Six Monthly Technical Progress Report July 2011December ... - WWF
Six Monthly Technical Progress Report July 2011December ... - WWF
Six Monthly Technical Progress Report July 2011December ... - WWF
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will be recruited in January 2012. A National planning team has been identified and <br />
the planning framework and schedule agreed upon with the relevant role players. <br />
<br />
Intermediate result 1.7 <br />
By end of the project: One sustainable financing mechanism will have been developed <br />
per Protected Area. <br />
<br />
Although no specific action has been taken regarding this intermediate Result yet, <br />
the unlocking of the potential of the Protected Areas and related corridors to “sell” <br />
ecosystem services, more specifically watershed services, is a matter which will be <br />
explored with the relevant authorities. Some informal discussions have been <br />
conducted in this regard. The same principle applies to the tourism potential of the <br />
PAs . Interest has also been expressed in conducting “conservation tourism” where <br />
tourists accompany Forest Guards on patrols (conditionally). “Scientific tourism”, <br />
where tourists accompany biologists on specific field surveys, may also be an <br />
alternative to explore. <br />
<br />
Specific result 2 <br />
The Xe Sap National Protected Area is effectively managed <br />
Summary <br />
<br />
Planning and preparation for the implementation of the CarBi project started well, <br />
with an MoU between <strong>WWF</strong> and Government Counterparts signed on 19 <strong>July</strong> 2011 <br />
and a four year work plan agreed to and finalized on 5 August 2011. An NPA office <br />
was established in Saravane in <strong>July</strong> 2011 and a project management organization <br />
structure at central, provincial and district levels was established on 10 August <br />
2011. Twenty Two government staff were assigned to the NPA while <strong>WWF</strong> was able <br />
to recruit and train a MIST/GIS Officer, Admin Officer and Finance Officer. VFI was <br />
contracted as service provider/partner to progress the community cooperation and <br />
development goals, and the 10 target villages have been identified in conjunction <br />
with the District Governor’s offices. A protection strategy workshop was held in <br />
October 2011 where a zonation framework and basis for a protection strategy were <br />
developed. Of concern have been the capacity challenges at all levels in Lao. The <br />
project has been without a Landscape Manager from the beginning despite a <br />
number of recruitment attempts. The Protected Area Manager left at the end of <br />
October 2011 and has not been replaced yet. Forest Guard recruitment <br />
(assignment) only took place in December, and will begin patrols in February.<br />
Despite this, planning has moved ahead and strides were made in village PRA <br />
methodology development, biodiversity reconnaissance surveys and planning, <br />
infrastructure planning and approvals and trans boundary cooperation. <br />
Importantly, a management planning process was initiated, with process and <br />
structure agreed upon. A Forest Guard training curricula has been agreed upon, and <br />
MIST technical implementation received a boost with agreement to review technical <br />
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