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UMBRELLA GROUP OF NAGHADEH NGOS

Equator Initiative Case Studies Local sustainable development solutions for people, nature, and resilient communities UNDP EQUATOR INITIATIVE CASE STUDY SERIES

Local and indigenous communities across the world are 126 countries, the winners were recognized for their advancing innovative sustainable development solutions achievements at a prize ceremony held in conjunction that work for people and for nature. Few publications with the United Nations Convention on Climate Change or case studies tell the full story of how such initiatives (COP21) in Paris. Special emphasis was placed on the evolve, the breadth of their impacts, or how they change protection, restoration, and sustainable management over time. Fewer still have undertaken to tell these stories of forests; securing and protecting rights to communal with community practitioners themselves guiding the lands, territories, and natural resources; community- narrative. The Equator Initiative aims to fill that gap. based adaptation to climate change; and activism for The Equator Initiative, supported by generous funding environmental justice. The following case study is one in from the Government of Norway, awarded the Equator a growing series that describes vetted and peer-reviewed Prize 2015 to 21 outstanding local community and best practices intended to inspire the policy dialogue indigenous peoples initiatives to reduce poverty, protect needed to take local success to scale, to improve the global nature, and strengthen resilience in the face of climate knowledge base on local environment and development change. Selected from 1,461 nominations from across solutions, and to serve as models for replication. PROJECT SUMMARY KEY FACTS

Working in the areas surrounding Lake Urmia – the Equator Prize Winner world’s second largest hyper-saline lake and the 2015 largest inland wetland in Iran – the Umbrella Group of Naghadeh NGOs addresses water management Founded issues that include wetland restoration, adaptation to droughts, farm irrigation, and sedimentation 2001 in canals. Although previous efforts to restore the Location rapidly disappearing Lake Urmia focused on the lake itself, this partnership of seven community NGOs Naghadeh Plains, Western , Iran took an innovative approach by instead focusing on the restoration and conservation of satellite Beneficiaries wetlands surrounding the lake. The initiative has Seven communities with 600 active members engaged in restored over 1,600 hectares of satellite wetlands this initiative where previous government initiatives had failed. Their work has improved the livelihoods of local Areas of focus farmers, strengthened water access, enhanced Community-based adaptation to climate change, environmental health, and built social capital conservation and sustainable use of terrestrial and/or among communities in the region. The restored marine biodiversity satellite wetlands have also restored the ecosystem functioning of degraded Lake Urmia, benefitting Sustainable Development Goals addressed globally important biodiversity and the surrounding population.

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KHAVARI R Y Astara Marand

D SEA J Tabriz A E TURKEY Ashkabad N B Ardabil Daryacheh-ye Orumiyeh - I (Lake Urmia) Mary L GILAN Orumiyeh Tedzhen E Gonbad-e Bojnurd Mianeh Rasht Qabus G H Miandowab A R Rudbar Sakht Sar BI Zanjan Q Gorgan Mosul Mahabad ez el Arbil O wzan 'Amol Sari Mashhad Saqqez ZANJAN Shahrud Sabzevar Qazvin MAZANDARAN As Sulaymaniyah KORDESTAN TEHRAN Kirkuk Sanandaj Tehran SEMNAN Torbat-e Semnan Kashmar Heydariyeh HAMADAN Saveh Hamadan Tayyebat Kavir-e Namak Qasr-e Shirin Kermanshah Daryacheh-ye Dasht-e Kavir Herat Malayer Namak (Salt Lake) Gonabad KERMANSHAH MARKAZI Borujerd Arak LORESTAN KHORASAN Baghdad Ilam Aligudarz Khorramabad ILAM Najafabad ESFAHAN Birjand AFGHANISTAN

Al Kut z e Esfahan Karbala' D Al Hillah Dezful Shahr-e Kord K Ardakan a r Al 'Amarah k Masjed-e Qomsheh CHAHARMAHAL IRAQ h T e VA-BAKHTIYARI Yazd i h Soleyman g r Bafq is KHUZESTAN Kh er YAZD sa As Samawah An Nasiriyah n Zaranj Eu ph BOYERAHMAD rates Bandar-e Zarand Namakzar-e Shahdad Zabol K VA-KOHGILUYEH (salt waste) Al Basrah h Mah-Shahr o r Yasuj ra Rafsanjan ISLAMIC REP. OF A m Kerman IRAN b sh a ahr dan Marv Dasht KUWAIT Hamun-e Sirjan KERMAN Zahedan Borazjan Jaz Murian Kuwait FARS Bam Badar-e B PAKISTAN U Jiroft S Firuzabad H E Ma H nd Jahrom SISTAN VA R P Lar BALUCHESTAN National capital SAUDI E HORMOZGAN R Bandar-e 'Abbas Iranshahr Provincial capital S Hamun-e ARABIA I Jaz Murian City, town A Bandar-e Minab N Langeh Airport Ad Strait Dammam BAHRAIN G of Hormuz Manama U International boundary L F Nikshahr Provincial boundary Ra's al Khaymah OMAN QATAR Gwadar Main road Al Hufuf G Jask Doha Dubayy U Bandar Secondary road LF UNITED ARAB O Beheshti Railroad EMIRATES F O MAN 0 100 200 300 km The boundaries and names shown and the designations Abu Dhabi used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations. OMAN 0 100 200 mi

