Guidelines for Biodiversity Assessment and Monitoring for Protected Areas, Tucker and Al 2005

Foreword by the Member Secretary, KingMahendra Trust for Nature Conservation, Nepal The King MahendraTmst forNature Conservation KMTNC in collaboration withthe UnitedNation'sEnvironment

Guidelines for Biodiversity

UNEP-WCMC), Lera Miles (UNEP-WCMC), Anna Lawrence and Jeanette van Rijsoort

; (Oxford University Environmental Change Institute), Siddhartha B Bajracharya li^TNC), Ram Chandra Nepal (KMTNC), Roshan Sherchan (KMTNC) and Nawarai

DARWIN

Digitized by tine Internet Archive

in 2010 with funding from

UNEP-WCIVIC, Cambridge

http://www.archive.org/details/guidelinesforbio05gtuc

Guidelines for

Biodiversity Assessment and

IVIonitoring for Protected Areas

Protected Area Aloiiiloring Guidelines

Published by: TheKing Mahendra Tmst

TRUST FOR NATURE

Copynght: ©2005 KMTNC andUNEP-WCMC

Reproduction ofthis publication for educational and other commercialpurposeisauthorisedwithoutpriorwrittenpermissionfrom

non-thecopyright holder providedthesource is fully acknowledged

Citation: Tucker,G.,BubbP.,deHeerM.,MilesL LawrenceA.,BajracharyaS.

B., Nepal R C, Sherchan R., Chapagain N.R 200J. Guidelines for

PO Box 3712Kathmandu, Nepal

e-mail: info@kmtnc.org.np

The Guidelines arebased onthe practical experience ofKMTNCand

UNEP-WCMC We welcome commentsandsuggestions.Pleasecontact

Cover Photo: Siddhartha BajraBajracharya

Thispublicationhas beenproduced withthesupportoftheUKDarwin Initiativeas part

ofproject 163/11/020 "Buildingcapacityforbiodiversity monitoringandassessmentin

Nepal" The Darwin Initiative is a smallgrantsprogrammethat aimstopromote

biodiversityconservation andsustainableuse ofresources in lessdeveloped countries

andRuralAffairs, (Defra)

http://www.darwin.gov.uk/index.htm

Table of Contents

Foreword Vice-chairman, National PlanningCommission v

2. Biodiversity assessmentand monitoring as partof

protected areamanagementplanning 6

2.2 What isa biodiversity assessment? 10

3.1 Defining the scopeandapproach oftheassessment 133.2 Creating an enablingenvironmentforparticipation 15

3.5 Identification ofconstraints,opportunitiesand pressures 26

3.6 From theassessmenttosetting objectives 30

4 Developing a protected area biodiversity monitoring programme 37

4.4 Definethe locationand boundaries ofthebiodiversity

4.5 Assessavailablemonitoringresourcesandpreparebudget 46

4.8 Establish theappropriatetimetocaiTyoutsurveys 58

4.10 Devisedatarecordingformsand document methods 65

4.14 Carry out necessarytraining 73

4.16 Report results tostakeholders 80

8.2 ACAPMonitoringprotocolforSnow Leopard 90

8.3 ACAPMonitoringprotocolforHimalayanGriffonand

8.4 ACAPMonitoringprotocolforbroad-leavedforesthabitat

8.5 ACAPMonitoringprotocolforbroad-leavedforestbirds 114

8.6 ACAPMonitoringprotocolforremote sensing ofhabitat extent

We wishto thankthe numerous people who contributedto these guidehnes We are especially

assistedwiththe various workshops and fieldtraining exercises, including:

AjayPandey -ConservationOfficer.KMTNC-ACAP

AnilBhattachan-CDA, KMTNC-ACAP Jomsom

Arbin K.C.-NRCA, KMTNC-ACAP.Bhujung

BhimPrasadUpadhya-NRCA, KMTNC-ACAP, Lwang

BirBahadur Thapa -NRCA, KMTNC-ACAP Jomsom

BishnuPrasad Paudel-NRCA, KMTNC-ACAP, Jomsom

DhrubaLaudari-NRCA, KMTNC-ACAP, Ghandmk

DomBahadurPun,JTA, KMTNC-ACAP, Ghandmk

GehendraB.Gurung -Director, KMTNC-ACAP,Pokhara

HiraB.KC-NRCA, KMTNC-ACAP, Lomanthang

KajiRam Adhikari-NRCA, KMTNC-ACAP, Bhujung

KrishnaGurung-TDA, KMTNC-ACAP, Jomsom

LizanKumar Maskey -ConservationOfficer KMTNC-ACAP, Jomsom

ManiPrasad Gurung - CEA, KMTNC ACAP,Bhujung

Ms ShantiGurung-GDA, KMTNC-ACAP, Lwang

NareshSubedi- ConservationOfficer, KMTNC-BCP

ProfessorKaranB Shah -Tribhuvan University,Natural HistoryMuseum

Rajendra Suwal- Senior Ornithologist, Kathmandu

RamPrakashSingh -NRCA, KMTNC-ACAP, Sikles

Rishiram Sudedi-Ranger, KMTNC-BCC, Sauraha

SailendraKumar Yadav - TDA, KMTNC-ACAP, Lomanthang

ShankarChaudhary-Sr. Ranger,KMTNC-BCC, Sauraha

Sherjung Gurung-CEA, KMTNC-ACAP, Manang

Shree Krishna Neupane-NRCA, KMTNC-ACAP, Manang

Shreeram Ghimire - Senior ProgrammeAssistant,KMTNC-BCP, Bardia

Sunil Marsani -CEA, KMTNC-ACAP, Sikles

Suresh Thapa -SeniorNRCA, KMTNC-ACAP, Jomsom

SuryaBahadurPandey -ConservationOfficer, DNPWC

TopBahadurKhatri,Project Manager, HMG/UNDP/PCP

The project was conceptualised and designed by Adrian Newton (University ofBournemouth,formerlyUNEP-WCMC)and Siddhartha Bajra Bajracharya (KMTNC) Wearealso grateful for

advice and information providedby otherstaffofUNEP-WCMC and KMTNC, including Tim

Inskipp, andbyCarol Inskipp, MarkEton(RSPB)and PeterGarson (Chair,WPAy'BirdLife/SSCPheasantSpecialistGroup,c/oUniversityofNewcastle).WealsothankRPSandScottishNaturalHeritage for permission to use figures from their Handbook ofBiodiversity' Methods: sun'ey.evaluationandmonitoring(Hill et al. 2005)

Foreword by the Officer-in-Charge, World Conservation Monitoring Centre

UNEP-Biodiversity plays acentra) role in ourlives. We depend uponplants and animal speciesforfood,medicinesand rawmaterials.Thegeneticresourcescontained withinbiodiversityhold the basis of our continued existence The services provided by biodiversity and

ecosystems helpsto sustainourlivelihoods andprotect ourhealth And there isno doubt

thatthebeauty andvarietyof ourlivingspecies greatlyimprove the qualityof ourlives.

