TRANSBOUNDARY PROTECTION OF BIODIVERSITY AND LIVELIHOOD IMPROVEMENT THROUGH ADAPTIVE LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT IN THE UPPER GUINEA REGION

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1 TRANSBOUNDARY PROTECTION OF BIODIVERSITY AND LIVELIHOOD IMPROVEMENT THROUGH ADAPTIVE LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT IN THE UPPER GUINEA REGION (Draft Concept note for discussion) 1. Background The Upper Guinea region (Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Liberia and Sierra Leone) is characterised by its unique and threatened biodiversity, watershed and coastal resources, coupled with a high dependence of the majority of the population on this natural resource base for their livelihoods. This convergence of features brings into sharp focus competing conservation and development objectives. The striking environmental and socio-economic features of the region include: A shared history, common socio-cultural systems and markets Important reserves of mineral resources including bauxite, copper, iron ore and diamonds. Weak governance structures leading to the inequitable sharing of benefits and lack of transparency. High levels of poverty especially within rural and forest dwelling communities. The diversity of natural resources (watersheds, upper Guinean forest formations, Sudano- Sahelian grasslands, ethnic communities, habitats of key species including chimpanzees, elephants, pygmy hippopotamus) and the degradation of these resources by mining, plantation agriculture, grazing and bush fires. A high dependence of communities on plantations and agriculture as well as forest related activities for income. Significant movement of labour across borders for collection of natural resources and labour opportunities. Insecure political and national stability within individual member countries with serious cross-border implications in the form of population displacements, disruption of trade and markets and ultimately livelihoods. The emergence of several countries from conflicts and the effects of under performing economies and national institutions and systems which while still weak are showing signs of strengthening Increased regional commitment of the governments of the region to meeting the Millennium Development Goals supported by NEPAD and the international community. The existence of a Union of Mano River States to tackle problems of common interest across neighbouring member states (Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and potentially Ivory Coast). 1

2 The lack of adequate biodiversity management systems in the Upper Guinea Region has been a point of concern for many international and regional agencies as well as, more recently, for Community Based Organisations (CBOs). The recent conflicts in Liberia and Sierra Leone coupled with illegal mining activities have resulted in the severe degradation of forest cover and habitat fragmentation. Natural resources and particularly key animal species do not recognise administrative borders and are being steadily decimated by poaching in border areas where regulatory frameworks are weak or non existent. The state capacity to manage natural resources has been considerably weakened, through the destruction of infrastructure and lack of institutional capacity. This is exacerbated by increased numbers of unemployed and uneducated youths who were formerly engaged in conflicts in the sub region which has consequently led to greater pressure on land and forest resources for economic purposes. This pressure on the remaining natural resources could increase the potential for further conflicts in the future. Despite the similarities in context and problems across the various countries in the Upper Guinea region, there seems to have been relatively little attempt or success in establishing common or concerted mechanisms for the management of issues that are cross cutting and affect each of the neighbouring countries. These include issues of natural resource management (NRM), livelihood development and economic growth, as well as governance related problems. In the domain of natural resource management, Guinea in particular has benefited from a comparatively more stable political system and a better funding environment over the past ten years and is consequently more advanced in the development of integrated and participatory natural resource management systems. In fact the USAID Strategic Plan has as its overall foreign policy objective in Guinea to assist the country in maintaining its stability and promoting its transition to a democratic state. The Plan is implemented through several strategic goals which include the Promotion of Regional Stability and the Promotion of Democracy and Human Rights respectively. Enhanced agricultural sector productivity, sustainable management of natural resources and biodiversity conservation are considered critical to the associated stated objectives. 2

