The Nature Conservancy’s Measures of Success experience in assessing management effectiveness in Latin America

Dan Salzer, U.S.A. Silvia Benitez P., Ecuador

The Nature Conservancyis a proud supporter ofthe 2003 World Parks

Congressconserveonline.org

Management effectiveness approaches used by TNC in Latin America PAs

• Measures of Success using 5S method– Planning and measures approach includes

• Biodiversity health of conservation targets• Threat status to conservation targets

– Also includes smaller set of capacity measures

• Parks in Peril Consolidation Scorecard

Stresses & Stresses & SourcesSources

• Critical Threats• Situation Analysis

StrategiesStrategies• Objectives & Actions• Action Plan

SuccessSuccess• Monitoring Plan• Analyze & Communicate• Summary Status Measures

Implement & MonitorAdapt & Learn

SystemsSystems• Project Scope• Targets & Viability

Enhanced 5-S - stronger adaptive mgmt

Benefits of Enhanced 5-S

• Strengthens coverage of all WCPA evaluation framework elements (context, planning, inputs, processes, outputs, outcomes)

• Promotes adaptive management• Completely revised Excel tool

USE OF A CONSERVATION EVALUATION FRAMEWORK TO MOVE BEYOND BOUNDARIES ON P.A. MANAGEMENT

CONDOR BIORESERVE CASE STUDY

Silvia Benitez P., Ecuador

The Nature Conservancyis a proud supporter ofthe 2003 World Parks

Congressconserveonline.org

TNC Ecuador ProgramEcoCiencia Fundacion Antisana Fundacion RumicochaMinisterio del Medio AmbienteUSAID

Condor Bioreserve Project

The Condor Bioreserve

Montane ecosystems

6 protected areas

Upper Napo watershed

More than 2 million hectares

Biodiversity and environmental services

> 760 species of birds> 150 species of mammals> 110 species of amphibians16 types of habitats: from highland grasslands to Amazon foothills forests> 2 million people depend on its resources (water)

Project Planning in the CBR

• Iterative process• Strong link between different steps

lead to MOS (adaptive management)

• Reduce subjectivity• Science-based/use best information available• Participatory

Define Project Goal

“The CBR will be a model for biodiversity conservation by applying participatory strategies that contribute to its sustainable development.”

Represent biodiversity

Represent threats

Represent different scales:geographicbiodiversity

organization

Systems: Conservation Targets

Ecosystems

Communities

Species

Local Intermediate Coarse

Andean Bear

AndeanTapir

RiverOtter

Amphibiansof montane rivers

Paramo High Inter-andean forests Low montane forests Foothill forests

Systems: Conservation Targets

What are the key ecological attributes of conservation targets?

What are their acceptable levels of change?

What is the current state of conservation targets?

Systems: Viability

Bold = Current

Italics = Desired

Poor Fair Good Very Good

Andean Bear

Size Population density

Relative abundance

1 bear /16.4 km2

1 bear /11 km2

1 bear /8.2 km2

1 bear /6.6km2 Good

Andean Bear

Condition Structure and composition of landscape

Vegetation cover and diversity of habitat

One habitat type w ith more than 60% of intervention

2-3 habitat types, 60-30% of intervention

4-7 habitat types and 30%-10% intervention

More than 7 habitat types, less than 10% intervention

Good

Andean Bear

Landscape Context

Horizontal Connectivity

Connectivity among habitat patches

> 20 km 11-20 km 1-10 km 0 km

Fair

Indicator Ratings Current

Rating

Conserva-tion

Target Category Key

Attribute Indicator

Systems: Viability

What is affecting the viability of the conservation targets?

Stress

Fragmentation

What is causing the stress?

SourceInfrastructure development

Key attribute

Habitat connectivity

Sources and stresses

Andean Bear

Sources of stress: critical threats

Montane amphibians

River otterAndean

Tapir

Low montane

forestParamo

Foothill forest

High interandean

forest

Andean Bear

Overall Threat Rank

Low Low High High High High High High Very High- Low High High High High Medium High High- Medium High High Medium High - High High- - - High Low High High Medium High- - - Low - Medium High - Medium

High - - - - - - - MediumHigh - - - - - - - MediumLow Medium - Medium - Medium - - Medium

- - - - Medium - - Medium Medium- - - Medium - Medium - - Medium- Low - Low Low Low - - Low

High Medium High High High High High High Very High

Threats Across Systems

Agriculture expansionInfrastructure projects poorly plannedHuntingTimber extractionPollution Pathogens Introduced fish

Threat Status Fishing activities

Oil spillsOvergrazingMining

Understanding the linkages

Stresses and sources: situation analysis

Colonos

Stresses and sources: situation analysisInadequate land use practices

Population density

Hunting

Population reduction

Paramo communities

Farmers living on steep areas

Human-bear conflict

Hunters

Illegal trade

Andean Bear

Situation Analysis - Understanding the linkages

Establish clear and measurable conservation objectives

Maintain current habitat connectivity of Andean Bear within the Condor Bioreserve

Reduce by 80% the mortality of Andean Bear due to conflicts with cattle raising

Strategies:objectives and actions

How to achieve conservation objectives?

Establish 4 conservation corridors within protected areas in the CBR

Define priority strategic actions

Work with farmers living on areas of human-bear conflict to improve cattle management on their lands

Strategies:objectives and actions

Success: monitoring plan

Maintain current habitat connectivity of Andean Bear within the Condor Bioreserve• # of farmers changing cattle mgmt

• % Andean bear mortality• Connectivity among habitat patches

• Farmer surveys• Andean bear surveys• Satellite images - GIS fragmentation analyses

Objective

Indicators

Methods

Closing the circle

Benefits and Challenges

Common vision on definition of success

Boundaries based on conservation targets

Science leads to decision making

Data needs (e.g., thresholds, baseline)

Challenge of scale

Measure process

Hypothesis to be tested

Benefits and Challenges

Thank you!