Narrative Report Lessons Learned and Good Practices in the Management of Coral Reefs M. Tupper, J. Oliver, R. Kenchington, T. McClanahan, N. Muthiga, D. Gill, D. Burnham, S. Campbell, Sapta Putra Ginting, N. Andrew, R. Mahon, Evelyn Teh, D. Walfoort Table of Contents SECTION I: CORAL REEF MANAGEMENT Chapter 1: Introduction 4 • Background 4 • Context of this project in relation to other initiatives 5 • Methods 7 Chapter 2: Project Design 15 Chapter 3: Project Management 18 Chapter 4: Community Participation 21 Chapter 5: Partnerships and Linkages 23 Chapter 6: Policy, Legislation and Enforcement 26 Chapter 7: Ecosystem-based Management 28 Chapter 8: Monitoring and Evaluation of Coral Reef Management 31 Chapter 9: Capacity, Education and Knowledge Management 33 Chapter 10: Conclusions and Future Directions 35 Bibliography 36 Project Reviews 1. East Africa and Red Sea – GEF Projects 44 2. East Africa and Red Sea – non GEF Projects 58 3. Latin America and the Caribbean – GEF Projects 75 4. Latin America and the Caribbean – non GEF Projects 113 5. Asia-Pacific – GEF Projects 138 6. Asia-Pacific – non GEF Projects 174 7. Global – GEF Projects 201 2 SECTION II: MARINE PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT Introduction 203 Methods 204 Ecological Objectives and Impacts 204 Socio-cultural Objectives and Impacts 205 Economic Objectives and Impacts 206 Governance Objectives and Impacts 207 Case Studies 1. Ecological 208 2. Socio-cultural 222 3. Economic 239 4. Governance 245 Conclusions and Recommendations 251 Bibliography 252 3 SECTION I: Lessons Learned and Good Practices in the Management of Coral Reefs Chapter 1: Introduction Background The objective of this project is to formalize the experiences, outcomes and lessons learned from previous GEF projects, as well as major non-GEF initiatives involving coral reefs and associated ecosystems. The project aims to comprehensively identify, analyze, and translate lessons into good practices and information resources, and then disseminate this information globally for use in future project design and development. Based on its history of supporting coral reef biodiversity, management and sustainable development, this project will help the GEF fulfill a major mandate to identify what has worked and what could be improved upon in supporting biodiversity conservation. In combination with other GEF projects, this effort will also help the GEF and other major non-GEF projects achieve a markedly improved return on investment for future projects involving coral reefs and associated ecosystems. Since the 1990s, over $320 million of GEF funds were invested in projects at varying action and technical levels to improve the management of coral reef, seagrass and mangrove habitats, much of which was part of a broader portfolio of over $600 million invested in coastal-marine projects overall. During four entry periods each year, the GEF receives well over 200 concepts and project proposals annually1. Even though the actual number of pipeline-approved projects is much less, the volume and diversity of those projects approved has far exceeded the Secretariat’s ability to review and assess those elements that have worked and what could be improved upon. The dissemination of best practices based on lessons learned is a strategic priority for the GEF. However, in the case of coral reef projects no comprehensive understanding of GEF successes and failures has ever been conducted. In recent reviews of GEF performance and activities, the need to utilise the results of previous project outcomes, experiences and lessons learned more comprehensively has been highlighted. Earlier works exist that extract lessons learned from previous projects, looking at both success and failure and comparing across global regions; however, such work has been neither comprehensive nor systematic. Previous examples include the publication Coral Reefs, Mangroves and Seagrasses: A Sourcebook for Managers (AIMS/GCRMN 2001) and the Socioeconomic Manual for Coral Reef Management (AIMS/GCRMN 2000) and People and Reefs (2004. UNEP Regional Seas Report and Studies No. 176). While these publications have included some review of good practices, they have not examined all GEF coral reef (and associated habitat) projects, nor have they gone into the level of detail supplied by this project. Rather, the existing summaries are often generic, and draw upon a small sample size of commonly known cases. By contrast, this project provides a greater level of detail and a wider assessment relevant to a range of factors affecting project successes, failures and key lessons. 1 Volume estimates of GEF concepts and project proposals submitted to the Secretariat are based on personal communication with GEFSEC operational staff. The estimates apply to all GEF focal areas, and not just the ones specifically relevant to this proposal. 