National Protected Area System Strategic Management Framework

Kingdom of Cambodia Nation Religion King THE ROYAL GOVERNMENT OF CAMBODIA NATIONAL PROTECTED AREA SYSTEM STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK 2014 National Biodiversity Steering Committee i PREFACE On behalf of the National Biodiversity Committee and the Ministry of Environment, I would like to express my sincere and high respect to Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, who has always expressed his full support and shown the utmost attention to environmental issues, particularly to the management of protected areas and their contribution to the national economy and the reduction of poverty in rural and vulnerable areas. This National Protected Area System Strategic Management Framework will guide the process for developing the Conservation and National Protected Areas Strategic Management Plan, its content, and ways and means for its implementation. The National Strategic Management Plan is a tool, as provided for in chapter V of the 2008 Protected Area Law, to be developed by the Ministry of Environment, for adoption by the Government of Cambodia, that will guide the General Department of Administration for Nature Conservation and Protection in the development of action plans for individual protected areas and conservation areas and their network in the country. In this regard, I am very proud of this strategic framework to meet Cambodia’s urgent need for effective and efficient management of protected areas and their network, under the coordination and management of the National Biodiversity Steering Committee. I would like to express my gratitude to His Excellency and to the ladies and gentlemen from the ministries, NGOs, the private sector and development partners who collaborated in preparing the National Strategic Framework and making it a reality. The key organizational processes for the development of this National Protected Area System Strategic Management Framework include: national workshops that took place twice; two national consultation meetings with technical experts; as well as several field visits to determine the status of the protected areas management and consultation meeting with provincial officials, stakeholders and local communities. The first workshop was held from 27 to 28 August 2013 (for two days), with the participation of government institutions, national and international organizations, and other stakeholders. Thanks to the involvement and consultation with the various stakeholders, the workshop proved fruitful in determining the key elements of the National Protected Area System Strategic Management Framework in Cambodia, more specifically in determining the vision and mission, and the three strategic objectives, and in identifying the key activities in each strategic objective to make the draft National Protected Area System Strategic Management Framework. Information for the foundation of the National Strategic Framework was received through presentations from the General Administration of Department of Nature Conservation and Protection, the Ministry of Environment and Forest Administration, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in the first national workshop. The second national workshop was held on September 27, 2013, for the duration of one day and as a continuation of the first national workshop. The second workshop consisted of a thorough and in-depth discussion on the final draft of the National Protected Area System Strategic Management Framework prior to its submission for review by the National Biodiversity Steering Committee. On February 18, 2014, the National Biodiversity steering committee approved the Framework. This Framework will ensure that there is harmony between the different ministry, sector and agency policies and plans. It is intended to, inter alia, increase national coordination, regional cooperation and management synergies, to achieve a more comprehensive, coherent and cost-efficient system of implementation, funding and reporting. This type of coordination will ensure that we avoid having a fragmented approach to the protection and sustainable use of the country’s natural capital and are better able to secure the well-being of present and future ii generations in Cambodia. In addition, this framework can also ensure an effective and efficient protection of the country’s natural capital and its provision of ecosystem services. I would like to take this opportunity to thank and express my appreciation to the ministry representatives, the institutions, development partners and technical experts for their technical and financial support to the development of the National Protected Area System Strategic Management Framework; there is no better starting point for the timely and effective development of protected area management. Phnom Penh, Date…………………………  Say Sam Al Minister of Ministry of Environment and President of National Biodiversity Steering Committee  iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS On behalf of the National Biodiversity Steering Committee and the Ministry of Environment, I would like to deeply thank the ministries, institutions, development partners, local and international organizations, and other stakeholders for their active contribution throughout the development process of the National Protected Area System Strategic Management Framework. The National Protected Area System Management Framework was developed under the coordination of the Ministry of Environment, with the active participation of the inter-ministry technical working group and invaluable instructions from the National Biodiversity Steering Committee. It is thanks to the extensive participation and support of stakeholders from all sectors, that the Framework is more consistent and comprehensive. The development of the National Protected Area System Strategic Management Framework was prepared by the Department of International Conventions and Biodiversity, the General Administration of the Department of Nature Conservation and Protection, and the Ministry of Environment, with the support of USAID through HARVEST Project, FINTRAC, SFB Project and Windrock International. iv v CONTENTS PREFACE ..................................................................................................................................................... i ABBREVIATION ..................................................................................................................................... vii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................... ix I. BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................................. 1 Status of the protected area system in Cambodia .................................................................................. 1 Purpose of the national protected area system strategic management framework ................................ 3 II. VISION ................................................................................................................................................. 4 III. STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES AND KEY ACTIONS ....................................................................... 5 Strategic objective 1: Knowledge base for decision-making ................................................................ 5 Strategic objective 2: Plan of action ...................................................................................................... 5 Strategic objective 3: Enabling environment ........................................................................................ 6 IV. MEANS OF SUPPORTING IMPLEMENTATION ........................................................................ 7 Annex I ................................................................................................................................................ 11 INDICATIVE LIST OF KEY OBSTACLES TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PROTECTED AREAS AND CONSERVATION AREAS MANAGEMENT PLANS .................................................................................................................. 11 Annex II ............................................................................................................................................... 13 IMPORTANT NATIONAL DOCUMENTS HIGHLIGHTING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ESTABLISHING NEW PROTECTED AREAS AND CONSERVATION AREAS, AND BETTER MANAGING EXISTING ONES IN CAMBODIA ............................................................................ 13 Annex III .............................................................................................................................................. 15 SPECIFIC ACTIONS OF RELEVANCE TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF MANAGEMENT PLANS FOR PROTECTED AREAS AND CONSERVATION AREAS ...... 15 Annex IV .............................................................................................................................................. 21 A ROADMAP PROPOSED FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL PROTECTED AREA SYSTEM STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK .................................................. 21 ENDNOTES ........................................................................................................................................ 31 vi vii ABBREVIATION CBD Convention on Biological Diversity ន ពជចម CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna ន ពនពបភទ ជផពជ COP Conference of the Parties នទ បបទគ GBO Global Biodiversity Outlook ជចមកក IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature មនន បភកធម MAB Man and Biosphere មន នងជចម NBSAP National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan យទជចម នងផន កមព NGO Non-governmental Organization ងមនមន ភ NSDP National Strategic Development Plan ផនយទភន បចបន កម RAPPAM Rapid Assessment and Prioritization of Protected Areas Management យមយពទព នគបគងបនធម REDD Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation បនយបញនព ប ញ នងច ពឈ RGC Royal Government of Cambodia ជ ភកម UNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ន កបខ បព បប WHC World Heritage Convention ន ពមកពភពក WWF World Wide Fund for Nature មនធពភពកបភកធម  viii ix EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In Cambodia, the whole network of 23 Protected Areas, under the management of the Ministry of Environment through its General Department of Administration for Nature Conservation and Protection (GDANCP), and six protected forests and eight fish sanctuaries, under the management of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) through the Forest Administration (FA) and Fishery Administration (FiA) respectively, covers about twenty-six per cent of the territory. Cambodia’s protected area system is under a lot of pressure. There are obstacles to the establishment of new protected areas and conservation areas, and 84 per cent of designated protected areas and conservation areas are ineffective particularly because of the lack of management plans as well as shortages in skilled staff and insufficient budget allocations. Bearing in mind the diversity in the ecological types and governance of individual protected areas and conservation areas, and that for effectiveness protected areas and conservation areas in Cambodia require that they are managed as a system rather than single separate areas that must “survive” on their own, GDANCP identified the drafting of a “framework” as one of the first steps towards the development of the national strategic management plan, called for in chapter V of the 2008 Protected Area Law. This framework would contain, among other things, guiding principles and links to other government priorities, and enhance coherence in the implementation of sectoral policies and plans. The national strategic management plan will, in turn, guide in the development of action plans for individual protected areas and conservation areas and their network in the country. In this perspective, GDANCP, with the financial support from USAID through the HARVEST Project, Fintrac, SFB Project and Winrock International, organised field