Expansion and Strengthening of the Protected Area Subsystem of the Outer Islands of Seychelles and Its Integration Into the Broader Land and Seascape
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
United Nations Development Programme Country: SEYCHELLES Expansion and Strengthening of the Protected Area Subsystem of the Outer Islands of Seychelles and its Integration into the broader land and seascape UNDAF Outcome(s): n/a UNDP Strategic Plan (2014-2017) [Link] Primary Outputs: 2.3. Solutions at local level for sustainable management of natural resources, ecosystems and environmental services, for expanded jobs and livelihoods; and 3.5. Transparent and non-discriminatory legal and regulatory frameworks and policies enabled for sustainable management of natural resources, biodiversity and ecosystems (in line with international conventions and national legislation) Secondary Output: [From UNDP’s Biodiversity and Ecosystems Global Framework 2012-2020:] Signature Programme #2: Unlocking the potential of protected areas (PAs), including indigenous and community conserved areas, to conserve biodiversity while contributing to sustainable development. [Link] Expected CPD Outcome(s): By 2016, the governance systems, use of technologies and practices and financing mechanisms that promote environmental, energy and climate-change adaptation have been mainstreamed into national development plans. Relevant indicator: Area of terrestrial and marine ecosystems under improved management or heightened conservation status increased by 50 per cent by end of 2016. [Link] Expected CPAP Output (s): n/a [Project Objective]: To promote the conservation and sustainable use of coastal and marine biodiversity in the Seychelles’ Outer Islands by integrating a National Subsystem of Coastal and Marine Protected Areas (CMPAs) into the broader land- and seascape while reducing the pressures on natural resources from competing land uses. [Project Outcome 1]: Management effectiveness is enhanced within a sample of coastal and marine protected areas (IUCN Category I, II and VI) operating under innovative public-private-civil society partnership agreements. [Project Outcome 2]: Sustainable Development and CMPA management integrated into broader land/seascape in the Outer Islands Executing Entity/Implementing Partner: Ministry of Environment and Energy (MEE) - Department of Environment (DOE). Implementing Entity/Responsible Partners: Island Conservation Society (ICS), Seychelles Island Foundation (SIF), Save Our Seas / D’Arros Research Centre. Brief Description: The project seeks to promote the conservation and sustainable use of terrestrial and marine biodiversity in the Seychelles’ Outer Islands by expanding the protected areas system and strengthening protected area management, supported by broad-scale ecosystem planning and sustainable land management activities to conserve ecosystem functions. The project will focus outputs and activities – over a period of five years – to achieve both biodiversity conservation and sustainable land management goals: First, to enable biodiversity conservation, the project will support the official establishment of five new protected areas in the Outer Islands, encompassing 1,237 hectares of terrestrial ecosystems and 76,258 hectares of marine ecosystems. Second, to enable sustainable land management, the project will ensure the establishment of the necessary institutional framework (information and planning systems) to support integrated management of the new PA sites that not only addresses BD conservation but also reduces land degradation impacts. Programme Period: 2012 - 2016 Total resources required (total project funds): $12,219,549 Atlas Award ID: 00075876 Project ID: 00087541 Total allocated resources (UNDP managed funds) $1,935,500 PIMS #: 4529 Regular: $150,000 GEF (in award 75876) $1,785,500 Start date: Date of signature Other (partner managed resources) End Date + 5 years o Government : $1,042,683 Mgt Arrangements NIM o CSOs (incl. Foundations) : $9,131,866 PAC Meeting Date 20 August 2013 o Other (private sector) $109,500 Agreed by (Government): Department of Environment Date/Month/Year Agreed by (UNDP): Simon Springet UNDP Resident Representative Date/Month/Year PRODOC v.141013 (for DOA issuance) PIMS 4529 Seychelles Outer Islands 1 Project Document Government of Seychelles and UNDP Executing Agency / Implementing Partner: Ministry of Environment and Energy United Nations Development Programme UNDP GEF PIMS 4529 / GEF Secretariat Project ID 4717 Atlas Award 00075876 / Atlas Project ID 00087541 Expansion and Strengthening of the Protected Area Subsystem of the Outer Islands of Seychelles and its Integration into the broader land and seascape Brief description Seychelles existing protected area system is primarily situated in the Inner (Granitic) Islands of the country. The Outer Islands of the Seychelles make up more than half of the total number of islands within the archipelago and include nine of the twenty Important Bird Areas (IBAs) of Seychelles, but at present there only two fully gazetted protected areas in the Outer Islands: (i) Aldabra Special Reserve (15,260 ha terrestrial and 23,100 ha marine) and (ii) the African Banks Protected Area (2 ha terrestrial and 3 ha marine), as well as two declared Nature Reserves (Boudeuse and Etoile, each less than 1 ha.). The project seeks to promote the conservation and sustainable use of terrestrial and marine biodiversity in the Seychelles’ Outer Islands by expanding the protected areas system and strengthening protected area management, supported by broad-scale ecosystem planning and sustainable land management activities to conserve ecosystem functions. The project will focus outputs and activities – over a period of five years – to achieve both biodiversity conservation and sustainable land management goals: First, to enable biodiversity conservation, the project will support the official establishment of five new protected areas in the Outer Islands, encompassing 1,237 hectares of terrestrial ecosystems and 76,258 hectares of marine ecosystems. The project will specifically support: (i) an assessment of the current state (biodiversity, infrastructure, management, resource uses, etc.) of the proposed PA units: (ii) the gazetting, boundary setting and zoning of the new PA units; (iii) the strengthening of management structures and the preparation of management plans for each PA Unit, as well as a strategic business plan for four of the PA units; and (iv) the development of functional and well-trained team of PA staff working in collaboration with private sector partners at each new PA unit. Second, to enable sustainable land management, the project will ensure the establishment of the necessary institutional framework (information and planning systems) to support integrated management of the new PA sites that not only addresses BD conservation but also reduces land degradation impacts. The project will specifically support: (i) development of a decision support system to enable integrated natural resource management decision-making; (ii) creation of land use plans (for specific PA units) and an Ecosystem-Wide Zoning and Master Strategy (for the entire Outer Islands); (iii) the restoration of degraded terrestrial ecosystems impacted by unsustainable activities; and (iv) the prevention and control of invasive alien species, many of which impact both ecosystem functioning and the rehabilitation processes of native ecosystems. PRODOC v.141013 (for DOA issuance) PIMS 4529 Seychelles Outer Islands 2 Table of Contents SECTION I: Elaboration of the Narrative ............................................................................................... 7 Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................................ 7 PART I: Situation Analysis ................................................................................................................... 9 Context and global significance ........................................................................................................................... 9 Socio-Economic Context in the Outer Islands ................................................................................................ 9 Environmental Context .................................................................................................................................. 10 Protected Area System: Current status and coverage .................................................................................... 14 Project Site Information ..................................................................................................................................... 16 Institutional Context ...................................................................................................................................... 23 Policy and Legislative Context ...................................................................................................................... 25 Threats, root causes and impacts ........................................................................................................................ 29 Long-term solution and barriers to achieving the solution ................................................................................. 32 Stakeholder analysis ........................................................................................................................................... 36 Baseline analysis ................................................................................................................................................ 39 PART II: Strategy ...............................................................................................................................