www.enpi-fleg.org The Program is funded by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank in partnership with WWF and IUCN EUROPEAN NEIGHBORHOOD AND PARTNERSHIP INSTRUMENT EAST COUNTRIES FOREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AND GOVERNANCE II PROGRAM Regional Bulletin Autumn 2014 This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The content, findings, interpretations, and conclusions of this publication are the sole responsibili ty of the FLEG II (ENPI East) Program Team (www.enpi- fleg.org) and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Implementing Organizations.
Transcript
w w w e n p i - f l e g o r g
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e Wo r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D PA R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L AW E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
Regional BulletinAutumn 2014
This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union The content findings interpretations and conclusions of this publication are the sole responsibili ty of the FLEG II (ENPI East) Program Team (wwwenpi- flegorg) and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Implementing Organizations
wwwenpi-flegorg
A note on the Donors and Implementers of FLEG II Program can be found at the foot of this newsletter
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Welcome to the second FLEG II Program Regional Newsletter which gives you a taste of the activities of the last three months of the Program
In this issue we inform you about the FLEG II Program activities in Azer-baijan Armenia Moldova Georgia and Ukraine from July to mid-October 2014 In future additions of the newsletter we intend to keep you abreast of the Program progress in each of the seven countries including the ongoing work in Russia and Belarus
Since the first newsletter the development of the FLEG II website has begun in earnest and further details on all the articles below can be found at wwwenpi-flegorg
Many activities within the Country Work Plans at this stage of the FLEG II Program are related to research analysis and consultations A new Documents section has been added to the website and when the results of all these studies become available they will be posted on the FLEG II Program website Similarly when new regulations reach the statute book they will be added to the website for your reference
WELCOME
2
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
YOUNG FORESTERS CORNER
Young Foresters of Azerbaijan initiate new era in the preservation of countryrsquos forests
The FLEG II Program init iated the young forester movement in Azerbaijan to promote knowledge of forestry and sustainable forest management
Azerbaijan is a beautiful country featuring diverse landscapes and a home to rich bio-diversity Although the forests amount only 11 of Azerbaijani land many communities heavily depend on them
The Republican Center on Ecological Ed-ucation and Practice under the Ministry of Education along with the FLEG II Program has been able to mobilize youth as well as educational and forestry specialists in the forest-dependent communities The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources provided support through its affiliated forestry enter-prises on the ground
3
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
There was a high interest to the formation of school-based young forester unions The first brigades were established in the secondary schools of Gakh Gusari Ismailli and a number of other forest regions of Azerbaijan More requests have been received from Astara Lankaran and many other districts This led to creation of a tutorial School of the Young Foresters followed by trainings and round tables for the teachers and school students which revived public interest in forest preservation
The FLEG II Program has been able to involve major ecological organizations such as IDEA (International Dialogue for Environmental Action) to support initiatives of young foresters of Azerbaijan
More information on young forester activities in Azerbaijan is available at wwwenpi-flegaz
Young Forester from Azerbaijan wins at International Junior Forest Contest
Vusala Suleymanova won the 3rd place at the International Junior Forest Contest in Saint Petersburg Russia
Earlier the Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan launched nation-wide Young Forester Con-tests The winners young foresters from the Gakh city secondary school became the first participants from Azerbaijan to take part in international junior forestry contests held in the Russian Federation Passionate and dedicated students impressed both the jury and international participants with their academic knowledge and practical skills
4
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
After winning Vusula said that she would like to initiate an inter-national young forester event in Azerbaijan This event would com-plement the international summer camp for young foresters which the FLEG II Program together with the Republican Center of Ecolog-ical Education and Practice have already agreed to organize in Gakh district of Azerbaijan in 2015
5
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Hundreds come out to Celebrate Moldovarsquos Beech Forest Heritage
In Ungheni District Moldova hundreds of people came together to celebrate Moldovarsquos valuable natural heritage Beech Forest Nature Reserve during the annual Beech Festival Culture and Tourism Event
Attendees enjoyed local food arts music and educational events promoting the forest and the culture and folklore of the people who live there
It was amazing to see so many people celebrating the forest heritage and all that it means to them said Aurel Lozan the FLEG II national coordinator and program consultant This forest is a hot-spot for biodiversity and one of the eastern-most stands of the beech a sym-bolic species of the area
Local craftsmen showcased wood carving and other wood works and artists exhibited a va-riety of artwork at the festival FLEG sponsored an art contest and joined with the nature reserve to sponsor a food contest of dishes prepared from local non-timber forest products such as mushrooms fruits honey and medicinal herbs
The event is another occasion for local communities to promote their traditions said Gali-na Norocea a senior consultant with the Moldova Ministry of Environment Norocea went on to explain how the festival can help the conservation of the beech tree through better promotion of the beech in the culture of locals as well as of the ecological significance of it as species
The FLEG II Program also helped organize a number of events to educate participants and local leaders on the value of forests challenges facing them and economic opportunities that come from sustainable healthy forests FLEG II took part in a field discussion with the main stakeholders gathered in the area including representatives from the Ministry of En-vironment Agency Moldsilva Nature Reserve local public administrations of surrounding villages and communities and members of the media
6
Assessing Forest Dependency in Eastern Europe
wwwenpi-flegorg
Belarus basket
Consultant MSLazareva holds a hand-made wicker basket given to her by this couple in Belarus after she surveyed them for the forest dependency study The forest provides this community with heating mushrooms berries and other forest products and is also a source of raw materials for making wicker and other goods mainly for personal use
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