There hasbeenincreasing global recognitionofthe importance ofbiodiversity The 2002

biodiversityinmaintainingour wellbeingbut also acknowledged thatitwasbeinglostat

an alanningrate.Inresponse,itestablisheda targetofsignificantreductionby 2010 intherateofbiodiversityloss,regardingthisasoneofthemostimportantmilestonesinprogresstowards a sustainablefliture. However,overallthis recognitionhasyettobetransformed

intoconcrete action onthe scale thatwill helpus achievethe 2010

onthestatusoftheworld'slivingresources,fromplantsandspeciestotheecosystemsthat

house them, inordertopromotebetterinfomied decision-making andsupport sustainable

as theyhelp the managersofprotected areas obtain anduse the biodiversityinfomiationnecessary for theirwork This infomiation will help them know iftheiractions are being

effective, to prioritise theirresources, andtopromote theirsuccesses

The Guidelines are based onthe practical experienceofKMTNC and UNEP-WCMC in

ConservationArea Theyare theresultofaproductivecollaborationand we hopethattheywill be ofwide relevance for protected area managers throughout Nepal and beyond I

Conservationtothe success ofthisprojectandthe supportofthe Darwin Initiative ofthe

collaborationthatwecan usethe expertisegainedinactualpracticetohelpimplementthepoliciesexpressedat nationalandinternational levelandtobringaboutreal changethatis

Foreword by the Vice-Chairman, National

As we move onto the 10"' FiveYear Plan, a significant areaofNepal (18%) is in some formofprotected area-national parks, wildlife reserves,huntingreserveandconservation

areas There is anextensive shiftin protected areamanagementapproach overthe period

changes in the management approach, protected areas management has been gradually

and successfully linked to local livelihood This isa remarkable achievement forNepal and ademonstration of importance accordedtobiodiversityconservation inNepal

Untilrecently, however, ithasbeendifficult to monitorbiodiversityinprotected areas in

an objective and scientificallyrigorous way. Therefore, there is a growingrealizationon needforblendingbiodiversityassessmentandmonitoring systemwithinapiotected areas

present Guidelines to Biodiversity Assessment and Monitoring prepared through thepracticalexperienceinAnnapumaConservation Areashouldhelp ineffectivemonitoring

ofbiodiversity inprotected areas TheGuidelineswill be an importantdocument forthe

anditspartner organisationtheUNEP- WorldConservationMonitoring Centreforproducingthe Guidelines document and extend my appreciation to those who contributed to this

Government.

Vice-Chairman

National PlanningCommission

Singh Durbar,Kathmandu

Foreword by the Member Secretary, King

Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation,

Nepal

The King MahendraTmst forNature Conservation (KMTNC) in collaboration withthe UnitedNation'sEnvironment Programme (UNEP)-WorldConservation Monitoring Centre(WCMC)hasdeveloped 'Guidelines for Biodiversity Assessment andMonitoring forProtected Areas' With

themission to conserve, manageand promotenaturein ail itsdiversitybalancing humanneeds,

KMTNC has been actively working in biodiversity conservation in Nepal for more than twodecades ThedocumentpublishedinpartnershipwithUNEP-WCMCisaninitiative tocontribute

in effectivemanagement ofprotected areas inNepal

Withtheestablishmentofprotected areas since thelastthreedecades,Nepalhasmaderemarkableachievements inconserving itsrichbiological diversityandcultural heritage KMTNC. overtheyears,with supportfromHis Majesty'sGovernment,has developedanewandinnovativeconcept

forprotected areamanagement effectivelylinkingconservationwithlocal livelihood Ihopetheguidelineswillbeatangibletool forbiodiversityassessmentand monitoringinprotectedareas.

Ipraise theinputoftheteamofKMTNCandUNEP-WCMCandwishtheirendeavourasuccess

Whileit is difficult tonamefewout ofacore team, I acknowledge theeffortofDr SiddharthaBajra Bajracharya, Mr Gehendra Gurung,Mr.RamChandra Nepal and Mr Nawaraj Chapagain

Ialsotakethisopportunitytoextendmyappreciationtothosewhocontributedto thisdocumentandacknowledgethesupport oftheDarwinInitiative oftheUKGovernment

1.1 Background to the guidelines

andmonitoringinNepal" ThiswasajointprojectbetweentheUNEP WorldConservationMonitoring Centre(UNEP-WCMC) andtheKing MahendraTrustforNature Conservation

(KMTNC), and wasfundedbytheDarwin InitiativeoftheUK government from 2002 to

2005.Theprincipal goaloftheDarwinprojectwastostrengthen the capacityofKMTNC

toinclude biodiversity informationinmanagementdecisionsoftheAnnapumaConservation

AreaProject(ACAP) Theseguidelineshave beendeveloped throughtheDarwinproject'strainingcourses andthefieldtestingofthe monitoring protocolsby KMTNC staff

bya LegislativeActoftheParliamentof Nepal,which mandateditasanautonomous,

non-profit and non-governmental organisation, to work in the field ofnatureconservation in

Nepal KMTNC'smissionto promote, manage andconserve naturein all its diversity in

seekingmaximum communityparticipationinwhichlocalsarerecognisedbothasprincipleactorsandbeneficiaries;(c)alwayslinkingeconomic, environmentalandethicalfactorsinconservationactivities;(d)alwaysmanagingoperationsbasedon sound economicprinciples

and(e)always aimingforqualityin all activides

Geographically, KMTNCactivities are spreadfrom the tropical plainstothehighHimalayan

regions,includingTrans-Himalayanregions The AnnapumaConservationArea(AC A) isone

ofthemajorinitiatives ofKMTNC intheHigh Himalayan andthe Trans-Himalayanregions

Box 1.1 Annapuma Conservation Area and its importance

andthefirstandlargestConservationArea inNepal.ACA islocatedintheMountainregions

ofthewest-centralNepalat latitude28°50'N andlongitude83°57'E(Figure 1.1). ACAcovers

anareaof7,629sq.km andishometo over 120.000localpeopleofdifferentethnic, cultural

wildlifespeciessuchastheSnowLeopard, MuskDeer, TibetanArgali.ImpeyanPheasantandTragopan Pheasant

ecology.Theareaisboundedtothe northbythedryalpine desertsofDolpo andTibet,tothe

(font.)

Box 1.1 Annapurna Conservation Area and importance

west by the Dhaulagiri Himal, to the eastby the Marshyangdi Valley and to the south by

valleysandfoothillssuirounding Pokhara.Someoftheworld'shighestsnowpeaks over 8,000

mandtheworld'sdeepest valleyofthe KaliGandakiriverarcinACA.Theseextremediversities

havemadeitNepal's mostpopulartrekking destinationwith over70,000trekkingtourists in

theyear2000,whichisover62 percent ofthetotal trekkingtourists visitingNepal

ACA is a new model ofprotected area in Nepal where local communities are involved in

protected area management KMTNC pioneered the ACA concept, realising that protectedareascannot be isolated fromthe people living in and around them The sustainable useoflocal resources, particularly forest, remains integral both to the livelihoods of the local

communities and to the conservation ofbiodiversity and fragile environments The local

community'sroleasapartnerinthemanagementofaconservationareathroughaConservation

Committees to issue pemiits and collect revenues from the local community for allowing

members.Committeesexist in allthe55 VillageDevelopment Committees ofACAandunderthesecommitteesare several grassrootsinstitutions,suchas theforestmanagementcommittees,mother's group, tourism management committees, electricity management committee, etc.

