Hariyo Ban Program Terms of Reference (ToR) for

Transcription

1 Hariyo Ban Program Terms of Reference (ToR) for Human Wildlife Conflicts and Forest Carbon Stock Change in the Terai Arc and Chitwan Annapurna Landscapes of Nepal 1. Background The Hariyo Ban Program is a five year USAID funded program. The goal of the program is to reduce adverse impacts of climate change and threats to biodiversity in Nepal. Major objectives of the program are to reduce threats to biodiversity in target landscapes; build the structures, capacity and operations necessary for effective sustainable landscape management, with a focus on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) readiness; and increase the ability of targeted human and ecological communities to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change. Hariyo Ban Program is being implemented by a consortium of NGOs: World Wildlife Fund (WWF) (lead), Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE), National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC), and the Federation of Community Forestry Users in Nepal (FECOFUN). The Government of Nepal (GoN) is a key partner and beneficiary of Hariyo Ban, as are local communities. The program will also partner with other NGOs, academic institutions, and the private sector. Hariyo Ban Program is being implemented in two landscapes: Chitwan-Annapurna (CHAL) and Terai Arc Landscapes (TAL) where three thematic components biodiversity conservation, sustainable landscapes, and climate change adaptation, and three cross-cutting components livelihoods, governance, and gender and social inclusion are being implemented. Anthropogenic climate change is a major threat to biodiversity. Attempts are now concentrated on the mechanisms that possibly help to abate greenhouse gas emissions. One of the most important political and scientific developments in introducing such mechanisms is Reducing Emission from Forest Degradation and Deforestation (REDD+). This mechanism includes five sets of activities, namely; (1) reducing emissions from deforestation, (2) reducing emissions from forest degradation, (3) conservation of (existing) forest carbon stocks, (4) sustainable management of forests, and (5) enhancement of forest carbon stocks (e.g. through regeneration and planting in previously forest land). REDD+, therefore, has the potential to bring a lot of benefits for biodiversity conservation but this mechanism needs to be better integrated into existing and future conservation projects (CBD, 2011). Conservation of Himalayan biodiversity in the face of climate change remains a formidable challenge. The Nepalese Himalayan region is warming and its mean annual temperature increased by 0.60 per decade during period between 1977 and Many studies suggest that climate change has already impacted hydrology, agriculture, ecosystems, and species in the Himalaya. It is therefore important to have a deeper understanding between biodiversity conservation and carbon management.

2 Conservation projects may result in benefits in both biodiversity and carbon conservation but there may be some adverse impacts for people. Nepal s Himalayan region is a predominately agrarian society. One of the most potent issues of biodiversity conservation in Himalaya is human wildlife conflict (HWC). Wild animal damage crops and prey on livestock. As people go to forests for subsistence resources (e.g., fodder, firewood, medicine) and commercial products (e.g., timber) this increases their risk of attack by wild animals. Local people are highly unlikely to co-operate with conservation of mega fauna (e.g., carnivore-tiger, leopard; herbivore- elephant, rhinoceros) while these animals continue to take livestock, damage crops and/or kill humans. Therefore, the task is to find a satisfactory compromise where both carbon and biodiversity conservation can be achieved, creating benefits for people and minimizing adverse impacts. Several studies have suggested a positive relationship between biodiversity (e.g., species richness) and carbon stocks though the strength of such correlations varied considerably depending on geographical location. This suggests that there is a multidimensional relationship between biodiversity (various levels of biodiversity) and carbon conservation depending on various factors such as geography and human intervention. The Government of Nepal, Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation has proposed TAL area as a sub national REDD+ project as per the Emission Reduction Project Idea Note submitted in 2014 to the World Bank, Forest Carbon Partnership Facility, and Carbon Fund. This study will contribute to the Emission Reduction Project Document that is the next step in developing the subnational REDD project, incorporating HWC mitigation and compensation measures. This study will attempt to test two hypotheses: 1. That in CHAL and TAL there is a positive correlation between biodiversity value and forest carbon stocks. 2. That in places where there have been recent changes in carbon stocks, human-wildlife conflicts is high. 2. Objectives The objectives of the study are: To analyze the relationship between the forest carbon stock and biodiversity, and To investigate functional relationships with respect to human-wildlife conflicts and carbon stock change in TAL. 3. Methodology The methods to be used for the study are, but not limited to: Preparation of plan of action with detailed framework of activities, criteria, schedule etc., to be agreed with Hariyo Ban Program. Desktop study to review relevant literature and other available information. The data will be collected from secondary sources. The biodiversity data will include both animal (mammals and reptiles) and plant species. Human-wildlife conflict data will be collected from