In a land with communities as diverse as its politics and landscapes FLEG II Program undertook a survey that attempts to quantify human dependency on forests
Over the last four months consultants have walked from house to house in rural areas of Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine to complete surveys of over 1250 households in forest communities The goal of the study is not only to quantify how people rely on forests but also to help determine whether that reli-ance is sustainable into the future and why
FORESTRY CONSULTATION
7
People in Eastern Europe have been living in and around forests for count-less generations and have their own unique relationship with the forest said Richard Aishton FLEG II Program Coordinator for the International Un-ion for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
wwwenpi-flegorg
Tatev Village Armenia
The village of Tatev is surrounded by forest in the high plains of south eastern Armenia 1610 meters above sea level Pensioners make up one-third of the population and residents of all ages make use of the forest for fuel wood wild vegetables carnelian cherry walnut blackberry wild rose berry strawberry and medical plants
Under direction from Bakkegaard and FLEG II country program coordinators consultants in the seven countries carried out the surveys between May and August of 2014 With the ground work complete Bakkegaard and other con-sultants are compiling and analysing the results of the survey now and expect to release them at the FLEG II Forest Dependency Workshop October 28-30 2014 The final report will be available for peer review in the following months
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
We hope this study will be valuable not only to the local and national of-ficials as they set and enforce forest policy that directly impacts these peo-ple but also to larger efforts to better understand the human dependency on nature no matter where we live
We worked hard to prepare and im-plement this work and the sample has already given us very useful results said Riyong Kim Bakkegaard IUCN Consultant coordinating work on the survey
By compiling the data from the seven countries FLEG II hopes to answer many questions among thembull What value does the forest have to these communitiesbull What forest-related products are significantbull Who in particular is most dependent on the forestbull How do these communities use the forest For example as a safety net
For current consumptionbull Why do they use the forestbull What are the implications of their relationship with the forestbull How does this relationship factor in or relate to national and regional forest
policy To climate resilient development
8
Are Azerbaijanrsquos Ancient Forest Communities Ready for Climate Change
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
While ancient culture stil l thrives in Lahij Azerbaijan the forests around the village have been degraded and the effects of climate change are becoming more evident FLEG II is assessing these impacts and how ready the village is to adapt to the changing climate
Stepping past the wood-fired bread oven in the sandstone courtyard into the cool shade of one of the many generations-old coppersmith workshops in Lahij Azerbaijan you are likely to find museum-quality copper goblets sitting alongside dozens more on shelves and in well-worn niches in the stone walls In these ground floor workshops under thousand-year-old homes villagers still speak the local Lahiji language a version of Tati spoken by only a few thousand people and proudly trace their connections to the court of the legendary Shah Kay Khosrow who vacationed in the village a millennium ago
Its ancient language and medieval streets arts and even sewers have withstood the test of time but how ready is the village to adapt to a changing climate
Until recently little has been done to understand the impacts of climate change on Azerbaijanrsquos forest communities such as Lahij Like in many other forest communities in Eastern Europe unregulated tourism illegal grazing and logging and a warming climate have taken a toll on the resources Lahijrsquos residents use for food medicine and firewood
What impacts of climate change are already evident How ready are these com-munities to adapt What can local residents and governments do to mitigate the impacts on their communities Those are some of the questions Bariz Mehdiyev is trying to answer for the Forest Law Enforcement and Governance program (FLEG II) through a series of surveys in forest communities in Azerbaijan
We are working to get an idea of how local authorities and local communities understand climate change its negative impact to forest areas and climate change adaptation and mitigation said Mehdiyev
9
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Forest communities and forest beneficiaries should understand both the economic and social aspects of climate change impacts such as how long lasting hot days during the summer season can lead to lsquoheat stressesrsquo and increased fire cases said Azer Garayev ENPI East FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) a FLEG II project partner organization We hope this project will give us a better understanding of what people in Azerbaijanrsquos forest communities know and donrsquot yet know about how climate change could impact them and what they can do about it
For more details go to enpi-flegorg
A tourist destination in Azerbaijan welcomes sustainable recreation in its forest territories Zitta Hasanova FLEG II Programrsquos Forestry Recreation Research Consultant in Azerbai jan researched into opportunit ies of ecological tourism in one of the hottest tourist ic spots in Azerbai jan mdash Gusar distr ict
Eco Tourism Meeting in Gusar
Gusar district is distinguished by its fascinating forest landscapes abundance of pure springs and beneficial climate Gusar is also of a high historical value there are many historical monuments in the villages including old mosques and museums
During her trip to the pilot regions in August 2014 Zitta Hasanova met with a wide spectrum of stake-holders from the state Forest Rehabilitation and Protection Enterprise (FRPE) state Tourist and Culture department local executive authorities and forest-dependent communities
The concluding roundtable held in the Museum of the Local History of Gusari city revealed a high stakeholder interest towards the development of ecological tourism Participants reaffirmed their readiness to be active in implementation of re-spective activities
10
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Stakeholders discussed progress of TEEB Scoping Study and FSCrsquos potential in Azerbaijan
TEEB Scoping Study Meeting
At a recent meeting Rovshan Abbasov FLEG II Programrsquos WWF Consultant on TEEB scoping study presented preliminary outcomes of his study to the stakeholders to obtain their feedback
Forests of Azerbaijan have significant ecosystem services and it is very important to evaluate their economic social and cultural services said Mr Abbasov Experts concluded that the major threats of sustainable forests are illegal timber production non-sustainable tourism and overgrazing which could be solved by improving forest governance
The second part of the meeting was dedicated to the Voluntary Forest Certification and the Principles and Criteria of FSC potential in Azerbaijan which were presented by an FSC expert Mr Vasili Gerasimov Participants finalized the discussions with the FSC-certification prospective for Azerbaijani forestry sector