visits, consultations at the local and provincial level, and two national consultations in August and September 2013. Representatives of different departments of the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and representatives of local communities and partner international and non-governmental organisations participated in the consultations. The draft strategic framework was submitted to and considered and adopted by the National Biodiversity Steering Committee (NBSC) on 18 February 2014. Going beyond the development and implementation of protected area and conservation area management plans, this strategic framework also covers aspects that contribute to making protected areas and conservation areas in Cambodia a comprehensive system that is fully resilient to present and future pressures, including in particular climate change, and that can ensure an effective and efficient protection of the country’s natural capital and its provision of ecosystem services. It comprises a shared vision, a mission, interlinked strategic goals and key actions. VISION is that Cambodia's protected-area system is a major contributor to the country's economy and sustainable development including poverty reduction, essentially through the conservation and sustainable use of its biological, natural and cultural resources and other ecosystem services. MISSION is to provide overarching guidance for: x (a) The national strategic management plan for the country’s protected area system that will be developed and implemented to achieve the most effective, efficient and equitable management of such a system in Cambodia; (b) Expanding, as needed, the coverage of the national protected area system as well as establishing ecological corridors where necessary so as to satisfy the ecological representativeness required of national protected area systems as well as the connectivity of protected areas and/or conservation areas and their integration into the wider landscapes and seascapes, especially in the face of climate change; and (c) Optimizing the general environmental and socio-economic benefits that can be derived from the biodiversity within, and the attendant ecosystems provided by, all types of protected areas and conservation areas. STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES AND KEY ACTIONS Actions to be taken in order to ensure that protected areas and conservation areas fulfil the objectives for which they were established require regular assessments of their status and trends, their functioning, their roles and values, the threats and pressures on them, and the impacts of measures taken to address these threats and pressures. Information from these assessments will guide the selection of the most appropriate actions and timeframe for inclusion in the plan of action as well as the identification of the needed human, institutional, technological and financial capacities for carrying out those actions effectively and efficiently. Hence, this strategic framework consists of three interlinked strategic objectives relating to the knowledge base for decision-making, the plan of action and the enabling environment. Strategic objective 1: Knowledge base for decision-making: Strengthen the knowledge of the national protected area system for decision-making by conducting assessments, enhancing understanding, organizing and disseminating information, and raising awareness of the functioning, role, value and requirements of protected areas and/or conservation areas and their network in Cambodia. Key actions for strategic objective 1 are the following: 1.1. Conduct assessments on important aspects of protected areas and conservation areas; 1.2. Enhance understanding and organize in user-friendly central databases information; 1.3 Make information of relevance to decision-making widely accessible and raise awareness. Strategic objective 2: Plan of action: Accelerate the implementation of Cambodia’s obligations in compliance with the Aichi Biodiversity Target 11 and other relevant targets of the National Target for Biodiversity 2011-2020 as they have been updated the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2002 in order to implement the National Target for biodiversity 2011-2020. Particular efforts will be made to achieve those goals that are lagging behind in the implementation of the programme of work on protected areas adopted under the Convention on Biological Diversity and relevant commitments made under the Cambodia Millennium Development Goals and other conventions ratified by Cambodia, including in particular the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the World Heritage Convention and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Key actions for strategic objective 2 are the following: 2.1 Maintain and, as needed, rehabilitate existing protected areas, conservation areas and the whole national protected area system; xi 2.2 Identify and create new protected areas and/or new conservation areas; 2.3 Enhance management effectiveness and efficiency; 2.4 Ensure equity in decision-making processes and benefit sharing with special attention to the most vulnerable groups; 2.5 Ensure connectivity and integration into the wider landscape and seascape; 2.6 Integrate protected areas and conservation areas into sector strategies and policies; 2.7 Implement additional specific provisions from relevant regional and international agreements. While creation of new protected areas and conservation areas shall be considered only where the gap analysis has clearly demonstrated the need, enhancement of management effectiveness and efficiency should be among the priority actions. Strategic objective 3: Enabling environment: Strengthen the enabling environment through diversified governance, enhanced participation, increased coordination and cooperation among stakeholders at the national regional and global levels, and enhanced human, institutional, technological and sustainable financial capacities. Key actions for strategic objective 3 are the following: 3.1 Enhance participation and diversify governance; 3.2 Increase coordination and cooperation among stakeholders at the national, regional and global levels; 3.3 Enhance human capacities; 3.4 Enhance institutional and legislative capacities; 3.5 Enhance technological capacities as well as the mechanisms for technology acquisition, adaptation and transfer; 3.6 Enhance sustainable financial capacities. MEANS OF SUPPORTING IMPLEMENTATION: For the effective and successful implementation of this strategic framework, it is necessary to: 1. Raise awareness about it primarily among interdepartmental and/or inter-ministerial committees established to achieve some inter-agency coordination of activities at the government level; 2. Enhance the participation of all groups of stakeholders, including by recognizing their values and the possible synergies and win-win situations; 3. Compile national and regional experiences; 4. Prioritize proposed activities, on the basis of their urgency or importance; 5. Identify and use incentives to encourage those who will carry out activities; 6. Integrate protected area and conservation area requirements in environmental impact assessment; 7. Follow guidance provided in the programme of work on protected areas by government of Cambodia; 8. Take into account the objectives and actions identified in this strategic framework; 9. Promote coordination, cooperation and consultations; 10. Monitor and report on activities identified. xii 1 I. BACKGROUND Status of the protected area system in Cambodia 1. In Cambodia, the protected area system† covers about twenty-six per cent of the territory. Some two thirds of those areas are under the authority of the Ministry of Environment (MoE), with the remaining third being under the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF). 2. The whole network consists of: (a) Seven national parks, including four coastal and marine protected areas, ten wildlife sanctuaries, three protected landscapes, and three multiple-use areas, one of which is a coastal and marine area. These areas are under the management of the Ministry of Environment through its General Department of Administration for Nature Conservation and Protection (GDANCP); and (b) Six protected forests and eight fish sanctuaries, under the management of MAFF through the Forest Administration (FA) and Fishery Administration (FiA) respectively. 3. Despite occupying more than a quarter of the country and providing high economic returns, the national protected area system is not singled out for its contribution to development or as a field for priority investment. Yet, as lessons demonstrate, its development functions are beginning to be recognized in sector strategies. Each of the key national development strategies has important implications for the planning and management of protected areas and conservation areas, and for optimizing their contribution to the development of the country. 4. In 2004, the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, in which Cambodia is an active participant, adopted a programme of work on protected areas1 to “significantly reduce the rate of biodiversity loss at the global, regional, national and subnational levels and contribute to poverty reduction and the pursuit of sustainable development”. A report on protected areas submitted by Cambodia under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 2010 indicated that many goals and activities of the programme of work had just started or not yet. 5. In 2010, the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity agreed to conserve, by 2020, 17 per cent of terrestrial and inland-water areas and 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services, through effectively and equitably managed, ecologically representative and well-connected systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, and integrated into the wider landscape and seascape. They did so at their tenth meeting, held in Nagoya, Japan, in October 2010 as Aichi Biodiversity Target 11 of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, 2 a strategy endorsed by the General Assembly of the United Nations to ensure that the natural capital of the world is protected as part of efforts for sustainable development, poverty eradication and the well-being of all on Earth. 6. The roadmap for achieving this target is ingrained in the programme of work on protected areas and many decisions and resolutions adopted under the Convention on Biological Diversity † [In Cambodia] [In this document], the term “protected area system” means (i) protected areas (terminology referring to those areas listed in Article 7 of the 2008 Protected Area Law that are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Environment (MoE) i.e. national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, protected landscapes, multiple use areas, Ramsar sites, biosphere reserves, natural heritage sites, and marine parks), and (ii) protection forests protected inundated or flooded areas, (marine or freshwater) fishery conservation areas, fishery protected areas and fish sanctuaries under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), and referred to hereafter as conservation areas. 2 and other biodiversity-related conventions, in particular, but not limited to, the World Heritage Convention, and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. 7. Despite the fact that 26 per cent of its land and inland waters are designated as protected areas and conservation areas, Cambodia still has a long way to go. More progress is needed, inter alia, in protecting marine and coastal areas, in improving site-based planning and management effectiveness of the country’s protected area system, in preventing and mitigating the negative impacts of threats such as climate change, and in strengthening the human and financial resources and effectively functioning institutions needed for carrying out the required activities. 