Map No. 3891 Rev. 1 UNITED NATIONS Department of Peacekeeping Operations January 2004 Cartographic Section EQUATOR PRIZE 2015 WINNER FILM

The depiction and use of boundaries and related information shown on maps or included within in text of this document are not guaranteed to be free from error, nor do they imply official acceptance or recognition by the United Nations. BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Tucked into the northwestern tip of Iran is one of the world’s International Importance. Freshwater wetland satellites largest hypersaline lakes, Lake Urmia. For years, it has drawn like Sirangoli have historically functioned as a lush habitat tourists to bathe in its turquoise and red waters. Now, the and breeding ground for migratory and endemic birds, lake gained a new fame—for disappearing. In the last two such as flamingos, pelicans, white-headed ducks, and decades, Lake Urmia’s surface area has shrunk from 5,000 marbled ducks. Local communities have also benefitted square kilometres to 2,000 square kilometres due to water from the ecosystem services provided by the wetlands, mismanagement, drought, and climate change. which support livestock rearing and agricultural industries. Yet in 1996, experts and officials at the Department of Just south of Lake Urmia in the Naghadeh Plains lies Environment announced that Sirangoli wetland had all Sirangoli wetland, one of Iran’s 24 ‘Ramsar sites’ registered but dried out. under the 1971 Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of Origin and structure

In response, in 2001, Soldouz Friends of the Environment Group of Naghadeh NGOs, the group decided to adopt a Cooperative, a local NGO comprised of teachers and completely community-managed, participatory approach. former hunters, decided to take action to restore the They organized meetings and workshops with the active wetland ecosystem. After conducting field surveys, the inclusion of elderly community members, young group determined that unsustainable water irrigation, people, women, and children. Before long, the Umbrella drought, and an over-digging of water wells had played Group grew to include seven organizations, including key roles in the wetland ecosystem’s degradation. Critically, two women’s organizations. Supported by the they found that the traditional canals, which historically UNDP-implemented Global Environment Facility Small funnelled water into the wetlands, had become neglected Grants Program (SGP) in Iran, the Umbrella Group has and sedimented. been able to establish a Central Committee for Revitalizing the Naghadeh Wetlands. This committee In effort to restore Sirangoli wetlands, the Soldouz Friends aims to manage stakeholders, such as the local of the Environment cooperation first formed an alliance community, councils, non-governmental organizations with three other local NGOs: Shanli Solduz Mountaineers (NGOs), civil society organizations (CSOs), and Group, Naghadeh Mountaineers Group, and Yashil Dagh governmental bodies. At present, the Umbrella Group Mountaineers Group. Known today as the Umbrella involves seven communities with nearly 600 members.

4 LOCAL CHALLENGES

Desiccation poses a serious threat to the region’s local Wetland desiccation has also jeopardized local industries communities, wildlife, and surrounding freshwater satellite such as the fishing, agriculture, and tourism sectors, which wetlands. Historically, local communities used water- rely heavily on the ecosystem services provided by the intensive irrigation systems and groundwater-supplied wetlands. Agriculturalists in Gol Village have resorted to pressure systems to supply water for livestock breeding, travelling longer distances to find poor pastures to feed their rangeland management, and agriculture. A recent spike herds. Moreover, due to lowered groundwater levels, farmers in agricultural activity resulted in groundwater depletion, have had to invest in expensive pumps to extract water. lowered lake levels, and a high discharge of agrochemicals. As the lake and surrounding wetlands dried out, the Unfortunately, anthropogenic climate change will further lakebed transformed into a 400-kilometer square salt exacerbate wetland desiccation. While a changing climate desert, which, when subjected to strong winds, blows salt is projected to result in higher precipitation in some storms into surrounding communities. For the inhabitants regions, models predict lower rainfall patterns in Iran. of Gol Village, a settlement home to approximately 2,000 Paired with a projected increase in global temperatures, individuals near Sirangoli wetlands, dust and particulate which results in more water loss through evaporation, it exposure has resulted respiratory illnesses. is safe to say the Sirangoli wetlands will continue to be under threat.

