INVENTORY AND MANAGEMENT OF CAMBODIA WETLANDS PROJECT

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1 Page 1 of 5 BACK HOME INVENTORY AND MANAGEMENT OF CAMBODIA WETLANDS PROJECT Objective 1: Enhanced capacity of relevant line institution in wetland inventory and management Output 1: Staff in relevant line institutions strained to plan and implement a wetland inventory. The project has conducted a training needs analysis with the following objectives: wetland management needs define roles of the departments define role of individuals define who will be collecting and processing data training needs training outputs The training program has been designed to provide support throughout the project. Four streams of training will be provided: 1. Language skills The project is providing two specifically tailored English language courses provide by the Cambodian British Center. According to the language skills of participants, one class focuses on listening and speaking skills, while the other will also include reading and writing skills. The courses were designed according to the needs of the project counterparts and the two classes were then filled up with other technical staff from the counterpart departments. Al together 38 people are being trained. Two 10 week blocks of training have been planned. The first of these has started in December 1997 and will finish in early February. The next block is planned for July/August At that time the intensive field working period will have finished. 2. Planning Skills These will be provided to project counterparts through a mixture of formal training session and structured onthe-job-training. Particular emphasis will be placed on the allocation of resources and benefits of resource sharing, eg. in planning surveys. The development of a standardized inventory methodology will be and excellent planning exercise, providing the opportunity for practical planning and evaluation, and if necessary amending of the methods. Developing the project proposal for Phase 2 will also provide opportunities for planning exercise in wetland inventory and management. Monitoring and evaluation has been raised as an important topic to be taught. 3. Technical Skills Training in technical skills encompasses a wide range of subject areas. For training purposes three general categories can be recognized: Basic scientific training Survey techniques (ecological, hydrological, socio-economic) Data processing and management The latter is understood to include database management, GIS and mapping. The technical skills training will include short courses in general field work skills such as map reading orientation, use of a GPS, etc. Like the training in other wetland assessment subjects, it is envisaged to train across sectoral group of people in general principles of socio-economic research and give more in depth training to those people who will be involved in conducting the surveys. This training, which will involve people from the national level through to the village level will provide the linkage to the third component. Training methods include: 1. Iterative workshop, eg. Wetland classification, design of Phase II 2. Field work structured learning by doing approach, surveys 3. On the job training, planning, project management 4. Formal training courses: Theoretical basis for wetland management, planning train the trainer

2 Page 2 of 5 5. Study tour It is currently envisaged that all counterparts and one additional staff from the counterpart departments will take part in an intensive course on wetland inventory and management techniques. Having trained this core group of people, specialized technical/scientific skills will be taught to counterparts and staff in their respective departments whose responsibility these technical areas are. Scientific short courses are planned in basic biology, wetland ecology (incl. plant and animal identification), limnology, hydrology, wetland resources assessment, wetland monitoring, data base management, and wetland mapping. It will not be possible to do all these courses in Phase I. Coordination will be spread over both phases of the project. All counterparts will receive intensive training in data analysis and storage. This will stat at the planning stage and be reinforced at every stage of the data collection and storage. Computer courses will be provided as necessary. The first computer training will include the use of GIS for those counterparts with sufficient skills. 4. Knowledge Transfer Skills Train the trainer course and practice as trainer seen as important parts of the capacity building process. The pool of people eligible for this type of training will come from counterparts and staff trained on this project, but also from other staff that has previously received relevant training by other projects. Training Inputs Budget allocations have been made for personnel inputs, provision of tailor made training courses, seminars and workshops, a regional study tour, attendance at regional conferences or workshops. 1. Personnel It has been shown that sustainable training efforts depend as much on the quality of the initial training courses as on the quality of the follow-up. In our particular situation it would make sense to use as much as possible locally available expertise. It would be useful to build on past projects and sustain some of the efforts that have been made. In addition, there are opportunities to share training with other projects and/or to arrange for trainer exchanges between projects. Using locally available expertise, both nationals and expatriates not only makes sense economically, it also provides a good opportunity for establishing mentoring programs for trainee trainers. The follow-up of training exercises can than be shared and serve as follow-up for both training and trainer. Experts who have worked here previously and have an understanding of the local people and conditions will at times be much more effective in delivering particularly short term training than experts with no previous Cambodia experience. However, professional quality of the training will not be compromised by these other considerations. As discussed earlier, it is planned to recruit one more long term (several inputs) person to the project, is someone with a broad range of expertise who will have a number of inputs until the end of the project and can act as backstop for the follow-up training. 2. Output: Inter-institutional cooperation in wetland management strengthened This will be the hardest output to measure sustain. The Project Steering Committee (PSC) should play an important role in ensuring the cooperation between the different agencies involved. The PSC will be briefed about project activities at quarterly meetings. Opportunities for collaboration with other projects have been mentioned above. One example for the need to improve collaboration between departments is the collection of sediment data. Currently, within GDIMH, the department of hydrology collects data on river flows and water levels, etc. Water quality and sedimentation is the responsibility of the department of research and extension. However, in order to obtain meaningful data for the sediment load, sediment and flow need to be measured simultaneously. Thus either the two departments need to synchronies their field work schedules or responsibility for sediment sampling should be transferred to the hydrology department. In the long term the latter appears the more efficient option. Budget provisions have been made for taking part in regional activities, particularly workshops or meeting concerning the inventory and management of the lower Mekong basin. Objective 2: Wetland inventory methodology Developed that is Compatible with that in other riparian