8. Cambodia’s protected area system is under pressure. There are obstacles to the establishment of new protected areas and conservation areas, notwithstanding the fact that, in recent years, Cambodia has adopted laws such as the 2002 Law on Forestry, the 2006 Law on Fisheries, the 2007 Law on Water Resources Management of the Kingdom of Cambodia and the 2008 Protected Area Law, as well as overarching goals and plans such as the National Sustainable Development Plan, which sets out policies and frameworks favourable to the protection of natural resources and the effective management of protected areas and conservation areas. Most (84 per cent) of designated protected areas and conservation areas are ineffective because of the lack of management plans, limited institutional capacity, limited technical knowledge and up-to-date information on biodiversity needed for decision-making, security concerns, unsustainable and/or illegal logging, commercial crop plantation development, and illegal wildlife trade. A more comprehensive list of obstacles to the development and implementation of management plans for the national protected area system is given in annex I below. 9. It is worth mentioning that obstacles to the effective management of the Cambodian protected area system include overlaps in the mandates and responsibilities of the General Department of Administration for Nature Conservation and Protection (GDANCP) within the Ministry of Environment and the Forest Administration within the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in terms of wildlife conservation and protection, forest management and law enforcement,3 as well as shortages in skilled staff and insufficient budget allocations, which constrain the Government’s ability to sustainably manage its natural resources and environment in an efficient and coherent manner. 10. As noted in the CBD Technical Series No. 18:4 “A management plan provides a long term framework that guides and controls level of use, development of necessary facilities, research priorities and interventions in response to threats to a protected area and its conservation targets. The most effective management plans are embedded in wider strategic plans that integrate conservation needs into other policies at a broader scale. The management plan is the key mechanism through which the results of site planning are translated into action on the ground, typically organized around specific annual work plans and budgets against which progress can be measured. Management plans need to be flexible enough to adapt to changing circumstances, but at the same time provide enough legal and managerial security to guide long term investment, personnel and management decisions. The best plans are also generally as clear and simple as possible, to minimize costs and to ensure that they are widely understood.” 11. In the Cambodian context, an effective protected area system not only protects key natural resources as well as ecologically and biologically significant areas such as forest, mountain, coastal and freshwater systems, it also provides benefits to local communities and indigenous ethnic minorities’ communities‡ that rely heavily on the country’s natural resources within protected areas. Bearing in mind the diversity in the ecological types and governance of individual protected areas and conservation areas, their effectiveness requires that they are ‡ This term is used in the 2008 Protected Area Law. 3 managed as a system rather than single separate areas that must “survive” on their own. To manage these diverse areas effectively and efficiently, a single national strategic management plan, as provided for in Article 15 of the 2008 Protected Area Law, would be the best guidance and ensure the most efficient use of national institutions and human as well as financial resources. The General Department of Administration for Nature Conservation and Protection (GDANCP) identified the drafting of a “framework” containing, among other things, guiding principles and links to other government priorities as one of the first steps towards the development of such a strategic management plan. Purpose of the national protected area system strategic management framework 12. The purpose of this strategic framework is to put forward long-term overarching guidance on ways and means to address the obstacles to the establishment of new protected areas and conservation areas, the current and possible future pressures from various threats on existing protected areas and conservation areas, and the constraints hindering the management of all these areas. More specifically, this strategic framework will guide on the process for developing the national protected areas and conservation areas strategic management plan, on its content and on ways and means for its implementation. This national strategic management plan is a tool, as provided for in chapter V of the 2008 Protected Area Law, to be developed by the Ministry of Environment for adoption by the Government of Cambodia that will guide the General Department of Administration for Nature Conservation and Protection (GDANCP) in the development of action plans for individual protected areas and conservation areas and their network in the country. 13. The strategic framework is intended to integrate sectors that can have both positive and negative or direct and indirect impacts on individual protected areas and conservation areas, and their network in Cambodia. As such, it takes into account the country’s overarching goals, strategies, policies, plans and programmes for sustainable development and poverty reduction embodied in the Rectangular Strategy, which is operationalized through the National Strategic Development Plan (2006-2010) and various national goals and policies such as the Cambodia Millennium Development Goals, the National Poverty Reduction Strategy and the National Population Policy. This framework is thus intended to serve as a holistic and unifying cross cutting reference frame and context, through which implementation of sector strategies should be aligned while guiding the planning, design, establishment, management and monitoring of protected areas, other conservation areas and their network at the national level. 14. The strategic framework should inspire action by all stakeholders, including not only the environment and agriculture ministries, but the whole government; not only local and indigenous ethnic minorities’ communities living within or in the vicinity of protected and conservation areas, but the whole society, including all those that reap benefits from these areas. 15. In this perspective, this strategic framework is meant to enhance coherence in the implementation of sectoral policies and plans, bearing in mind the ecosystem approach, the Addis Ababa Principles and Guidelines for the Sustainable Use of Biodiversity, 5 the Sustainable Development Goals (currently under development) and other international and regional agreements to which Cambodia is a party. It will also contribute to the development of communication tools capable of attracting the attention of and engaging stakeholders, thereby facilitating the mainstreaming of protected areas and conservation areas into broader national and regional agendas relating to natural resources. 16. This strategic framework (a) approaches and addresses protected areas and conservation areas issues on a landscape/seascape basis, ensuring harmony among ministries, sectors and agencies policies and 4 plans. As such, it is intended to, inter alia, increase national coordination, regional cooperation and management synergies leading to a comprehensive system implementation, funding and reporting, and avoiding a piecemeal approach to the protection and sustainable use of the country’s natural capital for the well-being of present and future generations in Cambodia; and (b) is inclusive and integrates all types of protected areas and conservation areas to deal with the whole protected area system in Cambodia in a coherent manner and to take advantage of the complementarity and possible synergies among protected areas and/or conservation areas. 17. Going beyond the development and implementation of protected area and conservation area management plans, this strategic framework also covers aspects that contribute to making protected areas and conservation areas in Cambodia a comprehensive system that is fully resilient to present and future pressures, including in particular climate change, and that can ensure an effective and efficient protection of the country’s natural capital and its provision of ecosystem services. It comprises a shared vision, a mission, interlinked strategic goals and key actions. II. VISION 18. The vision of this strategic framework is that Cambodia's protected-area system is a major contributor to the country's economy and sustainable development including poverty reduction, essentially through the conservation and sustainable use of its biological, natural and cultural resources and other ecosystem services. III. MISSION 19. The mission of this strategic framework is to provide overarching guidance for: (a) The national strategic management plan for the country’s protected area system that will be developed and implemented to achieve the most effective, efficient and equitable management of such a system in Cambodia; (b) Expanding, as needed, the coverage of the national protected area system as well as establishing ecological corridors where necessary so as to satisfy the ecological representativeness required of national protected area systems as well as the connectivity of protected areas and/or conservation areas and their integration into the wider landscapes and seascapes, especially in the face of climate change; and (c) Optimizing the general environmental and socio-economic benefits that can be derived from the biodiversity within, and the attendant ecosystems provided by, all types of protected areas and conservation areas. 20. Building on Cambodia’s updated national biodiversity strategy and action plan (NBSAP), the 2008 Protected Area Law and related laws and policies, the National Development Goals and other relevant commitments at the regional and international level, this strategic framework promotes in particular participatory planning, knowledge management, increased investments, capacity-building and the achievement of biodiversity target 8 and other relevant biodiversity targets adopted within the updated NBSAP of Cambodia. This strategic framework will also serve in the development of communication tools for raising awareness of and engaging stakeholders, thereby facilitating the mainstreaming of Cambodia’s protected areas and conservation areas into sectorial and broader national agendas, and enhancing coherence and synergy among governmental line agencies and civil societies dealing with these areas as well as public and private enterprises that benefit from or impact on them. 5 III. STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES AND KEY ACTIONS 21. Actions to be taken in order to ensure that protected areas and conservation areas fulfil the objectives for which they were established require regular assessments of their status and trends, their functioning, their roles and values, the threats and pressures on them, and the impacts of measures taken to address these threats and pressures. Information from these assessments will guide the selection of the most appropriate actions and timeframe for inclusion in the plan of action as well as the identification of the needed human, institutional, technological and financial capacities for carrying out those actions effectively and efficiently. Hence, this strategic framework consists of three interlinked strategic objectives relating to the knowledge base for decision-making, the plan of action and the enabling environment. Strategic objective 1: Knowledge base for decision-making Strengthen the knowledge of the national protected area system for decision-making by conducting assessments, enhancing understanding, organizing and disseminating information, and raising awareness of the functioning, role, value and requirements of protected areas and/or conservation areas and their network in Cambodia. Key actions 1.1. Conduct assessments on important aspects of protected areas and conservation areas including their coverage and location, the ecological gaps in their representativeness, their value and importance, their connectivity and integration into wider landscapes and seascapes, their governance systems, whether their management is governed by plans that have been adopted, the effectiveness and equity of their management, their capacity needs, the factors threatening them and barriers to their effective management, their environmental and biodiversity policy needs, and the sustainability of their finances. 