Events

The Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management Programme (BIOPAMA) aims to address threats to biodiversity in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, while reducing poverty in communities in and around protected areas.

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  • Promoting Local Solutions to GBF Target 3 – Exploring the impact of BIOPAMA funding on data collection, resilience and biodiversity conservation at SIDS4 on May 28, 2024 @8am(UTC-4)

    In over 12 years of implementation, the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management (BIOPAMA) programme has assisted some 36 SIDS members of the Organisation of Africa, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) to address their priorities for improved management and governance of biodiversity and natural resources, through a variety of tools, services and funding to conservation actors across Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. The proposed side event will utilise presentations, panels, and conversations to showcase BIOPAMA’s achievements and demonstrate how local actions and partnerships are enhancing SIDS’ economic diversification, building resilience and disaster recovery, and propelling sustainable development. It will also explore the strategies and actions used to bridge data gaps and enhance technological and institutional capacities to empower evidence-based policymaking. Interventions will be made by the OACPS, EU, IUCN, European Commissions Joint Research Centre, OECS Commission, Pacific Ministers, and local BIOPAMA Grantees. Join us also for other two discussions on: -Enhancing Caribbean Development Using Data, Geospatial Information, and Environmental Monitoring: Building a Regional Environmental Information ecoSystem (REIS) -Srengthening the Resilience of SIDS through the BBNJ Agreement: Prioritising Capacity Building and Technology Transfer for Ocean Health

    2024

  • IMPAC 5, 3-9 February 2023, Vancouver, Canada

    Join us at the Fifth International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC 5), a global forum that brings together ocean conservation professionals and high-level officials to inform, inspire and act on marine protected areas. It takes place in Vancouver, Canada, from 3 to 9 February 2023. Publications launches:   Etat des Aires Marines Protégées d’Afrique de l’Ouest Register here to receive the publication! Conserving our sea of islands Download it here   Check our events at IMPAC5 All times below are in PST (Vancouver time) 4 FEBRUARY From Local To Global Data For Biodiversity Monitoring And Conservation: Marine Protected Areas Experiences In The BIOPAMA Programme, 16 -17:30; room 223 -224 From knowledge to action for marine protected areas, 17-19 (poster), Ballroom Foyer The State Of Protected And Conserved Areas In The Wider Caribbean (September 2019), 17 – 19 (poster), Ballroom Foyer 5 FEBRUARY From Knowledge To Action: A Case Study Of Protected Area Management Effectiveness In Belize, 11:30-13:00, room 205 Innovative governance: locally driven conservation ensures equity and effectiveness, 16 – 16:15, room 220 – 222 6 FEBRUARY Launch Of The Publication “State Of Marine Protected Areas Of West Africa”, 16-17:30; room 205 Conserving Our Sea Of Islands – Status Of And Opportunities For MPAs In The Pacific, 16 -17:30; room 202 BIOPAMA is sponsoring delegates from Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific, from a variety of stakeholders, organisations and target groups, including young professionals. Read more: Pacific youths geared up for IMPAC5, with BIOPAMA support List of IUCN-led events at IMPAC5 News from BIOPAMA at IMPAC5 – newsletter Get in touch with us at biopama@iucn.org.

    2023

  • CBD COP15 Side Event – Regional centres in support of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework in Africa, Caribbean, Europe and the Pacific for monitoring Targets 1,2 and 3

    This official side event at COP15 will showcase the role of regional observatories in Africa, Caribbean, Europe, and Pacific in support of the CBD Parties in the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework, serving as regional nodes for monitoring Target 3 (and 1 and 2). Speakers: Welcome: Trevor Sandwith (IUCN) Opening remarks: Carla Montesi (European Commission) Abhinav Prakash (CBD Secretariat) Panel discussion:  (25 min) Melesse Maryo (Ethiopia) Afele Faiilagi (Samoa) Aboubacar Samoura (Guinée) Hannah St Luce Martinez (Belize) Chouaibou Nchoutpouen (COMIFAC) Conclusions: Trevor Sandwith (IUCN) Objective: Showcase the role existing regional observatories in Africa, Caribbean, Europe, and Pacific play in support of the CBD Parties in the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework. Showcase the experience of long-established (EEA) and newly established regional centres (Africa, Pacific) serving as regional nodes for monitoring Target 3 (and 1 and 2). Demonstrate complementarity with other global reporting and monitoring tools, such as DART and with the Global Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity proposed by the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) and the European Commission and which will be discussed at this COP15 with the Parties. Expected output of this side event: Raise awareness about existing operational structures that can act as “regional cooperation support centres” in support of the implementation of the new targets adopted in the post 2020 Framework. Background/key messages about the EEA and BIOPAMA-established Regional Observatories: The Regional Observatories catalyse and facilitate technical cooperation and technology transfer. They facilitate liaison between Parties and stakeholders and they provide tailored support to Parties’ needs and requirements. The BIOPAMA regional observatories support collation of data on protected and conserved areas and biodiversity, which can make a direct contribution to the monitoring of the Global Biodiversity Framework. For Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific, these regional observatories are ideally placed to be advanced options for establishing the proposed “regional cooperation support centers”. Register here: https://www.cbd.int/side-events/4867    

    2022

  • The contribution of the Regional Resource Hub to biodiversity monitoring in Africa