3 Page 3 of 5 countries This is a slightly different wording from that in the original project document. There is currently no uniform system for data inventory and data handling. Therefore rather than improving the system as stated in the project document a coherent system needs to be developed. An introduction to the proposed inventory methodology framework. Output 2: An inventory of existing data on wetlands around the Tonle Sap and along the Mekong River Though out the inception phase available data and data sources have been collected and analyzed. Section 6 contains a reference list of publications available at the project office. The list will be continually updated. The MoE/IDRC Coastal Communities Cambodia Research Support Activity has produced a Coastal Zone Management Database for Cambodia. The database lists Human Resources, Projects (completed and ongoing) local and international organizations and a reference list. The database is continually updated and updates are periodically distributed in printed from. This is a very valuable resource. Information collected so far under the Cambodian wetland project is very similar in nature and will be made available in a similar form. We will consult with the coastal project to make sure that the databases are in a compatible format and can be combined in the future. Output 2.1: New data collected as part of wetland inventory training and in collected with other on-going activities. Three areas have been chosen for project sites for phase I A site on the Tonle Sap Lake. This will be one of the core sites of the biosphere reserve: Prek Toal, Boeung Chhmar/Moat Khla or Stoeng Sen. We are currently talking to the TCU and SPEC with regard s to their to planned activities in the Prek Toal area. Another priority area will be the middle reaches of the Mekong River in Stung Treng, one of the proposed Ramsar sites (as is Boeung Chhmar). For training purposes sites easily accessible from Phnom Penh will be included, eg Boeung Samrong and Boeung Kamoth, the Bassac marshes or other wetland in provinces close to Phnom Penh. The former two Lake have been surveyed previously. Some of these survey data can be used as training materials for the more detailed surveys. In all project areas the survey sequence will be reconnaissance surveys, surveys at the wetland site level and surveys at the habitat level. These survey will have threefold purposes. New data will be collected. Survey methodologies/techniques will be taught and the data collection methods for the various levels will be tested and refined. In the Tonle Sap Lake area the project will also assist with stream flow measurement and sediment sampling activities. For steam flow measurement the project is collaborating with the Hydromel rehabilitation network. The aim is to obtain a water and sediment balance for the Tonle Sap Lake. The project will keep track of these developments and record them in the Wetland Information System if appropriate. Output 2.2: A standard method for data collection The information collected through wetland inventories is essential for sustainable wetland management. It can be used as a planning tool on a national, regional and international scale. That is why it is very important to follow standardized methods or develop standards for particular regions. An inventory is the first step in assembling an information base for wetland management. Using the med Wet inventory framework as a model in conjunction with standards or methods that have been developed in the basin wide wetland inventory project we aim to contribute substantially to the development of a general methodology for wetland inventory and monitoring in the Lower Mekong Basin. The guideline for the different components of the inventory will be translated into Khmer. From these guidelines simpler resources materials can be develop to be used later at provincial and local levels. Standard data sheets for data collection at the catchments, Wetland site and habitat levels will be produced in English and Khmer. Output 2.3: Wetland Information System As part of the wetland information system wetland classification, database system and mapping procedures