1.2 Enhance understanding and organize in user-friendly central databases information on the functioning, role, value and requirements of all types of protected areas and conservation areas, considered individually and as a system, in Cambodia. 1.3 Make information of relevance to decision-making widely accessible and raise awareness.  Strategic objective 2: Plan of action Accelerate the implementation of Cambodia’s obligations in compliance with the Aichi Biodiversity Target 11 and other relevant targets of the National Target for Biodiversity 2011 2020 as they have been updated the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2002 in order to implement the National Target for biodiversity 2011-2020. Particular efforts will be made to achieve those goals that are lagging behind in the implementation of the programme of work on protected areas adopted under the Convention on Biological Diversity and relevant commitments made under the Cambodia Millennium Development Goals and other conventions ratified by Cambodia, including in particular the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the World Heritage Convention and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Key actions Bearing in mind the need to (a) Achieve conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services within the national protected area system, rehabilitation of degraded and degrading protected areas and conservation areas or degraded and degrading zones within these areas, prevention and suppression of illegal 6 activities and invasive alien species, and sustainable use of natural resources and ecosystem services within individual protected areas and conservation areas, in line with Article 16.1 of the 2008 Protected Area Law and other relevant laws, including in particular the Law on Forestry and the Law on Fisheries; and (b) Enhance the contribution of protected areas and conservation areas, considered individually or as a system, to the implementation of Cambodia’s sustainable development goals including poverty eradication and the well-being throughout the nation; It is necessary to develop and implement an action plan for each protected area, each conservation area, and the whole network of protected areas and conservation areas in Cambodia that will include, inter alia, ways and means to: 2.1 Maintain and, as needed, rehabilitate existing protected areas, conservation areas and the whole national protected area system; 2.2 Identify and create new protected areas and/or new conservation areas, including (i) Areas of particular national, regional and global importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services; (ii) Areas that are seen as part of the country’s natural and cultural heritage, and (iii) Ecologically representative areas; 2.3 Enhance management effectiveness and efficiency; 2.4 Ensure equity in decision-making processes and benefit sharing with special attention to the most vulnerable groups; 2.5 Ensure connectivity and integration into the wider landscape and seascape; 2.6 Integrate protected areas and conservation areas into sector strategies and policies and wider plans and programmes such as Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation "plus" (REDD+), payment for ecosystem services (PES), environmental impact assessment (EIA), and strategies or policies for tourism, water resources management, forestry, fishery, agriculture, energy, transportation, climate change, green growth and the Cambodia sustainable development goals. 2.7 Implement additional specific provisions from relevant regional and international agreements. While creation of new protected areas and conservation areas shall be considered only where the gap analysis has clearly demonstrated the need, enhancement of management effectiveness and efficiency should be among the priority actions. Strategic objective 3: Enabling environment Strengthen the enabling environment through diversified governance, enhanced participation, increased coordination and cooperation among stakeholders at the national regional and global levels, and enhanced human, institutional, technological and sustainable financial capacities. Key actions 3.1 Enhance participation and diversify governance; 3.2 Increase coordination and cooperation among stakeholders at the national, regional and global levels; 3.3 Enhance human capacities; 3.4 Enhance institutional and legislative capacities; 3.5 Enhance technological capacities as well as the mechanisms for technology acquisition, adaptation and transfer; 3.6 Enhance sustainable financial capacities. 22. The key actions listed under the three strategic objectives are directly or indirectly relevant to the management plans that need to be developed, updated and implemented for each 7 protected area and conservation area. Their effective implementation is guided by principles and approaches endorsed by Cambodia in other national strategies and goals and under multilateral environmental agreements (MEA). 23. These principles, which underpin the way the national protected area system will be managed in order to reach the strategic objectives and achieve the vision of this framework, include: (a) The ecosystem approach,6 its adaptive and integrated management, transparency, participatory approach and stakeholder engagement; (b) The Addis Ababa Principles and Guidelines for the Sustainable Use of Biodiversity7 including biological resources and ecosystem services; (c) The precautionary approach;8 (d) Incentive measures for reducing negative impacts on biodiversity including in particular through access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their utilization; (e) Knowledge and science-based decision-making; (f) The respect of local communities and traditional knowledge; (g) Consultation and coordination (Article 18 of the 2008 Protected Area Law); and (h) Communication, education and public awareness. IV. MEANS OF SUPPORTING IMPLEMENTATION 24. For the effective and successful implementation of this strategic framework, it is necessary to: (a) Raise awareness about it primarily among interdepartmental and/or inter ministerial committees established to achieve some inter-agency coordination of activities at the government level in the fields of biodiversity and sustainable development including poverty reduction. These bodies/committees include the National Biodiversity Steering Committee (NBSC), the National Committee for Forest Management Policy, the National Coastal Zone Steering Committee, the Provincial/ Municipal Rural Development Committee and the National Committee for the Conflicts Resolution on Protected Areas Management. The NBSC proposed in the context of the national biodiversity strategy and action plan (NBSAP) to coordinate all activities relating to biodiversity will be the primary supporter of this strategic framework and its members the champions in implementing the objectives and actions identified in this framework. The NBSC will collaborate with the other existing relevant committees. Similarly, an inter ministerial committee for the national protected area system could be established, building for example on the model of the task force set up by the Ministry of Environment in 2005 with representatives from at least four ministries (Environment; Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; Public Works and Transport; and Tourism) for the protection of the Lower Mekong dry forest ecoregion; (b) Enhance the participation of all groups of stakeholders, including by recognizing their values and the possible synergies and win-win situations in which such participation would result. Article 29 of the 2008 Protected Area Law states that citizens, Buddhist monks, school children, civil servants, members of the armed forces, and local authorities shall have to be informed and trained so that they can participate in the protection, conservation and rehabilitation of natural resources within the protected areas and/or the conservation areas. Participation of local communities and indigenous ethnic minorities’ communities implies that the value of traditional ecological knowledge is recognized so that this knowledge is integrated with modern science to promote innovations. Engagement/support of the business, private sector and non-governmental organizations is important. Participatory approach is enshrined in the 8 ecosystem approach and other principles guiding the implementation of work on protected areas. More specifically, cooperation between the environment and agriculture ministries and increased coordination of their activities on protected areas and conservation areas will be essential to the success of the implementation of this strategic framework. As stated in the fourth national report under the Convention on Biological Diversity, an intimate working partnership between MoE and MAFF is essential for the welfare of the national protected area system in Cambodia; (c) Compile national and regional experiences, i.e. successes and failures on all the aspects of protected areas and conservation areas work and, in particular, on the development and implementation of management plans. These compilations may lead to the development of guidelines or the adaptation of existing ones to the conditions of Cambodia. These guidelines should cover, in line with Article 19 of the 2008 Protected Area Law, the planning, designing, establishment, management and monitoring of protected areas as well as conservation areas and should lead to a standardized process for the development of action plan for individual protected areas and conservation areas. These compilations may also help develop a model protected area and conservation area plan containing all the elements listed in the 2008 Protected Area Law (Article 19), e.g., forest-fire management, conservation of wildlife and management of the protected area community and eco-tourism development programmes. Based on needs assessments, the compilations may help to develop and implement a strategy for resource mobilization using conventional and innovative financial mechanisms, and bearing in mind in particular the Protected Areas Fund and the National Forestry Development Fund called for in the 2008 Protected Area Law and the 2002 Law on Forestry, respectively. In this context, development of business plans, in which management of the national protected area system is understood and planned as essential development assets in socioeconomic terms, could ensure timely and effective mobilization of the required resources, and adequate and efficient use of the mobilized resources; (d) Prioritize proposed activities, on the basis of their urgency or importance as well as according to the opportunities present at a given time, for the effective allocation of limited resources; (e) Identify and use incentives to encourage those who will carry out activities described in this strategic framework; (f) Integrate protected area and conservation area requirements in environmental impact assessment (EIA) and strategic environmental assessment (SEA) guidelines for activities in sectors that can affect the functioning of these areas, as provided for in Article 44 of the 2008 Protected Area Law and building on the Guidelines on Biodiversity-Inclusive Environmental Impact Assessment adopted by Governments in the context of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Ramsar Convention; (g) Follow guidance provided in the programme of work on protected areas under the Convention on Biological Diversity and guidance developed under relevant multilateral environmental agreements (MEA), in particular, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) with its Aichi Biodiversity Targets, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), the World Heritage Convention (WHC), the Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme and the 1995 Agreement on Cooperation for the Sustainable Development of the Mekong River Basin;9 (h) Take into account the objectives and actions identified in this strategic framework and, as much as possible, integrate them in Cambodia’s biodiversity strategy and action plan (NBSAP) and other strategies relating to sustainable development; 9 (i) Promote coordination, cooperation and consultations, as recommended in Article 18 of the 2008 Protected Area Law, with local authorities, local communities, indigenous ethnic minorities’ communities and stakeholders. Article 19 provides for the development of a model of agreement on participatory protected area management process between the Administration and the protected area communities and with natural persons or legal entities; Article 31 calls for collaboration between the Ministry of Environment and local communities, indigenous and ethnic-minority communities, national and international organizations and non-governmental organizations for rehabilitating and restoring the environment in degraded areas within the protected area; (j) Monitor and report on activities identified in this strategic framework as much as possible in the context of the requirements within the relevant international agreements in particular for the fifth national report under the Convention on Biological Diversity, the contribution to the fourth edition of the Global Biodiversity Outlook, and the Cambodia Millennium Development Goals report for 2015. It will also take into consideration that the National Protected Area System Strategic Management Plan will be reviewed at least once every five years. 