5 LOCAL RESPONSES

Despite the ongoing threat of climate change, the Umbrella Group has achieved something that many thought to be impossible: the revitalization of Sirangoli wetlands. In order to restore the water flow, the community dredged 18 kilometres of traditional canals from the Godar River. This effort aimed to maintain the flow of unused farming water GEF SGP, local farmers have also been encouraged to adopt to Sirangoli wetlands during the winter season. Within just environmentally conscious agricultural techniques such as three years, Sirangoli wetlands filled with water and the Integrated Pest Management (IPM), resulting in a 40 percent plain regained its ability to sustain livestock and wildlife. reduction of chemical pesticides in project areas. As a result, local livelihoods, such as herding, livestock breeding, and agriculture, have improved. The revitalized In addition to direct restoration work and community habitat has attracted the return of geese, whooper swans, engagement, the Umbrella Group of Naghadeh NGOs ruddy shelducks, common shelducks, and even flamingos, has been actively involved in educational and cultural a key indicator species. programming. For example, the group conducted training workshops to teach local women in Naghadeh village how The restored wetland provides vital ecosystem services, to diversify their livelihoods. The group has also assisted the such as feeding underwater aquifers, stabilizing the soil provincial bureau of Department of Education in devising and vegetation, and removing dust and particulates from an environmental education plan in five schools. As an the air. By restoring Sirangoli wetlands, the community overall cultural result of the Umbrella Group’s efforts, the has created a buffer against climate impacts, with the local community has reported increased self-confidence wetland ecosystem playing a key role in moderating and heightened cooperation with other communities. local temperatures. The revitalization of the wetlands has prevented further degradation of the surrounding grasslands and mountains.

To date, the wetland revitalization efforts cover over 1,500 hectares in the region, now encompassing Sirangoli, Hasanlou, Dorna, and Boghe Daghi wetlands with co-funding from government sources. To restore the Hasanlou wetlands, approximately 5,000 trucks of soil were transferred to build a dike. The communities also built an overflow bridge and a buffer between the wetland and the sandy drainage of Hansanlou dam. In 2008, GEF SGP projects in Sirangoli and Hasanlou Ramasar sites received a National Wetland’s Champion Award.

Community engagement has played a key role in the Umbrella Group’s success. Local communities have engaged in continued maintenance of the canals to ensure water levels have remained constant. In collaboration with

6 REPLICATION, SCALABILITY, AND SUSTAINABILITY

In the past few decades, half of the world’s wetlands have satellite wetlands in the Naghadeh Plain. The project was disappeared. In this context, the rehabilitation of Sirangoli also integrated into the National Strategy for Management wetland demonstrates the power of small communities and Conservation of Wetlands in Iran, and in 2010, GEF to enact large change to protect and revitalize wetlands SGP Iran connected the group to another similar national ecosystems. The group’s efforts brought seven local project, the Conservation of Iranian Wetlands Project organizations together, and at the request of neighbouring (CIWP). As of 2019, the Umbrella Group of Naghadeh communities, the model piloted by Umbrella Group of NGOs has been upscaled to more than 100 villages and Naghadeh NGOs was initially replicated in five other is frequently mentioned as a best practice for the region.

FUTURE PLANS

In the context of a rapidly warming world and water management pressures, the Umbrella Group of Naghadeh NGOs continues to emphasize the importance of developing new adaptation techniques alongside indigenous knowledge. A new GEF SGP Iran project, ‘Integrated Pest Management (IPM) on Wetland Projects in Uromiyeh Lake-Ghorighol Wetland and Sirangoli Wetland’, is likewise working in the area to support agriculture, water resources, and waste management.

PARTNERS

■ UNDP-implemented Global Environmental Facility ■ Department of Environment, Western Azerbaijan Small Grants Program (GEF SGP) Iran

SOURCES AND FURTHER RESOURCES

AghaKouchak, Amir et al. (2015) “Aral Sea syndrome desiccates Lake Urmia: Call for action,” Journal of Great Lakes Research, p. 307-311. Available online here.

Hesami, Ali and Ata Amini (2016) “Changes in irrated land and agricultural water use in the Lake Urmia basin” Lake and Reservoir Manangement, 32 (3) p. 288 – 296. Available online here.

Shadkam, Somayeh (2016), “Impacts of climate change and water resources development on the declining inflow into Iran’s Urmia Lake,” Journal of Great Lakes Research, p. 942 – 952. Available online here.

Torabian, Elham (2014) “Exploring Social Vulnerability and Environmental Migration in Urmia Lake of Iran: Comparative Insights from the Aral Sea.” State of Environmental Migration. Available online here.

UN Environment Foresight Brief (2017), “Lake Urmia: Signs of Recovery.” Available online here. 7 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The Equator Initiative acknowledges with gratitude Fariba Aghakhan and Asiyeh Rezaei (UNDP-implemented GEF Small Grants Programme) for their assistance with editing the case study. All photos credit to: ariba Aghakhani, Azadeh Bayat, Ali Golshan, and the UNDP-implemented Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme Iran. Maps courtesy of United Nations Geospatial Information Section and Wikipedia.

Editors Editor-in-Chief: Anne LS Virnig

Writer Mattea Mrkusic

Design Kimberly Koserowski

Suggested Citation United Nations Development Programme. 2020. Umbrella Group of Naghadeh NGOs, Iran. Equator Initiative Case Study Series. New York, NY.

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