The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) is a worldwide initiative aimed to draw attention to the economic benefits of biodiversity including the growing cost of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation TEEB presents an approach that can help decision-makers recognize demonstrate and capture the values of ecosystem services and biodiversity
The meeting brought together governmen-tal officials leading ecological NGOs and scholars as well as international organiza-tions The comments and suggestions of the participants will be incorporated into the final report of the TEEB study
11
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Round tables in pilot regions helped outline forest rehabilitation techniques
Allahverdi Dolkhanov FLEG II Program IUCN Tugay forest rehabilitation Consultant in Azerbaijan held meetings and roundtables in the 8 districts located in Kura-Araz lowland and Ganja-Gazakh regions in August 2014
These districts used to have vast areas of valuable riparian Tugay forests These forests are highly sensitive to changes in water supply and rapidly decline under anthropogenic pressure
In the past exactly this zone was a home to the large Tugay forestland in the country The aim of the meetings was to assess the current status of Tugay forests and discuss with the participants existing and possible Tugay forest rehabilitation techniques
Participants representing local foresters forestry enterprises authorities local communities and media elaborated on the effectiveness of past and present methods and approaches applied for restoration of former Tugay forests Out of various ideas proposed by the stakeholders the most popular one was to plant mixed forests which would meet economic and social demands of local population in collection of wild fruits and berries as well as medicinal plants
Tugay Forest Rehabilitation Meeting
12
Home at Last Tusheti Protected Landscape Officially Under Local Control
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
For the first time since before the Soviet era local officials can manage and protect the forest based on local needs
GOOD GOVERNANCE COLUMN
In September of 2014 the Georgian Gov-ernment officially transferred control of the Tusheti Protected Landscape to the Akhmeta municipality It is the first case of decentral-izing forest management in Georgia and the first time forests in Tusheti have been under local control since the beginning of the So-viet period in Georgia in 1921
13
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Tusheti Protected Landscape is an ecological wonder located on the Northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains in Georgia It is classified as a category V pro-tected area by IUCN which means it is a unique place where the in-teraction of people and nature over time has produced an area of dis-tinct character with significant eco-logical biological cultural and sce-nic value and where safeguarding the integrity of this interaction is vital to protecting and sustaining the area and its associated nature conservation and other values
With the centralized and uncertain authority over the forest during much of the last 100 years the forests in the Tusheti Protected Landscape were not receiving the management or sil-vicultural attention they needed Local people were unable to get clear direction on how to legally and sustainably meet their local forest needs especially with regard to obtaining legal firewood and timber
Local control in Tusheti forests is a way to sustainably meet local forest needs and provide employment for local people in forest management tourism and recreation said Merab Matchavariani National Forestry Consultant for FLEG II program in Georgia who is develop-ing the methodology for forest management in the Tusheti Protected Landscape The local administration is working hard to undertake all the necessary measures to establish proper forest management so it will be able to meet the primary objectives of ensuring the integrity of forest ecosystems and their ecological stability over the long run
14
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
With the legal transfer of authority now in place the Tusheti Protected Landscape Admin-istration can enhance forestry personnel undertake forest inventory elaborate a forest management plan and establish a transparent and sustainable system of harvesting and supply of forest products to meet local needs The Administration will also be responsible for undertaking all the necessary measures in consideration of its Protected Area status including forest fire control and proper management of pests and diseases
This year in Georgia FLEG II is working across three main pillars of work assessing forest management in protected areas supporting locally controlled forestry and assessing the extent of human dependency on nature (HDN) in forested landscapes For more information please contact Marika Kavtarishvili from IUCN Caucasus Cooperation Center at marikakavtarishviliiucnorg
Tusheti is both a beautiful place with tremen-dous natural value and a place where peo-ple depend on the land for their livelihoods said Marika Kavtarishvili FLEG II country program coordinator for IUCN Georgia and a native of the Tusheti region This transition to local control can help both the forest and the people living there and a lot of work has gone into it from both the national and local levels to make sure it does
The FLEG II Program has been working with all parties to provide the technical expertise required at various stages of the process Until recently the goal was to register the Tusheti Protected Landscape as a lsquoForest of Local Significancersquo to complete the transi-tion to local control (see Preparing the final mile in historic handover of Georgian for-est protection to local control on the FLEG website) but over the summer authorities identified a more direct way The Georgian Government amended two forest laws al-lowing the Tusheti Protected Landscape to remain within the government controlled forest system called the State Forest Fund but under the management of the Akhmeta municipality through its Tusheti Protected Landscape Administration
15
ENPI East and Central Asian Countries Regional Conference
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
EVENTS
Senior-level participants from the ENPI East and Central Asian regions met in Tbilisi Georgia on 9 July 2014 to discuss progress in implementing the Saint Petersburg Declaration on Forest Law Enforcement and Governance in Europe and North Asia (ENA-FLEG Declaration November 25 2005)
Ten of the forty-four signatories to the Declaration were present The meeting was organized by the FLEG II Program which is funded by the EU and implemented by the World Bank WWF and IUCN The meeting was co-chaired by Mathieu Bousquet from the European Commission and Tuukka Castreacuten from the World Bank
16
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
During the meeting nine years of progress and substantive achieve-ments in fulfilling the ENA-FLEG Declaration commitments at national and regional levels were reviewed Recommendations for future action were also developed focusing in particular on opportunities for regional and international cooperation
