Organization Legal Name: Conservation International - Pacific Islands Program Project Title: Small Grants Mechanism for Polynesia-Micronesia Date of Report: 24 February 2014 Leilani Duffy Report Author and Contact CI Pacific Islands Information Apia - SAMOA CEPF Region: Polynesia-Micronesia Strategic Direction: 1-2-3 Grant Amount: $824,955 Project Dates: May 1, 2008-May 31, 2013 Implementation Partners for this Project (please explain the level of involvement for each partner): The following partners assisted CI-Pacific Islands in the implementation of the Small Grants Mechanism by participating as the Technical Advisory Committee in reviewing and providing advice on the project proposals received from potential grantees. These committee comprised of members from inter-governmental organizations, international NGOs, academic institutions, regional NGOs and UN Agencies. 1. Mr. Greg Sherley (served as the Chair of the TAG) UNEP Task Force Manager Pacific Region - Samoa 2. Easter Galuvao Biodiversity Advisor Secretariat Pacific Regional Programme, Samoa 3. Jean-Yves Meyer Environment Research Department French Polynesia 4. Mark O’Brien Pacific Birdlife International Fiji 5. Willie Kostka Micronesia Conservation Trust FSM 6. Marika Tuiwawa University South Pacific Fiji 7. Souad Boudjelas Pacific Invasive Initiative, Auckland NZ. Conservation Impacts Please explain/describe how your project has contributed to the implementation of the CEPF ecosystem profile. Please summarize the overall results/impact of your project. The CEPF Small Grants (SG) investment managed by CI-Pacific Islands for terrestrial biodiversity conservation in the Polynesia-Micronesia hotspot had addressed some issues and concern that were not directly covered in the large grants. The SG focused on the three strategic directions (SD) highlighted in the Ecosystem Profile which includes invasive species control, management and eradication; improved management of KBA sites and community awareness and species recovery. This grant had more flexibility in terms of its emergency response to urgent conservation concerns that needed immediate action and attention and at the same time, the SG allowed for research into species that posed serious concern but were not included in the CEPF priority list of species for investment. Over the five year investment, the SG supported 46 projects from 32 different stakeholders from the 13 eligible countries in the Pacific. The 32 civil society groups covered academic institutions, inter-governmental organizations, local NGOs and international NGOs, community-based organizations and consultants. Grants ranged from support given to regional capacity building workshops on invasive species and species recovery, to research work into preventing the spread of invasive species, public awareness activities at the community level on conservation and protection of key priority species, as well as developing methodologies for the application of economic tools in valuing the impact of invasive species and conducting feasibility studies. The total investment for the SG was estimated at USD 824,955 thousand for the five year period and this amount was expected to be allocated evenly within the three strategic directions. However during implementation most proposals received for the small grants from potential grantees target SD-1 and SD- 3 because these two strategic directions had the most emerging issues that needed support. The following Figure- 1provides a summary of the SG investment in the Polynesia-Micronesia Hotspot and the strategic direction that had the most grant allocation. Planned Long-term Impacts - 3+ years (as stated in the approved proposal): To successfully achieve strategic conservation outcomes as defined in the ecosystem profile or the revised investment strategy for the Polynesia-Micronesia Hotspot, as a contribution to global biodiversity conservation and improved livelihoods in the region. A particular emphasis will be placed on achieving conservation outcomes that meet both terrestrial and marine conservation priorities. Actual Progress Toward Long-term Impacts at Completion: Progress towards meeting the long-term impacts focused mainly on terrestrial conservation priorities because the funding was limited and it didn’t extend to marine. Overall, long term impact cannot be realized within the five year timeframe especially when the investment in a project is minimal with a ceiling of 20k. However there were a few projects which had emphasis on long term impacts through up-scaling to a large grant or receiving support from national government to expand on their current work. The following examples from Cook Islands, Palau and Federated States of Micronesia illustrate some long term impacts that can be seen in the small grants projects. Cook Islands: The grant that was given to Te Ipukarea Society (TIS) who contracted Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust (CINHT) to improve the breeding capacity of the reintroduced Rimatara Lorikeet on Atiu Island by reducing harassment by the common myna. The project achieved its target of reducing the myna population down to 30%, according to the report from Gerald McCormack (project manager), it was estimated that the myna population was around 6,000 when the project started and were down to 2,000 although the myna bird breeds successfully the project managed to keep the population down to 3,000 by June 2010. One good indicator for this project is the slight increase in the Rimatara Lorikeet (CEPF priority species), which showed from the 23 introduced lorikeet in mid-2007 the numbers went up to 90 and the last count estimated 120 lorikeet by June 2010. The impact from this project shown in the increase number of lorikeet due to reduce number of myna birds gave the RIT and Technical Advisory Group a good indicator of scaling up this project to a large grant and also CINHT submitted a proposal to CEPF with confidence that their program has now changed from being a control program for invasive mynas to full eradication of just over $100k USD required. This project which started by CEPF has seen Atiu Island from the Cooks to be the first small island to be 100 percent myna free by mid-2014 according to Gerald McCormack1 This project was implemented under CEPF strategic direction-1 which focus on controlling an invasive, it equally enhanced the survival of the Rimatara Lorikeet, a CEPF priority species for CEPF investment, and it benefited other birds on the island of Atiu, which is a priority site for CEPF investment. Palau-Micronesia: The grant that was given to the Palau Conservation Society (PCS) facilitated the development of a management plan for Ngchesar’s two conservation areas Mesekelat and Ngelukes Conservation Areas with strong support from the local community. In May of 2011 a management plan was developed and submitted to the State, in June of 2011 the Ngchesar Council adopted the management plan and it is now being 1 http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/programmes/datelinepacific/audio/2582644/cooks'-atiu- on-track-to-be-first-mynah-free-pacific-island implemented. In September 2011 the Palau National Congress appropriated $28,000 as a first payment out to the State of Ngchesar to implement the management plan. This project addressed strategic direction-2 on improving the status of Key Biodiversity Area and the State of Ngchesar is located in Babeldoab upland forest site 144 in the Ecosystem Profile for Polynesia-Micronesia hotspot. What is important to note here is that the grant given has resulted in Palau’s National Council providing a grant of US28k to the community of Ngchesar to start implementation of their management plans for the two conservation sites indicating a long term impact whereby local community has now continued with on the ground actions demonstrating their commitment to the implementation of the two management plans beyond the support provided by CEPF. Planned Short-term Impacts - 1 to 3 years (as stated in the approved proposal): The project purpose is to convert the plans and strategic directions in the investment strategy into cohesive portfolios of grants that exceed the sum of their parts, while ensuring effective coordination with the CEPF Secretariat on all aspects of project implementation. Actual Progress Toward Short-term Impacts at Completion: In terms of short-term impacts the SG mechanism had achieved its purpose with regards to converting the plans and strategic direction investment into cohesive portfolios of grants exceeding their expectations. If you refer to Figure-1 on grant commitment and investments for the SG mechanism the largest grants allocation went to SD-3 and SD-1 because activities that can be implemented within these two strategic directions can have immediate impacts whereas for SD-2 improving the status of KBAs is something that will take awhile to materialized and short-term impacts would be noticeable through support to policy level for development of management plans and action strategies. In SD-1 most of the projects target research into invasive species looking at aspect of improved controlled mechanism that will have long-term impacts. Similarly with SD-3 much of the grants allocated to grantees went into public awareness activities at the community level to inform the recovery of endangered species and improve understanding of KBA sites. Describe the success or challenges of the project toward achieving its short-term and long-term impact objectives. The projects funded under the small grants provided a greater