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Session 1: Identification
of Priority Actions and Themes
As a first step, the
global priority actions identified by participants (in advance of the workshop)
to improve the conservation of TMCFs were reviewed by the whole group with
the objective of identifying a number of key themes under one of which each
of the actions could be listed.
Following considerable
discussion the group came up with following themes:
- (AN OVERALL GOAL
OR VISION?)
- AWARENESS NETWORKING
- MANAGEMENT CAPACITY
BUILDING
- POLICY COMMUNITY
MATTERS
- INFORMATION RESEARCH
In doing this a number
of key points were also raised:
- In identifying the
priority themes/actions, it is important that they fit into the context
of an overall goal or vision for the conservation of cloud forests. Participants
were keen to agree on the goal or vision before moving any further. It
was agreed that working groups should spend some time discussing the vision
if they wished, and any points raised would be recorded, and provided
later as the basis for preparation of a statement from the workshop.
- Many of the actions
listed apply to the conservation of forests in general, and indeed other
habitats and ecosystems, therefore it was important to continually assess
which are those with particular relevance to cloud forests for the purposes
of this workshop.
- Whilst it was necessary
to identify a number of clear headings under which to list actions, they
should not be considered discrete, but as integrated areas of activity.
Working Groups
Given this last point,
it was agreed that rather than splitting into a number of working groups
that would discuss the actions under one or two allocated themes only, instead
four working groups would discuss the actions under all of the themes and
identify the top three priority actions for each.
In the plenary a spokesperson
from each of the four working groups listed their priority actions under
each theme. Bearing in mind that there was considerable overlap between
the actions identified, the plenary group reviewed and distilled these down
to the top three (in some cases four) actions per theme in order to provide
a realistic number of actions as elements of a workplan. These are shown
in Table 1 below.
Table 1. Plenary
results – Priority actions and themes
|
THEME
|
PRIORITY ACTION 1
|
PRIORITY ACTION 2
|
PRIORITY ACTION 3
|
|
1. AWARENESS
|
Clarify terminology on "Cloud Forest"
- Definition
- Message, threats, values
UNESCO Pop Doc to be prepared to deal with these items
|
Enlist commitment for cloud forests conservation from
donors, governments and the private sector
|
National and international NGOs must place cloud forests
on their conservation agendas
|
|
2. MANAGEMENT
|
Integrated cloud forest/landscape approach
(Restoration)
|
Strengthen management of existing protected areas
containing cloud forests
|
Promote development of interactive, participatory
techniques
|
|
3. POLICY
|
Advocate economic systems and policies that value
cloud forests as a resource as well as value the services they provide
|
Identify and enlist the actors and organisations which
can effectively address the converging needs of conservation and development
groups and local populations on land tenure
|
|
|
4. INFORMATION
|
Produce and disseminate information on cloud forest
including maps, databases, threats, actors, (research and conservation
activities)
|
|
|
| 5. NETWORKING
|
Active global and regional network of major actors
involved in the TMCFs conservation (accessible from a central node)
|
Identify institutions and groups involved in TMCF
research and develop formal and informal pairs/links with conservation
sites in a more systematic manner through the network (each site)
|
|
|
6. CAPACITY BUILDING
|
Financial mechanisms to support 2 way capacity building
and maintenance at all levels
|
Create a programme of organisational twinning, on
an equal basis
- Universities
- Protected Areas
- Other stakeholders
|
Develop instructional methodologies and materials
to conserve cloud forests
|
|
7. COMMUNITY MATTERS
|
Stakeholder analysis of cloud forest use and conservation
|
Land tenure issues
|
Elicitation, formalisation, testing and utilisation
of local knowledge, belief and perception of cloud forests in the
project process
|
|
8. RESEARCH
|
Research into the value of cloud forests – hydrology,
biodiversity climatological, ethnobiological and economic)
4. Standardised methodology for transferability
|
Research into changes, threats and their impacts
5. Identification and mapping of existing TMCFs
Priority ranking of sites against a number of
levels and criteria
i.e. need for protection, more research studies, etc
|
Applied research to inform management responses
(i.e. sustainable harvesting levels)
|
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Philip
Bubb
Tropical Montane Cloud Forest Initiative
UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre
219 Huntingdon Road
Cambridge
CB3 0DL United Kingdom
|
Information
Enquiries
Tel: +44 (0)1223 277722
Main Switchboard
Tel:
+44 (0)1223 277314
Fax: +44 (0)1223 277136
Email:philip.bubb@unep-wcmc.org
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