10 11 Annex I INDICATIVE LIST OF KEY OBSTACLES TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PROTECTED AREAS AND CONSERVATION AREAS MANAGEMENT PLANS (essentially based on the 2004 WWF Rapid Assessment and Prioritization of Protected Areas Management (RAPPAM) report for Cambodia10 and Cambodia’s National Portfolio Formulation Exercise (NPFE) Document: The Cambodia’s Priorities for GEF -5 Under STAR Funding Projects (July 2010 – June 2014)) (a) Regarding knowledge base (i) Limited Information base to support decision making, including on climate change, its present and future impacts, and experience with climate change ecosystem-based adaptation and mitigation. (ii) As noted in the 2007 assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, climate change is one of the principal threats to biodiversity and the functioning of protected areas and conservation areas. (b) In relation with progress in implementing plans (i) Limited or poorly managed programmes on raising awareness about the role and importance of protected areas and conservation areas as well as their functioning; (ii) Field-management and patrolling problems; (iii) Unclear or incomplete zoning and boundary demarcation; (iv) Increasing pressures on protected areas and conservation areas and ecosystems as a result of increasing population; global trading often leading to overharvesting of natural resources (e.g., non-timber forest products); expansion in forestry, agriculture (shifting agriculture, land encroachment) and fisheries; road-building; tourism; urbanization and other infrastructure development; (v) Illegal activities such as illegal logging, fishing and hunting; wildlife poaching and illegal expansion of large-scale agro-industrial land encouraged by the country’s concession policy; (vi) Conflicts with local populations; (c) Regarding the enabling environment (i) Weak legal underpinnings (e.g., uncertainties in land tenure), institutional frameworks and law enforcement; (ii) Lack of planning; (iii) Lack of participation, close cooperation and coordination with local communities and relevant stakeholders including in sectors beyond biodiversity; (iv) Social and political constraints; (v) Lack of financial resources; (vi) Lack of adequate technical expertise and human resources. 12 13 Annex II IMPORTANT NATIONAL DOCUMENTS HIGHLIGHTING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ESTABLISHING NEW PROTECTED AREAS AND CONSERVATION AREAS, AND BETTER MANAGING EXISTING ONES IN CAMBODIA National laws, goals or plans Relevance to protected-area and conservation area management 2008 Protected Area Law The Law defines the framework of management, conservation and development of protected areas, which is also relevant to conservation areas. National Strategic Development Plan Update 2009 – 2013 (NSDP) Chapter IV (Key Policy Priorities and Actions: 2009 - 2013) contains policy priorities that support the establishment of protected areas and protected forests with the objectives, among others, to conserve biodiversity, improve the livelihoods of people living in rural areas and contribute to economic growth The three "drivers" for development identified in the NSDP i.e. reorientation of investment from urban to rural development, decentralization of the political system and the rule of law provide an opportunity for recognizing the importance of protected areas and conservation areas for the products and services they offer in particular to local economies and as part of a development landscape linked productively with all sectors11 Forestry reform This reform is in line with the policy priorities of the fourth legislature regarding environmental protection and conservation, and climate change in which protected-areas as well as conservation areas demarcation and land allocation to local communities are put forward. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) These goals are being developed as part of the post-2015 development agenda. They will integrate the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development and will apply to all countries. Following the recognition of the critical role of biodiversity in development in “The future we want”,12 the outcome document of the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio + 20}, the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity encouraged Parties and all partners, institutions, organizations and processes concerned to consider the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, including Aichi Biodiversity Target 11 on protected areas, in developing the post-2015 United Nations development agenda and in the process of establishing sustainable development goals (SDGs) 2002 Law on Forestry Chapter 3 on sustainable forest management, chapter 8 on protected forest and chapter 10 on wildlife conservation, chapter 9 on management of community forest, chapter 12 on National Forestry Development Fund, etc. 2006 Law on Fisheries The description of fishery domains in Chapter 3 includes some definition of terms used for inland and marine water protected areas. Chapter 4 lists the principles behind appropriate management including conservation of fisheries. Chapters 5 and 6 present the ways to protect and conserve fisheries in inland and marine water in general and more specifically in inundated forests and mangroves. 2007 Law on Water Resources Management of the Kingdom of Cambodia Many rivers and watersheds are parts of protected areas and conservation areas. The Law provides in its Article 10 that the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology (MOWRAM) “is mandated to manage the river basin, sub-basins, watershed run-off, groundwater and aquifers in collaboration with all concerned Ministries” and, as stated in Article 23, when a watershed is degraded by human activities or natural causes, the MOWRAM can declare it as a protected "water use" zone. 14 21 Annex IV A ROADMAP PROPOSED FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL PROTECTED AREA SYSTEM STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK This strategic framework provides guidance (a) primarily for the development and implementation of the national protected areas and conservation areas strategic management framework; and (b) for the enhanced management effectiveness and efficiency, and expansion, as needed, of the protected area system in Cambodia. Subsequent to the endorsement of the strategic framework by the National Biodiversity Steering Committee and adoption by the Royal Government of Cambodia in accordance with Article 15 of the 2008 Protected Area Law, GDANCP will get the framework operational by developing with its partners and starting to implement a plan for achieving the agreed strategic objectives. The plan would contain specific activities on: (a) the development and implementation of the national protected area system (protected areas and conservation areas) strategic management plan (essentially strategic objectives 1 and 2); (b) ways and means for ensuring and enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of protected areas and conservation areas, and for expanding, where needed, the protected area system in Cambodia (essentially strategic objective 2); and (c) cross-cutting issues including the launching of a process for the gathering of information on each of the actions identified under the strategic objectives so as to determine baselines against which progress will be assessed (essentially strategic objectives 1 and 3). I. Development and implementation of the national protected area system (protected areas and conservation areas) strategic management framework Target: The national protected area system strategic management plan is ready and in use in 2014 Rationale: (a) Paragraph 424 of the National Strategic Development Plan - update 2009-2013 states among the policy priorities that “attention will be given to the management of the protected areas”; (b) The provisions of Chapter V of the 2008 Protected Area Law; (c) Only five protected areas and conservation areas have management plans but all these plans were not fully implemented and are outdated. There is a need to develop or, where management plans existed, revise and implement management plans for each protected areas and conservation areas in Cambodia. Management plans provide guidance for the achievement of the objectives for which the protected areas and conservation areas were established; (d) In the 2010 report on protected areas submitted to the CBD, Cambodia noted that there was no progress or no work yet started on the evaluation/assessment and improvement of the effectiveness of protected areas management (Goal 4.2 of the programme of work on protected areas adopted by the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity). It is expected that the strategic management plan will stimulate and facilitate activities relating to Goal 4.2 of the CBD programme of work on protected areas. The next report to CBD is due for the next meeting of the Parties in October 2014. It would therefore be useful that the strategic management plan be ready and in use as soon as possible to allow time for its implementation and reporting of progress in the 5th national report that will be submitted to CBD before October 2015; (e) The Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity requested Parties to work towards assessing management effectiveness in 60 per cent of the total area of protected areas by 2015 19 . The strategic management plan should be ready before then so as to allow the development and/or revision/updating of management plans of protected areas and conservation areas so that protected areas and conservation areas having management plans cover at least 60 per cent of the total area protected and conserved in Cambodia (f) CMDGs, due for review in 2015, contain objectives/targets of relevance to protected areas and conservation areas. These targets need to be taken into account in the strategic management 22 plan and their implementation considered as part of the strategy. A report on achievement of CMDGs is due for 2015. Suggested activities to be undertaken by GDANCP: (a) Call a meeting of potential partners (including but not limited to representatives of MAFF and other relevant ministries; international cooperation agencies; United Nations, regional development banks, partners from the Mekong River Agreement and other intergovernmental bodies; representatives of local authorities, local communities, and indigenous