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Agenda for UNFF Meeting ITTO / IUCN International Workshop on Increasing the Effectiveness of Transboundary Conservation Areas in Tropical Forests 17-21 February 2003, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand Draft Summaries of Presentations __________________________________________________________________________________________ Transboundary Conservation Areas: Key Issues Pertaining to Benefits, Challenges and Establishment Processes Mavuso Msimang - South African National Parks The Southern African experience to date in terms of the establishment of Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TBCA's) with special reference to the key benefits and challenges is outlined from conception to finalisation of an International Treaty. Broad concepts have been used to avoid emphasis on case-specific issues. The political and institutional arrangements are illustrated by explaining the process followed from conception to the proclamation and implementation of a TBCA. Guidelines for political, managerial and technical strategies in transboundary management at the landscape level with a view to integrating TBCAs into the broader landscape issues will also be explicitly described. Suggestions and recommendations for improving the management of TBCAs will be outlined in the paper. These include, amongst others: • Development of appropriate institutions for the management of the area. This should include building the capacity of the institutions of the weaker parties involved, and ensuring that there are opportunities for the transfer of skills in the development process; • Adoption of an approach which embraces sustainable multiple land use; • Consultation and involvement of all stakeholders in the TBCA planning and decision- making process, and the implementation of the project; • Involvement of local communities and other key stakeholders in the monitoring and evaluation process of the TBCA goals and objectives; • Creation of partnerships between the stakeholders involved in the process, and development of mechanisms to ensure that benefits accruing from the project are distributed in an equitable way between all parties involved; 1 Draft 02/05/03 • Harmonisation of approach to natural resource management, which includes community based natural resource management; • Harmonisation of procedures for private sector involvement in the project, and encouragement of local investors to actively participate in the project. This would include the reviewing and harmonisation of tenure policies to provide security for potential investors and protecting the rights of local communities; • Development a common vision for disease control, which is based on the sharing of information, and development of contingency plans for when the levels of wildlife diseases get above acceptable levels; • Development of mechanisms to resolve potential conflict between partners in the planning and management of the TBCAs. __________________________________________________________________________________________ World Bank support for Transboundary Protected Areas Kathy MacKinnon - Environment Department, World Bank Over the last twelve years, the World Bank has become a major funder of biodiversity conservation, with a total investment of more than $2.6 billion in biodiversity projects and activities since 1988 (World Bank, 2000). This portfolio continues to grow, both through grant financing under the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Pilot Program to Conserve the Brazilian Rainforest (RTF), and through lending as client countries increasing their borrowing to finance biodiversity-related activities. A substantial number of the Bank’s biodiversity projects provide financing to transboundary protected area projects and international cooperation to support regional conservation efforts (MacKinnon et al. 2000; MacKinnon et al. 2002). The 170 countries which have ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity have espoused the principle of an ecosystem approach to conservation. Around the world the Bank is supporting projects which foster a landscape approach to conservation, linking protected areas through wildlife corridors and sustainably managed forests and rangelands that promote biodiversity conservation and sustainable use, often across national boundaries. The Mozambique transfrontier conservation project is promoting development models that benefit local communities yet protect wildlife migration routes and link to conservation efforts in adjoining Zimbabwe and South Africa. In Central Asia the Bank is supporting protected areas, landscape planning and tri-national collaboration between Kyrgiz Republic, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in the mountains of the West Tien Shan. Cooperation between Romania and Ukraine in the Danube Delta is leading to better protection of the delta’s wetlands while three countries (Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda) are working together to combat problems created by invasive water hyacinth in Lake Victoria. In Central America national projects in Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Panama contribute to protected area and forest management in the Meso-American Biological Corridor and the offshore barrier reef. A new project in southern Africa provides support for protected areas and adjacent community lands in the Maloti-Drakensberg mountains on the borders of South Africa and Lesotho, a designated Peace Park and new World Heritage site. MacKinnon, K. et al. (2000). Transboundary reserves: World Bank implementation of the Ecosystem approach. World Bank, Washington, D.C. Draft 02/05/03 2 MacKinnon et al. (2002) Conservation of Biodiversity in Mountain Ecosystems – at a glance. World Bank, Washington, D.C. World Bank (2000) Supporting the Web of Life: The World Bank and Biodiversity. A Portfolio Update. World Bank, Washington, D.C. __________________________________________________________________________________________ International Environmental Law as Support and Assistance for the Creation and Management of TBCA’s Tomme Young - Environmental Law Centre, IUCN - The World Conservation Union In General: This paper and presentation will address the legal “tools” available to assist in the development of Transboundary Conservation Areas, and the manner in which international legal provisions and principles can be most effective, in both the creation and management of such areas. Relationship of this paper to the objectives of the workshop: Often one of the difficulties in negotiating and managing TBCAs relates to misperceptions regarding how they are affected by international law. Often it is thought that international law provides answers or a template for resolving questions or confusions among the parties (this is rarely the case); by contrast, international law may sometimes be seen as a barrier (or at least an obstacle) to the creation of TBCA (also untrue). Often, however, international law will be the first source considered for the resolution of disagreements, and redress of grievances that may arise in the course of operation of TBPAs. For all of these reasons, it seems important for the Participants to gain some understanding of the role of international law in the TBCA context, and to consider how future development of international or regional law might help them in the creation or management of TBCAs. Summary/Outline of Key Points: The following is a general outline of the issues that will be raised in the paper International Law and the CREATION of TBCAs ▪ International Agreements relating to TBCAs - Convention on Biological Diversity - World Heritage Convention - Ramsar Convention - UN Convention on Law of the Sea ▪ International Programmes and Institutions - UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme - UNEP ▪ Regional Initiatives for Conservation Areas - In general - SPREP - Wider Caribbean ▪ Other Relevant Conventions providing potential support and justification - CITES 3 Draft 02/05/03 - Convention on Migratory Species International Law and the MANAGEMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION of TBCAs ▪ The role of the TBCA Agreement ▪ Natural resources management, and PA operation issues under international law ▪ Addressing disagreements, concerns and disputes in management Conclusions/questions raised: The conclusion of the paper will generally be that the TBCA negotiation process is critical to the success of the TBCA, and that it will be important both to utilise the experience of others, and to have a clear idea of the particular needs and mandates of the proposed area in this process. It will identify some of the various available approaches to TBCAs, and raise questions concerning the difficult balance between the need for flexibility and the need for clear, binding provisions. It will also point to the concept of Protected Area Management as a mechanism for resolving many of these issues, although possibly raising others. __________________________________________________________________________________________ The role of the World Heritage Convention in promoting Transboundary conservation initiatives Natarajan Ishwaran - UNESCO World Heritage Centre Seema Paul - United Nations Foundation In recent years, conservation efforts have begun to focus on ecosystem/landscape level approaches in order to achieve success in their mission. Since a large number of key conservation areas are shared across international borders, Transboundary conservation initiatives have acquired significance. The World Heritage Convention, adopted in 1972 and currently ratified by 175 countries, has kept pace with these conservation trends. In nominating sites for World Heritage designation,
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