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Phou Louey National Protected Area (P113860)

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Phou Louey National Protected Area (P113860) RP1319 Lao People’s Democratic Republic Public Disclosure Authorized Involuntary Resettlement Process Framework Global Environment Facility Medium-Size Project Developing and Demonstrating Replicable Protected Area Management Models Public Disclosure Authorized at Nam Et -Phou Louey National Protected Area (P113860) Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized June 21, 2012 Contents: 1. Background ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 2. Project components ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 3. Project implementation arrangement ---------------------------------------------------------------- 6 4. Legal framework --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6 5. Project impact and the process framework---------------------------------------------------------- 7 6. Project measures to ensure mitigating negative impacts------------------------------------------ 8 6.1. Participatory planning of resource restriction--------------------------------------------------- 8 6.2. Alternative livelihood ------------------------------------------------------------------------------8 6.3. Case of the Sanam users----------------------------------------------------------------------------9 6.4. Infrastructure development in and near NEPL NPA -------------------------------------------9 6.5. Physical and Cultural Resources ----------------------------------------------------------------10 6.6. Safeguard compliance by co-financiers---------------------------------------------------------10 6.7. Voluntary land acquisition----------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 7. Criteria for eligibility-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------10 8. Social assessment--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 9. Process of FPIC----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14 10. Participation framework--------------------------------------------------------------------------------15 11. Partnership with currently active and on-pipeline development projects in the NEPL NPA----- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19 12. Project monitoring and evaluation-------------------------------------------------------------------- 20 13. Budget-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------20 Involuntary Resettlement Process Framework (revision as per the updated MSP dated June 21, 2012) 1) Background The Project for Developing and Demonstrating Replicable Protected Area Management Models at Nam Et -Phou Louey National Protected Area (The Project) aims to test, in selected areas of the Nam Et-Phou Louey National Protected Area (NE-PL NPA), targeted activities for sustainable natural resource use and protection of species threatened by human interaction. The project is comprised of three core project components, including i) Management and conservation working models, within NE-PL NPA including implementation of co-management of infrastructure in sensitive habitats, ii) Working models of ecotourism for community engagement and sustainable financing, and iii) Dissemination and replication working models of NE-PL NPA within Lao PDR. The Nam Et -Phou Louey National Protected Area is located in the Nam Et-Phou Louey National Protected Area (NE-PL NPA) which is operated under the authority of the Nam Et-Phou Louey Protected Area Management Unit (PAMU) with technical support from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) (Figure 1). The project covers the Nam Et- Phou Louey National Protected Area (NE-PL NPA) landscape in northern Lao PDR, which harbors biodiversity of national and global significance, including the only known breeding population of Indochinese Tiger in Lao, and has been managed by the PAMU since 2000. The NPA covers 422,900 ha of mountainous terrain (Figure 2). The northern boundary of the NPA borders Vietnam and a proposed expansion of the protected area spans three provinces and seven districts including Luang Prabang Province (Viengkham and Phonxay districts), Houaphan province (Viengthong, Huamuang, Xamneua, and Xiengkhor districts), and Phoukoud district in Xieng Khuang province. Approximately 80% of the land area in Viengthong district alone is NE-PL NPA. This district is known to be one of 47 poorest in Lao PDR. Approximately a total of 30,000 people in 127 villages are known to live in and adjacent to the NPA. The NE-PL NPA landscape has a long history of human settlement by people from three major ethno-linguistic groups, including the Lao-Tai (Tai Lao, Tai Dam, and Tai Deng), the Mon-Khmer (including Khmu), and the Hmong-Iu Mien (including Hmong and Iu Mien), who today remain largely engaged in subsistence agriculture activities with limited integration in the market economy. Rice is the staple food and is primarily produced through rotations of shifting cultivation on steep mountainous slopes. Meat and vegetables are raised or harvested from the forest. Figure 1. Institutional Arrangements for Nam Et-Phou Louey National Protected Area (after Appleton et al. 2003). 1 Nam Et – Phou Louey Protected Area Advisory Committee NPA Manager WCS Technical Assistance WCS Site Coordinator Research & Land Use Administration Enforcement Conservation Ecotourism Monitoring Management Section Section Outreach Section Section Section Section -Finance -1 Checkpoint District Teams working -Tiger & Prey -Visitor Information -ADB Livestock Project -Equipment -3 Mobile Units in: Monitoring Center -German Development - Transportation & - 8 Forest Substations 54 Villages -Biodiversity -Wildlife-based Tourism Service Technical Maintenance 37 Schools Monitoring / Research Support 9 Military Bases -Monitoring Natural -World Bank projects Resource Use on rural development - 2 3 2) Project components Component 1: Management and conservation working models, within NE-PL NPA including implementation of co-management of infrastructure in sensitive habitats. (US$ 678,000). Under this component, the project will strengthen Protected Area Management Unit (PAMU) capacity to monitor and manage harvests of managed species for sustainable use in the Controlled Use Zone within the NE-PL NPA. Activity includes a) Community Awareness Raising in 30 NPA villages aimed to raise community awareness and understanding of, and ultimately their compliance with, NPA regulations; b) Village Natural Resource Agreements with approximately 20 communities including those in the controlled use zone near the Phathi Road to map village use areas and ratify village agreements with the NPA for wildlife and land-use management; c) Monitor Change in Harvest of Wild Foods and Estimate Sustainability of Wildlife Off-take. Results of monitoring will be incorporated into campaign messages and used to adapt agreements for PA zoning and wildlife use; and d) Expand patrolling effort and ranger substations to secure Totally Protected Zone, reduce illegal/unsustainable wildlife trade, and encourage villages to graze their livestock at their village’s area rather than in the core zone. These activities will allow the Protected Area Management Unit, WCS, the Province and District to work together to ensure that access to the core zone along Phathi Road is managed and monitored. Furthermore, this component will demonstrate best practices to mitigate anticipated impacts from the use of Phathi Road through supporting the implementation of the Co-Management Plan which includes awareness raising on the use of Phathi road; establishing a lock gate and check point at the two ends of the road; establishing one substation along the road and financing permanent staff at the two check points and substation to carry out patrolling activity; establishing access monitoring system; conducting training staff on patrolling along the road; supporting land use planning in the villages near to the road; and supporting the development of long term Phathi road management plan. This component will include developing alternative community livelihoods within and near the NE-PL NPA to help local villagers minimize their dependency on wild meet consumption and collection of NTFPs and mitigate potential short-term negative impact due to the introduction of restricted access to natural and forest resources under the GEF project. Two co-financiers will provide financing to the development of alternative community livelihood. KfW/GiZ funded Climate Protection through Avoided Deforestation Project (CliPAD) will support the Participatory Land Use Planning (PLUP) in all 30 target villages, and develop alternative community livelihood in 15 of them through providing training and demonstration as well as the provision of in-kind inputs. PLUP will help target villagers demarcate various categories of land based on the existing land use patterns. Based on the results, villagers will be assisted identifying and developing alternative community livelihoods. Initial expectation is that the livelihood support would center around increasing small and large livestock productivity within the allocated areas. The World Bank financed Poverty Reduction Fund (PRF), through its Livelihood Opportunity and Nutrition Gain (LONG) component, will support alternative community livelihoods in the other 15 target villages where
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