ethnic minorities’ communities; universities and research institutions, and non-governmental organizations; and the private/business sector) on the development of the national protected area system strategic management plan, brief them about GDANCP plans and request them to put forward possible areas of their contributions. UNDP could be requested to outline its plans and other partners could be invited to join if/as needed. This meeting of partners will also agree on the process and a timetable. (b) Undertake a rapid assessment of management effectiveness. WWF and partners should be encouraged to carry out, as soon as possible, another Rapid Assessment and Prioritization of Protected Areas Management (RAPPAM), building on the 2004 RAPPAM. (c) After the rapid assessment of management effectiveness, GDANCP should commission a national in-depth review of current management for each protected area and conservation area— including those protected areas and conservation areas lacking management plans. This in-depth review will include activities addressing the key actions identified under Strategic Objective 1 and use the key actions under Strategic Objectives 2 and 3 as part of the checklists for assessing management effectiveness and developing recommendations for improved management. One specific activity identified under key action 2.3 is a prerequisite to this in-depth review: physical demarcation of protected areas and conservation areas boundaries, and clear demarcation of management zones, as provided for in Article 11 of the 2008 Protected Area Law. As noted in Annex 3, more research and extensive guidelines for zoning are required; (d) Taking into account the guidance provided in the 2008 Protected Area Law and the vision, strategic objectives, key actions, specific activities, and principles presented in this strategic framework, GDANCP will commission the development of the national protected area system strategic management plan; (e) In parallel, the technical guidelines provided for by the Protected Area Law in Articles 5 and 19 for a standardized process for the development of action plan for individual protected area and conservation areas will be revised, distributed and used. These technical guidelines will (i) build on the experience that Cambodia has with the five protected areas and conservation areas that have management plans, although these plans are now outdated, and build on community fishery or fishing area management plans (referred to in the 2006 Law on Fisheries) and community forest management plan (referred to in the 2002 Law of forestry) and (ii) take into account details about the objectives of the different IUCN categories, given in the annex to the 2008 Protected Area Law, and that provide useful guidance on the type of management methods to be likely used (see Appendix 1), and (iii) be in line with the national protected area system strategic management plan. (f) Following the in-depth review mentioned in (c) above, management plans should be developed or revised/updated for each protected area and conservation area using the technical guidelines (see (e) above) and the national protected area system strategic management plan. II. Enhanced effectiveness and efficiency of protected areas and conservation areas and expansion of the protected area system Targets: (i) Contribution of the protected area system to sustainable development, more specifically, to the Cambodia Millennium Development Goals, is assessed prior to 2015 and possibly reported in the 5th national report to CBD, and (ii) Prior to the 12th meeting of the CBD Conference of the Parties in October 2014, the gap analysis is completed and its results included in the national protected area action plan and the National Strategy and Action Plan. Rationale: 23 (a) The following targets were laid out in the Cambodia Millennium Development Goals for 2015. Their achievement needs to be assessed as well as the related drivers/pressures: (i) Target 7.2: Maintaining the surface of 23 protected areas at the 1993 level of 3.3 million hectares through 2015; (ii) Target 7.3: Maintaining the surface of six new forest protected area at the present level of 1.35 million hectares through 2015. (b) The results of many studies, in particular from the Economics of Ecosystem and Biodiversity (TEEB) Initiative indicate that good knowledge of the socioeconomic value and environmental functions of protected areas and conservation areas is needed to encourage their effective and efficient management and contribution to sustainable development. However, Cambodia’s 2010 report on protected areas20 indicated that progress in assessing the contribution of protected areas to local and national economies (this being just one aspect of the services that can be provided by protected areas and conservation areas) was limited; work was reported to have just started; (c) Cambodia has already achieved the 17 per cent terrestrial and inland water protected area and conservation area coverage of the Aichi Biodiversity Target 11. It is not yet clear whether ecological representativeness has also been fully achieved. In addition, Cambodia needs to achieve the 10 per cent protection of coastal and marine area and the equitable sharing of cost and benefits from protected areas and conservation areas. (d) Target 8 (equivalent to Aichi Biodiversity Target 11) is to keep on protecting and conserving existing protected areas and to protect more forests, fresh water ecosystems and marine and coastal areas. (e) Cambodia has already completed its gap analysis and just needs to implement the results of the analysis with regards to forests and marine and coastal areas21 Suggested activities to be undertaken by GDANCP: (a) Assess the surface of the 23 protected areas considered at the time the national goals were set for the Millennium Development Goals and assess the surface of the six forest protected area established at that time, as well as any pressures on all these protected areas; (b) Initiate the process for establishing the new protected areas recommended through the gap analysis for a comprehensive and ecologically representative protected area system; (c) Taking advantage of the RAPPAM exercise recommended under I (b) above, managers of each protected area and conservation area will be asked to provide information on their needs and the ecosystem services provided by their respective protected area or conservation area, using checklists prepared by GDANCP. Identified needs will serve as a basis for estimating budgets for individual protected areas and conservation areas and for the protected area system. These estimates will be used for resource mobilization (see III below). Description of direct benefits and indirect values of each protected area and conservation area will include list of the provisioning (e.g., increased fish stock, fresh water), regulating (e.g., natural disaster mitigation, climate change mitigation through carbon stocks in trees/vegetation, and climate change adaptation) and supporting (e.g., conservation of genetic resources, wild relatives of cultivated crops, species, and habitats/ecosystems) services, as well as recreational (e.g., tourism) and spiritual/cultural values of each protected area and conservation area. These lists can be used as input into financial, management and policy decisions regarding protected areas and conservation areas, including for zoning purposes, for investment or for infrastructure development22; (d) In line with Article 31 of the Protected Area Law and bearing in mind Article 19, GDANCP will call for collaboration between the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and local communities, indigenous and ethnic-minority communities, national and international organizations and non-governmental organizations for rehabilitating and restoring the environment in degraded areas within the protected area and conservation areas. These activities will contribute to the implementation of Aichi Biodiversity target 15 and Cambodia target 11. III. Cross-cutting activities by GDANCP (a) Integrate, as soon as possible but necessarily before April 2014, the strategic objectives of this strategic framework in the national biodiversity strategy and action plan (NBSAP) that Cambodia 24 is revising, in response to CBD COP decision X/31. In paragraph A. 1 (c) of this decision, Parties were requested to do this integration as soon as possible and no later than six months before the twelfth meeting of the CBD Conference of the Parties [in line with Strategic Objective 2 of this Strategic Framework].. (b) Inform managers of protected areas and conservation areas about reporting requirements e.g. in a one-day workshop and request them to submit their contributions for the 5th national report to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the contribution to the 4th edition of the Global Biodiversity Outlook, and the CMDG report for 2015, among others, [in line with Strategic Objective 2 of this Strategic Framework]. (c) Re-organize the national clearing house mechanism to facilitate data input and use by all relevant stakeholders, including in particular all the managers of protected areas and conservation areas and their partners [in line with the strategic objective 1 (action 1.2) of this strategic framework] (d) Develop a budget estimate for the protected area system in Cambodia based on needs presented by managers of the respective protected areas and conservation areas. GDANCP will request the LifeWeb Initiative (through the CBD Secretariat) to call a meeting of potential donors as an initial step in the national strategy for resource mobilization for the protected area system, bearing oin mind the need to replenish the Protected Areas Fund and the National Forestry Development Fund called for in the 2008 Protected Area Law and the 2002 Law on Forestry, respectively; (e) After consultation with other Ministries, an inter-ministerial committee for the national protected area system can be established, building for example on the model of the task force set up by the Ministry of Environment in 2005 for the protection of the Lower Mekong dry forest ecoregion with representatives from four ministries (Environment; Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; Public Works and Transport; and Tourism). Such inter-ministerial committee would ensure for enhanced coordination, coherence and synergies among all protected areas and conservation areas stakeholders and increased contribution to national economy and sustainable development [in line with the vision and strategic objective 2 of this strategic framework]; (f) Consultations will also ensure harmony among ministries, sectors and agencies policies and plans, increase national coordination and coherence, regional cooperation and management synergies among all protected areas and conservation areas stakeholders leading to a comprehensive system implementation, funding and reporting, increased contribution to national economy and sustainable development, and avoiding a piecemeal approach to the protection and sustainable use of the national natural capital for the well-being of present and future generations in Cambodia; 25 Appendix 1 Protected Areas Management methods in use in Cambodia (Based on descriptions given in the 2008 Protected Area Law with references to the 2002 Law on Forestry and the 2006 Law on Fisheries) 1. The type of management to be used in a given protected area or conservation area is defined at the time the site is designated and its objectives outlined. 2. In Cambodia and, as reflected in the 2008 Protected Area Law, protected areas are classified as it follows with the corresponding IUCN management categories: (a) National parks (IUCN category II); (b) Wildlife sanctuary (IUCN category IV); (c) Protected landscape (IUCN category V); (d) Multiple use site (IUCN category VI);. 3. Some protected areas are designated as (i) Ramsar site, (ii) Biosphere Reserve (iii) World Heritage site (iv) marine park or (v) community protected areas. These designations do not correspond to specific management categories. 