\ Completion report of the ITTO Project Sustainable Management of Tropical Forest Management of Tropical Forest Resources through stakeholder Agreements in Traditionally Owned Areas of Papua New Guinea. Host Government: Government of Papua New Guinea Name of the Executing Agency: PNG Forest Authority in Collaboration with The Nature Conservancy. Name of the Implementing Agency: The Nature Conservancy in partnership with the Government of Madang province and specifically Almami Local Level Government and the local Almami communities. Project Steering Committee: PNG Forest Authority, Department of Environment and Conservation, Department of National Planning and Monitoring, ITTO, The Nature Conservancy. Project number: PD 324/04Rev.3 (F) Starting date of the Project: 27th November 2006 Duration of the Project (month) 36 months Project costs (US $) ITTO contribution US$452,596 and TNC contribution US $ 505,138 GoPNG Contribution (US $75,000) The ordinal number and type of the Report: Project Completion Report Project technical and scientific staff: Current Staff 1. Project Manager- Francis Hurahura 3. Conservation Officer- Cosmas Apelis 4. Francis Beibi- Conservation officer 5 Mainstreaming Coordinator- Theresa Kas 6. Community Conservation Adviser- Clement Kipa. 7. Project Assistant- Mary Kakat 8. GIS-Manager-Nate Peterson Former staff members: 9. Warren Jano- Conservation Planner 10. Sylvia Avitu-Communications Specialist PD324/04Rev.3(F) Project Completion Report 1 October 2010 Page 1 .11. Community Development Facilitators- Willy Biul, Benny Atigini, Ricky Alfred, Veronica Waila, Rabien Tamir, Peter Somok, Serah Marin, Maula Taugele, Samuel Pidi, Priscilla Sariman, Rose Koinari, Judith Jack. Alphonse Mopal Peter Moikia CCDP-trainer Consultants 12. Policy & Legal Consultant- Dr. Eric Kwa 13. Collaborative Tool Development Specialist & Former Project Managers (Edward & Susan Mayer) 14. Business Development Consultant- Gethrude Karu 15. Research Conservation Foundation 16. Thomas Lalord Warr- Social Marketing Assessment Implementing Institutions PNG Forest Authority P.O.Box 5055 Boroko, NCD Ph: 3277841 Fax 3277 email: [email protected] The Nature Conservancy P.O.Box 217, Madang, PNG Ph:4222366 Fax:4223518 email [email protected] The place and date the report was issued. The reported is prepared and presented to ITTO by Francis Hurahura, Project manager based in Madang, Papua New Guinea in September 2010. Disclaimer: PD324/04Rev.3(F) Project Completion Report 1 October 2010 Page 2 Acknowledgements: The funding was sourced through partnership agreement between government of PNG and International Tropical Timber Organization and The Nature Conservancy also contributed funding as well as the government of PNG signed an MOU with PNG Forest Authority to implement the project. The efforts of the PNG Forest Authority, Department of Environment and Conservation, Department of National Planning and Monitoring, Madang provincial government and administration and Almami local level government for its support to the success of this project and lastly and not the least, the Almami LLG conservation communities are hereby acknowledged, being the main partners who have made this project a Daun of the New Era. Various partners and stakeholders are hereby also acknowledged, that without your morale and technical support, success could not have been achieved and to name a few, FPCD, VDT, FORCERT,EU, WWF, VSO, CSO and CBOs in the Bogia district administration. The members of the Project Steering Committee and Multitechnical team members are hereby acknowledged for your efforts in guiding the project management and performing technical inputs respectively, your efforts is much appreciated. Lastly, goes to the Project Management team members for their tireless efforts for working as a team to achieve expected outcomes and making this project as success., PD324/04Rev.3(F) Project Completion Report 1 October 2010 Page 3 LIST OF ACRONYMS ALLG Almami local level government CBO Community Based Organization CCBS Climate Community & Biodiversity Standards CDF Conservation Development Facilitators CNA Conservation Needs Assessment CSO Civil Society Organization DEC Department of Environment and Conservation DNPM Department of National Planning and Monitoring FMA Forest Management Area/Agreement FPCD Foundation People Community Development FSC Forest Stewardship Council GoPNG Government of Papua New Guinea ITTO International Tropical Timber Organization MOU Memorandum of Understanding OCCD Office of Climate Change and Development PEC Provincial Executive Council PNGFA Papua New Guinea Forest Authority PNG Papua New Guinea PSC Project Steering Committee REDD Reduced Emissions Deforestation Degradation TNC The Nature Conservancy TRP Timber Rights Purchase VDT Village Development Trust VSO Volunteer Service Organization WWF World Wildlife Fund PD324/04Rev.3(F) Project Completion Report 1 October 2010 Page 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary 6-7 1 Project Identification 7-11 1.1 Context 7-11 1.2 Origin and problem 11-13 2 Project Objectives and implementation strategy 13-16 3 Project Performance (Project elements planned and implemented.) 