The first issue of Iran SGP E-Newsletter coincided with the Persian New Year, Norouz. Programme Brief : GEF SGP I.R. Iran was launched in June 2001 in the middle of GEF Operational Phase II (OP2) when the public policy opened up to public participation. The Third Five-year National Development Plan of Iran (2000-2004) provided a window for the government to open the arena for participation of civil society in development work. This era provided a unique opportunity for civil society to participate more actively in sustainable development and environmental protection, to become empowered and to form some of its institutions. Focus of the GEF SGP Programme in I.R. Iran is to assist in local environmental protection through stakeholder participation and capacity building. In October of 2003 at the request of the Secretary General, his special envoy visited I.R. Iran for assessment of UN and civil society relationship in the country. SGP was cited in the official report as a working model between the government and the civil society. In accordance with the Country Programme Strategy I (CPS1) during OP2, SGP could work in three regions of the country with both national and global significance: Caspian, Zagros and the Persian Gulf in addition to where GEF or UNDP had participatory projects and large cities for air pollution (Tehran) which are still valid operational sections. GEF SGP I.R. Iran has approved a total of 121 projects so far, consisting of 101 Full Grants and 20 Planning Grants. So far 30% of the projects have been satisfactorily completed or are nearly completed, about 55% are ongoing, and 15% have been newly approved by the NSC. During OP2, GEF/SGP in Iran has focused its efforts mainly on Biodiversity and Multiple Focal Area and with few projects International Waters in the Persian Gulf area. Resource Allocation in OP2 in each Focal Area Resource Allocation in OP3 in each Focal Area Biodiversity Climate Change International Waters Land Degradation Multifocal Area During OP3 the Programme was diversified more with approval of projects in new focal areas, Land Degradation and POPs. The CPS amendment for Operational Phase III, was based on strengthening both the thematic and regional clusters for impact. Therefore, in OP3 it was allowed for accommodating up to 30% random projects for capturing new ideas. Land Degradation and POPs were allowed outside of the three regions to allow for demonstration sites considering the capacity in the country. The remaining 70% were allocated for targeted projects to support pilots for 2001 to 2004 projects, which had policy impact as well as further developing the clusters including further linkage to GEF projects. In accordance to resource allocation frame work RAF, In OP4, SGP funding allocation is now focused on Biodiversity and Climate Change. Based on results of seven years of expanded work across Iran, SGP has developed Geographic and Thematic Clusters. Geographical clusters are Caspian, Zagros and the Persian Gulf.. Thematic Clusters are Link to selected GEF or UNDP projects, Integrated Pest Management, Integrated/Traditional Forest Management, Community based Ecotourism, Participatory Capacity Building, Marine Resources, Wetlands and Climate Change. SGP motto is: The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme (SGP) at UNDP operates on the premise that people will be empowered to protect their environment when they are organized to take action, have access to natural resources, have the necessary information and knowledge, and believe that their social and economic well-being is dependent on sound long-term management of natural resources. Zagros Cluster/ Link to GEF/UNDP Conservation of Iranian Wetlands Project Wetland’s Champion Selected from an SGP Funded Project Conservation of Iranian Wetland Project, a GEF‟s Large Scale project in Iran, with collaboration of the Biodiversity and Natural Environment Division of the Department of Environment and Ramsar Convention Representatives in Iran nominated Mr. Entekhabi for the Wetland‟s Champion Award. SGP funded this project for rehabilitation of SiranGoli Wetland. As the most successful experiences relating to optimized preservation of Wetland Ecosystems and promotion of wetlands preservation culture across the country Mr. Entekhabi received the award on the World Wetlands Day on Feb 2nd 2008. The picture below shows Mr. Entekhabi. After receiving the award he said: “Besides from the funding, GEF Small Grants Programs empowered us and helped us believe in ourselves. SGP help us to participate actively in Biodiversity Conservation and Poverty Reduction through our own local societies." Parow Support Letter from Zagros/Ecotourism Tourism Organization cluster Women Mountain Environment Protection Society (Parow) a Non Governmental - Non Profit Organization from Kermanshah, has succeeded to promote its SGP funded project as a solution and a potential provincial example for Ecotourism Committee. Project aimed to develop an experience to restore the high demand mountainous (cultural heritage) pathways neighboring the cities and document them. The National Ecotourism Committee offered the Parow Organization an 11,000 USD financial support to implement the same idea in a second historical pathway as a sustainable way for Mountain Ecotourism in Iran, and to prepare appropriate guidelines on making this idea executable for other mountainous regions with high visitors demands. Replicability is a criteria of success for local communities participation and incorporating indigenous knowledge in sustainable management of the Natural and Cultural Heritages. Parow Support Letter from Tourism Organization Date: 10 Jan 2008 Kermanshah Municipality Parks and Green Areas Organization Has Declared that Parow Organization activities has been very inspiring for the Municipality and they mentioned their remarkable effects on the society as follows: 1-Parow Organization efforts has lead to serious restoration of the Mountain Natural Environment in the mentioned trekking roots 2-Local Peoples and trekkers higher preferation in using the Parow Organization designed roots due to its very high reliability and for nature protection 3-Expansion and restoration of the endemic vegetation because of Parow organization efforts in planting Endemic Plant Species and indirect increase of the species because of Parow protection efforts 4-Nature Protection is becoming the culture in the areas that Parow have worked 5-Less waist and garbage in the Mountains of the regions that Parow Organization have worked 6-Protection of the important vegetation of Mazar Shohada Mountainous area by designing trekking roots, in the Northern slopes of the mountain 7-Expanding and encouraging of the Local communities, and Local Organization and Other Zagros/Ecotourism NGOs to participate more actively in the protection of the Environment cluster 8-Successful Example of effectiveness of Nongovernmental and local organizations in protection of nature and in building the fundamentals of participation for Nature protection and Municipality Urban Nature Protection activities SGP’s activities reflection at Kermanshah Newspapers Women Mountain Environment protection Society (Parow) celebrated the visit of Ms. Laleh Daraie (National Coordinator of the GEF/SGP Programme in Iran , and Ms Elzira Sagynbaeva (Deputy Resident Representative). During this visit the role of Parow successful projects, as a model of community base ecotourism emphasized and a two days workshop held in the Kermanshah Province, Natural Resources Head Office. SGP Financial Report Workshop, 24th of January 2008 On January 24th, the occasional training workshop on the guidelines to a legitimate, transparent and precise Financial Reporting Package held for the new grantees by SGP team, with SPG team members, Mr. Javadi, Ms. Mirniam and Ms. Zahedi as Monitoring and facilitators. Evaluation, SGP Project 51 Zagros/Qeshm Clusters Shiraz and Qeshm Site Visit N.C.‟s visit to Shiraz Capital of Fars Province, on 18 to 20 of February, to explore new horizons of communities involvement on biodiversity conservation in Zagross range, as well as expanding possibilities of supporting substitute livelihoods such as making Handicrafts with Mr. & Mrs. Dareshoori. Persian Gulf, Qeshm New Ideas for Handicrafts, Cluster, Tailor Made and Local Products Capacity Building, Handicrafts, Conservation Marketing Art and Marketing Clusters A meeting hold on SGP Office, to discuss the new ideas for Handicraft design, way of ordering product from local communities, marketing and developing new community based ideas for development of incredible indigenous artworks. Currently several SGP Projects are working with communities to help woman, turn their ideas into art forms and ease their access to markets through well planned marketing activities. IPM Cluster, Integrated Pest Final Workshop of IPM in Management/Farmer-Field Caspian rice fields and other School (Linked to UNEP GEF, IPM/FFS projects Caspian Environment Programme and UNDP) The “ Farmers Empowerment on Agro-ecosystem Management in Paddy Fields of Caspian Area & other IPM/FFS Projects” final workshop held in Iran Research Institute of Plant Protection, located in Tehran, and farmers from different part of Iran with SGP funded projects on IPM( IPM in Garmsar, Bam Dates,…) attended the meeting and shared Ideas and discussed the shortages and the landscape. In this session Mr. Khalaghani Deputy Minister of Research from the Ministry of Agriculture and Jihad, thanked the hard works of