Welcome to u all

1. Welcome to u all

2. Community Participation in Wetland Conservation UtsalaShrestha Department of Environmental Sciences M. Sc. Ag. (Conservation Ecology) December 2007 Image source: IUCN Nepal

3. Introduction • Wetlands are important ecosystems, which are rich in biodiversity and have ecological, economic, socio-cultural, recreational religious and other functional values • Conservation- practical embracing of preservation, maintenance, sustainable utilization, restoration of natural environment • Community participation is working together to develop capability for managing and utilizing their own resources in sustainable way. • Public participation is an effective tool for establishing an ecologically balanced use of available land and water resources. • Major wetland users , beneficiaries and their active involvement in decision making are important for conservation of wetland from degradation

4. Objectives Broad objectives • To develop the idea about community participation and efforts in the conservation of wetlands in Nepal Specific objectives • To develop concept about community participation • To know importance of community role in wetland conservation and • To acknowledge local community as participant in conservation programs.

5. Communityparticipation • “Community participation is a process of working with the local people at grass root level to develop their capabilities for their own use and benefits” • Principle- To develop the capability of local people in managing resources and make involve in decision making • It is multistage processwhich can be taken asMEAN- short term exercise with predetermined objectives or END- Long term process for strengthening the capabilities

6. Role of Community Participation Informational – giving and receiving information Efficient management – sharing of responsibility Interactive – between the public and community Promotes self awareness- self confidence, and self- reliance Ritualistic – social norms and values Assurance - assuring the public Cost effective – local knowledge, skills, resources

7. Wetland conservation1.Role of community in wetland conservation • Information collection for wetland inventory, necessary data and socioeconomic condition of resources. • Using knowledge, skill to produce wetlands products • disseminate the information regarding threats and dangers • Maintaining ecological balances by wise utilization of wetland resources and working under safe standards • Prohibition of Dumping of chemical pollutants, domestic garbage, industrial waste, toxic substances, and the use of electric current and explosives in the wetland sites • Avoid project to take over community land or any unwanted service, as wetland drainage • Distinguish problem and prioritize the conservation activities • Cooperate with project to prioritize the problem that seeks the immediate solution.

8. 2.Stakeholders Local communities are important stakeholders in using resources and ethnic groups play major role in conservation

9. 3.Needs to conserve wetlands • Sustainable utilization is define as ‘Human use of a wetland so that it may yield the greatest continuous benefit to present generations while maintaining its potential to meet the needs and aspirations of future generations.’( Ramsar convention bureau,1998) Wetland for community use–aquaculutural, thatch grass, fodder,plant harvest, domestic use, extractionof water Wetland degradation-massive deforestation, industrialization, fragmentation, siltation, eutrophication, modification of habitat Impacts of wetland degaradation (Few e.g.) • The Bagmati River-no longer fresh water aquatic life and present excessive quantities of non bio-degradable debris (NESS, 2006; ADB/ ICIMOD, 2006; ICIMOD, 2007). • Hyper-eutrophic condition of Rupa lake due to heavy siltation from the catchments areas and organic load from decaying aquatic weeds • Over 12600 cattle recorded grazing the shoreline forests at Ghodaghodi, (IUCN, 2004).

10. Problems in wetland conservation • Local people are treated as the outsiders and the outsiders as the local • High dependence on wetland resources, low involvement in management practices • Lack of opportunities for pursuing alternative livelihoods • Communities have weak, un-diversified, and insecure livelihoods, based on direct exploitation of natural resources • Lack of Resource management and preservation of the multi-functionality of wetlands. • Lack of institutions representing local communities for the consultation in plan development phase

11. Wetland conservation and community participation Key elements for participation • Recognition that public consists of a wide array of individuals and groups with different views, perspectives and interests. • Mutual trust and respect among all people. • Good understanding of the diversity of values, goals and objectives of various segments of society. • Individual and collective responsible behavior on the part of everyone • Mutual recognition and acceptance of each others’ rights, interests and aspirations. • Development and implementation of mutually agreed roles and procedures for conducting public meetings and consultations. • Local skills and technology should be basis for the conservation and sustainable utilization of resources in the area • A multi disciplinary team should be involved in the management

12. Steps to involve local people in participation Group formation giving and receiving information Creation of awareness – on function, benefits, uses of wetland resources Assesment- felt needs of group Identification- local knowledge, skill and practices Implemantation– plan and management Participation – local users including women Promotion – innovation and traditional research Dissemination – information, awareness about wetland

13. National Wetland Policy 2003Wetlands Management Policy Based on Local Participation • Conserve and manage wetlands with local people’sparticipation for their benefit, while maintaining environmental integrity according to the terms and spirit of the Ramsar Treaty. • Translate into reality the concept of wise use of wetland resources by providing equal opportunities on the basis of local people’s participatory management of wetlands. • Involve local residents, communities and community-based organizations. • Conduct social and economic development activities advantageous to local residents and conserve natural resources for the benefit of present and future generations.

14. Contd. • Conserve endangered and common wildlife species, aquatic fauna and other genetic sources dependant on wetlands. • Develop environmental friendly tourism and mobilize acquired profits to local people. • Ensure local people’s participation in the preparation of work plans for the conservation and management. • Preserve the experience, practice, skill and knowledge of the ethnic groups and promote wetland conservation and management. • Identify the problems and issues and implement the management action plan to address the issues at the local level. • Formulate plan and legal and administrative arrangements for the representation of local people and organizations

15. Different conservation activities

16. Recommendation and suggestions • Exchange of knowledge, skills and expertise concerning wise use, conservation, management and restoration of wetlands and their biodiversity. • Efforts to promote cultural heritage, local practices and knowledge be supported through partnership. • Communication, education, public awareness program must be adopted. • The special role of women in effective participation • Review of traditional technique adopted by communities. • Interchange of experience and information between communities. • Participating in training, integrating conservation and development • Policies should be formulated to recognize the value and prospects of the Conservation of the Wetland of International Importance.

17. Interrelationship between Managing Autority and Community Particiption

18. Conclusion Wetland conservation Sustainable utilization Participatoryintegrated management Wise use of resources Working together Indigenous knowledge Awareness Education Motivation Mobilisation Promotion Training

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