Allthese institutions are responsible for executing and linking theirspecific activitieswiththeconservation ofnatural resources

Tobalanceglobal biodiversityconservationgoalsandlocallivelihoodconcerns,anintegratedconservationand developmentapproach has been adopted A Management Plan preparedin

1997wasbasedoneightmanagementgoals,withobjectives,priorityprogrammesandpolicies.

Thesemanagementgoals were:i) tobuildandstrengthen the institutionalcapacityofACAP

throughhumanresource development; ii) todevelopa longtermframeworkforconservation

ofthe natural resources in ACA; iii) to promote nature conservation through sustainable

development oftourism; iv) toenhance the status ofwomen by according an equal roleto

them in decision makingprocesses in conservation andsustainable development; v) reduce

other alternative programmes; vi) to promotecommunity infrastructure development; vii) to

promote cultural heritage conservation: and viii) to carry out essential multi-disciplinary

Figure 1.2 Major habitattypes in the Annapurna Conservation Area

\ 5,000m

A

N

themanagementstaffoftheAnnapumaConservationArea Projectandaredesignedfortheir use. Whilsttheexamplesrefertothe managementofa

mountain protected area, it is anticipated that much ofthe generic advice on establishing

assessmentandmonitoringprogrammeswillbeapplicable to all typesofprotectedareas

1.2 Use of the guidelines

Biodiversity assessment and monitoring in protected areas is normally, and most

appropriately, carried outas partofamanagementplanningprocess.It isthereforesuggestedthat these guidelines are read and used in conjunction with appropriate guidance on

management planning within protected areas However, in some protected areas,

in detail (suchasintheACA uptonow) Someadvice isthereforegiven inChapter2 on keyaspects of management planning so thatbiodiversityassessments can be carried out

Anintroductiontobiodiversity assessments,withemphasis onparticipatoryapproachesis

given in Chapter 3, however, it is beyond the scope ofthese guidelines to give detailedpracticaladviceonthissubject,andtherefore thereaderisdirectedtosome recommended

references for further information

Chapter 4 provides guidanceonthekeypractical considerationsanddecisions involvedin

establishing a protected area monitoring programme. This primarily focuses on issuesconcerned withselectingfieldmethodsand survey samplingstrategies thatwouldbecarriedout by trained staffor contractors However, many ofthe key principles, such as thoseassociatedwith sampling,mayalsobeapplicabletoparticipatoryapproaches(e.g.selection

here Tables are therefore provided that give guidance on appropriate statistical tests forvarioussituations,andsourcesoffiirtherinformation,andstatisticalsoftware.Theseshouldenable readerstocompletemostformsofstatisticalanalysis requiredformonitoringpurposes

2 Definitions and purpose of biodiversity

assessment and monitoring for

protected area management

2.1 Biodiversity assessment and monitoring as part of

protected area management planning

Oneotthe principlereasons forcreatingNational Parksandothertypesofprotected area

is toconserve the special biodiversity values withinthem Effective conservation ofthisbiodiversity normallyrequires management actionsthat are best carried out within some

fonn ofmanagementplanning framework Thisismostefficientifearnedoutasacontinuousprocess, whereplans are prepared, implemented, reviewedandrevisedaccordingto their

impactsas establishedby monitoring(see Figure 2.1).

Figure 2.1 A simplified management planning cycle

Source:Adaptedfrom Thomas&Middleton 2003

To develop an effective managementplanrequires an initial assessment ofthestatus ofbiodiversity, to set the priorities and objectives for management, and then ongoing

monitoring,toestablishwhetherornotmanagementactions areachievingtheirobjectives.Biodiversity assessments, therefore, normally fonn key components of protected area

implemented, as depicted in Figure 2.2 The process is essentially a circular one, withperiodic evaluations beingearnedouttoassessprogress intheimplementationofactionsandtheachievement ofobjectives.Overthe long-temithemonitoring datashouldalso beused to re-evaluate the most recent biodiversity assessment to ensure that decisions are

based onthe best andmostup-to-date information

Figure Biodiversity assessment and monitoring witiiin a management

1. The plan should have conceptual rigour as a decision making framework. This

a clearsense ofa desired futureforthearea;

a setofstrategies andactions forachievingthis future;

clearguidancethatcanassist managersdealingwithopportunitiesandeventualitiesthat ariseduringthe lifeofthe plan;

a basis for monitoring of plan implementation and progress towards the desiredfutureand adjustmentof planningstrategies andactions asrequired

2. Theplan shouldplace themanagementofthe areaintoa relevantenvironmental,social

into thisbroader planning framework

3. Thecontentoftheplanshouldbe formulatedwithinan adequate andrelevant informationbaseand should placemanagement issues within abroadercontext and in relation tothe desired fiiture forthe area: the needs and interests of any local and indigenous

4. Theplan should provide aprogramme andprioritised set ofactionsforachievingthedesired future forthe area

Protected areascannot remaininisolationfromthecommunities andtheeconomicactivities

in and aroundprotectedarea Asnotedinpoint 3,plansshould addresstheneedsoflocal

SouthAfrica hasalsoemphasised on therights oflocal communitiesinrelation tonaturalresources and biodiversity conservation Participatory management approaches,' such as

fair sharing ofthe management functions, entitlements andresponsibilitiesfor a given

territoiy.area orsetofnaturalresources" {Borrini-Feyevahendetal 2000) shouldtherefore

be used wherever appropriate At the very least management planning should involveadequate consultations with all stakeholders

sequenceas summarised below (basedonthelUCN Guidelines prepared by Thomas and

1. Pre-planning phase (appointment of planning team, scoping oftask, agreement

onthe processtobe followed)

2. Datagatheringandreview

3. Evaluation ofdataand resourceinformation

4. Identification ofconstraints,opportunitiesand threats

objectives

ifappropriate)

7. Preparation ofa draft managementplan

8. Public consultationon the draftmanagementplan

final managementplan andreports onconsultation process

1 Implementationofactions identifiedwithinthemanagementplan

Inpractice someofthese stepsmaybecarried outiteratively (i.e.bygoing back andforth).

For example,collationofdataontheprotected area (Step2)maybeinfluencedbyanevaluation

ofwhat features areofparticularvalue (Step 3). The proposed sequencealso suggests thatconsultationsarecarried outat Stage 8. However, we recommendthatconsultations start at

Stage 1 and should involvecommunityparticipationatStages2, 3, 4,5 and 6 toensurethattheplan isadequately researched andthat it dealswith the interests ofall stakeholders

It isimportanttonotethattheproposed sequenceiscircular,suchthatStage 13 isareview

andup-dateofthemanagementplan.Thisfacilitatesadaptivemanagement Thekeyrationaleforadaptivemanagementofbiodiversityistherecognitionthatourknowledgeofecological

'

Alsoknownasco-management,collaborative, joint,mixed,multi-party orround-tablemanagement

management resourcesexperimental Itthereforeaims toimproveourmanagementeffectivenessby studyingtheimpactsofimplementedactivitiesandlearningfromthese.Adaptivemanagementthereforeexplicitly states objectives (andhypotheses on how they are to be achieved), monitoringrequirementsandevaluationmethods,andthen adjustsand improvesactionsaccordingtotheresultsobtainedandlessonslearnt SeeBC ForestServiceathttp://www.for.gov.bc.ca/

wwvi'.fosonline.org/Resources,cfm forfiirtherguidance on adaptivemanagement.

contents ofamanagementplaninclude:

Executivesummary.