    As the world focuses on the new global biodiversity framework, which will be adopted at the upcoming fifteenth meeting of the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15), BIOPAMA invites you to an online event to present the added value of the Regional Resource Hub (RRH) and its contribution for the collection, the production and the dissemination of information for decision-making at local, national and global levels, enabling the effective monitoring of the Convention’s post 2020 biodiversity framework of Biodiversity (CBD) in Eastern and Southern Africa. Watch the recording here: Read the documents discussed in the webinar here: Full set of presentations from the webinar on RRH contribution to GBF monitoring CBD Policy Brief – Regional Resource Hub

  • BIOPAMA at the IUCN Africa Protected Areas Congress 2022, Kigali

    The IUCN Africa Protected Areas Congress (APAC) is the first ever continent-wide gathering of African leaders, citizens, and interest groups to discuss the role of protected areas in conserving nature, safeguarding Africa’s iconic wildlife, delivering vital life-supporting ecosystem services, promoting sustainable development while conserving Africa’s cultural heritage and traditions. Join us in Kigali, Rwanda, as we highlight BIOPAMA’s work through three dedicated pavilions around our Regional Observatories. Regional Resource Hub Pavilion The RRH serves 24 countries in the Eastern and Southern African (ESA) region and is hosted by the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD), based in Nairobi, Kenya. The Hub compiles and analyses relevant data and provides information to support field interventions, policy dialogues and decision-making processes at local, national and regional levels. The ESA RRH offers information management systems and tools, capacity building, knowledge sharing products and communication activities aiming to reinforce the management effectiveness and governance of protected areas and surrounding communities in Eastern and Southern Africa region. The ESA RRH includes a Regional Reference Information System (RRIS) that is free, secure and built using open source technologies. It hosts a broad range of data that can be stored and used, such as field data, indicators, satellite imagery, maps, photos, surveys and documents. Download the RRH Pavilion Overview and Brochure here. OBAPAO Pavilion OBAPAO is a repository of data and information on biodiversity and protected areas in West Africa. The BIOPAMA Program, an initiative funded by the European Union, aims to build a solid information base for decision-making on protected areas and biodiversity in 79 countries of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States. Thus, at this West Africa Regional Reference Information System (RRIS), you will find maps, reports, data and other relevant information on the status of biodiversity and protected areas that you can download and use as needed. A wide range of environmental themes associated with related topics in biodiversity conservation and natural resource management are covered. Download the OBAPAO Pavilion Overview and Brochure here. COMIFAC Pavilion The Central Africa Forest Observatory (OFAC) was created in 2007 as a specialised unit of the Central African Forests Commission (Commission des forêts d’Afrique centrale COMIFAC) to provide the up-to-date, relevant data on the region’s forests and ecosystems that is needed for policy-making and to promote better governance and sustainable management of natural resources. Download the COMIFAC Pavilion Overview and Brochure here.

  • Regional Resource Hub Showcase series, 16 June – 7 July 2021

    THE SHOWCASE OF THE REGIONAL RESOURCE CENTER (RRH) The four RRH showcase sessions will be held virtually on the following dates: June 16  – Key updates from the regional resource center June 23  – Input data in the HRR and analysis tools for the management of protected areas and the conservation of biodiversity June 30  – The results of the RRH which act as engines of knowledge to action July 7  – What to watch out for Each session will take place mid-morning from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Eastern African Time. Register here.

    2021

  • BIOPAMA Action component: information sessions for the Small Technical Grants for Assessments

    The BIOPAMA grant-making facility, the “Action Component” has launched a call for proposals for Small Technical Grants for Assessments. A series of information sessions are being held in December 2020 to inform stakeholders about the details of this call for proposals. Find on this page all the information of previous and upcoming information sessions! 17 December 2020, 12 PM AST Information session for Caribbean stakeholders in English Presentation: Technical and financial overview of the STGA call Presentation: Assessment tools for protected area management and governance 11 December 2020, 10 AM GMT Information session for African stakeholders in French: all details available here 9 December 2020 Information session for African stakeholders in English Presentation of Small Technical Grants for Assessments Presentation of assessment tools Video of the session (below)  

    2020

  • Closing the gap: Conservation Trust Funds

    Following the successful launch of the report Closing the gap – Financing and resourcing of protected and conserved areas, BIOPAMA and Conservation Capital hosted an online event on Conservation Trust Fund as a means to increase revenue and improve management efficiency. Watch the recording, in case you missed the live event Resources for the event Agenda of the event Event presentations Survey (please fill it in by 18 December 2020) Protected areas need better and more diversified funding Closing the gap: introduction to financing and resourcing of protected and conserved areas In depth: Collaborative management In depth: payment for ecosystem services

