Scope of Work. USAID Green Annamites Project Biodiversity inventories in selected protected areas in Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam Province

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1 Scope of Work USAID Project Biodiversity inventories in selected protected areas in Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam Province 1. Background Forests play a critical role in Vietnam by protecting watersheds, preventing soil erosion, mitigating climate change, and building resilience for communities. Forests in the Annamites region of Vietnam are home to rare and endemic species found nowhere else in the world. Unfortunately, these forests and forest dwelling species are being depleted at an alarming rate. This is due to conversion of forests into other economic uses, and to unsustainable livelihood activities based on extraction of forest resources of surrounding forest-dependent populations who lack alternative economic means. The USAID project supports Vietnam s transition to climate-smart, low emission, and resilient development that protects people, landscapes, and biodiversity in the central Annamites, with a focus on Quang Nam and Thua Thien Hue provinces. The program aims at achieving the three following results: - Increased application of low emission land use: USAID supports the provinces of Quang Nam and Thua Thien Hue to conserve and enhance their carbon stocks. It also aims at assisting the target regions in reducing or stopping carbon emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and unsustainable agricultural practices; and to increase carbon sequestration from restoration of degraded landscapes. One of the key activities is to improve livelihoods for local forest-dependent communities through a market-based value chain approach and partnerships with the private sector. - Biodiversity conservation strengthened: The project assists the target provinces to mitigate threats to their globally significant biodiversity, including poaching and activities that destroy wildlife habitat and cause habitat fragmentation. Key interventions include promoting a landscape approach in biodiversity conservation and creating alternative livelihoods for local communities, which will thereby lessen negative impacts on biodiversity. Building capacity for key stakeholders, such as protected area authorities, is critical. - Increased resilience for vulnerable communities: This component seeks to ensure that all results of activities supported under the two previous components are climate resilient. USAID will build adaptive capacity for GVN stakeholders (like Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DONRE); Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD)), as well as for key stakeholders from private sector and civil society. Understanding biological diversity in terms of the processes by which ecosystems function and their components, be it at community, species, population or genetic levels, are critical to inform its sustainability and to safeguard it for the benefit of future generations. Biological diversity is dynamic, continually evolving and changing in response to biotic and abiotic fluctuations and other environmental pressures. Thus, it is necessary to record or benchmark the status quo and subsequently monitor that status quo in order to record, assess and understand changes to biological diversity for purposes of its future management. 1

2 The Central Annamites is one of the largest continuous natural forest areas in continental Asia and houses important protected areas in Quang Nam and Thua Thien Hue province. It is home to many endemic species including the saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis), large antlered muntjac (Muntiacus vuquangensis), Truong Son muntjac (Muntiacus truongsonensis), Owston s civet (Chrotogale owstoni), crested argus (Rheinardia ocellata), and Annamite striped rabbit (Nesolagus timminsi); as well as other species of high conservation value: gibbons (Nomascus annamenis), red and grey shanked douc langurs (Pygathrix spp.) and several pheasants (Lophura spp). To date the only information available to all management boards stems from rapid wildlife and habitat assessments conducted prior to the preparation of an investment plan for establishment of these nature reserves 1 which produced lists of species but hardly any information useful for the setting of management priorities. The conservation value of these nature reserves is thought to be contained in the remaining rich broadleaf evergreen forest. However, there is insufficient information in many areas on the distribution of high priority habitats and wildlife species within the landscape. 2. Purpose Statement To establish a baseline for biological diversity monitoring systems in identified PAs. This will include abundance of key species data in the landscape that will provide input into management planning and zoning of target protected areas. This data will serve as a basis for upgrading, expanding and establishing new PAs in the landscape and facilitating sustainable management. 3. Objectives: - Data collection for biodiversity baseline data in 5 protected areas - Establish biodiversity monitoring system database and design the complex biodiversity monitoring for each PA based on the current system if any. - Forest cover assessments to determine forest fragmentation and forest integrity - Re-zoning and zoning of Protected Areas (PA) to propose new PA standard - Management recommendations for key protected and proposed protected areas in Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam provinces - Conduct training needs assessment and provide training to Rangers and PA staff. 4. Activities to be implemented: i. Conduct desk review of biodiversity inventory data and ecological data within relevant PAs and other projects (eg. CarBI/WWF) to provide a preliminary biological basis for PA status and identify gaps in biodiversity information that need to be collected at ground surveys. 1 Bach Ma National Park (established in 1982); Song Thanh Nature Reserve (established in 2000); Quang Nam Saola Nature Reserve (in 2012); Phong Dien Nature Reserve (in 2006); Thua Thien Hue Sao La Nature Reserve (in 2013); Bac Hai Van Protection Forest Area (in 1992) 2