Introduction (e.g. purpose and scope ofplan, reason for designation ofprotectedareaandauthority for plan)

Description oftheprotectedarea

Evaluationoftheprotectedarea

Analysisofissues andproblems

Visionandobjectives

Management actions (list of agreed actions, identifying schedule of work,

responsibilities, priorities, costs andotherrequired resources)

inBox2.2

2.2 What is a biodiversity assessment?

Biodiversity assessment is the first stage in the process of defining the biodiversity

required tomakedecisions and recommendationsforthe future

In thecontextofmanagementplanningfora protected area a biodiversityassessmentinvolvesmeasuringorsurveyingwhatexistsintheareaand whatisknownaboutit,judgingitsvalue

andidentifyingthemostimportantfeatures(e.g.grasslandsforlivestockgrazing,timberforfuelandbuildingmaterials,medicinalplants,waterstorageftinctionsandhabitatsandspecies

ofparticularconservation concern).Assessmentsthereforeneedtoinvolve asocialcomponent

that identifiesbiodiversityfeaturesof high socio-economicvalue, as wellasfeaturesof high

aesthetic,culturalorintrinsic value.Assessmentsalsotypicallyincludeidentificationoftheprincipal factors affecting the important biodiversity features within the protected area

preyspecies,or theimpactsoffuel woodcollection onforestregeneration)

2.3 What is monitoring?

Monitoring is often thought ofas a programme of repeated surveys or measurements,

usually by means ofa standardised procedure However, this is merely surveillance if

there isnopredetenninedobjective orvaluethatguideswhatthe findingsoughtto be For

example, dailymeasurementsofrainfall are atypeofsurveillance It is more appropriatefor protected area management needs to define monitoring more rigorously as:

"thecollectionandanalysisofrepeatedobsen'ationsormeasurementstoevaluate changes

in condition andprogress towardmeeting a managementobjective"(Elzingaetal. 2001).Thus,inthecontextofprotected areamanagementneeds,monitoringiscarriedouttodetermine

ifbiodiversityconservation, livelihoodenhancementandother objectivesarebeingmet,such

as the maintenance of the existing area ofa particular habitat or a specified number ofaparticular species,ordevelopment ofacommunitywoodlottoreduceimpactonnaturalforests.

It is better tothinkof monitoringinthismoreprecise way,because ithelps toensurethatprotected area monitoring programmes and theirmethods are focused on protected areaobjectives,andsosupporttheirachievement Thus,aprotected areamonitoringprogramme

hasa specificpurpose,tiedtoobjectivesthathavealreadybeendefined

Monitoring shouldnotattemptto describe the general ecologyofa siteormeasurethingsthatmaymerely be ofinterest.Unfortunately,monitoringschemesoftenresort tomeasuring

awidevarietyofvariables,which mayormaynotberelatedtotheprotected area objectives

spent collecting unnecessary data Even worse, it may be found that key management

questionscannot be answeredwith theinformationobtained

Norshouldmonitoringprogrammesbe confused withresearch studiesthataredesignedtoestablishwhysomethingishappening(i.e.totestahypothesis).Manyofthefieldmethods andscientificprinciplesofbiodiversityassessmentandmonitoring can be usedinresearch,buttheirpurpose isdifferent In particular, research may oftenneedto bemore detailed,sensitive and scientifically rigorous than required for many monitoring purposes Forexample, itmaybe adequatetomonitorvulturenumbers byoccasional counts ofsoaringbirds.Thismayestablishifpopulationtrends aremeeting conservationobjectives,butwill

Toestablishwhat population

probably notbe necessary if accordingto monitoringdata, populationsappear'healthy'

and conservation objectives are being met However, such detailed research could betriggeredifmonitoringdata reveal a declinebelowapresetwarninglevel(which should be

Inpractice,monitoringdatamay sometimesbe of useforresearchwork For example, if it

isnecessarytomeasurelivestockandvulturenumberswithin thesamearea,thenitmaybepossibletoexamine ifvulturenumbersare affectedby livestock numbers (by correlationanalysis).However,suchfortuitoususeof monitoringdatashouldnot influencemonitoringdesigns Insteadmonitoringandresearchrequirements should be designedseparatelyand

thenifthere is overlap between requirements (e.g. both needthe same data onlivestock

Plate 3.1 A female Cheer Pheasant

%

Photo: Raju Acharya

11

3 Carrying out a biodiversity assessment

for a protected area

Abiodiversityassessmenttypicallyinvolves anumberofkeystepsas outlinedinFigure3.1

(whichareanalogoustoStages 2-4ofthemanagementplanningprocess outlinedinSection

2 1 ).Theassessmentmaythen leadontothe settingof broadgoals,aimsandobjectivesforthe protectedarea These keysteps are furtherdescribedinthefollowing sections

Define the scope and approach of the assessment [3 1

I e purpose, area, stakeholders, information needs, methods, responsibilities and work plan

Create enabling environment for

participation (3 2), if necessary

Gather and review required data (3 3)

Carry out new

baseline surveys if

necessary Biodiversity evaluation (3.4)

Cany out overall biodiversity

evaluation of the protected area

Identify key biodiversity features including threatened species (e g

Cheer Pheasant), key habitats, ecological functions (eg grazing land) and

important resources (e g medicinal plants)

^ Identify overall vision and broad goals

Select biodiversity features and attributes of

each to be monitored (e Cheer Pheasant

population size, forest area, forest tree diversity)

SetSMARTobjectives for each feature and

attribute (e g maintenance of > 50 Cheer

Pheasant)

Assess available

monitoring resources (manpower, equipment,

expertise, time)

SetSMARTObjectives for

pressures and responses

(eg <2% timber extraction oer veart

Develop monitoring programme (Chapter 4)

Specific,

Measurable,

Attainable, Realistic and Time-

specific

Note:figures inbracketsrefer to relevant text sections

3.1 Defining the scope and approach of the assessment

3.1.1 Defining the scope

A biodiversity assessment could potentially cover an enormous range of questions and

requireahugeinvestment indata gatheringandanalysis.It isthereforenecessarytodefinethescopeoftheassessment Itshould be focusedonproducingtheinformationneededforspecificdecision-making and planningpurposes

The stages insettingthe scopeandobjectives ofthe assessmentare:

purpose Ifit is for a management plan, then ensure that the scope and type of

aVillageConservationArea ManagementOperational Plan

2. Definethelimitsorboundariesofthe areatobeassessed.For example,thewholeofthe ACA or sub-units ofthis, such as the village land underthe responsibility ofaConservation Area Management Committee (CAMC).

3. Determinewho thestakeholdersare in the assessmentandwhattheirinformationneeds

are (see Box 3.1). In particular, identify the biodiversity and management issues and

questionstheassessmentwillneedtoanswer(e.g.whichspecies areofhighestconservationimportance,andwhichspeciesaremostimportanttolocalpeopleandtheirlivelihoods?)