  • Official launch of the Regional Resource Hub for Eastern and Southern Africa

    The launch of the Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Resource Hub took take place on 24 November 2020 in the presence of Heads of Protected Area agencies, ministries responsible for protected areas and wildlife, high-level technical institutions, Regional Economic Communities and BIOPAMA donors and partners. The Regional Resource Hub is a knowledge hub that compiles and analyses relevant data and provides information to support field interventions and policy dialogues, for fair and effective management and governance of protected and conserved areas in Eastern and Southern Africa. The Regional Resource Hub acts as one of the regional observatories implemented by the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management (BIOPAMA) Programme, and is hosted by the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD) in Eastern and Southern Africa. The Hub includes an information system, co-developed with the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission, which helps decision makers to track progress on conservation targets, and to manage and assess the protected and conserved areas in the region. Other similar hubs have been established with BIOPAMA’s support in Western and Central Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. “Effective conservation, management and governance of protected and conserved areas in Eastern and Southern Africa is crucial to our long-term economic growth and development. The establishment of this Regional Resource Hub is a great milestone as it will facilitate the provision of relevant information and data to support policies and effective decision-making on protected and conserved areas which are our invaluable natural heritage”, said Luther Bois Anukur, Regional Director, IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office. way in delivering useful information to make informed decisions, as the various stakeholders in conservation address the challenges that threaten our biodiversity“, said Dr. Emmanuel Nkurunziza, Director General, Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development. The knowledge generated by the Regional Resource Hub aims to support national governments, regional organisations, NGOs, communities and other organisations, in achieving their biodiversity conservation objectives and to report their progress on multilateral environmental agreements, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, more accurately. The “State of Protected and Conserved Areas in Eastern and Southern Africa” report is a flagship knowledge product of the Regional Resource Hub. Launched on the same occasion, this report makes a significant contribution to assessing the current status of the protected and conserved areas in Eastern and Southern Africa and understanding their relevance to the societal needs. “This report demonstrates how systems of protected and conserved areas are an essential conservation strategy for the region, without which the loss of biodiversity would have been much more significant. It also highlights the many gaps in understanding and implementation, and shows us just how challenging it is to achieve effective outcomes for nature conservation”, said Trevor Sandwith, Director, IUCN Global Protected and Conserved Areas Programme. Event resources: Presentations of the panelists Download the event invitation Check the video-invitation to the event “State of Protected and Conserved Areas” Report: teaser “State of Protected and Conserved Areas” Report: full publication Press release: A …

  • Introduction to OECMs

    UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) and the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD), through the BIOPAMA Programme, hosted an online event designed to provide an overview of Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measure (OECMs) – what they are, how to identify and recognise them, and how to report these important sites to the World Database on OECMs. The case studies focused on examples from Eastern and Southern Africa. This BIOPAMA webinar provided an overview of OECMs from Harry Jonas who is the co-chair of the IUCN’s specialist group on OECMs. He described what OECMs are, where the definition came from, and what they mean for conservation. We also heard from experts in Eswatini (Wisdom Dlamini from The University of Eswatini) and South Africa (Daniel Marnewick, from BirdLife South Africa) giving first-hand experience on how they undertook the process of identifying OECMs in their countries, and what lessons they learned during this process. 33 participants from multiple countries across Eastern and Southern Africa and Europe attended this session. Through the BIOPAMA programme, UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) will be hosting a follow up online workshop in 2021, to help other interested countries identify and report OECMs. Please do reach out to UNEP-WCMC if you are interested at Jessica.stewart@unep-wcmc.org Resources of the event: watch the recording short survey Presentations

  • Closing the gap: Payment for Ecosystem Services

    BIOPAMA is organizing a series of virtual learning events and trainings on specific financing mechanisms outlined in the report Closing the gap – Financing and resourcing of protected and conserved areas in Eastern and Southern Africa. These events aim to provide tangible solutions for how to increase revenue and diversify income in order to help protected area authorities develop more resilient financial models for conservation. The events build on live case studies and real world examples to illustrate best (and worst) practice, and to foster deeper engagement and connection with participants. The latest event took place on 21 October 2020 and focused on payment for ecosystem services. Watch the event here: Event’s resources: Invitation and agenda Please fill in this survey by 30 October 2020. Presentations Check the previous online trainings on financing and resourcing of protected and conserved areas: Closing the gap: collaborative management Closing the gap: introduction to financing and resourcing of protected and conserved areas  

  • Learning series on communities combating Illegal Wildlife Trade

    A learning series titled ‘Communities Combatting Illegal Wildlife Trade’ has been launched in East Africa. The series is designed to support wildlife conservation and management authorities, relevant non-governmental and community-based organisations in East Africa to effectively engage local communities in the fight against illegal wildlife trade. The learning series, kicked off on 15th September and will be conducted in phases until December 2020, followed by a second phase of physical trainings and practical learning activities in 2021. The learning series follows the successful development and piloting of the  Local Communities: First Line of Defence against Illegal Wildlife Trade (FLoD) methodology, which was developed and tested by IUCN ESARO in partnership with the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), and the IUCN’s Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Specialist Group (SULi). Why the training? Poaching has been a major threat in the region. One of the key pillars of the regional EAC strategy to combat poaching and illegal wildlife trade is to increase the capacity of local communities to pursue sustainable livelihoods. As mentioned by the Director Productive Sectors at the East African Community Secretariat, these learning events are directly linked to this pillar as seen from the focus on equipping the communities with the required skills to enable them to provide the first line of defence against Illegal Wildlife trade. Speaking at the launch of the learning series, Aurelia Micko, Environment Office Director USAID Kenya and East Africa said: “The journey to self-reliance begins with locally led development. The FLoD methodology will help us understand the motivations and assumptions that underpin local community interaction with wildlife and this understanding will help us to better engage communities in the efforts towards ending poaching and illegal wildlife trade.” The learning series which aims at training participants on the FLoD methodology is supported by USAID Kenya and East Africa through the Conserving Natural Capital and Enhancing Collaborative Management of Transboundary Resources (CONNECT)  project. The series will supplement the comprehensive training course on FLoD, which is currently under development with support from the Biodiversity and Protected Area Management Programme (BIOPAMA) supported by the European Union and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States. Communities as guardians of protected areas “Wildlife crime threatens the security, economy and biodiversity of East Africa. When we conserve biodiversity, it is in the interest of the communities. It is critical that we involve communities in defining and implementing their biodiversity conservation activities and allow them to participate in the management of protected areas,” highlighted Dr Philippe Mayaux, Team leader for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, European Commission, International Cooperation for Development (DEVCO). “Strengthening the capacity of the local communities will go a long way in ensuring that wildlife crime in the region is reduced. We need a coordinated regional approach that can be adapted and adopted for local contexts. The FLoD methodology is a resource that can help the East Africa region to implement relevant regional and national strategies to combat wildlife crime,” said Charles Oluchina, Regional Programme Coordinator for …