4. The objectives/activities to be carried out in each of these different protected areas are listed in the annex of the 2008 Protected Area Law and reproduced in Table 1. 5. The following step is the division of the area into management zones. The 2008 Protected Area Law recommends the four types of zones described in Table 2. Each zone requires specific methods of management. However, ecosystem approach (http://www.cbd.int/ecosystem/) or related approaches should be the basis of each management method, and the sustainable use zone should also be guided by the Addis Ababa Principles and Guidelines for the Sustainable Use of Biodiversity (http://www.cbd.int/sustainable/addis.shtml). Also zoning should take into consideration climate change. Any construction or infrastructure development should be supported by a biodiversity inclusive environmental impact assessment. 6. Management methods required for a particular site will depend essentially on the ecology (physico-chemical and biological characteristics) of the area including its ecosystem services, the protected area value as perceived by the users and the threats, baselines and standards. The methods that will be finally used will depend on the availability of the existing capacities (in particular human, technological and financial capacities). 7. These methods can be regrouped under: (a) Conservation, including construction and maintenance of infrastructure (b) Rehabilitation/restoration and mitigation of adverse impacts (c) Sustainable use (d) Prevention (e) Control and suppression of illegal activities (f) Ecosystem based approaches to address climate change 8. Some of these themes have also been identified in the 2008 Protected Area Law . Toolkits are available for addressing each of these themes e.g. see from page 41 to 43 of the CBD Technical Series No. 18. They can be found at http://www.cbd.int/protected/ under tools and e-learning modules. 9. During the implementation of the management plan, obstacles may arise, such as fire, mining, drought, and introduction of invasive alien species. Management needs to be adaptive. 26 Table 1: Objectives of protected areas management Designation Objectives/activities National Park: A natural area in land and/or water territories, which is established to: a. Protect the area's role or roles in the ecosystem for the benefits of people of all generations. b. Limit the use that may harm or destroy biological resources, natural resources, cultural resources, and functions/roles of the area in relation to the objectives of the established area. c. Serve as bases for recreation, visits, education, research, and belief, provided that these activities do not cause threats to the natural environment and local culture. 1. Protect the natural area and landscape that are of national and international importance for the purposes of psychology, science, education, recreation, and tourism. 2. Maintain priority for physio-geographical samples for areas, living resources community, genetic resources and species to offer stability and ecological variations. 3. Manage the use by tourists for the psychological, educational, cultural, and recreational purposes to the extent that can ensure limited to no disturbances to the area. 4. Eliminate and prevent illegal use and occupation of any part of the area. 5. Maintain the respect for ecological privileges, land shape, sacredness or beauty, which are the causes for the establishment of such protected areas. 6. Meet the needs of indigenous groups, including the use of alternative resources, at a level that can meet other objectives of management. Wildlife Sanctuary: An area in land and/or water territories, which requires active interventions for management purposes to ensure maintenance of habitats and/or to meet necessary conditions for any species of animals or plants. 1. Protect and maintain the conditions of necessary habitats for living species, particularly important wild animals that require management interventions. 2. Serve the scientific research and environmental surveillance fields with the purpose of sustainably managing the natural resources inside and outside the area. 3. Serve public education and understanding of the interdependency of relevant habitats and wildlife management. 4. Eliminate and prevent illegal use and occupation of any part of the area. 5. Provide people, especially the local community living in the wildlife sanctuary, with benefits at a level that can ensure compatibility with other management objectives. Protected Landscape: An area in land and/or water territories, in which human interactions with nature create uniqueness in natural beauty or ecology or culture, and generally abundant in biological resources. Maintaining the interaction that is traditional is important to age and life for defence, maintain and development of such area 1. Maintain the complementary interactions of natural and cultural factors, through protection of inland natural landscape or coastal or island natural landscape, or a mixture of both, and maintain the traditional patterns of land use, patterns of construction, and performance through social and cultural activities. 2. Support traditional lifestyle and economic activities that are compatible with nature and maintain connections between social and cultural activities of relevant communities. 3. Maintain the variation of landscape and habitats, as well as relevant species and ecosystem. 4. Eliminate and prevent the use of land and activities that are inappropriate in terms of size or form, or both. 5. Provide opportunity for public enjoyment, through recreation and tourist activities, that are compatible, in terms of size and form, with the main qualities of the area. 6. Encourage research and educational activities that contribute in the long term to supporting the well-being of people in the area and mobile public support for environmental protection of the area. 27 7. Benefit and contribute to supporting the well-being of local community through provision of natural products and services. Multiple Use Site: An area in land and/or water territories, which is rich in natural resources that are intact and require management activities to ensure long-term protection and maintenance of biological resources and ecosystem. In the meantime, it provides natural products and services for use to meet the community needs. 1. Protect and maintain biodiversity and long-term natural value of the area. 2. Promote management for responding to the objective of generating sustainable products. 3. Protect the base of natural resources to prevent diversion of land use in the form that cause threats to the biodiversity of the area. 4. Contribute to the national and local economy and development. Ramsar Site: a wetland that is considered as an area of ecological or biological importance of international nature. Protect the resources in wetlands which are of international interest and of ecological or biological importance, especially for serving as habitats for water birds that are threatened and sharply declined in number, and as habitats for migrating water birds. Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve. A Biosphere Reserve is an area representing an ecosystem that is important and not severely damaged, and surrounded by sustainable development zones, allowed for limited human activities. The Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve was established to: 1. Conserve biodiversity, landscape, land shape and ecosystem, including genetic resources, plant, fish and animal species, and restore the biological environment and habitat. 2. Support sustainable ecological, environmental, economic, social and cultural development. 3. Support activities, including implementation of demonstration projects, training, research, and surveys to monitor the environmental changes, in relation to sustainable development and conservation at local, national, and international levels. Natural Heritage Site: An area in land and/or water territories, in which there is natural or semi natural uniqueness and has outstanding or extraordinary value because that area is rare, of a quality that represents the ecosystem, or of beauty or cultural importance. 1. Protect and maintain the sustainability of natural features because of their implicit natural importance, uniqueness and representation of the ecosystem, and their importance for psychological help, or importance resulting from a combination of these factors. 2. Provide opportunity for research, education, explanation about nature, and public participation at a level that can ensure compatibility with the first point above. 3. Eliminate and prevent use and occupation that are not in line with or cause harm to the objectives of the establishment of the protected area. 4. Provide people who live in the natural heritage site (if any) with benefits at a level that can ensure compatibility with other management objectives Marine Park: A coastal area which is affected by marine tides mixed with water from mountain forests, including islands, covered by forests, plants, wildlife and fish of all kinds, with historical and cultural value and this area is recognized by law to be managed 1. Maintain and protect marine biological resources and functions of forest. 2. Maintain and protect the quality of marine environment for the long term. 3. Maintain and protect historical site and value of cultural and natural privileges of the sea. 4. Provide opportunity for scientific research, education, recreation, and marine ecotourism. 28 Table 2: The four management zoning systems described in Chapter IV of the 2008 Protected Area Law Type of zone Characteristics of the zone Core zone Management area(s) of high conservation values containing threatened and critically endangered species, and fragile ecosystems. Access to the zone is prohibited except the Nature Conservation and Protection Administration's officials and researchers who, with prior permission from the Ministry of Environment, conduct nature and scientific studies for the purpose of preservation and protection of biological resources and natural environment with the exception of national security and defense sectors. Conservation zone Management area(s) of high conservation values containing natural resources, ecosystems, watershed areas, and natural landscape located adjacent to the core zone. Access to the zone is allowed only with prior consent of the Nature Conservation and Protection Administration at the area with the exception of national security and defense sectors. Small-scale community uses of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) to support local ethnic minorities' livelihood may be allowed under strict control, provided that they do not present serious adverse impacts on biodiversity within the zone. Sustainable use zone Management area(s) of high economic values for national economic development and management, and conservation of the protected area(s) itself thus contributing to the local community, and indigenous ethnic minorities’ livelihood improvement. After consulting with relevant ministries and institutions, local authorities, and local communities in accordance with relevant laws and procedures, the Royal Government of Cambodia may permit development and investment activities in this zone in accordance with the request from the Ministry of Environment. Community zone Management area(s) for socio-economic development of the local communities and indigenous ethnic minorities and may contain existing residential lands, paddy field and field garden or swidden agriculture (Chamkar) The 2002 Law on Forestry 10. The Forestry Law of 2002 provides the framework for the management, harvesting, use, development and conservation of the forests in Cambodia. According to the Law itself, its objective is to ensure the sustainable management of the country’s forests for their social, economic and environmental benefits, including conservation of biological diversity and cultural heritage. 