact us
Mrs Caroline la Chapelle
T
+ 31 26 3577315
M
+31 6 27060576
F
+31 26 3577577
E [email protected]
www.ecbmb.nl
Approach
Our experience is that the success of participatory forestry projects depends on the
degree in which a set of often complex conditions are met, which may be different
for every situation. Of special importance are:
 consensus and solidarity among the community members, which is considered
vital for good management and equitable distribution of benefits;
 a supportive and coordinating role of village leaders, especially women group
leaders;
 the level of confidence of the community in their leaders, as well as in technical
forestry department advisors;
 a short period between planting and harvesting, which limits the choice to fastgrowing species;
 guaranteed tenure rights for the communities;
 a clear definition (prior to implementation) of duties and tasks, and of harvesting
(usufruct) rights.
Making People Responsible
For a participatory forestry programme to be successful it is essential that the local
communities feel responsible for undertaking the forestry activities, and have the
assurance that they can share the benefits and revenues from the plantation.