3 With the end of the conflicts in Sierra Leone and Liberia, there is greater donor and government emphasis on strengthening governance of local and national institutions who are the major actors and stakeholders in the management of natural resources and development of economic opportunities. It is hoped that the experiences from Guinea could be scaled up to neighbouring countries and that platforms for sharing ideas and approaches could also lead to greater harmonisation of policies and information sharing which ultimately contribute to greater stability in the entire sub region. A timely opportunity for testing this concept is that of trans-boundary management of protected areas jointly identified by experts from the three countries during a consultative meeting held in June 2007 (see below). 2. Justification During the June 2007 consultative expert meeting on trans-boundary management of protected areas between the Mano River countries (Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone), delegates from the three countries agreed on the need to collaborate and develop a subregional approach to address pressing issues. Next steps and recommendations included concerted action and sharing of information and expertise. One of the pathways identified was trans-boundary management of protected areas and resources. As a result, the delegates proposed potential sites for collaboration in trans-boundary management of natural resources, and recommended priority action points to their respective governments. These included: 1. Establish an institutional framework that would enhance trans-boundary collaborative management processes between the three countries. This would include the establishment of a task force for the coordination of trans-boundary biodiversity conservation activities by the end of July Generate sound ecological, social and economic baseline data including maps of the proposed trans-boundary conservation areas that would form the basis for decision making. This process would be supported by the pooling of resources in terms of information, training facilities and NRM experts to be shared across the three countries. The choice of these priorities was based on recognition of the near absence of collaboration amongst neighbouring states and the absence of adequate data on which to base long term management and strategic decisions. As a result, management strategies being implemented are often different on either side of the same frontier and are inadequately designed such that the effective adoption of appropriate NRM strategies at community and institutional levels is often problematic. There is therefore a need to identify strategies that could lead to the better integration of community needs at local level, but also target increased communication and collaboration between decision makers, researchers and natural resource managers across the three countries thereby providing opportunities for greater regional stability and improved management of biodiversity. During the consultative expert meeting, the approaches and results from the Landscape Management for Improved Livelihoods (LAMIL) project based in Guinea and implemented by CIFOR, ICRAF and the USFS were appreciated and it was suggested that these approaches could be applied at a much wider scale to other countries in the sub region. In order to address these issues (inadequacy of natural resource management strategies, degradation of forest cover, habitat fragmentation, poaching, livelihood and governance requirements, and absence of adequate fora for interstate collaboration and exchange of 3

4 information within the sub region), ICRAF, CIFOR and USFS propose an analysis of the biological and socio economic dynamics, the governance and policy environment and the potential and constraints for successful biodiversity management and livelihood improvement in the trans-boundary landscapes between Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. The analysis would be concurrent with activities aimed at supporting platforms for sub-regional stakeholder discussions across the target countries and ultimately lead to the development of appropriate strategies and / or a longer term project for their implementation. Given limitations in time and resources, activities would focus initially on a trans-boundary landscape between Guinea and Sierra Leone including the Ottamba Killimi National Park in Sierra Leone and the contiguous Madina Oula and Ourekaba agricultural areas. These activities would be integrated into the existing Landscape Management for Improved Livelihoods (LAMIL) project and would be carried out between April 2008 and September The results of such an analysis would be crucial in determining the role of forests in livelihood improvement, the best options for achieving community involvement in resource management, potential collaboration between neighbouring countries, and the potential contribution of trans-boundary natural resource management initiatives to sub-regional political stability. These findings would feed directly into influencing National Forestry policies for the target countries, as well as strategic direction and implementation of trans boundary Peace Parks under the Mano River Initiative. The LAMIL implementation partners have a proven track record at international level in conducting research for policy orientation, as well as the provision of information for management decisions. They have been instrumental throughout East, West and Central Africa in developing integrated resource management schemes and alternative livelihood options, one example being CIFOR s involvement in trans-boundary protected area management in the Sangha Tri National Park straddling Cameroon, Congo and Central African Republic. They can, through innovative action research, satisfy government and donor interests in achieving rapid and efficient results for development and conservation by producing policy guidelines, filling in gaps in the information needed for adequate NRM management, and proposing concrete pathways towards improving livelihoods and strengthening governance. The current LAMIL project run by this partnership has been an opportunity to test the effectiveness of this research based on a problem solving approach by using research results to develop models and management strategies integrating community needs and stronger governance mechanisms into natural resource management policy and strategies. The appreciation for the results achieved thus far has led to interest at sub-regional level for scaling up such approaches beyond the current project landscapes in Guinea. Partnerships between national institutions within Guinea and Sierra Leone could form a platform for collaborative and efficient action in better trans-boundary landscape management. 3. Aim, approaches and Objectives The project aim is to contribute to the more efficient management of protected areas in transboundary landscapes through more informed policy decisions and the design of efficient and integrated management strategies. 4