16-17 4 Project Outcome, Target Beneficiaries Involvement 17-22 5 Assessment and analysis 23-29 6 Lessons learned 29-31 7 Conclusions and Recommendations 31-33 Annex 1: Project Implementation Schedule 34-35 Annex 2: Conservation Agreements-signing photos 36 Annex 3: Map of conservation areas 37 Annex 4 Project financial Audited statements 38- PD324/04Rev.3(F) Project Completion Report 1 October 2010 Page 5 Executive summary Almost 90% of Papua New Guieans live in rural areas and rely directly on the natural resource base, in particular forest resources, for their livelihoods. As the owners of forest rsources, their well-being and the decisions they take concerning resource development are inextricably linked to the conservation of biological diversity and to the sustainability of that resource. These communities are therefore critical to any process that aims to address the management and sustainable use of forest resources and overall development within PNG. The International Tropical Timber Organization signed an agreement with Government of PNG and the PNG Forest Authority to implement a project PD324/04Rev.3(F) “ Sustainable Management of Tropical Forest Resources through stakeholder Agreements in traditionally Owned Areas of Papua New Guinea” the government through PNG Forest Authority further signed an MOU with The Nature Conservancy to implement the project. The development and specific objectives were to: DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVE: ► Local forest owners in the Adelbert Range conserve and sustainably manage their forests to meet livelihood needs of current and future generations. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE: ► Local forest owners in the Adelbert Ranges are effectively using conservation agreements and management plans to conserve and sustainably manage their forests and meet their livelihood needs. The project envisaged that the clans and communities were not conserving and managing their forests sustainably for the future generations to be able to enjoy the products and services it provides.The project objective was to ensure Local forest owners in the Adelbert Range are effectively using conservation agreements and management plans to conserve and sustainably manage their forests to meet livelihood needs of current and future generations. The project was executed as originally planned under the two main outputs. The first output enabled development of tools and processes allowing more than six clans ( 20) from nine communities to develop land use management plans incorporating conservation priorities with support from the Almami local level government, while the second output mainstreamed these tools and processes and lessons learned to partners to implement conservation and sustainable forest management. Identifcation and Establishment of compatible business opportunities and micro-credit scheme was slightly changed to focus more on developing conservation cooperatives by the conservation communities as a mechanism to provide sustainable finance to ensure conservation and sustainable forest management objectives are achieved in perpetuity contributing towards improved livelihoods alleviating poverty. The Government of Japan is the major donor of the project, supported by Australian donor, TNC and GoPNG contribution. The project recognises the importance of customary ownership over natural resources in PNG as the country takes the lead in the REDD initiative internationally, and the importance of linking national level priorities with needs skills of customary resource owners in sustainable forest management activities. The Adelbert range project is seen a significant learning opportunity on mechanisms for linking national priorities through the involvement of national government partners. How to maintain agreements with the partners, the community, and the government is important outcome of this project and the emerging REDD framework. The project is a potential model for scaling up to other parts of PNG. PNG has a lot more important natural resources beyond timber. PD324/04Rev.3(F) Project Completion Report 1 October 2010 Page 6 The Adelbert project, as actually implemented, has been in compliance with ITTO policy guidelines inrelation to ITTO Criteria and Indicators for sustainable forest management. In this, it was noted that a review of the potential for participating communities to participate in eco-forestry conducted