Participants recognized that the is-sues and challenges identified in the ENA-FLEG Declaration are still relevant At the same time the en-vironment we work in has changed Issues such as climate change higher demand for wood energy wood products and forest services inter-sectoral linkages and recog-nition of the green economy have modified the landscape Initiatives such as the EU Timber regulation (EUTR) the Lacey Act the Russian Roundwood Act Forest Europe and a number of revised forest codes in signatory countries have signif-icantly changed institutional and legal frameworks at international and national levels
For futher details (photos presentations) see FLEG II Program website wwwenpi-flegorg
17
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia
In the framework of celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia on September 26 Ilia Osepashvili FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for WWF in Georgia presented existing perspectives challenges and solutions on the way towards forest certification
WWF-Caucasus Programme Office in Tbilisi organized the meeting aiming to highlight the importance of FSC-based voluntary for-est certification and relevant perspectives in Georgia The meeting was attended by representatives of WWF offices in Georgia Armenia Azerbaijan Germany and Russia
More information about FSC Friday can be found here wwwfscfridayorg
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an in-ternational non-profit organization dedicated to promoting responsible forestry FSC certi-fies forests all over the world to ensure they meet the highest environmental and social standards FSC Friday is a global celebration of the worlds forests and aims to highlight the importance of responsible forest man-agement Every year schools businesses individuals forest ownersmanagers and other organizations around the world get involved in spreading the word about FSC and responsible forestry
18
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
On July 3 the Telekritika a popular Ukranian website about media announced the results of the competition sponsored by FLEG II
Olena Sereda journalist of the newspaper Business won the highest award in the competition for her article that focused on issues that affect the development of the Ukrainian forest industry It also covered the roundtables conducted by the FLEG II program with the new leadership of the state forest agency Olena Sereda
Mykhail Popkov Yulia Zelinska Iryna Fedoriv
Iryna Fedoriv who was a winner in 2011 for a series of stories on protection of the forest on the border of the town of Kotsyubynske and Kyiv was given a special award mdash for five years of social work directed to returning the forest to the community and for her important contribution to the creation of the branch of Holosyivsky National Park Bilychansky Forest
Other winners included an article about financial irregularities in the State Forestry Agency and two journalistic investigations into corruption schemes concerning communal and state forests in Mykolayiv Oblast and near Kyiv (the journalists are still investigating)
The competition lasted from February to May 2014 Each judge of the competition all well-known journalists and foresters allotted the marks on their own Ratings of participants were then determined based on the total score Those rated first received top prizes
Yuri Rybachuk Inna Kuznetsova
Ukraine Journalists win prizes in Forestry Media Competition
19
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
The jury received some 100 materials aired or published between July 1 2013 and May 31 2014 in Ukrainian media The 25 most exciting works were posted on the Telekritika website with the payment of fees to the authors and all works without exception were posted for general access on the site of FLEG II program
Foresters gain insight and confidence on Round Timber Regulations
FLEG II organized a training on the implementation of Wood Tracking System through Supply Chain
The first training on the Round Timber Reg-ulations and Manual was organized on 4 and 5 October in Goris Armenia with participants from Vayots Dzor Sisian Kapan and Goris Forest Enterprises
Mykhail Popkov
As envisaged in the FLEG II Program Arme-nia Country Workplan the training covered the theory and practical implementation of the new timber regulations
Competition judges Inna Kuznetsova editor of the Kyiv office of Ra-dio Liberty and Yuri Rybachuk editor of the weekly Comments said We are journalists and therefore our prime interest is journalistic investigations as the most dangerous genre so we opted for them
Mykhailo Popkov an expert of program FLEG II (EІSPSkhid 2) and editor of Ukranian For-ester website suggested that next year the contest should include a special nomination for foresters who alongside with journalists communicate and explain forest issues to the public
20
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
They were drafted in 2011 and recently ap-proved by the state authorities and made mandatory for application The regulations cover using wood marking hammers per-sonal stamps numbered labels and staplers with needles and tapes in order to monitor wood movement in the supply chain
The training was delivered over two days in three groups each comprising of up to 20 participants The first day of the training was dedicated exploring and explaining the Regulation and the Manual through Power Point Presentations lively discussions and QA sessions At the end of the day the par-ticipants completed a test on the obtained knowledge
The second day of the training was a prac-tical hands on implementation of the re-quirements of the Regulation in the forest The trainer demonstrated the technique ex-plained the procedures and asked each of the participants to perform different elements of the process
The foresters involved were given the op-portunity to raise all kinds of questions of concern during the practical application and received guidance on further steps
Itrsquos always better to see rather than read and try to make your own assumptions Now that both the theoretical and practical parts of the process are learned we are more confident with the new system one of the participants said after the training
21
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Day of Forester in Georgia This year Georgia revived the tradition of celebrating annual Day of Forester FLEG II Program took part in the event
The Day of Forester was established in Georgia in 1999 Foresters from all over the country used to gather on 10th of October to celebrate their professional day However it has not been observed for many years
This fall the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia (MENRP) together with National Forest Agency (NFA) revived the tradition and organized a special event for marking the professional day of Georgian foresters It was touching not only for the foresters but for everybody who cares for the environment MENRP hosted a reception and an award ceremony About hundred participants attended the event including donors NGOs academia media and foresters from all over the country
Elguja Khokrishvili Minister of Environment made opening re-marks followed by a brief presentation on key achievement in forestry sector Levan Tabutsidze Head of NFA expressed special gratitude to the international donor community and civil society for valuable support provided for forestry sector develop-ment in Georgia He delivered an overview of ongoing projects and programs including FLEG II
Fourteen foresters from various regions of Georgia were awarded for their valuable con-tribution to the development of forestry sector The Minister handed over certificates and souvenirs crafted for the occasion A special prize for the Best Forester of the Year was awarded to Marine Sujashvili Deputy Head Department of Forest Maintenance of and Restoration NFA