  • Closing the gap: collaborative management of protected areas

    Organised as part of the “Vital Sites: the Journey to Marseille”, the BIOPAMA programme hosted an online event on collaborative management of protected areas as a means to increase revenue and improve management efficiency. The event took place on 2 September 2020 and the video recording is available to watch. This event is part of BIOPAMA’s capacity development for protected and conserved areas strategy, where financing and resourcing has been identified as a key area to improve the performance and conservation outcomes. NEW: Watch the online event! Relevant resources on financing and resourcing of protected and conserved areas: Webinar presentations SURVEY: What do you need to know about financing and resourcing of protected areas? Answer this survey by 11 September 2020. Event booklet: Collaborative management of protected areas Publication: Closing the gap : financing and resourcing of protected and conserved areas in Eastern and Southern Africa Online event launching the publication ” Closing the gap” (June 2020) Knowledge brief “Closing the gap” Initial message and invitation: BIOPAMA Eastern and Southern Africa invites you to the online event “Collaborative management of protected areas as a means to increase revenue and improve management efficiency”. The event will take place on Wednesday, 2 September 2020, 15:30 – 17:00 EAT. The participation is free, but registration is required.

  • Closing the gap: financing and resourcing of protected and conserved areas in Eastern and Southern Africa

    BIOPAMA, Conservation Capital and partners hosted an online discussion about financing and resourcing of protected and conserved areas, with a focus on case studies from Eastern and Southern Africa. This event is part of the IUCN and WCPA “Vital Sites: The Journey to Marseille”, a series of online events in the run-up to the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Marseille, France.   Watch the online discussion here: Resources of the online discussion: Presentation: Introduction and overview of “Closing the gap” publication Case study presentation by Angelique Pouponneau, SeyCCAT Survey: We need your feedback to identify your needs and interests related to financing and resourcing of protected areas. Your answers will help us define and tailor training activities on this topic in Eastern and Southern Africa. You are invited to fill in this survey by 15 July 2020. “Closing the gap: financing and resourcing of protected and conserved areas in Eastern and Southern Africa” The publication The knowledge brief News release: launch of “Closing the gap” publication

  • Ethiopia: pilot visit for the development of the Regional Resource Hub

    A pilot visit for the development of the Regional Resource Hub (RRH) took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 18 to 21 February 2020. It was the last of three pilot country visits carried out by BIOPAMA team in Eastern and Southern Africa with the objective to enhance the country engagements on the Regional Resource Hub. The Regional Resource Hub is a regional centre that compiles and analyzes relevant protected area data and provides information to support field interventions, policies dialogues and decision-making processes at local, national and regional levels. It is hosted by the Regional Centre for Mapping Resources for Development (RCMRD) and covers the 24 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa. The main purpose of the pilot visit was an information gathering and networking exercise to (i) understand the priorities of Ethiopia in terms of protected areas management, governance and equity, (ii) inform the conservation partners about the Regional Resource Hub mission, function and activities and (iii) identify opportunities for partnership in order to support informed decision making in favor of the country sustainable development. During the visit, members of the BIOPAMA team from IUCN, the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission and RCMRD engaged with Ethiopian conservation actors, including: Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute (EBI) Ethiopian Environment, Forest and Climate Change Commission (EEFCCC) Rift Valley Lakes Basin Authority Ethiopian Remote Sensing Agency Southern Nations, Nationalities and the People Regional State (SNNPRS) Culture, Sport and Tourism Bureau Senkele Swayne’s Hartebeest Sanctuary Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) Population, Health and Environment Ethiopia (PHE)  Enhance Management Effectiveness of Protected Areas (GEF6/EMEPA) The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) The Delegation of the European Union in Addis Ababa Biotope Endowment Fund Wildlife Society of Ethiopia Nech-Sar National Park management and surrounding community-based organizations. Visit outcomes The visits were very useful to understand the challenges and priorities of Ethiopian conservation partners. Like many countries in the region, Ethiopia has important ongoing initiatives that could benefit from the Regional Resource Hub to promote more coordinated knowledge sharing and communication activities at intra-national and regional levels, which in turn will support better learning, management efficacy and advocacy campaigns. A list of priorities in terms of capacity building was identified and is mainly related to the development of integrated park management plans and engagement of surrounding communities, fire protection strategies and support to human-wildlife conflict. The national actors have also demonstrated interest in engaging with the Regional Resource Hub to promote management effectiveness and social assessments, biodiversity mapping and development of data and information sharing protocols. The update of forest information and review of the protected area demarcation are some of the specific activities mentioned as relevant for the coming months. Way forward The follow-up steps for the pilot visit are: The Regional Resource Hub will share data management guidelines and data sharing framework to assist with the development of a data-sharing protocol. A collective effort will be made to update information from Ethiopia in the World Database of Protected Areas (WDPA). The RRH team …