3 the official records of human wildlife incidences. CHAL and TAL carbon assessment reports, TAL forest reference level and FRA reports will be used for carbon data. Spatial distribution of human wildlife conflicts mapping through(a) reviewing information from official records, news magazines and personal communications, (b) verification of conflicts by visiting selected victims family members, or other individuals present at the time of the conflict, and (c) collection of verified information from the conflict site with the GPS location. These data will be used to validate models on human wildlife conflict in the TAL and CHAL. Data analysis: Species distribution data will be transformed into spatial maps taking account of range and habitat preference at a spatial resolution of 100 m X 100 m. Conflict data are available at ward level, the smallest political-administrative unit of Nepal, but not with precise geographical coordinate systems. It therefore will create centroids of wards as representative conflict points. Using these points, conflict maps need to be developed using MaxEnt modeling. MaxEnt uses five different features (linear, quadratic, product, threshold, and hinge) that constrain the geographical distribution of a species. It estimates the probability of presence of a species based on presence records against randomly generated background points by finding the maximum entropy distribution. MaxEnt provides a map of habitat suitability that varies from 0 (lowest) to 1 (highest). The models will be evaluated with the data collected from the field study. The relationship between carbon, biodiversity and human wildlife conflict will be investigated using multivariate statistics, regression (e.g., generalized linear models) and spearman s rank (rs) taking account of possible spatial autocorrelation. 4. Expected Outcomes The expected outputs of this research are: 1. The multidimensional relationships among carbon stocks, biodiversity and conflicts are documented. 2. Nexus between carbon and biodiversity-oriented conservation identified. This information will be used to identify HWC key areas and develop site specific strategies to address human wildlife conflicts. 5. Deliverables The deliverables of the study are: Inception report including detailed plan of action with detailed framework of activities, methodology to be applied, schedule etc. Draft report documenting following key elements: relationship between carbon stock change in TAL and HWC relationship between carbon stock and biodiversity Final reports on (i) multidimensional relationship among carbon stocks, biodiversity, HWC; and (ii) nexus between carbon and biodiversity-oriented conservation. Other relevant maps, GIS layers, photographs, negatives and other relevant documents procured or produced under this contract, in digital and/or hard copy as appropriate, with related analysis, model, and diagrams

4 Reports will be written in English. Final deliverables will be provided in 2 hard copies and digital copy. 6. Duration and Time Frame The duration of the study will be of FOUR months from the months of signing the contract. Detailed time frame is given in Table 1 below: Detailed time frame S.No Task Time 1 Preparation of inception report including detailed plan of action 1 st week, October and sharing with Hariyo Ban team 2 Literature review 2 nd week, October 3 Field visits and consultation with stakeholders at different levels and field visits and assessment of extent of HWC and forest carbon 3 rd to 4 th week, October Brief report on field visit and consultation with stakeholder 3 rd week, November 4 Data analysis, draft report production and submission 3 rd week, December 5 Comments by Hariyo Ban team 4 th week, December 6 Incorporate comments and submit the final technical report 3 rd week, January 7 Submission of financial report and other materials purchased from the HBP resources 7. Team of Experts The management plan development team will include, but is not limited to: a. Protect Area Management/Biodiversity expert b. REDD+ expert c. GIS and Data analysts 8. Supervision 4 th week, December The consultant will undertake the assignment under the coordination and supervision of Coordinator, Sustainable Landscapes, and Hariyo Ban program. 9. Budget The consultant should submit a financial proposal that includes detailed breakdown of total budget proposed including: fee, travel cost, communication costs, consultative meeting and reproduction of documents in Nepali Rupees. The payment is subject to tax deduction as per prevailing government rules. The payment will be made in instalments based on submission of satisfactory deliverables.

5 10. Logistic Support The consultant will manage his/her own logistic support for the completion of this assignment and required cost will be paid as per WWF Nepal policy. 11. Submission of proposal One copy of technical proposal and separately sealed financial proposal to the following contact and address: Coordinator, Sustainable Landscapes Hariyo Ban Program WWF Nepal Box: 7660 Baluwatar, Kathmandu, Nepal