11. At the outset, in Article 3, the Law confers management of forest protected areas to the Ministry of Environment in line with the provisions in the 1996 Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Management Law and the 1993 Royal Decree on the establishment and designation of Natural Protected Areas. In the same Article, the Law recognizes that the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has the authorization to cooperate with the Ministry of Environment on enforcement activities for all forest offenses that occur within protected areas, without affecting the management jurisdiction of Ministry of Environment. 12. In Article 8 under Chapter 3, the Law provides among other things that: (a) Sustainable forest management shall be conducted in a manner consistent with the National Forest Sector Policy and the Forestry Law; (b) The Forestry Administration, in compliance with the National Forest Sector Policy, shall prepare a National Forest Management Plan with broad participation from authorities and communities concerned; 29 (c) The National Forest Management Plan shall be reviewed and revised every five (5) years to reflect any changes in conditions and circumstances. Topics to be addressed in the National Forest Management Plan are also listed in Article 8 of the Law. 13. The Law uses the following terms to refer to forest areas under protection or conservation: (a) Permanent Forest Reserves consisting of production forests and protection forests. All these terms are described in the Annex/Glossary. (i) Protection forests are forest areas having the primary function for protecting the forest ecosystem including the water resources regulation; conservation of biodiversity, land, water, watershed and catchments areas; wildlife habitat, fishes, prevention of floods, erosions, sea water intrusion; soil fertility and valuable for cultural heritage which serve the public interests. Protection forest does not include the protected areas under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Environment. (ii) Production forests are forests maintained in a manner to allow for the sustainable production of forest products and by-products. Their protection function is considered as a secondary priority. They include community forests. (b) Community forests are State forests subject to an agreement to manage and utilize the forest in a sustainable manner between the Forestry Administration and a local community or organized group of people living within or nearby the forest area that depend upon it for subsistence and customary use. (c) Conservation forests are, as described in annex, idle State forestlands, covered mainly by secondary vegetation and not yet designated for any use that are placed temporarily within the Permanent Forest Reserve (c) The Cambodian code of forest management refers to a set of technical guidelines for the implementation of sustainable practices for forest management in Cambodia (Cambodia National Forest Programme 2008). They include the following: (a) The Cambodian Code of Practice for Forest Harvesting; (b) Guidelines for Forest Concession Management Planning System; (c) Guidelines for Special Area Management; (d) Biodiversity Conservation Guidelines for Managed Forests; (e) Guidelines for Socio‐Economic Surveys of Communities Surrounding Forest Concession Areas; (f) Guidelines for Environmental Impact Assessment for Forest Concessions; (g) Guidelines for the Evaluation of Environmental Impact Assessment for Forest Concessions. The 2006 Law on Fisheries 15. The main objective of the 2006 Law on Fisheries is to ensure fisheries and fishery resource management, enhance aquaculture development, the management of production and processing, and to promote the livelihood of people in local communities for the social-economic and environmental benefits, including the sustainability of the conservation of biodiversity and natural culture heritages in the Kingdom of Cambodia (Article 1). 16. The Law states in Article 3 that the fishery management, including in inundated forest and mangrove forest, shall be under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. However, the Ministry of Environment shall have the management rights of natural protected areas in line with the law on the establishment and delimitation of natural protected 30 areas, and the law on environmental protection and natural resources management, and other legislative norms. The Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries has rights to cooperate in law enforcement to all illegal fishing activities, which happened in natural protected areas by coordinating with the Ministry of Environment, bearing in mind that these activities will not affect the management competency of the Ministry of Environment as stipulated in the law on environmental protection and natural resource management. 17. The Law uses the following terms to refer to marine and freshwater areas under protection or conservation: (a) Protected and conservation areas of fishery resources (Article 8) represent a class of fishery management areas comprising inter alia, rapids and deep pools located in rivers, Tonle Sap Great Lake, lakes, inundated forests, group of islands, sea grass areas, coral reef area, and mangrove forests, which are of importance for the sustainability of fishery resources; (b) Protected flooded areas (in the glossary) and protected inundated areas (referred to in Article 10) (c) ‘Fishery conservation areas’ (marine and freshwater) defined as habitats of aquatic flora and fauna (Article 10) refers to classification of freshwater or marine fishery domains, clearly defined as geographical boundary for aquatic animals and aquatic plants to shelter, to spawn, to feed and grow. Fishery conservation area is a seed production and the fishery protected areas, in which any activity that have a negative effect on fishery resources are strictly prohibited, except for permitted scientific research purposes following reasonable principles (in Appendix). (d) Fish sanctuaries are to be maintained and protected (Article 26) (e) Fishery protected areas (see ‘Fishery conservation areas’ above) (f) Community fishing areas (also in appendix) are fishery domains of the State handed over to the community fisheries under the agreement between the chief of Cantonment of the Fisheries Administration and the communities or groups of citizens living inside or around the fishery domain. Those citizens are mainly dependent on fisheries for their daily life and using traditional fishing gears for fishing, which they manage and use that area sustainably. As stated in Article 62, the community fishing areas have to be continuously managed by the fishing communities in accordance with their community fishery/fishing management plan, procedure and guideline of community fishery. The community fishing area management plan is prepared by the local community and approved by the head of central Fisheries Administration and shall be re-examined every 3 years or before the deadline if necessary. The 2007 Law on Water Resources Management of the Kingdom of Cambodia 18. The main purpose of this Law is to ensure the effective and sustainable management of water resources by defining the rights and obligations of water users and the key principles of water resources management (Article 1) articulated around integrated water resources management (Article 4). The ultimate goal of the Law is to contribute to the socio-economic development and the welfare of the people of Cambodia. 19. Bearing in mind that water resources are linked to other components of the natural environment, the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology (MOWRAM) is mandated by the Law to lead the implementation of this law including by carrying out integrated water resources management, in consultation and coordination with other relevant ministries and within a participative framework of all relevant agencies (Articles 5, 7 and 10), as needed. 31 20. Chapter VI of the Law provides that protection of water resources should be done in consultation with other concerned ministries. As stated in Article 23 of that Chapter, when a watershed is degraded by human activities or natural causes, the MOWRAM can declare it as a protected "water use" zone. Water resource uses for vital human needs and other domestic purposes are authorized, but other uses such as extraction of sand, soil, stones, gravel, petroleum and gas from the beds and banks of watercourses, lakes, canals and reservoirs are subject to licensing (Chapter III). ENDNOTES 1 Decision VII/28 of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, annex. 2 Decision X/2 of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, annex. Accessible on line at: https://www.cbd.int/decision/cop/?id=12268 3 World Bank, accessible at: http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/EASTASIAPACIFICEXT/EXTEAPREGTOPEN VIRONMENT/0,,contentMDK:20266319~menuPK:3558191~pagePK:34004173~piPK:34003707~theSitePK:502 886,00.html 4 Dudley, N., K. J. Mulongoy, S. Cohen, S. Stolton, C. V. Barber and S. B. Gidda (2005). Towards Effective Protected Area Systems. An Action Guide to Implement the Convention on Biological Diversity Programme of Work on Protected Areas. Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Montreal, Technical Series No. 18, 108 pages. 5 Decision VII/12, annex II, of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. Accessible on line at: http://www.cbd.int/sustainable/addis.shtml 6 http://www.cbd.int/ecosystem/ 7 http://www.cbd.int/sustainable/addis.shtml 8 “In order to protect the environment, the precautionary approach shall be widely applied by States according to their capabilities. Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation.” (Principle 15 of the 1992 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development) 9 http://www.kellnielsen.dk/mekong/agreem.htm 10 http://www.cbd.int/doc/pa/tools/Management%20Effectiveness%20Assessment%20of%20the%20System%20of %20Protected%20Areas%20in%20Cam.pdf 11 http://www.mekong-protected-areas.org/cambodia/docs/cambodia lessons.pdf 12 United Nations General Assembly resolution 66/288 of 27 July 2012, annex. 13 Cambodia biodiversity target 1: By 2020, knowledge of the stakeholders on biodiversity values has been improved. Indicators for target 1 include: •Number of educational and media materials on biodiversity values have been developed. •Number of stakeholders (schools, local communities, etc.) with wide knowledge of biodiversity values. 14 http://www.mekong-protected-areas.org/cambodia/nr-summary.htm 15 Hockings M., Stolton S., Dudley N. and James R., 2009, Data credibility: what are the right data for evaluating management effectiveness of protected areas? Environmental Program and Policy Evaluation: Addressing Methodological Challenges (New Directions for Evaluation), ed. M. Birnbaum and P. Mickwitz (Hoboken, NJ: Jossey-Bass) and Leverington F, Costa K L, Courrau J, Pavese H, Nolte C, Marr M, Coad L, Burgess N, Bomhard B and Hockings M 2010 Management Effectiveness Evaluation in Protected Areas—A Global Study 2nd edn (Brisbane: University of Queensland) 16 The principles for good governance of protected areas developed by IUCN are accessible at: http://data.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/html/PAPS-016/3.%20Governance.html 17 Decision X/31 paragraph 19 (a) of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity 18 http://lifeweb.cbd.int/ 32 19 Decision X/31 paragraph 19 (a) of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity 20 http://www.cbd.int/protected/implementation/actionplans/country/?country=kh 21 http://www.cbd.int/protected/implementation/actionplans/country/?country=kh 22 Guidelines for ecosystem valuation and related training modules have been published e.g. by The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity – TEEB (http://www.teebweb.org/), the International Union for Conservation of Nature - IUCN (http://www.iucn.org/) and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity – CBD (http://www.cbd.int/protected/) Prepared by Department of International Conventions & Biodiversity General Department of Administration for Nature Conservation and Protection Ministry of Environment With support from USAID FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I Helping Address Rural Vulnerability and Ecosystem STability (Cambodia HARVEST) Program & Supporting Forestsand Biodiversity Project (SFB)