  • Online event: introduction to the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA)

    BIOPAMA Eastern and Southern Africa hosted a webinar on the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) on Wednesday 12 February 2020. Maintaining up-to-date data on the protected areas globally is essential for supporting better planning and decision-making at all levels, from local to international. Reliable protected area data also informs the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity decisions, including actions associated with national strategies and protected area targets. Furthermore, accurate data supports national state of the environment reporting and contributes to tracking progress against the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) is the most comprehensive global spatial dataset on terrestrial and marine protected areas. BIOPAMA, in collaboration with UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Center (UNEP-WCMC) and regional partners aim at updating the protected area data from the 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, and build the capacity of stakeholders to update their data in WDPA. Watch this webinar organised by BIOPAMA Eastern and Southern Africa on how to do country updates and the importance of ensuring all data is up-to-date. More BIOPAMA webinars and video resources are available on BIOPAMA’s Youtube channel.

  • The Integrated Management Effectiveness Tool (IMET) training workshop

    The Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management (BIOPAMA) Programme is hosting the Integrated Management Effectiveness Tool (IMET) training workshop for the anglophone stakeholders in Africa from 4 to 6 February 2020 in Kigali, Rwanda. In order to support protected area planning and decision making, BIOPAMA is providing and assessing tools that respond to the specific requests in data collection, information management, protected area management effectiveness, governance and social assessments and others. At the end of this training, participants will have sufficient knowledge and skills to present IMET to their organization to decide whether or not they would like further IMET coach training in order to institutionalize IMET and roll out IMET assessments across their protected and conserved area network. The objectives of the training workshop are to: Demonstrate what IMET is, how it works and how it is different from other tools; Provide an understanding of the six elements of the framework for assessing the management effectiveness of protected areas namely: context, planning, inputs, processes, outputs, outcomes and impacts; and how these are incorporated into the IMET; Provide information on assessment, monitoring and planning and decision making in the management of protected areas; Discuss the capacity, skills and funding required to implement IMET at an institutional and site level; Provide an understanding of the use of IMET at the protected area level but also at the landscape and/or national level. Training resources: The workshop report Agenda (IMET training syllabus) Logistic Note IMET brochure Leonidas success story Bertille success story The  management effectiveness evaluation framework (IUCN) Results of the evaluation test (beginning of the training) Results of the evaluation test (end of the training) Responses: the next steps survey; The next steps survey: the automatic report Photo album: the workshop in images Presentations: Introduction to BIOPAMA, day 1 Session 1: Protected Areas Management Effectiveness Session 2: Exploring IMET Session 3: Context of intervention Session 4: Evaluating the management effectiveness Session 5: Analysis of IMET results Session 6: Use of IMET results – the case of Burundi Session 7: IMET and other tools and standards Session 8: Organization of an IMET assessment – general information Session 8: Organization of an IMET assessment – West Africa experience Session 9 –Regional Resource Hub and its Reference Information System  Session 10: BIOPAMA Action Component

  • Online training: the IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas

    The BIOPAMA Programme hosted a webinar on introducing the IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas, as a response to the high interest from stakeholders in Eastern and Southern Africa. The information provided is relevant globally. The IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas is the first global standard of best practice for area-based conservation. It is a programme of certification for protected and conserved areas – national parks, natural World Heritage sites, community conserved areas, nature reserves and so on – that are effectively managed and fairly governed. The Green List Standard describes successful site-based conservation through a number of criteria nestled within four major elements of success: good governance, sound design and planning, effective management, and conservation outcomes.

    2019

  • Regional workshop on assessment tools for management effectiveness, governance and equity in protected and conserved areas in the Western Indian Ocean islands