October 10 2014 was a remarkable day encouraging foresters supporting their professional growth and raising public awareness
22
What is FLEG II
How did FLEG come about
wwwenpi-flegorg
FLEG II is the regional European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II Program Its objective is to promote sustainable forest governance management and protection of forests in Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The programrsquos work helps to promote the contribution of the regionrsquos forests to climate change adaptation and mitiga-tion to ecosystems and biodiversity protection and to sustainable livelihoods and income sources for local populations and national economies
In 2005 representatives of 44 governments signed the St Petersburg Declaration com-mitting themselves to address illegal logging and improve forest governance Momentum towards strengthening forest law enforcement and governance in the ENPI region grew when in 2008 the EC the World Bank WWF and IUCN teamed up to implement the first ENPI FLEG Program (2008ndash2012 6 million EUR)
The ENPI Forest Law Enforcement and Governance II (FLEG II) Program (2012ndash2016 9 million EUR) builds on the first ENPI FLEG I Program to support good forest governance sustainable forest management and forest protection in the ENPI East region
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
23
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Which Organisations are the FLEG II Programrsquos Donors and Implementers
FLEG II is funded by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
What are the Specific Objectives of the FLEG II Project
The FLEG II Program has three specific Program Development Objectives
bull make progress implementing the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration in the participating countries and support the participating countries commit to a time-bound action plan to ensure its implementation and follow-up activities (regional level)
bull review or revise (or establish a time-bound action plan to review or revise) forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance (including the impact of related EU regulations) in the participating countries (national level) and
bull test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis in all partici-pating countries (sub-national level)
How FLEG II Program is implementedWithin the FLEG II Program there is an overall Program Management Team (PMT) consist-ing of one member from each of the three Implementing Organizations (IOs) The PMT is responsible for the overall planning guidance and implementation of the Program
The Steering Committee (SC) includes a representative from each Participating Country the World Bank (WB) IUCN WWF and the European Commission The SC meets at least annually to discuss the Programrsquos progress and approve country workplans and it is re-sponsible for providing advice on policy and strategic directions of the Program The World Bank and EC co- chair the SC and decisions are taken by consensus
24
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
At the country level each country has a Country Program Coordination Team (PCT) which is made up of one member from each of the three IOs
Also each country has a National Program Advisory Committee (NPAC) which provides guidance to the PCT The NPACs generally consist of eight members (1 FLEG National Focal Point 2 representatives from key government institutions 3 representatives from key NGOs 1 representative from the European Commission and 1 representative of the country PCT) The NPACrsquos role is to provide guidance to the IOrsquos on the development planning implementation monitoring and evaluation of the Program activities at the national and sub-national levels in each participating country
If you would like any more information or have any comments on any aspect of the FLEG II Program please send them by e-mail to the Communication Team
Feedback
Mark Gnadt markgnadtiucnorg Gera Voskanyan gvoskanyanwwfcaucasusorg Carol Howard carolhowardenpi-flegorg
25
EUROPEAN COMMISSION The European Union is the worldrsquos largest donor of official development assistance EuropeAid Development and Cooperation a Directorate General of the European Commission is responsible for designing European development policy and delivering aid throughout the world EuropeAid delivers aid through a set of financial instruments with a focus on ensuring the quality of EU aid and its effectiveness An active and proactive player in the development field EuropeAid promotes good governance human and economic development and tackle universal issues such as fighting hunger and preserving natural resourceshttpeceuropaeuindex_enhtm
WORLD BANKThe World Bank Group is one of the worldrsquos largest sources of knowledge and funding for its 188 member-countries The organizations that make up the World Bank Group are owned by the governments of member nations which have the ultimate decision-making power within the organizations on all matters including policy financial or membership issues The World Bank Group comprises five closely associated institutions the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) which together form the World Bank the International Finance Corporation (IFC) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Each institution plays a distinct role in the World Bank Grouprsquos mission to end extreme poverty by decreasing the percentage of people living on less than $125 a day to no more than 3 percent and promote shared prosperity by fostering the income growth of the bottom 40 percent for every country For additional information please visithttpwwwworldbankorg httpwwwifcorg httpwwwmigaorg
IUCNIUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges IUCNrsquos work focuses on valuing and conserving nature ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate food and development IUCN supports scientific research manages field projects all over the world and brings governments NGOs the UN and companies together to develop policy laws and best practice IUCN is the worldrsquos oldest and largest global environmental organisation with more than 1200 government and NGO members and almost 11000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries IUCNrsquos work is supported by over 1000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public NGO and private sectors around the worldwwwiucnorg
WWFWWF is one of the worldrsquos largest and most respected independent conservation organizations with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries WWFrsquos mission is to stop the degradation of the planetrsquos natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by conserving the worldrsquos biological diversity ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumptionwwwpandaorg
About ENPI FLEG Program
Project Partners
The Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Program supports participating countriesrsquo forest governance At the regional level the Program aims to implement the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration and support countries to commit to a time-bound action plan at the national level the Program will review or revise forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures and improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance in the participating countries and at the sub-national (local) level the Program will test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis Participating countries include Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The Program is funded by the European Union httpwwwenpi-flegorg
