Monia Martini Romania Green Economy Projects Manager WWF ...d2ouvy59p0dg6k.cloudfront.net/downloads/4__testing... · Testing PES: Experience of the CSDF in Maramures The CSDF Conser

Monia Martini

Romania Green Economy Projects Manager

WWF-Romania

Project Steering Committee IV

Bucharest, 29 October 2013

Presentation focus

The CSDF established

in Mara - Cosau - Creasta Cocosului (Maramures)

The phased approach

Monitoring and reporting

Risks and assumptions

Testing PES: Experience of the CSDF in Maramures


The CSDF

ConservationandSustainableDevelopmentFund

ESbuyers:1. Localguesthouses2. Tour-operatorsOthercontributors:· Localproducers· Mid-sizeproducers· Localhandicraftsmen· Tourists

ESsellers:ProtectedAreasadministrators

EcosystemService:

LANDSCAPEBEAUTY

(aesthetic/cultural)

ADMINISTRATIVE

COMMITTEE

CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE

Local Partnership for the promotion of the ecotourism destination Mara - Cosau - Creasta Cocosului

Objectives:

1. To create a network of quality services in the tourism sector;

2. To develop sustainably and promote the area Mara - Cosau - Creasta Cocosului as ecotourism destination model;

3. To build members' capacity to administer and promote the destination as well as the tourism services;

4. To create a visual identity for the destination and implement a coherent external communication strategy;

5. To conserve and build the value of natural protected areas as well as of the traditional landscape;

6. To implement a model finance mechanism for nature conservation;

7. To improve tourism related infrastracture at destination level;

8. To preserve and build the value of the traditional architectural heritage.


System of payment

COLLECTION

• Principle of willingness and capacity to pay

• 2-year MoU (authomatically renewed, except if any objection appears)

• CSDF = bank account in the national currency

• Annual fixed contributions from local guesthouses and tour-operators

(donation and sponsorship contracts signed upon the specific year of funds

collection or allocation)

✔ about 500 Euro collected in 2013


ALLOCATION

• A souvenir map has been produced under

the Danube PES project, and meant as a

complementary source of funds

• Selling is based on donation contracts

• Minimum price of 5 Ron

• Granted to protected area administrators

responsible for the selected pilot areas

• Based on a combination of the following criteria:

a. Total available amount collected;

b. Financial needs analysis of the protected

area, including the measures identified to

restore landscape beauty as the key ES.

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The approach

PHASE I - Feasibility studies


What is the problem? Socio-economic analysis

5 communes = 462,72 km2

about 17.880 inhabitants

Local livelihood:

• Wood processing and animal breeding are the main economic activities

• Agriculture

• Tourism

7 PAs

2 Natura 2000

sites = SPA

Muntii Gutâi

(ROSPA0134)

– 28.406 ha

Upper Tiza

hydrological

basin

Wood culture threatened by abandonment of

traditional architecture (especially by young

generations working abroad).

Masonry is preferred:

- cheaper

- sensation of durability

- comfort and prosperity/status

Forests rich in wood, game, mushrooms, and

wild fruits.

Wood exploitation able to sustainably cover

the heating needs (fuel) of the entire area.

✖ Cultural and aesthetic value of wood

�Provisioning of forest products

Livelihood challenge: To foster a local

economy of value-added timber and non-

timber forests products.

Agriculture:

-about 4.000 families,

-average age of farmers is 50 years old

-small-scale and semi-subsistence farming

-HNV/traditional farming practices

�Cultural and aesthetic value of grasslands

(NRDP – agro-environment)

✖ Provisioning of local products

Livelihood challenge: To foster market access for local

products.

Tourism as alternative or complementary to farming

(NRDP - Axis 3: Quality of life in rural areas and

diversification of rural economy, Measure 3.1.3 –

Encouraging tourism activities).

�SNRM and PA values

�Entrepreneurial skills and vision

Livelihood challenge: To foster sustainable

tourism development.