    Following on from the BIOPAMA Regional Assessment Tool Workshop recently hosted in Zambia and hosting 15 Eastern and Southern Africa countries, BIOPAMA hosted the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) Island Assessment Tool workshop in Madagascar.  The workshop was co-sponsored, co-organised and co-hosted by IUCN, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Madagascar National Parks (MNP) and the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD) in Madagascar. The event hosted 43 participants, including from 22 national parks in Madagascar, Ministry staff, IUCN NGO members from Seychelles, Comoros, and Mauritius, Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), Madagascar National Parks HQ staff (including the CEO), WCS and other Malagasy NGOs. The workshop included site visits to Ranomafana and Isalo National Parks. The goal of the workshop was to present and promote an integrated set of standards, tools and approaches that will help measure and improve the quality of protected and conserved area sites and systems. The highlights of the workshop include: Introducing the IUCN Green List of Protected Areas Standard and its implementation (e.g. criteria and indicators, Expert Assessment Group (EAGL), adaptation of indicators, etc.) and present options for using the results from management, social and governance assessments for Green List applications. Providing an overview the key standards, tools and approaches for management, social and governance assessments that are in use in, or relevant to, the region. Presenting a proposed common reporting system and format for collecting, maintaining and assessing data and information resulting from the application of management, social and governance assessments for the BIOPAMA Regional Resource Hub (RRH), RRIS, and global datasets linked to the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) such as the Global Database on Protected Area Management Effectiveness (GD-PAME). Discussing opportunities and challenges to promoting the implementation of management effectiveness, social and governance assessments in the Western Indian Ocean island countries. Discussing potential pilot cases for the implementation of management, governance and social assessments, the Green List and ecotourism promotion in the Eastern and Southern African region. The opening session set the scene and highlighted the importance of management, social and governance assessments.  There were a combination of plenary and breakaway sessions as well as clinic sessions to learn about the tools/concepts in more detail.  The combination of workshop sessions and site visits allowed for a large amount of interaction and sharing of learnings across the parks in Madagascar, as well as between the WIO islands.  A session was also held on ecotourism with reflections from the site visits and advice on how to improve/grow ecotourism on the islands. The workshop report is available at this link.

  • Regional workshop on assessment tools for management effectiveness, governance and equity in protected and conserved areas

    BIOPAMA Eastern and Southern Africa recently hosted a Regional Assessment Tool Workshop in partnership with the Government of Zambia in Livingstone, Zambia. The BIOPAMA programme is providing and assessing tools that respond to the specific requests in data collection, information management, protected area management effectiveness, governance and social assessments and others. A global workshop organised by BIOPAMA earlier this year in the Gran Paradiso National Park in Italy set the scene for sharing the experience from all over the world of existing methodologies, gaining an understanding of the global trends in the application of such tools and ultimately providing the guidance protected and conserved areas need to enhance their performance. Tailored for Eastern and Southern Africa, the recently concluded BIOPAMA workshop in Zambia presented and promoted an integrated set of standards, tools and approaches that will help measure and improve the quality of protected and conserved area sites and systems. “There are many tools out there, and stakeholders want an understanding of what tools to use when, information on new tools and how to use the information from the assessments”, emphasised Dr Sue Snyman, BIOPAMA coordinator for Eastern and Southern Africa. The workshop included presentations on the various governance, social and management effectiveness frameworks, tools and their implementation. They were supported by selected case studies, key lessons learned from the application of different tools to identify best practice for management, social and governance assessments. The IUCN Green List Standard, the Integrated Management Effectiveness Tool (IMET) were among the tools presented, which raised a large amount of interest from the participants at the workshop. A new BIOPAMA report on “Management Effectiveness, Governance, and Social Assessments of Protected and Conserved Areas in Eastern and Southern Africa”, provided a baseline and background information on the assessments used in this region to-date. The findings of this assessment report include an overview of the key standards, tools and approaches for management, social and governance assessments that are in use in, or relevant to, the Eastern and Southern Africa region. The report also reveals that there are important gaps in terms of countries doing assessments, and there is a need to encourage them to do them more consistently and regularly.  As such, this workshop allowed stakeholders to discuss potential pilot cases for the implementation of management, governance and social assessments, and the IUCN Green List in this region. In the future, BIOPAMA will support trainings on the use of the assessment tools for governance, social impact and management effectiveness, as required. The participants were proposed a common reporting system and format for collecting, maintaining and assessing data and information resulting from the application of management, social and governance assessments for the BIOPAMA Regional Resource Hub (RRH), RRIS, and global datasets linked to the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) such as the Global Database on Protected Area Management Effectiveness (GD-PAME). In this regard, the UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC) has shared with the countries templates for reporting to make that process more efficient. The …

  • Tanzania pilot visit for the development of the Regional Resource Hub (RRH) in Eastern and Southern Africa

    The second pilot visit for the development of the Regional Resource Hub (RRH) in Eastern and Southern Africa, after our visit to Madagascar in May, took place in Tanzania from the 19th to 24th of August 2019. The BIOPAMA representatives from IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, JRC, the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, and RCMRD, the Regional Centre for Mapping Resources for Development, met with eleven key protected and conserved area stakeholders. The main facets of BIOPAMA were discussed including the Regional Resource Hub (RRH), the Reference Information system (RIS), the Action Component – BIOPAMA’s grant-making facility, management effectiveness tools, capacity building and other services. The role of the different implementing partners was also highlighted and the hosting institutions explained their mandate and role in conservation within their countries. The main objective of the BIOPAMA visit to Tanzania’s protected area stakeholders was to investigate the needs of the country to be able to demonstrate the role of BIOPAMA and particularly the RRH to support the identified needs at a local, national and regional level. Out of the needs identified, the emerging priorities and needs in the country included capacity building on data management and database development, GIS and remote sensing and management effectiveness of protected and conserved areas. These highlighted opportunities where the RRH could be of use in filling the gaps identified and showcasing what the RRH will offer to the Eastern and Southern Africa region, in line with objectives of the BIOPAMA programme. In particular, the RRH will provide capacity building in these areas and there is the possibility of hosting an institutional database where infrastructure and proper systems to manage data are lacking while allowing the institutions to retain control and ownership of their data. If country support is given to the services that BIOPAMA is able to offer in the region, the RRH will be an example to be emulated as a means to move from knowledge to action. The list of stakeholders that were consulted during this visit include: the East African Community (EAC), the Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA), the Ministry of Natural Resources of Tourism, the Tanzania Forestry Research Institute, the Tanzania Wildlife Authority, the EU Delegation to Tanzania, the Marine and Reserves Unit, the Tanzania Forest Service, the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association and the Community Wildlife Management Areas Consortium.