5. Selectandagree themethods,responsibilities and workschedulefortheassessment

Box3.1 Identification of stakeholders and their information needs

Inthecontext ofprotectedareas, stakeholders are likely to include:

Landowners,homeowners andoccupiers(e.g.tenant farmers),includingthoseinadjacentareasthatmaybe affectedbyactivitieswithintheprotectedarea.

Leadersoflocal communities(e.g.CAMCsand VDCsinACA).

Businesses within the protected area (e.g forestry, tourism, water supply), includingowners andemployees

Visitors totheareaandthosewhoorganisesuchvisits.

Researchers with sitesor projects withinthe protectedarea.

Govemmental, regional andlocalauthorityofficials.

Protectedarea authority staff

eachothers" objectives and values Usuallyan assessmentfacilitator will beneeded tohelpbeginthisprocess

Theinformationneed ofeach stakeholderis likely todepend ontheirperceptionofwhetherand why the area should be managed Forsome, maintenance oflivelihood will be most

(com.)

—

Box3.1 Identificationofstakeholders andtheirinformation needs(cont.)

important, for others, protection ofculturally or spiritually important places, while others

may be motivated by a concern to protect threatened species for all humanity Thus, eachstakeholderworks with a set of assumptions, or values, about what is important, and it is

thesethatinfluencebothdecisionsaboutwhatisimportantintheprotectedarea, itsmanagement

objectivesandevaluationsofwhethermanagementhasbeensuccessful ornot. Anditshouldalsoberememberedthat differentvalue-ladenneeds can alsoexistwithinstakeholder groups,including conservationists(Callicott el al. 1999)and local communities (Salim el al. 2001)

definetheirinformation needs

3.1.2 The benefits of a participatory approach

As discussed in Chapter I, protected area management planning should be undertakenusing participatory approaches wherever possible, and this also applies to biodiversityassessments, whetherpailofa managementplan ornot 'Participatory" inthis contextis

often understoodto mean involvement ofrural communities, but can also involve otherstakeholders suchas students, policy makers, conservationists or volunteers It can refer

to scientistsandlocalpeopleworkingtogethertoassessbiodiversity,sothattheyunderstandeachother's perspectivesbetter Participatory monitoringisapowerftilapproachthatcan

for certain management decisions It is therefore increasingly being used to supportbiodiversityconservationand management.

experiencefromaninternetconference(Lawrence2002)andpublished case studies It is

approachisparticularlyappropriate,but theprocesseswouldbesimilarinother contexts.Participation rangesfrompassiveparticipation,wherepeople areonly toldwhat isgoing

initiatives independent ofexternal institutions (Pretty 1994) To date, most examples ofparticipatory biodiversityassessment andmonitoring reach onlythehalfwaypointinthisrange: peopleparticipate byproviding labour so thatdatacan be gathered morequickly

andcheaply Interactiveparticipationwherepeoplecontributetodecisions inbiodiversity

biodiversity management, are still very rare. The current management structure within

ACAP already enables interactive participation by local communities in management

decision making, and therefore this existing framework can be expanded to includebiodiversity assessmentand monitoring as well

Althoughtheuseofparticipatoryapproachesmaycomplicateissuesandbe timeconsuming,

theirdisadvantages areexceededbytheir benefits.Local peopleare valuableparticipants

inassessingandmonitoringbiodiversity, because:

generations ofuse For example, knowledge ofthe medicinal properties ofsome

plantsmaybe undocumented and knownonly tothe localcommunities

within protected areas focusonprotected speciesofwildlife

and plants Monitoring local resource use is a neglected but crucial dimension in

planning sustainable harvesting bylocal people

3 It is internationally acknowledged that involving local people in the planning and

forconservation Itcanenhanceanexchangeoflocalandoutside perceptionsontherelationship between biodiversity and use patterns, leading tofeedbackon how to

4 Thebasisofdecisionsonbiodiversitymanagement,especiallyinprotectedareas,isoftenunclearto local communities depending on those resources The involvement oflocalpeopleinthegatheringandanalysisofbiodiversitydatawillenablelocal communitiesto

understandwhycertaindecisionsaremade.Thisislikelytobeparticalariyhelpfulwhen

immediateinterests(e.g. restrictionson resourceusageto allowrecovery)

various partners, includingnearbycommunitiesandprotected areastaffcanimprove

relations (Fabricius and Burger 1997; Van Rijsoort and Zhang 2002), and resolveconflict(Bliss era/. 2001)

6. Particularlyindevelopingcountries,resourcesforbiodiversityassessmentare limited

-humancapacity, money andtimeareallscarce(Danielsenetal 2000) Biodiversitymonitoringand management systems shouldthereforebebasedonlocally availablecapacity andresources tobesustainable

participationbylocalcommunities Somecommunitieswithin protected areasmaybeunaware

ofthe relevanceofappropriate protected areamanagementforthem, andhence itspotentialbenefits.They may,therefore,havenoincentivetoparticipateinmanagementplanning.They

mayalsohaveconstraintsontheirtimeandinputs,especiallyiftheyare livingona subsistence

or near-subsistence basiswhereallfime isusedonbasic life-supportingactivities.

It may therefore be necessary to precede participatory management planning, assessment ormonitoringinitiativeswithbasicsocio-economicdevelopment,and awarenessactivities toinformcommunities ofthe potential benefitsofparticipation Trainingwillalsooftenbenecessai^ If

stakeholders are toplay a ftill role in management planning they will needto understand its

aims, whothedecisionmakers areandhowthemanagementplanningsystemworks

3.2 Creating an enabling environment for participation

monitoring must notbe underestimated Theprocess maytake muchlongerthana participatoryapproach,but thisinvestmentisessential forbuildingmutual understanding,

non-toobtain useful data,andtopromote localempowemient.

Beforeentering intoa participatoryprocess ofbiodiversityassessmentandmonitoring,anenabling environment is needed - i.e., favourable policy and institutional factors Inparticular, decentralised decision making is required rather than top-down management

(as has, for example, often been typical ofthe forestry sector in many countries) But

— —

by surrounding communities may be limited, since the benefits

area enable sustainable use of resources and even involvement in management oftheprotectedarea,asintheACA,incentivesfor localcommunitiesto participateinbiodiversity

andresourcemanagementplanning, conservationandmonitoringwillbe higher

People who are leading or facilitating assessments need to be aware ofany obstacles

misunderstandingsorjustifiedfears.For example,inYunnan,China,villagerswereinitially

reluctanttojoinin, fearingthatthemonitoring processwouldleadtofurtherrestrictions intheirresourceuse Thisfearappearedtobejustifiedduringthe analysis phase,when most

oftheproposedsolutions involvedbanning resourceuse Moreconstructive solutionsthat

providedbenefits forall stakeholdershadtobe thoughtof,including sustainable resourceuseandenrichmentplanting(Van Rijsoort andZhang2002)

It isalsoimportantthat facilitatorsrecognisetheirprivileged position as stakeholderswho,

despitestriving to leave biasandsubjectivityon oneside,will neverthelesshave personalobjectivesandmotivesforbecominginvolved.Thiswillhelp facilitatorstobe moreself-