Ecosystems situational analysis


Ecosystem

typology

(level 1)

Ecosystem

typology (level 2)

Habitat Pressures from

human activity

Intervention area

(ha)

Effects from

pressures

Terrestrial Grasslands Meadows Overgrazing

In proximity of

villages

Habitats loss and

changes in traditional landscape features

Reduced landscape value

Mountain

pastures

Land abandonment

Abusive fires places,

and urban waste from tourists caused by

irresponsible camping

Rooster’s Peak

reserve, buffer area and next to it

Woodland and forests

Forests Urban waste from locals and tourists

Craiasca Forest (44)


Fire Rooster’s Peak

reserve (62 ha)

Loss of juniper forest

habitat


Sparsely or

unvegetated land (sand, rocks, land

fills)

Andesitic rock

formations

Alpinism, rock climbing Rooster’s Peak

natural monument (3,2)

Accelerated erosion

Reduced landscape

value

Freshwater Rivers and lakes Natural springs

Increasing water use caused by tourism

sector (guesthouses) development and irresponsible use

Rooster’s Peak reserve – buffer

area

Reduced capacity of natural springs to

recharge

Specie Pressure from

human activity

Intervention area

(ha)

Effects from

pressures

Brown bear Habitat loss and fragmentation caused

by urban development

Rooster’s Peak reserve (in

proximity of Cavnic), and in

the directon Calinesti-Barsana

Species loss


These are the main

benefits to human well-

being!

Poor data

approximation and

availability

Also better solutions

provided by

education,

legislation, and

access to market

Priority on landscape

beauty confirmed

with possible

layering/bundling of

ES in the future

Ecosystems valuation


The conclusion is that…

Biodiversity (including natural resources) is being degraded worldwide

because of the strong pursue of economic development and the fact that

economic performance is currently measured with indicators such as GDP,

purchasing power etc, which do not take environmental costs and needs into

account. The economic crisis aggravates this.

Protected areas have played a key role so far in preserving important habitats

and species and maintaining overall environmental integrity.

However specific economic activities are threatening this role.

In our study area tourism is one of those activities directly affecting the

environment: while protected areas in particular offer abundant natural

resources and unique places and landscapes that attract tourists, these are

actually threatened by irresponsible tourism behavior.

To create public-private partnerships

that stimulate the transition towards responsible tourism,

working with tourism stakeholders as well as with protected area managers


Measures for PA

and guesthouses administrators

PHASE II - Behavioral change practices



Financial monitoring

To verify whether the Administrative Committee has managed the funds

under the CSDF according to legal agreements.

Regular monitoring by the Administrative Committee (CET) (after each collection and

allocation of money).

General monitoring by an external accountant at the end of the year.

Annual reporting (December) to members of the Local Partnership by the Administrative

Committee.

Cashflow analysis developed for the period 2012-2016 based on which a business plan or

fundraising strategy will be elaborated in November 2013.


Technical monitoring

To monitor the real impact of the measures identified to protect and/or

restore landscape beauty.

Monitoring of the direct impact of specific measure on landscape beauty will starts as soon

as the waste management infrastructure will be in place.

Regular monitoring throughout the year by the third party approved by the protected area

administrator and responsible for waste collection.

General monitoring by the Administrative Committee, twice a year on a six-months basis.

Annual reporting (December) to members of the Local Partnership by the Administrative

Committee. At some point, this will also include information provided by the protected area

administrators related to the waste collection progress monitoring.


Risks and assumptions (1)

Risk that initial efforts are

concentrated more on development

needs.

At this stage this is considered a

crucial step in order to improve the

behaviour of tourism stakeholders

towards natural values, and create the

context for responsible tourism and

particularly ecotourism to become the

main trend in the study area.

Assumption that in the meanwhile:

•new agreements are signed, thus

making more financial resources

available;

•harmonized policies particularly

concerning waste management

will be developed at the level of the

entire ecotourism destination, thus

contributing to the achievement of

the conservation objective and in

general to creating the context for a

type of development that is

sustainable and thus supportive for

responsible tourism and ecotourism

businesses.


Risks and assumptions (2)

Risk of resistance and lack of resources particularly

from guesthouses towards participating in trainings,

uptaking recommendations, and contributing to the

finance mechanism.

Assumption that by the end of the Danube PES project

local leadership is consolidated and its capacity built (both

in terms of skills and financial resources) and is therefore

able to manage independently the finance mechanism,

and the ecotourism destination.

Monia Martini

[email protected]

www.wwf.ro

http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/black_sea_

basin/danube_carpathian/our_solutions/green_public_funds/pe

s/the_danube_pes_project/

www.ecomaramures.com


mailto:[email protected]

http://www.wwf.ro

http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/black_sea_basin/danube_carpathian/our_solutions/green_public_funds/pes/the_danube_pes_project/



http://www.ecomaramures.com

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Monia Martini Romania Green Economy Projects Manager WWF ...d2ouvy59p0dg6k.cloudfront.net/downloads/4__testing... · Testing PES: Experience of the CSDF in Maramures The CSDF Conser