  • Achieving fair and effective protected areas: international workshop

    A global workshop on how to enable and measure improved performance in protected areas, taking place in Gran Paradiso National Park, Cogne, Aosta, Italy, from 24 to 28 June 2019. The global workshop on how to enable and measure improved performance in protected and conserved areas is generously supported by the EU-ACP funded BIOPAMA Programme and it will be convened by IUCN with technical support from IUCN and the Joint Research Centre JRC. Participants will develop guidance and recommended actions to support fairer and more effective protected and conserved areas. Workshop objectives, themes and expected outputs: The goal of the workshop is: to provide guidance on how to help measure and enhance the performance of protected and conserved area sites and systems through the available standards, evaluation methodologies, and assessment toolkits. Specific objectives: Standards and principles: to understand success in protected and conserved areas and to discuss a common approach and principles for assessments relating to: Good Governance Design, priority-setting and planning for key values Management Effectiveness Successful Conservation Outcomes Practice: to develop recommendations for structuring, collecting and maintaining the data from specific protected and conserved area assessment toolkits, and from other relevant sources Management Effectiveness Assessment Governance Assessment. Monitoring and metrics: to recommend how to incentivize and improve monitoring of status, trends and conservation outcomes in protected and conserved areas and to discuss how to present and track their status for effective decision-making at protected area level and for upscaling to higher levels (e.g. national, regional, global). Data management: to better be able to promote reference information systems and improved data management and integration to aid adaptive decision-making. Incentives: how to motivate uptake of standards and assessment methodologies, and use the results to secure political will and unlock transformational change. All the workshop resources will be available on this page. Workshop materials: Workshop report (with “The View from Gran Paradiso” annexed) The View from Gran Paradiso Concept and agenda of the workshop Logistics note for the participants NEWS article: Global experts set the path for fair and effective protected areas in Gran Paradiso PHOTO ALBUM Day 1, 24 June 2019: Achieving Fair and Effective Protected Areas – introduction by Grand Paradis Foundation The Gran Paradiso National Park – a brief overview Keynote address by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission Keynote address by IUCN Keynote address: the contribution of BIOPAMA to regional and global biodiversity and protected area targets PANORAMA introduction Day 2, 25 June 2019 The IUCN Green List IMET: overview and case study Case Study from Jordan: Ajloun Forest Reserve Governance and equity assessment in the context of Protected and Conserved Areas Protected areas governance assessment experience in Colombia: Key learnings from a territory approach Principles and best practices in PAME assessments Conditions for protected area effectiveness Day 3, 26 June 2019 Draft IUCN Congress resolution Day 4, 27 June 2019 L’Observatoire des Forêts d’Afrique Centrale BIOPAMA data management Protected areas framework analysis: IMET Day 5, 18 June 2019 The BIOPAMA action component Results: governance and equity …

  • Madagascar pilot visit for the development of the Regional Resource Hub (RRH) in Eastern and Southern Africa

    The Regional Resource Hub (RRH) is the regionally tailored name for the BIOPAMA regional observatory for Eastern and Southern Africa hosted by RCMRD, the Regional Centre for Mapping Resources for Development.  The Regional Resource Hub covers the 24 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa and its work starts with piloting the activities in three countries, one from each of the sub-regions: the Indian Ocean, Southern Africa and Eastern Africa.  A pilot visit for the development of the Regional Resource Hub RRH took place in Antananarivo, Madagascar from 19 to 24 May 2019, one among three pilot country visits to be carried out for the RRH.   The BIOPAMA Regional Observatories for Protected Areas and Biodiversity are the central pillar of BIOPAMA’s work. They support data collection, analysis, monitoring and reporting, develop the capacities of staff and organisations to manage this information and provide policy guidance for better decision making on biodiversity conservation. Members of the BIOPAMA team from IUCN, the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission and RCMRD, engaged with Malagasy conservation actors, including: protected and conserved area managers: Andasibe National Park, Association Fanamby,  Madagascar National Parks (MNP), Madagasikara Voakajy, the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, the EU delegation in Madagascar,  agencies and NGOs: The Peregrine Fund, The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Hay Tao programme, Vondrona Ivon’ny Fampandrosoana, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The main purpose of the pilot visit was a data and information gathering and networking exercise to understand the priorities of Madagascar in terms of protected areas management, governance and equity. These will support the development of the Eastern and Southern Africa State of Protected and Conserved Areas report, the RRH and the BIOPAMA Reference Information System (RIS). The main follow-up step for the pilot visit is to initiate the process of dialogue with the IUCN Green List focal point from Madagascar National Parks on the support that BIOPAMA could potentially offer in the process of Green-listing the national parks. The support offered by BIOPAMA and the Regional Resource Hub to improve and strengthen management and governance in the protected and conserved areas in Madagascar can be implemented through capacity development activities, the Action Component – the BIOPAMA grant-making facility, the application of protected area management effectiveness tools such as IMET (Integrated Managemenet Effectivenss Tool), etc. BIOPAMA Eastern and Southern Africa is also looking to follow up on conversations with the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development on how to support the development of the National Protected Areas portal that will aggregate the currently dispersed portals in Madagascar, which will in due course link to the BIOPAMA RRH and the RIS.