5 Its objectives are to: 1. Document the policy interventions and practical on the ground initiatives needed to improve local governance and livelihoods as well as sub-regional collaboration on transboundary management of protected areas. 2. Determine the linkages between resource use, livelihoods and conflict in the Upper Guinea sub region with particular reference to select trans-boundary landscapes between Guinea and Sierra Leone. 3. Reinforce the capacity of national institutions in the design of integrated management strategies for communities and natural resources, based on principles of participatory and adaptive landscape management already successfully tested elsewhere by ICRAF and CIFOR. 4. Key Activities and Research Questions Research Questions 1. What agro forestry, marketing and forest use options / strategies could increase revenue and contribute to enhanced farmer interest and participation in biodiversity management within the targeted trans-boundary protected areas? 2. What are the factors that influence successful management of biodiversity in transboundary regions and what approaches or models should be recommended in the current context? 3. How can sub-regional collaboration on trans-boundary management of protected areas affect resource status, trade and livelihoods in border communities? 4. Is there any correlation between natural resource use, conflicts and or stability at national and sub-regional levels? 5. What current aspects or gaps within the national resource management policies could constitute constraints to effective collaboration amongst states in the management of natural resources in border regions and what policy changes are required? 6. What aspects of the policy context could be enhanced that would contribute to successful trans boundary collaboration and management of protected areas? 5. Activities To be refined based on discussion of the concept between partners and funding agency, key activities would include: A review of existent ecological and socio economic data and identification of gaps to be filled. Participative stakeholder analysis of priorities for development and natural resource management. A review of policy and legal frameworks in the target countries and identification of policy / legal constraints to efficient management of trans-boundary human activities, enhanced livelihoods and biodiversity conservation. Development of methodologies and implementation of field surveys to complement the gaps identified Analysis of existent local governance structures and initiate capacity building for community based groups. Analysis of existent park management structures and strategies, and identification of options for strengthening efficiency of interventions. Enhance capacity of park and forest management services to set targets and develop integrated and innovative approaches to resource management at landscape level. 5

6 Reinforce sub-regional capacity to engage in dialogue with respect to key trans-boundary issues. Design a framework for increased dialogue and collaborative management of conservation and development priorities in trans-boundary sites amongst the target countries but also between management and local stakeholders. 6. Expected Outputs i. Establishment of socio economic, ecological and GIS baseline databases to underpin future conservation and livelihoods improvement strategies. ii. Policy brief with recommendations for review and potential harmonisation of government policies and legal frameworks for biodiversity management and livelihood improvement across the target countries. iii. Publication on the role of natural and agro forests in sub-regional conflicts and stability. iv. Proposals for further surveys, as well as for review or upgrade of conservation status as may be required to ensure adequate protection of wildlife across boundaries. v. Identification of management, technical and financial constraints to effective protected area management within the project sites vi. Workshop on Charting a future for the Mano River Union Initiative on trans-boundary management of protected areas. vii. Proposals for adoption of integrated landscape based and participatory management strategies for natural resources in border regions between Guinea and Sierra Leone. viii. Recommendations for development and sustenance of a technical management entity for the trans boundary protected areas. Expected outcomes In the long term, expected outcomes are that efficient and integrated management strategies developed within or as a result of this project will ensure stronger governance, and improved livelihoods resulting in greater sub-regional stability and biodiversity conservation. Shorter term outcomes would be: 1. Information gaps are filled up and packaged for integration into existing or new management tools (strategies, models, and policy). 2. Avenues for better organisation of rural communities and improved benefits from livelihood opportunities and cross border trade are explored by state, conservation and development partners in the region based on appropriate scientific information. 3. A landscape based approach to management of land and forest uses is adopted for integration into national strategies that will target biodiversity conservation, increased farmer revenue and interstate collaboration 4. Appropriate and complementary policies and approaches are coupled with adequate managerial, technical and financial resources for efficient trans boundary protected area management. 5. A clearer vision for strengthening discussion fora and collaborative mechanisms is outlined by the Mano River countries leading to long term funding and implementation of the adopted models and strategies designed and validated by all stakeholders. 6. Existent funding opportunities are exploited resulting in development of strong technical partnerships for implementation of park management and livelihood development activities within the target trans boundary sites. 6