3.3 Data gathering and review

3.3.1 Data requirements

The principal aim ofdata gathering is to prepare an overall description ofthe protectedarea, including aninventory ofthe known biodiversitycomponentsthat are present.Thisshouldbecarriedoutinpartoershipwithstakeholders,bycollatingandreviewingallrelevant

and available information on the protected area's status, biophysical characters, human

useandbiodiversity Additional informationmayalsoneedtobe gatheredfrom newfield

surveysandanalysisof remote sensingdata

This stage of an assessment may potentially be very time consuming, and could easily

ofthestakeholdersthatare directlyrelevanttothemanagementplanning process(see Box

3.1) It is often best to collect the minimum of information first and then identity otherrequirementsasother stagesofthemanagementplanprogress.This helpstoensurethatall

information collected is relevant and avoids wasting time whilst irrelevant descriptiveinformation is compiled

Information requirements for a protected area management plan assessment typicallyinclude:

Locationandboundaries, andappropriate administrative boundaries (mapped)

ownership and

Infrastructureandservices(e.g.roads,airports,telecommunications,powersupplies).Physical information(e.g.geology, soils,topography, climate,hydrology)

Landuse (historical andcurrent)

Culturalinformation(culturalvaluesandinteractionswith landscapeandbiodiversity)

Socio-economicstatusandtrends,andrelationshipwiththeprotected areaanditsfeatures.Visitornumbers,interests andinfluences

with maps of their location, quantification of their current and past extent and

condition, anddescriptionsoftheiruse and management by local communities).Important floraand fauna, including protected species, threatened species, utilised

wild species, ecological keystone species and species ofcultural importance And

foreach species informationon:

• Quantity: population sizes, abundance, stockvolume, basal area

• Quality: importance, trendsinabundance,productivityandviability

• Location: distribution; relationship betweenplaceandcultural value

• Value: useby humans(e.g.food,forage for livestock, materials,medicaluses,cultural uses),trendsinuses, conservation importance,aesthetic values etc.

withnative speciesand ecosystemsdescribed)

Factors affecting habitats and important flora and fauna, including pressures and

3.3.2 Information sources

Some ofthis information may be obtainable from scientific books, papers and reports,

land-use and habitat maps, aerial photographs, satellite images, historical records and

unpublisheddata held by experts However, it will normallybe essential to supplementsuch scientific data with information from local people, gained through participatoryinvolvementintheassessment processwherepossible

Any informationand documents onthereasons forthe establishment ofthe protected area

and the definition ofits boundaries will be a useful start. Records held by government

agencies and religious authorities of land tenure, population census, tax collection, and

agricultural, forestryand fisheriesproductionare allvaluable resources

New surveys

Insomecasesitmaybe necessaryto collectnewdatatoprepare biodiversityassessments

that areadequateformanagementplans However,incomplete information shouldnot beusedasan excusefordelayingmanagementplanning Inmanycases itwill bepossibleto

complete management plans with available data andto

the agreed actions, the resultsofwhich then feed back intothe plan, thus completingtheadaptiveplanning loop

quantify species populations, map habitats and assess habitat conditions These may becan-ied out using some ofthe methodsdescribed in Chapter3 ofthese guidelines, or asdescribed in Sutherland (2000) and Hill et aI. (in press) Local people may be able to

undertake some surveys (with any necessary guidance and training), thereby furtherenhancingthe participatory process Ifsurveysmustbecarried outbyoutside expertsthen

suitable local people(e.g. withaninterest inwildlife or resource use)should be invitedto

Remote sensing data

Habitatsurveysmaybe supported using remotesensing dataandGeographical Information

to be created and displayed together as computerised maps Data sources may include

the standard fomiattingofallmapsused,nomatterwhattheirsource.Forfurtherbackground

informationonGIS, seeLongley etal. 2001,and Burrough & McDonnell, 1998

advantages ofsatellite data are that large and inaccessible areas can be covered using astandardapproach, withaunifonnlevelofdetailandatrelativelylowcost.Theuse of suchdatamaythereforebeparticularlycost-effective formountainousareas, suchastheACA,with their extremely difficult teiTain, with the caveat that remotely sensed data are notuseful for areas that are persistently obscured by cloud Remotely sensed data may beextremelyvaluableformonitoringasrepeatedsurveysusingidenticaltechniques are possiblethroughoutthe lifetimeoftheremotemeasurementsystem(an anticipated 15 yearsforthe

MODIS instrumentson boardEOS satellites). The maps producedcanbe used alongsideotherlayersinaGISforlandcover mapping, modelling andplanning.However,a specialised

Two sources of remotely sensed data are the LANDSAT and EOS satellites. The first

LANDSAT satellite was launched in 1972, andthe mostrecent in 1999, followed bythe

and has a pixel resolution of250 m LANDSAT is therefore better formonitoring fineresolution, small area or relatively slow changes (such as changes in forest cover), and

MODIS forcoarserresolution, largearea orrelatively fastchanges (such asfires).

Free LANDSATandMODISsatelliteimagescanbereadilyobtainedfromtheinternet.These

glovis.usgs.gov/) Oncethepath and row numberoftheimage(s) ofinteresthave beenfound,the Earth Science Data Interface site (http://glcfapp.uniiacs.umd.edu:8080/esdi/index.jsp) can

be usedtoseekfreeimages The mainscenefortheAnnapumaareahas path 142 androw40

Centre,whichmakestropica!LANDSATdataavailableat areducedprice(US$25-50perscene).Aerialphotographs can be usedtoexaminesmaller areasat a finer spatial resolution,and

tosupportthe interpretationofsatellitedata.Vegetationtypesaremosteffectively identified

toinfonnthesoftware aboutdifferentlandcoverontheground.Satellitedata therefore are

ofmostusewhenbroughttogetherwithexistingmapsorgeoreferencedaerialphotographs

Habitat maps may be used in the design ofa stratified sampling regime for species or

orabundance.These models mayeither directlybe usedtoestimate speciesoccunenceor

to identifyareasforsampling.A numberof techniquesandpackagesforspeciesdistribution

modellingare listed inTable4.8 (Section4.15)

Auniquecontributionthatcan bemade bysatellitedataisinformationon habitatchangespriorto thecommencementoftheassessmentand monitoring programn^e.Achangeanalysis(comparisonbetweenyears) highlights areaswhere landcoverchangehasoccurred.These

maybeareasinneedof conservationattention,orconverselywhereecosystemrestoration

is inprogress

3.3.3 Data presentation

Presentation ofthe descriptive information in the management plan should be briefand

easilyunderstandable,andshould focusonthekeyresultsoftheassessment.Fulluseshould

bemadeofmapsanddiagrams,withattention todesign sothatthemostimportant information

iseasily visible Information thatisnotdirectlyrequired shouldeitherbe referredto(with

full reference details) orplaced in aseparate technical appendix Technical language andjargon should be avoided wherepossible, and a glossary providedfor all technical tenns

thatareused.Localnamesof animals andplantsshould be givenaswellas scientificnames

3.4 Biodiversity evaluation

3.4.1 The purpose ofa biodiversity evaluation

Ingeneral termsbiodiversity evaluation- is the process ofestablishingthe value (ideallyquantitatively) of biodiversity components Evaluations may be carried out on various

species assemblages, habitats, sites andbiomes)

In the contextofprotected areamanagementplanning, the overallpurpose ofabiodiversityevaluation istoestablishwhythe protected area is importantandof valuetosociety(andhenceprotected)and whatare itskeyfeatures(andtheirvalues)thatneedtobe conserved

merit some form ofprotection, but is often repeatedand updatedas part ofmanagement

planning process(especially whenthereasons forcreatingaprotected area have been

ill-definedorpoorlycommunicated).