4 Page 4 of 5 will be developed/adopted. The wetland classification system will be compatible with that developed for the basin wide wetland inventory project. A series of local workshops will be conducted to teach wetland classification. The database system, too will be compatible to that used or planned in other riparian countries so that data exchange is easily facilitated. Guidelines for standard data handling and storage methods will be developed. mapping procedures will be adopted/developed under this output. The project will produce a map of the wetland along the Mekong River and maps at the habitat level for selected sites. The mapping will be contracted out to an appropriate local institution. Wetland monitoring criteria and schedules for selected wetland sites will be developed in the second half of Phase I Objective 3: Enhanced Involvement of Selected Communities in Sustainable Wetland Management The development of innovative management methodologies is along term process. While studies can be carried out towards this objective, the frame of Phase I is too short to allow the development of methods. A community development specialist will be employed for two inputs of two months to assist with the development of the socio-economic aspects of the project. Output 3: Overview and analysis of relevant existing community based initiatives Desk study, field visits and interviews with relevant persons at national, provincial and local level are being carried out to determine the extent of existing community based activities and the capacity of local NGOs. It appears that there are currently very few community based activities aimed specifically at wetland management. However, many rural development activities ultimately contribute to a more sustainable use of wetlands. It will be the role of this project to promote awareness of sustainable impacts. There appears to be little capacity of local NGOs in the environmental sector. Output 3.1: Appropriate concepts for community based initiatives identified and/or supported The project document envisaged a small grant scheme for local activities, the administration of which will be contracted out. However, in view of the comments received during the Inception Workshop and following the advice of the MRC's expert sociologist this component will form an integral part of the project. Training activities in participatory rural appraisal and the formation of at least one research team comprised of all relevant levels of stakeholders will be used to identify appropriate initiatives for at least one pilot site. Where possible counterparts will be exposed to and learn from previous initiatives in PRA. From areas within the project area where PRA in relation to natural resources management has been carried out previously one pilot area may be identified to try to enable the local community to act on problems that have been identified by them. This process will involve prioritizing of the constraints that have been identified in terms of their suitability for immediate interventions. For example, it will be impossible for the project to assist local communities in solving access rights to fishing grounds in the short term. On the other hand, the assistance in the organization of a small credit facility to enable alternative income generation or the purchase of fishing gear may be feasible. Having established a feasible pilot project, monitoring and evaluation criteria will be worked out with all stakeholders. The pilot research term together with local communities will also attempt to act on the finding from the PRA. In addition, they will formulate ideas and plans for activities that should be supported in Phase II. Objective 4: Phase II Designed Output 4: Project Document for Phase II The objectives and outputs for Phase II will be determined through a series of iterative local workshop with participation from all counterpart agencies at central and provincial levels. A separate series of workshops will be held at the local level to determine the activities at the local level. Iterative workshop are a tool to ensure that everyone is fully involved in the planning process. The outputs of one workshop are the input into the next one. For example the first workshop might come up with a series of

5 Page 5 of 5 objectives. These will then be developed in more detail by the project team. The results will be brought in to the next workshop to ensure that we interpreted correctly what workshop participants suggested. This process can be repeated as long as is necessary to ensure that the process and therefore the project is owned by everyone concerned. A major consideration in Phase II will be the coordination wherever possible with activities of Phase II of the basinwide wetland inventory project. The final draft project proposal will be adopted in local workshop before being submitted to MRCs. Objective 5: Effective Project Management Output 5: Project Office Established and Counterparts in Place Start-up Phase The project office has been established and project support staff engaged (1 office manager, 1 administrative assistant/secretary, 2 drivers, 1 cleaner). There is a continuing problem with insufficient power supply to the office. This applies to a number of projects in the Ministry and efforts are currently underway to cooperate with other projects to solve this problem. The National Project Director (NPD), six time counterparts and 8 part time counterparts have joined the project. Standard condition for governments counterparts were developed and agreed with MRCs Bangkok. Each counterparts has signed an agreement with the project outlining the responsibilities and the level of allowance. It spelt out clearly that the employer is the Government of Cambodia. The project, in recognition of the local conditions pays an allowance to assist counterpart in meeting their cost of living. There are three levels of allowances: NPD, senior level and middle levels. The NPD is expected to spend 60% of his time on the project. BACK HOME