3 ii. iii. iv. Conduct field-based inventory including biological baseline studies and threat assessments; including quantitative inventory of population abundance/occupancy of key indicator species. Analyze the PA status to ensure its biological representation for effective and sustainable management and to meet criteria for upgrading PA, expanding PA or establishing a new PA standard such as Asian Biosphere Reserve. Conduct forest cover analysis (GIS and remote sensing studies) to identify forest integrity and forest fragmentation for target PAs and nearby areas for conservation zoning. v. Develop database(s) for tracking biodiversity and threats in target PAs to provide additional and comprehensive monitoring system. vi. vii. viii. ix. Develop management recommendations for target PAs to ensure long-term biodiversity value, reduction in threats and sustainable development opportunities (eg. sustainable financing for conservation mechanisms). Develop zonation recommendations for target PAs based on distribution and abundance of key taxa/ species, threats, ecotourism opportunities, natural resource distribution, settlements etc., for sustainable and equitable management. Provide ecological criteria and legislative framework for target PAs for upgrading, expanding or designating new standard PAs. Develop Standard Operating Procedures for biodiversity and threat monitoring as a basis for training for baseline surveys and follow-up monitoring. x. Conduct training needs assessment and relevant trainings for technical staff and rangers of key protected areas in the field of biodiversity, survey techniques including threat assessment, monitoring and species identification as the staff will also participate in the baselines and will conduct follow up monitoring afterward. At least 2 training courses will be conducted targeting 50% of staff in each PA. To be completed prior to surveys as PA staff will assist in the inventory and provided with on the job training. xi. xii. Develop one page fact sheet for each PA in Vietnamese and English Language. Present the findings from the field work and the ensuing recommendations at stakeholder meetings/workshops etc., of province, district, commune officials and management boards. 5. Deliverables and timeline The period of performance is expected to be seven (7) months. Required reports, deliverables and corresponding activities are listed in the table below. The column Activities included refers to the list under 4. Activities to be implemented. All progress reports must contain as annexes all information collected or generated during implementation of the relevant activities. No. Deliverable Activities included 1 Scoping report (i) Requirements Main report sections should include: (i) Specific survey locations; (ii) Survey means, field When One month after. 3

4 No. Deliverable Activities included 2 Standard Operating Procedures for baseline studies and monitoring 3 A brief report on training needs assessment and training materials 4 Set of survey reports for selected PAs 5 Conservation planning, zoning, expanding, upgrading and new PA establishing inputs for targeted PAs (i), (ii) (x) From (iii) to (xii) From (iii) to (xii) Requirements survey methods, sampling techniques/methods (quantitative and qualitative) should accord with the scientific framework designed for baseline surveys and provide linkages with future biodiversity monitoring and sound statistical methods; (iii) Data processing and analyzing methods; (iv) Workplans; Operation procedures include (i)biodiversity baseline survey frame work and protocol (ii) Criteria for sampling and collection of field data (iii) Quantitative integrated sampling design for terrestrial habitats Digital and 02 hard copies in the PA required format (training materials may require specific lay out and materials) Survey report also include: (i) Hard and soft copies of distribution map for valuable and rare species as well as biodiversity hot spot map; (ii) Photographs and specimens collected or obtained during the surveys; (iii) Digital database(s) incorporating comprehensive survey information that can be used for long term PA management (iv) a Factsheet of each studied PA Inputs for (i) provincial conservation planning (QN and TT Hue); (ii) zoning PAs(iii) upgrading Song Thanh Nature Reserve to a National Park (iv) expanding TT Hue Saola Nature Reserve and (v) establishing new PA Bac Hai Van Pass. When Two months after (prior to surveys) 2 months after 6 months after 7 months after 4

5 No. Deliverable Activities included 6 A Summary report on BD inventories and BD fact sheets for selected PAs. Requirements From (i) to (xii) Digital plus 02 each PAs hard copies for When 7 months after 6. Location: The work will focus on protected areas in Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam provinces as follows: 1. Song Thanh Nature Reserve in Quang Nam province 2. Saola Nature Reserve in Quang Nam province 3. Saola Nature Reserve in Thua Thien Hue province. 4. Phong Dien Nature Reserve in Thua Thien Hue province 5. Bac Hai Van proposed Nature Reserve Thua Thien Hue province. Focal PAs and relative degree of inputs in relation to required assessments will be determined based on need and biodiversity values and ecological representation. Target PAs should be those with insufficient biodiversity and threat information for effective management, those that require a change in status (including upgrading or expansion) or those proposed for protected areas status that require additional inputs for designation. The map below shows the locations of protected areas within the two target provinces: 5

6 Figure 1. Map of the protected areas in Quang Nam and Thua Thien Hue provinces 7. Other requirements: The sub-contractor will produce and submit all reports and materials in both English and Vietnamese. 8. Acronyms and abbreviations DARD DoNRE Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Department of Nature Resource and Environment 6

7 NGO NP NR NTFP PA QN SOW TT-Hue Non-Governmental Organization National Park Nature Reserve Non-Timber Forest Product Protected Area Quang Nam Scope of Work Thua Thien Hue 7