4 Furthermore, GEF staff have recognized the need to address the volume of projects being processed through some form of Knowledge Management, and this issue is a current area of development and concern for the GEF Secretariat2. With the volume and diversity of proposals being processed, a comprehensive understanding of the best approaches and lessons within a given subject area, or habitat, could make a significant difference in the GEF’s ability to more effectively support projects in the future, and better meet its mandate (including an improvement in cost-effectiveness), especially within the Biodiversity focal area. Context of this project in relation to other coral reef management initiatives To a considerable extent the projects covered in this review can be seen as responses to the Call to Action and framework for Action adopted by the International Coral Reef Initiative in 1995. The lessons learned reflect the continuing need for more and more effective action to address the four main themes of the ICRI Call to Action: 1. Integrated Coastal Zone Management; 2. Building capacity to manage; 3. Research and Monitoring; 4. Review or performance evaluation of the effectiveness of management. This report may be seen as part of the broader review or performance evaluation of lessons learned in projects implementing the ICRI Call to Action. Evaluations of projects and lessons within and beyond the GEF portfolio include those identified in workshops of the International Tropical Marine Ecosystems Management Symposia (see ITMEMS Proceedings 1, 2 and 3). UNEP (2004) provided an overview of successes and challenges in management of Coral Reef Marine Protected Areas and the executive summary of lessons learned from a range of projects, including some covered in this report, reflect the general context of needs for effective coral reef management: 1. greater community empowerment and involvement; 2. sustained and extensive consultation between stakeholders; 3. proactive and innovative education and public awareness campaigns; 4. improved communication and transparency between all involved members; 5. strong management partnerships to secure long-term financial stability; 6. development of management plans based on ecological as well as socio-economic data and linked to regular monitoring programmes; 7. implementation of clearly defined zoning regulations to reduce conflicts between stakeholders; and 8. enhanced enforcement efforts. The GEF portfolio has enabled substantial progress to be made in management of coral reefs in many contexts. It is appropriate to reflect on the extent to which the form and processes of GEF 2 Personal communication with GEFSEC staff. 5 project management might themselves be reviewed in order to reflect the particular challenges of the social, economic, and environmental issues that must be addressed to halt and reverse the decline of coral reefs and related ecosystems. The underlying concept of GEF interventions is that of “add-on” transfer or introduction of a new technology or management intervention that will enable the recipient to reduce or remove the environmental impact of an economic activity. The language of the incremental cost reflects a concept of a project that incorporates extra costs to build and operate more environmentally sound infrastructure or to incorporate pollution reduction technology. This concept can readily apply to coastal infrastructure designs that manage consequences for coral reefs of coastal land use and reclamation. The reality of many coral reef projects is that they are introduced in remote areas and often with poor and poorly educated local communities in an attempt to halt and reverse existing trends of degradation or detriment to biodiversity and the natural resource base. The nature of the necessary engagement with the communities whose activities affect coral reefs raises particular issues relating to the nature of project management. These are reflected in 4 more themes in lessons learned from the projects reviewed for this report: 1. The special nature and scarcity of available skilled personnel capable of working effectively to build and maintain partnerships, trust and consultation within remote communities; 2. The importance of capacity to respond to unpredictable natural or political events that impact on the design and timeline of a management project; 3. The challenge of designing efficient and cost-effective reporting to meet the needs of multiple donors while maximising the proportion of effort applied to on-ground project activities; and 4. The challenge and the timescale of achieving sustainability in terms of transfer from project funding to a basis where the