Biodiversity evaluation is fundamental toany

identifiesthe features (such asparticular habitats,threatenedspecies,andmedicinalplants)that should be the focus of management actions Unless protected area values areunderstood,thereisarisk thatinappropriatemanagement maybe undertaken,resultingin

a decline in the value ofthe protected area and its important features The evaluation,therefore, forms the basis upon which conservation objectives should be set, which

explicitlyensurethateach featureis conservedappropriately (see Section 3.5)

Greatcaremust,therefore,be takeninthe evaluationofthe biodiversityassessmentdata

Andit isparticulariyimportantthatall stakeholdersparticipateinthe evaluation process,

to ensure that all biodiversity values are identified "Unless the preparation ofthe

impossibletosecure"(Thomas andMiddleton2003).Localpeople,ifgiventhe opportunity

todiscuss findings,canalso oftenprovideinterpretationsandinsights thatotherwisemay

2000) Moreover,the drafted solutions emerging fromparticipatory data analysis will be

morepracticaland adjustedtothelocal conditions

Abiodiversity evaluation consistsoftwoparts:

Anevaluationofprotected area as awhole,whichplaces thesiteinthecontextofits

regional, national andinternational importance,and identifiesitsoverallvalue and

importancetovariousinterest groups

The identification of the key biodiversity features that must be protected and

conservedtomaintain the importance ofthe protectedarea

3.4.2 Carrying out an overall biodiversity evaluation of the protected area

Anevaluationofthebiodiversityofa protected areaas awhole maytakeintoaccountawide

range ofpotential biodiversity values, including intrinsic and socio-cultural values (Daily

1997, Posey 2000), and more direct socio-economic benefits (Daily 1997), such as food,building resources,medicinesand waste decompositionetc(Spellerbergand Hardes 1992)

The assessment ofthe ecological values (many ofwhich are used for protected areaselection)isoften thefocus ofnatureconservationmanagementplans,andvariouscriteria

Ratcliffe(1977), aslistedbelow:

Primarycriteria

Size (including the protected areaandhabitats,andpopulationsizesforkeyspecies).Diversity(of habitatsandspecies)

Rarity (of habitatsandspecies)

Naturalness(habitats thatare leastmodifiedby humanuse tendtoholdricherwildlife

communities, often including rare species, and have high aesthetic appeal and

scientificvalue)

Typicalness(howwell the area representsecosystemsandhabitatsonawiderscale)

Fragility vulnerable orsensitiveecosystems,habitatsandspecies aretohuman

induced changes)

Secondarycriteria (i.e. notalwaysused)

highlyvalued)

Potential value (i.e. the likelihood that appropriate management could restore or

Positioningeographicalor ecologicalunit(e.g.someecosystems,habitatsandspecies

maybe of high functional importance)

Intrinsic appeal (e.g species with public appeal promote the cause of natureconservationand actasflagship species)

value,whichlaterformedthebasisforidentifyingSitesofSpecialScientific Interest(Nature

CountrysideCouncilforWales (CCW 1996).AlthoughdevelopedintheUK,theyare easilyapplicabletoothersituationsand have beenwidely adaptedforuseinmanyothercountries,

Evaluations are simply carriedoutby considering the propertiesofthe protectedarea inrelation to eachofthecriteriain turn.Thismaythenbesummarisedina descriptionoftheoverall importanceofthe protectedarea, suchas theexamplefortheACAinBox 3.2

the Annapurna Conservation Area

The ACAisaverylarge(7,629km-)areaofHimalayan mountainecosystem,whichoverlapsseveral biogeographical regionsandholds a diverserange ofhabitats and species The Kali

Gandaki Valley runs through the ACA and is a biogeographical divide in the Himalayanmountainchain.The ACAthereforehas species typicalofthe easternandwestern Himalayas

TheKaliGandakivalleyisalsoan importantnorth/south birdmigrationroute.The ACAalso

lies within aregionofoverlap betweenthe Palaearctic andIndo-Malayan realmsandsohasspeciesofbothrealms The ACA hasa huge altitudinalrange,from 790to 8,091 m Ithasagreatrange ofrainfall,with someofthedriestregions inNepal inthetrans-Himalayanzoneandsomeofthe wettestregions southof AnnapurnaintheModiKholavalley.Althoughsome

ofthe habitatsmay not be species rich, they hold important populationsofseveral globallythreatenedspecies, someofwhichareofexceptionalintrinsic appeal (e.g. Snow Leopard)

ofaprotectedarea, suchas cultural, social and economicvalues(Thomas andMiddleton2003) This is unwise as itmay undermine the potential support oflocal people fortheprotected areaand itsmanagement.

3.4.3 Identifying key biodiversity features of a protected

Keybiodiversityfeatures(e.g.species, habitats,ecological functions)shouldincludefeaturesthatare:

of high natureconservation importance

the production of lUCN Red Lists (see www.redlist.org) ofspecies that are considered

to be at risk of global extinction according to various categories ofthreat The risk

ofextinction at national level is also the commonest basis for identifying nationalspecies conservationpriorities

Rarity has often been consideredtobe one ofthemost important factors influencing theriskofextinction ofa species, and many Red Lists have focusedonthis. Rarity has alsooften been usedas asecondai-ycriterionwhereby, forexample, a declining species is notconsideredtobethreatened unlessithasalsocrossedararitythreshold.However,rarityis

not a straightforward concept as there may be a variety of circumstances under which

species may be rare (Rabinowitz 1981) Species may have small (or large) total ranges,

It isevidentthat rarityincludesbothaspatialandanumerical dimension Forsomespecies

someaspectsofraritymaybe anevolutionary property,asaresultoftheir habitat specificity,small naturalrangeorlownaturaldensities.Onthe otherhand, small rangeorlowdensities

maybethe resultofhumanimpact, which maybe reversible

Considerationofrarityinanevaluation requires dataontherange ornumber ofindividuals

ofa species(or habitats, communities, orabiotic features), not only withinthe protectedareabutat widerscales.This isbecause important elements ofrarity are scaledependent.For example, a locally rare speciesmay also be regionally or globally rare, which is ofgreaterimportancethan if it isonly locally rarebecause it is atthe edge ofitsrange(e.g.

eagle Aquila chiysaetos) Nonnally, increased importance to rarity should be given tospeciesthatarerare atthegloballevel. Somelocally commonspeciesmayalso be of highconservation importance ifthespeciesinquestionisrare ataglobalorwide geographicalscale (e.g. BlueSheepPseudois nayciwinthe ACA).

