A step toward biodiversity conservation in a SIDS: Ecological and cartographic studies for protected marine and terrestrial areas in Comoros
By: Elisa Distefano
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| Photo 1: Programme areas |
A
recently completed GEF project, “Integrated Ecological Planning and Sustainable
Land Management in Coastal Ecosystems in the Comoros” supported long-term ecological restoration through the
development and implementation of Integrated Ecosystem Management (IEM) plans
in the three islands of Gran Comore, Anjouan and Moheli.
The grant
was fully integrated into the IFAD National Sustainable Human Development
Programme (PNDHD), and has contributed
to reducing current land degradation trends by putting 1,052 ha of
land under sustainable land management practices, replanting 384 ha of degraded
forest and 4.5 ha of mangroves in coastal areas.
”Both
the environmental awareness raising and the implementation of 6 IEM plans,
which included 43 villages, are in the national interest and have had positive
environmental and socio-economic impacts. Without the GEF intervention and the
restoration of ecosystem services, the IFAD loan objectives would have been
less sustainable,” said Mr Anllaouddine Abou Houmadi, GEF project Coordinator.
The GEF
grant was also instrumental in commissioning a series of cartographic and
feasibility studies for the creation of protected areas, to name a few:
The “Feasibility
study for starting a locally managed marine Area (Anjouan)” provides a
detailed ecological, socio-economic characterization of the Sima/Bimbini peninsula, the identification of
conservation targets and the delineation of
areas with potential alternative land use options . The study also
presents the benefits and challenges of locally
managing protected areas. Key recommendations include creating a
legal framework that would allow villages to act as
managers of protected areas, along with reinforcing local organizations’ competencies. This exercise was complemented
by the “Ecological and Cartographic Study for the protection of the Bimbini
peninsula” which not only proposes the legislation and regulation of protected areas,
but also presents a detailed environmental health and biodiversity status of
the barrier reef, mangroves and sea grasses.
Photos 2,3: Current Marine reserve zoning
and proposed PA zoning
The
“Delimitation, zoning and ecological characterization of the Kathala Forest
(Grande Comore)” study presents a description of the floristic richness of
the area, the altitudinal succession of plant associations, an ethnobotanic
investigation, as well as an inventory of the most exploited species. The study
concludes with a demarcation of potential
conservation zones, according to the IUCN protected area categories.
Photos 4,5: Changes in forest
cover across 1969-2010 Distribution of
some endemic plants in the proposed PA
Similarly, the “Ecological and Cartographic Study for
the protection of the forest of La Grille (Gran Comore)” has carried out a
socio-economic survey of neighboring villages, investigated the abundance and
distribution of the most exploited tree species, and the taxonomic fauna and
floristic richness. It is a useful tool to refine a protected area
co-management plan for the area.
Photo 6: PA zoning
These
studies will help UNDP to continue this important work in protected area
development through the implementation of a new GEF project currently being launched[1].
[1] Development of a National Network of
Terrestrial and Marine Protected Areas Representative of the Comoros Unique
Natural Heritage and Co-managed with Local Village Communities