wwwenpi-flegorg 26
wwwenpi-flegorg
A note on the Donors and Implementers of FLEG II Program can be found at the foot of this newsletter
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Welcome to the second FLEG II Program Regional Newsletter which gives you a taste of the activities of the last three months of the Program
In this issue we inform you about the FLEG II Program activities in Azer-baijan Armenia Moldova Georgia and Ukraine from July to mid-October 2014 In future additions of the newsletter we intend to keep you abreast of the Program progress in each of the seven countries including the ongoing work in Russia and Belarus
Since the first newsletter the development of the FLEG II website has begun in earnest and further details on all the articles below can be found at wwwenpi-flegorg
Many activities within the Country Work Plans at this stage of the FLEG II Program are related to research analysis and consultations A new Documents section has been added to the website and when the results of all these studies become available they will be posted on the FLEG II Program website Similarly when new regulations reach the statute book they will be added to the website for your reference
WELCOME
2
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
YOUNG FORESTERS CORNER
Young Foresters of Azerbaijan initiate new era in the preservation of countryrsquos forests
The FLEG II Program init iated the young forester movement in Azerbaijan to promote knowledge of forestry and sustainable forest management
Azerbaijan is a beautiful country featuring diverse landscapes and a home to rich bio-diversity Although the forests amount only 11 of Azerbaijani land many communities heavily depend on them
The Republican Center on Ecological Ed-ucation and Practice under the Ministry of Education along with the FLEG II Program has been able to mobilize youth as well as educational and forestry specialists in the forest-dependent communities The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources provided support through its affiliated forestry enter-prises on the ground
3
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
There was a high interest to the formation of school-based young forester unions The first brigades were established in the secondary schools of Gakh Gusari Ismailli and a number of other forest regions of Azerbaijan More requests have been received from Astara Lankaran and many other districts This led to creation of a tutorial School of the Young Foresters followed by trainings and round tables for the teachers and school students which revived public interest in forest preservation
The FLEG II Program has been able to involve major ecological organizations such as IDEA (International Dialogue for Environmental Action) to support initiatives of young foresters of Azerbaijan
More information on young forester activities in Azerbaijan is available at wwwenpi-flegaz
Young Forester from Azerbaijan wins at International Junior Forest Contest
Vusala Suleymanova won the 3rd place at the International Junior Forest Contest in Saint Petersburg Russia
Earlier the Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan launched nation-wide Young Forester Con-tests The winners young foresters from the Gakh city secondary school became the first participants from Azerbaijan to take part in international junior forestry contests held in the Russian Federation Passionate and dedicated students impressed both the jury and international participants with their academic knowledge and practical skills
4
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
After winning Vusula said that she would like to initiate an inter-national young forester event in Azerbaijan This event would com-plement the international summer camp for young foresters which the FLEG II Program together with the Republican Center of Ecolog-ical Education and Practice have already agreed to organize in Gakh district of Azerbaijan in 2015
5
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Hundreds come out to Celebrate Moldovarsquos Beech Forest Heritage
In Ungheni District Moldova hundreds of people came together to celebrate Moldovarsquos valuable natural heritage Beech Forest Nature Reserve during the annual Beech Festival Culture and Tourism Event
Attendees enjoyed local food arts music and educational events promoting the forest and the culture and folklore of the people who live there
It was amazing to see so many people celebrating the forest heritage and all that it means to them said Aurel Lozan the FLEG II national coordinator and program consultant This forest is a hot-spot for biodiversity and one of the eastern-most stands of the beech a sym-bolic species of the area
Local craftsmen showcased wood carving and other wood works and artists exhibited a va-riety of artwork at the festival FLEG sponsored an art contest and joined with the nature reserve to sponsor a food contest of dishes prepared from local non-timber forest products such as mushrooms fruits honey and medicinal herbs
The event is another occasion for local communities to promote their traditions said Gali-na Norocea a senior consultant with the Moldova Ministry of Environment Norocea went on to explain how the festival can help the conservation of the beech tree through better promotion of the beech in the culture of locals as well as of the ecological significance of it as species
The FLEG II Program also helped organize a number of events to educate participants and local leaders on the value of forests challenges facing them and economic opportunities that come from sustainable healthy forests FLEG II took part in a field discussion with the main stakeholders gathered in the area including representatives from the Ministry of En-vironment Agency Moldsilva Nature Reserve local public administrations of surrounding villages and communities and members of the media
6
Assessing Forest Dependency in Eastern Europe
wwwenpi-flegorg
Belarus basket
Consultant MSLazareva holds a hand-made wicker basket given to her by this couple in Belarus after she surveyed them for the forest dependency study The forest provides this community with heating mushrooms berries and other forest products and is also a source of raw materials for making wicker and other goods mainly for personal use
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
In a land with communities as diverse as its politics and landscapes FLEG II Program undertook a survey that attempts to quantify human dependency on forests
Over the last four months consultants have walked from house to house in rural areas of Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine to complete surveys of over 1250 households in forest communities The goal of the study is not only to quantify how people rely on forests but also to help determine whether that reli-ance is sustainable into the future and why
FORESTRY CONSULTATION
7
People in Eastern Europe have been living in and around forests for count-less generations and have their own unique relationship with the forest said Richard Aishton FLEG II Program Coordinator for the International Un-ion for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
wwwenpi-flegorg
Tatev Village Armenia
