SOUTHERN SUDAN ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS AND OPPORTUNITIES ASSESSMENT BIODIVERSITY AND TROPICAL FOREST ASSESSMENT September 2007 This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by International Resources Group (IRG). COVER PHOTO Sunrise along the Nile – Nothing epitomizes the environmental situation in Southern Sudan like the River Nile. Although it is a national treasure of great beauty and natural import, serving the needs of many for food and water, incipient pollution issues are threatening its integrity SOUTHERN SUDAN ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS AND OPPORTUNITIES ASSESSMENT BIODIVERSITY AND TROPICAL FOREST ASSESSMENT September 2007 International Resources Group 1211 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 700 Washington, DC 20036 202-289-0100 Fax 202-289-7601 www.irgltd.com CONTENTS Executive Summary ............................................................................................... 1 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................ 3 1.1 Team Members and Methodology............................................................................................ 4 1.2 Purpose of this ETOA Update................................................................................................... 4 1.3 A Note on Data Availability for Southern Sudan.................................................................. 5 2. Description of Southern Sudan......................................................................... 6 2.1 Governance and Administrative Units..................................................................................... 6 2.2 Physical Description ..................................................................................................................... 6 2.3 Biological Resources .................................................................................................................... 9 2.4 Key Forest Resources: Status of Forests and Forest Cover............................................19 2.5 Other Important Resources.....................................................................................................26 3. Institutional and Legal Framework ................................................................ 32 3.1 Institutional Framework: Environment, Wildlife, and National Parks............................32 3.2 Policy Framework.......................................................................................................................33 3.3 Institutional and Legal Framework: Forestry .......................................................................33 3.4 Institutional and Legal Framework: Agriculture ..................................................................35 3.5 Institutional and Legal Framework: Water...........................................................................35 4. Donor, NGO, and GOSS Programs and Activities in the Environment Sector..................................................................................................................... 37 4.1 Donor and NGO Programs and Activities...........................................................................37 4.2 GOSS Programs and Activities................................................................................................38 5. USAID Strategy for Sudan .............................................................................. 39 6. USAID Interventions in the Environment Sector ........................................ 41 6.1 Environmental Effects of USAID’s Strategy ..........................................................................42 7. Key Threats to Biodiversity and Forests ....................................................... 43 7.1 Key Threats to Biodiversity Resources.................................................................................43 7.2 Key Threats to Forestry Resources.......................................................................................47 7.3 Actions Needed to Conserve Biodiversity and Tropical Forests and Extent to Which USAID Meets the Needs......................................................................................................48 8. Recommendations............................................................................................ 51 8.1 Measures to Reduce Environmental Threats from USAID Activities ............................51 8.2 Recommendations to USAID to Support Biodiversity Conservation............................52 8.3 Recommendations to USAID to Support Conservation of Forests...............................54 9. References ......................................................................................................... 55 SOUTHERN SUDAN ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS AND OPPORTUNITIES ASSESSMENT i Annex A: USAID Guidance Covering FAA 117/8/9 Assessments................... 58 Annex B: ETOA SOW ......................................................................................... 60 Annex C: Authors’ Biographical Sketches......................................................... 62 Annex D: List of Contacts ................................................................................... 63 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Location Map of Southern Sudan.................................................................................................................. 7 Figure 2. Southern Sudan’s Surface Water Resources ............................................................................................. 9 Figure 3. Harrison and Jackson Ecological Zones of Sudan...................................................................................10 Figure 4. Sudd Swamps East of Rumbek.....................................................................................................................12 Figure 5. Elephants in the Sudd ....................................................................................................................................16 Figure 6. Southern Sudan’s Protected Areas ............................................................................................................18 Figure 7. Map of Forest in Sudan using Africover Data..........................................................................................20 Figure 8. Sudan MVC-NDVI Difference Analysis Between 1982 and 1999.......................................................21 Figure 9. The Savannah Forests of the Boma Plateau .............................................................................................24 Figure 10. Yaboa Plantation as Mapped by SSARP, 2004 .......................................................................................26 Figure 11. Illegal Dumping in Streambeds..................................................................................................................28 Figure 12. Illegal Dumping along the Yei Road .........................................................................................................29 Figure 13. Rural Livelihood Zones of Southern Sudan ...........................................................................................30 Figure 14. Example of Traditional Dinka Barn..........................................................................................................31 Figure 15. Organizational Chart for the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry ................................................34 LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Sudan’s Ecological Zones based on Harrison and Jackson 1958..........................................................11 Table 2. Conservation Areas in Southern Sudan .....................................................................................................17 Table 3. Forest Area 2005 and Area Change in Sudan...........................................................................................21 Table 4. Gazetted Forest Reserves .............................................................................................................................22 Table 5. Estimates of Area in Forest Plantation .......................................................................................................25 Table 6. Actions Needed to Reduce Threats and USAID’s Role.........................................................................48 SOUTHERN SUDAN ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS AND OPPORTUNITIES ASSESSMENT ii ACRONYMS ADS Automated Directive System ATO African Timber Organization BEO Bureau Environmental Officer (USAID) CAR Central African Republic CBNRM Community-Based Natural Resources Management CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species CPA Comprehensive Peace Agreement CSO Community Service Organization DRC Democratic Republic of Congo EA Environmental Assessment EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EMP Environmental Management Plan ETC Equatoria Teak Company ETOA Environmental Threats and Opportunities Assessment EU European Union FAA Foreign Assistance Act FAO Food and Agriculture Organization FD Forestry Directorate (MAF) FFI Flora and Fauna International FNC Forest National Corporation FY fiscal year GIS Geographical Information System GONU Government of National Unity GOSS Government of Southern Sudan GRASP Great Apes Survival Project IDP internally displaced people IEE Initial Environmental Examination IFAW International Fund for Animal Welfare IPM integrated pest management SOUTHERN SUDAN ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS AND OPPORTUNITIES ASSESSMENT iii IR intermediate result ITN Insecticide-Treated