established sothatthe highest priority forconservation/protection is given tospecies, orhabitats, that are globally threatened But it is also necessaiy to take into account theirlocalstatus toassessthenecessityfortaking actionatalocal scale.Thisenablestheprinciple

of"thinking globallyandactinglocally" tobeputinto practice.Thehighestpriorityshould

be givento species andhabitats thatarebothglobally andlocallythreatened

below global scales should be based on appropriate biogeographicalpopulationswherepossible Inpracticethough, assessments ofpopulations aremoreoftenbased onnational or regional populations for political andadministrativereasons(e.g. as

inmostnational RedLists)

Any evaluation ofconsei-vation priorities for a species or habitat should also take into

accounttheimportanceofthepopulationor resourcebeingconsidered.Thus,theevaluation

ofa habitatarea or a species' population should considertwokey independent factors:the riskoflossofthe habitat or speciespopulation (i.e itsthreat status)

itsbiogeographical importance,i.e.theproportionofthebiogeographical(or national/regional) resourceor population

Thus, for example, a very high priority should be given to a species' population that is

biogeographically important (i.e it is a largeproportion ofthe species' entirepopulation)

andat riskofextinction within the areainquestion However,it is importanttonotethataspeciespopulationmaybeahighprioritynationallybecauseit ishighly threatenednationally,irrespectiveofitsnumbersinrelation to internationalor global populations e.g.Himalayan

Musk Deer in Nepal This is because the maintenance ofa species' range (and potentialgenetic variation associated with this) can also be an important conservation aim after

preventionofcompleteextinction.Ontheotherhand,a populationofaspeciesmaybe veryimportant becauseit is alargeproportionofthebiogeographical population,irrespectiveof

its conservationstatus,e.g.Spiny Babbler Twdoidesnipalensis.a birdspecieswhich isnot

uncommoninsecondaryscrubintheACA,butisendemictoNepal.Inthesecircumstances

acountry hasa particular responsibilityforthespeciesand shouldatleastmonitorthe status

ofthe speciesandguardagainstpotential eventsthatcouldimpact onthepopulation

Taking into account the issuesdescribed in this sectionand 3.3.2, it is possible to suggest achecklist(Table3.1)ofbiodiversity featuresthatshouldbeconsideredaskeyfeatures,orfeatures

ofexceptional value,accordingtothelUCN temiinology(Thomas and Middleton 2003)

Globally threatenedspecies(i.e. on lUCN RedLists)

Significantpopulationsofrareorotherwisenationally or regionally threatened species

globalpopulations withintheprotected area orregion

Rareorthreatened habitats (globally, regionally or nationally)

Particularlygood examples (e.g. large andhighly natural)ofcharacteristic habitats

Featuresof high intrinsic ecological importance orinterest

Features of high socio-economic importance (e.g forest products, grazing lands or species

andhabitatsthat attract tourists)

FeaUires of highcultural importance (e.g. sacred areas or species) or intrinsicappeal

In and

thatmayqualifyaskeyfeatures.Somekeyfeaturesmaythereforebe combined Forexample

becauseit isaprimeprey species forSnow Leopard.Thusthisqualifiesas akeybiodiversityfeature.In contrast,someotherkey preyspeciesmightnotbelistedaskeyfeatures.This does

species,but these requirementswouldbeidentifiedatalaterstageofthemanagementplanning

It is also advisable to avoid listing species as key features at this stage ifthey only act asindicators (see Box 3.3) ofa feature's value, for example, a tree species as an indicatorofdiversebroad-leavedforests.Inthiscasethe featurewouldbe"diversebroad-leavedforest" If

it isnecessarytouse indicatorspecies todefineconservation objectivesforthis,theseshould

be identifiedat the conservation objective setting stage However, it may be useful tonotethat a species may sometimes act as an indicator ofone feature and be a key feature in

Forfurtherinformationonbiodiversityevaluations seeMargules and Usher(1981), Smith

Onthe basisofthecriterialistedinTable 3.1,it ispossibletoprovideapreliminarylistof

somehabitatsandspeciesthatshould be consideredtobekeybiodiversity featureswithintheACA(seeTable3.2).

24

Table 3.2 Some key biodiversity features within the Annapurna

Table 3.2 Some key biodiversity features within the Annapurna

betweenimportant biodiversityfeatures and their influencing factors and management actions This helps to understand

framework-^ (see Figure 3.2). Thiswas designedto aid analysisofthecauses of change in

thenatural environment andthe responsemeasures ofhumansocietytothesechanges

When applied to a protected area, the State component is an assessment ofthe current

inthepast Thismight focuson, forexample, theextentandconditionof important foresthabitatswithinthe protectedarea

ThePressure component is an assessment ofwhatfactors may potentiallyimpact onthebiodiversity feature that influences its state. Examples of such pressures on the state ofimportantforest habitatscouldbedeforestationforfirewood andtimber,pollution,or hunting

beencreatedtomanage andconserve thebiodiversity featureandalleviateor regulate thepressuresonit. Thedesignation asaprotected areaisone response in itself, whilst otherscould betreeplanting programmes, awareness activitiesandhuntingregulations

'Thisframeworkmaysometimesvary, forexampleasDriving Force-State-Response,orDriving Force

11

3.5.2 Identifying pressures on key

This stage ofthe assessment requires a review ofavailable relevant information Such

infomiation,willinclude studiesoftheprotected areaitself Someofthismaybepublished,but much may also be learnt from consultations with local experts Published scientificstudiesofotherprotected areasandtheknowledgegainedbyprotected areamanagers and

scientistselsewheremayalsoberelevantandusefiil.However,participatoryapproachesto

assessments ofpressureson biodiversitymay beparticularly valuableand often the onlysource ofinfonnation in many areas Local people may be able to provide particularlyuseful information, which may be unavailable from other sources, especially regardingexploited biodiversitycomponents (e.g. forest products, hunted species and rangelands)

importantsocio-economicassets,suchas theimpactsofpredatorsonlivestock populations,

maybe misconceptions orexaggeratedby some stakeholders

Area

ACAaccordingto availableinformationas indicatedin Table3.3

Plate 3.2 Fuel wood collection from forest

Photo Siddhartha B Bajracharya

28

Table 3.3 Thestate ofsome keybiodiversityfeatures within the Annapurna

Key feature

Pressures may therefore be interrelated and complex, as indicated in Figure 3.3, which

ACA,basedonstudieswithin theACA(OH, 1991; Jacksonet al. 1996; Thapa2000),and

elsewhere (Jacksonet al2001)

in tfieACA.

Hunting

Grassland/

shrubland habitatcondition

Livestockpredation bySnow/ Leopard

Retaliatorykilling

duetolivestockpredation

3.6 From the assessment to setting objectives

3.6.1 Vision, goals and objectives in protected area management

Oncethe biodiversityassessment has beenconductedthe resultsshould be analysed and

a broadand inspirational descriptionofthe desired future ofthe protectedarea Itsmain

purpose is to provide a focus or direction for management objectives and, according to

Describethe kindofprotected area thatthe plan is seeking to achieve in the longterm Thiswillhelppeopletounderstandwhatit ishopedthe areawillbelike inthefuture, thereasons forthis,andthe actionneededtoachievethevision

Bealong-tennstatementthatisunlikelytochangesignificantlyovertime.Itshouldtherefore provide continuity in the process of managing the protected area in asustainable way

30