  • BIOPAMA II Regional inception workshop for Eastern Africa

    From May 22nd to 25th, nearly 70 government and non-governmental stakeholders from six Eastern Africa countries convened in Nairobi, Kenya for an inception workshop to launch the second phase of the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management (BIOPAMA) programme. A global partnership and an initiative of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States, BIOPAMA combines the protected areas and biodiversity conservation expertise of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the scientific know-how of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre of the (JRC). Principal Secretary for Kenya’s State Department of Wildlife, Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife Dr. Margaret Mwakima officiated the event during which EU Delegation to Kenya, represented by Ms Myra Bernardi, and IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Director Luther Anukur also gave opening remarks. The four-day meeting drew active participation from government delegates from Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Republic of Sudan, Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda. The Secretariat’s of the East African Community and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development were also well-represented as were various national and regional wildlife conservation partners, research institutes and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The workshop was successful in identifying a number of key regional priorities and areas of collaboration to strengthen protected area management effectiveness, governance and equity. This will feed into a detailed work plan for the implementation of BIOPAMA in the Eastern Africa region. The forum also provided an invaluable platform for government and non-governmental partners to meaningfully network through a number of facilitated group discussions. “The BIOPAMA initiative personifies the spirit of collaboration towards common environmental and biodiversity,” said EU Delegation to Kenya Environmental Management Officer Thomas Yatich. “This second phase aims to enhance the policy and decision-making capacities of institutions responsible for biodiversity conservation and protected area management by making available the best possible scientific information and knowledge,” he added. The six-year initiative will continue to build on successes from the first phase of the programme by reinforcing the management and governance of protected and conserved areas through better use and monitoring of information and capacity development on management and governance. In partnership with stakeholders and regional partners, BIOPAMA is establishing and consolidating regional observatories for protected areas in Eastern and Southern Africa, Central and Western Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. Key features of the regional observatories, the Reference Information Systems (RIS) are tools that gather in one place all the available protected area and related information. Under the tag line From Knowledge to Action for a Protected Planet, the programme is set to run until 2023 and includes an innovative Action Component – new in this phase, which will provide funding opportunities for specific site-based actions. The Eastern Africa forum follows the Caribbean region inception workshop held in New Kingston, Jamaica in March, 2018, and the Southern Africa inception workshop held in Johannesburg 17th to 20th April, 2018. The workshop report is available here. The BIOPAMA Eastern and Southern Africa info fiche is available here.

    2018

  • BIOPAMA II Regional inception workshop for Southern Africa

    From 17th – 20th April 2018, nearly 70 government and non-governmental stakeholders from 14 countries in Southern Africa convened in Johannesburg for an inception workshop of the second phase of the BIOPAMA programme. H.E EU Ambassador to South Africa Dr. Marcus Cornaro and ACP Secretariat Environment and Climate Change Programme Officer Edmund Jackson officiated the event, which drew active participation from representatives from protected area and wildlife authorities as well as regional inter-governmental organisations Southern African Development Community (SADC) and  the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC). A global partnership and an initiative of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States, BIOPAMA combines the protected areas and biodiversity conservation expertise of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the scientific know-how of the European Commission’s Joint Research Center of the (JRC). With EUR 60 million funding from the European Union’s 11th European Development Fund, the six-year initiative will continue to build on successes from the first phase of the programme by reinforcing the management and governance of protected and conserved areas through better use and monitoring of information and capacity development on management and governance. “This initiative underlines the European Union’s longstanding commitment to push for science-based policy-making and tracking progress in collaboration with strong implementing partners,” said H.E EU Ambassador to South Africa Dr. Marcus Cornaro. Organised with the aim of affirming key regional priorities and expectations, the four-day inception meeting served to secure buy-in and commitments from partners in the sector towards advancing programme implementation. The forum also provided a worthwhile opportunity to interrogate key issues in protected area governance, equity and management and identify focal points in the relevant institutions for different aspects of implementation. With a second phase of implementation resumed in 2017, BIOPAMA continues to work in the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries – home to more than 3 billion people whose livelihoods depend on natural resources. Nearly half of the world’s biodiversity hotspots and over 9,000 protected areas, terrestrial and marine are located in these countries. “As a leading provider of conservation data, assessments and analysis for the past 70 years, IUCN recognizes that protected areas are an important tool for the conservation of biodiversity and landscapes,” said IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Director Luther Anukur. “With Southern Africa as home to some of the greatest biodiversity on the planet, BIOPAMA is an especially important programme for the region,” he added. In partnership with stakeholders and regional partners, BIOPAMA is establishing and consolidating regional observatories for protected areas in Eastern and Southern Africa, Central and Western Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. Key features of the regional observatories, the Reference Information Systems (RIS) are tools that gather in one place all the available protected area and related information. “Data and information are key, but only if they are used properly. The tools we build through the BIOPAMA programme are for all of us, to use protected area data and information for better decisions, and then make the step from knowledge to …

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