LEBANON REFORESTATION INITIATIVE II Final Performance Evaluation Report Performance Management and Support Program for Lebanon (PMSPL II)
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LEBANON REFORESTATION INITIATIVE II Final Performance Evaluation Report Performance Management and Support Program for Lebanon (PMSPL II) This publication was produced at the request of the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by Robert Primmer, Belal Al Ayoubi, Jad Abou Arrage, and Joanna Khater of Social Impact, Inc. Note: Limited redactions have been made to this version of the report in accordance with the principled exceptions to the presumption in favor of openness established in OMB Bulletin 12-01, “Guidance on Collection of U.S. Foreign Assistance Data.” LEBANON REFORESTATION INITIATIVE II Final Performance Evaluation Report Performance Management and Support Program for Lebanon (PMSPL II) for USAID/Lebanon Cover Photo: Bilal Al Ayoubi SI - Al Makmel highlands which hosts Lebanon’s highest peak with LRI’s field team vehicle heading towards a Cedars Tree reforestation site that was planted in phases 1 and 2 of the program. November 2018 This document was submitted by Social Impact, Inc. to the United States Agency for International Development under USAID Contract/Order No. AID-268-C-15-00001. It is not available in printed or web versions. Documents of this nature are made available to the public through the Development Experience Clearinghouse repository (http://dec.usaid.gov). Additional information is available from: Social Impact, Inc. 2300 Clarendon Boulevard Arlington, VA 22201 Tel: (703) 465-1884 Fax: (703) 465-1888 [email protected] DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. i | FINAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION REPORT USAID/LEBANON LEBANON REFORESTATION INITIATIVE II ABSTRACT This evaluation assesses the relevance, effectiveness, sustainability, and gender integration of the Lebanon Reforestation Initiative – Phase II (LRI II). The project aimed to leverage reforestation in Lebanon as a common cause to rally diverse Lebanese and Syrian refugee communities in Lebanese villages to promote development and social stability. The evaluation used a mixed-methods approach that included review of project documentation and data collected from interviews with project stakeholders. The evaluation’s findings indicate that LRI II implemented the agreed work plan and exceeded several Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Plan indicators. The nursery activity and the technical outputs of the project’s reforestation and out-planting components were extremely effective, relevant, and sustainable and were the project’s most substantial achievements. The operational aspects1 of the reforestation out-planting and forest management component were found not sustainable because future funding was uncertain, and the project was not designed to meet the greater community’s immediate needs. The overall goal of social stability was achieved, but only with direct project beneficiaries and not with a wider community. The fire prevention activity did not achieve its ultimate purpose because of legal barriers to removing undergrowth fuel material and pruning practices. The climate change activities (quarry rehabilitation and landslide prevention) were not completed at the time of the evaluation, so it was difficult to gauge how effective they would be. The project fulfilled the mission’s gender integration requirements. 1 We refer to the “operational aspects” as the components of the project that involve the actual planting of the trees, and the maintenance of the areas that have been reforested over the course of the project. ii | FINAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION REPORT USAID/LEBANON LEBANON REFORESTATION INITIATIVE II TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................................................................. II TABLE OF CONTENTS ...................................................................................................................................... III ACRONYMS ............................................................................................................................................................ V EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................................................VI Evaluation Purpose ......................................................................................................................................... vi Project Background ....................................................................................................................................... vi Evaluation Method ......................................................................................................................................... vi Key Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations .............................................................................. vii INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................. 1 Project Description ........................................................................................................................................ 1 Context ............................................................................................................................................................. 1 Project Activity Description ......................................................................................................................... 2 Development Hypothesis .............................................................................................................................. 3 EVALUATION PURPOSE AND QUESTIONS ............................................................................................... 4 METHODS AND LIMITATIONS ....................................................................................................................... 6 Data Collection................................................................................................................................................ 6 Data Analysis .................................................................................................................................................... 7 Limitations and Biases .................................................................................................................................... 8 FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................................................... 9 Question 1 ........................................................................................................................................................ 9 Question 2 ...................................................................................................................................................... 18 Question 3 ...................................................................................................................................................... 32 Question 4 ...................................................................................................................................................... 34 RECOMMENDATIONS ...................................................................................................................................... 38 Question 5 ...................................................................................................................................................... 38 Annex 1: Inception Report ................................................................................................................................. 41 Annex 2: Description of Project Activities ..................................................................................................... 42 Annex 3: Results Framework ............................................................................................................................ 51 Annex 4: Distribution of KIIs and FGDs ......................................................................................................... 52 Annex 5: Introduction to Evaluation questions ............................................................................................. 53 Annex 6: Evaluation Interview Details ............................................................................................................. 56 Annex 7: Documents Reviewed ........................................................................................................................ 57 Annex 8: Data Collection Instruments ............................................................................................................ 60 Annex 9: Data Source Matrix ............................................................................................................................ 90 Annex 10: Data Analysis ..................................................................................................................................... 94 Annex 11: Focus Group Discussion Summaries ........................................................................................... 97 Annex 12: Conflict of Interest Disclosures .................................................................................................... 98 Annex 13: Evaluation Team Members ............................................................................................................