Management of Transboundary Joint Secretariat – Phase 2

Detailed description of project:

The Ecoregional Programme is part of the Caucasus Initiative of BMZ, consisting of field-based Protected Area (PA) management projects, a financing mechanism for PA operational cost in form of an endowment fund (Caucasus Nature Fund, CNF), and a dialogue platform with coordinating as well as technical duties – the Transboundary Joint Secretariat (TJS). The TJS has been running since early 2007 and is designed as an umbrella body for field-based projects, to foster cross-border dialogue and to harmonise supra-national biodiversity conservation and sustainable area management, including eco-tourism development as source of revenue generation. AHT is staffing the TJS and managing a disposition fund of 2.2 million EUR.

Type of services provided:

Participatory planning and investment

  • Review of the policy, legal and planning frameworks;
  • Elaboration of concept papers on „Contest & Awards“ and development and deposit accounts / NR-based co-management schemes; prepare guidelines for implementation.

Support to Protected Areas (PA) management

  • Review of current activities and performance of PAs supported by KfW;
  • Introduction of performance management tools in support of operational improvement planning;
  • Support to three selected PAs to obtain biosphere reserve status;
  • Support to PA management to file applications to the CNF, and support CNF management with monitoring the use and effectiveness of funds;
  • Assistance to CNF with the design of a fund acquisition strategy and its implementation.

Support and monitor tourism development initiatives

  • Preparation of concepts and models for eco-tourism development and sector strategy;
  • Discussion on eco-tourism development (concepts, tools, instruments, and initiatives) at policy level;
  • Promotion of the PAs as eco-tourism destinations: tourism marketing, film production, conference organisation;
  • Promotion of the PAs at international tourism fairs, i.e. the ITB in Berlin, Germany.

Support to cross-border dialogue, exchange and communication

  • Organisation and coaching of a twinning arrangement with National Park Eifel/Germany;
  • Preparation of a joint information and dialogue concept;
  • Preparation of a PR and environmental awareness concept, including a concept note for a (Caucasus) awareness kit;
  • Preparation of policy briefs with reference to field-based lessons learned (“policy & practice”);
  • Review and planning workshop to discuss implementation of the Ecoregional Conservation Plan;
  • Study on the viability of linking water resource management with biodiversity conservation;
  • Concept paper about options to institutionalise the TJS.
KfW
BMZ     through KfW
02/2011 – 03/2015
Contract value: 3,500,000 €