The village of Tatev is surrounded by forest in the high plains of south eastern Armenia 1610 meters above sea level Pensioners make up one-third of the population and residents of all ages make use of the forest for fuel wood wild vegetables carnelian cherry walnut blackberry wild rose berry strawberry and medical plants
Under direction from Bakkegaard and FLEG II country program coordinators consultants in the seven countries carried out the surveys between May and August of 2014 With the ground work complete Bakkegaard and other con-sultants are compiling and analysing the results of the survey now and expect to release them at the FLEG II Forest Dependency Workshop October 28-30 2014 The final report will be available for peer review in the following months
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
We hope this study will be valuable not only to the local and national of-ficials as they set and enforce forest policy that directly impacts these peo-ple but also to larger efforts to better understand the human dependency on nature no matter where we live
We worked hard to prepare and im-plement this work and the sample has already given us very useful results said Riyong Kim Bakkegaard IUCN Consultant coordinating work on the survey
By compiling the data from the seven countries FLEG II hopes to answer many questions among thembull What value does the forest have to these communitiesbull What forest-related products are significantbull Who in particular is most dependent on the forestbull How do these communities use the forest For example as a safety net
For current consumptionbull Why do they use the forestbull What are the implications of their relationship with the forestbull How does this relationship factor in or relate to national and regional forest
policy To climate resilient development
8
Are Azerbaijanrsquos Ancient Forest Communities Ready for Climate Change
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
While ancient culture stil l thrives in Lahij Azerbaijan the forests around the village have been degraded and the effects of climate change are becoming more evident FLEG II is assessing these impacts and how ready the village is to adapt to the changing climate
Stepping past the wood-fired bread oven in the sandstone courtyard into the cool shade of one of the many generations-old coppersmith workshops in Lahij Azerbaijan you are likely to find museum-quality copper goblets sitting alongside dozens more on shelves and in well-worn niches in the stone walls In these ground floor workshops under thousand-year-old homes villagers still speak the local Lahiji language a version of Tati spoken by only a few thousand people and proudly trace their connections to the court of the legendary Shah Kay Khosrow who vacationed in the village a millennium ago
Its ancient language and medieval streets arts and even sewers have withstood the test of time but how ready is the village to adapt to a changing climate
Until recently little has been done to understand the impacts of climate change on Azerbaijanrsquos forest communities such as Lahij Like in many other forest communities in Eastern Europe unregulated tourism illegal grazing and logging and a warming climate have taken a toll on the resources Lahijrsquos residents use for food medicine and firewood
What impacts of climate change are already evident How ready are these com-munities to adapt What can local residents and governments do to mitigate the impacts on their communities Those are some of the questions Bariz Mehdiyev is trying to answer for the Forest Law Enforcement and Governance program (FLEG II) through a series of surveys in forest communities in Azerbaijan
We are working to get an idea of how local authorities and local communities understand climate change its negative impact to forest areas and climate change adaptation and mitigation said Mehdiyev
9
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Forest communities and forest beneficiaries should understand both the economic and social aspects of climate change impacts such as how long lasting hot days during the summer season can lead to lsquoheat stressesrsquo and increased fire cases said Azer Garayev ENPI East FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) a FLEG II project partner organization We hope this project will give us a better understanding of what people in Azerbaijanrsquos forest communities know and donrsquot yet know about how climate change could impact them and what they can do about it
For more details go to enpi-flegorg
A tourist destination in Azerbaijan welcomes sustainable recreation in its forest territories Zitta Hasanova FLEG II Programrsquos Forestry Recreation Research Consultant in Azerbai jan researched into opportunit ies of ecological tourism in one of the hottest tourist ic spots in Azerbai jan mdash Gusar distr ict
Eco Tourism Meeting in Gusar
Gusar district is distinguished by its fascinating forest landscapes abundance of pure springs and beneficial climate Gusar is also of a high historical value there are many historical monuments in the villages including old mosques and museums
During her trip to the pilot regions in August 2014 Zitta Hasanova met with a wide spectrum of stake-holders from the state Forest Rehabilitation and Protection Enterprise (FRPE) state Tourist and Culture department local executive authorities and forest-dependent communities
The concluding roundtable held in the Museum of the Local History of Gusari city revealed a high stakeholder interest towards the development of ecological tourism Participants reaffirmed their readiness to be active in implementation of re-spective activities
10
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Stakeholders discussed progress of TEEB Scoping Study and FSCrsquos potential in Azerbaijan
TEEB Scoping Study Meeting
At a recent meeting Rovshan Abbasov FLEG II Programrsquos WWF Consultant on TEEB scoping study presented preliminary outcomes of his study to the stakeholders to obtain their feedback
Forests of Azerbaijan have significant ecosystem services and it is very important to evaluate their economic social and cultural services said Mr Abbasov Experts concluded that the major threats of sustainable forests are illegal timber production non-sustainable tourism and overgrazing which could be solved by improving forest governance
The second part of the meeting was dedicated to the Voluntary Forest Certification and the Principles and Criteria of FSC potential in Azerbaijan which were presented by an FSC expert Mr Vasili Gerasimov Participants finalized the discussions with the FSC-certification prospective for Azerbaijani forestry sector
The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) is a worldwide initiative aimed to draw attention to the economic benefits of biodiversity including the growing cost of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation TEEB presents an approach that can help decision-makers recognize demonstrate and capture the values of ecosystem services and biodiversity
The meeting brought together governmen-tal officials leading ecological NGOs and scholars as well as international organiza-tions The comments and suggestions of the participants will be incorporated into the final report of the TEEB study
11
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Round tables in pilot regions helped outline forest rehabilitation techniques
Allahverdi Dolkhanov FLEG II Program IUCN Tugay forest rehabilitation Consultant in Azerbaijan held meetings and roundtables in the 8 districts located in Kura-Araz lowland and Ganja-Gazakh regions in August 2014
These districts used to have vast areas of valuable riparian Tugay forests These forests are highly sensitive to changes in water supply and rapidly decline under anthropogenic pressure
In the past exactly this zone was a home to the large Tugay forestland in the country The aim of the meetings was to assess the current status of Tugay forests and discuss with the participants existing and possible Tugay forest rehabilitation techniques
Participants representing local foresters forestry enterprises authorities local communities and media elaborated on the effectiveness of past and present methods and approaches applied for restoration of former Tugay forests Out of various ideas proposed by the stakeholders the most popular one was to plant mixed forests which would meet economic and social demands of local population in collection of wild fruits and berries as well as medicinal plants
Tugay Forest Rehabilitation Meeting
12
Home at Last Tusheti Protected Landscape Officially Under Local Control
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
For the first time since before the Soviet era local officials can manage and protect the forest based on local needs
GOOD GOVERNANCE COLUMN
In September of 2014 the Georgian Gov-ernment officially transferred control of the Tusheti Protected Landscape to the Akhmeta municipality It is the first case of decentral-izing forest management in Georgia and the first time forests in Tusheti have been under local control since the beginning of the So-viet period in Georgia in 1921
13
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Tusheti Protected Landscape is an ecological wonder located on the Northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains in Georgia It is classified as a category V pro-tected area by IUCN which means it is a unique place where the in-teraction of people and nature over time has produced an area of dis-tinct character with significant eco-logical biological cultural and sce-nic value and where safeguarding the integrity of this interaction is vital to protecting and sustaining the area and its associated nature conservation and other values
With the centralized and uncertain authority over the forest during much of the last 100 years the forests in the Tusheti Protected Landscape were not receiving the management or sil-vicultural attention they needed Local people were unable to get clear direction on how to legally and sustainably meet their local forest needs especially with regard to obtaining legal firewood and timber
Local control in Tusheti forests is a way to sustainably meet local forest needs and provide employment for local people in forest management tourism and recreation said Merab Matchavariani National Forestry Consultant for FLEG II program in Georgia who is develop-ing the methodology for forest management in the Tusheti Protected Landscape The local administration is working hard to undertake all the necessary measures to establish proper forest management so it will be able to meet the primary objectives of ensuring the integrity of forest ecosystems and their ecological stability over the long run
14
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
With the legal transfer of authority now in place the Tusheti Protected Landscape Admin-istration can enhance forestry personnel undertake forest inventory elaborate a forest management plan and establish a transparent and sustainable system of harvesting and supply of forest products to meet local needs The Administration will also be responsible for undertaking all the necessary measures in consideration of its Protected Area status including forest fire control and proper management of pests and diseases
This year in Georgia FLEG II is working across three main pillars of work assessing forest management in protected areas supporting locally controlled forestry and assessing the extent of human dependency on nature (HDN) in forested landscapes For more information please contact Marika Kavtarishvili from IUCN Caucasus Cooperation Center at marikakavtarishviliiucnorg
Tusheti is both a beautiful place with tremen-dous natural value and a place where peo-ple depend on the land for their livelihoods said Marika Kavtarishvili FLEG II country program coordinator for IUCN Georgia and a native of the Tusheti region This transition to local control can help both the forest and the people living there and a lot of work has gone into it from both the national and local levels to make sure it does
The FLEG II Program has been working with all parties to provide the technical expertise required at various stages of the process Until recently the goal was to register the Tusheti Protected Landscape as a lsquoForest of Local Significancersquo to complete the transi-tion to local control (see Preparing the final mile in historic handover of Georgian for-est protection to local control on the FLEG website) but over the summer authorities identified a more direct way The Georgian Government amended two forest laws al-lowing the Tusheti Protected Landscape to remain within the government controlled forest system called the State Forest Fund but under the management of the Akhmeta municipality through its Tusheti Protected Landscape Administration
15
ENPI East and Central Asian Countries Regional Conference
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
EVENTS
Senior-level participants from the ENPI East and Central Asian regions met in Tbilisi Georgia on 9 July 2014 to discuss progress in implementing the Saint Petersburg Declaration on Forest Law Enforcement and Governance in Europe and North Asia (ENA-FLEG Declaration November 25 2005)
Ten of the forty-four signatories to the Declaration were present The meeting was organized by the FLEG II Program which is funded by the EU and implemented by the World Bank WWF and IUCN The meeting was co-chaired by Mathieu Bousquet from the European Commission and Tuukka Castreacuten from the World Bank
16
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
During the meeting nine years of progress and substantive achieve-ments in fulfilling the ENA-FLEG Declaration commitments at national and regional levels were reviewed Recommendations for future action were also developed focusing in particular on opportunities for regional and international cooperation
Participants recognized that the is-sues and challenges identified in the ENA-FLEG Declaration are still relevant At the same time the en-vironment we work in has changed Issues such as climate change higher demand for wood energy wood products and forest services inter-sectoral linkages and recog-nition of the green economy have modified the landscape Initiatives such as the EU Timber regulation (EUTR) the Lacey Act the Russian Roundwood Act Forest Europe and a number of revised forest codes in signatory countries have signif-icantly changed institutional and legal frameworks at international and national levels
For futher details (photos presentations) see FLEG II Program website wwwenpi-flegorg
17
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia
In the framework of celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia on September 26 Ilia Osepashvili FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for WWF in Georgia presented existing perspectives challenges and solutions on the way towards forest certification
WWF-Caucasus Programme Office in Tbilisi organized the meeting aiming to highlight the importance of FSC-based voluntary for-est certification and relevant perspectives in Georgia The meeting was attended by representatives of WWF offices in Georgia Armenia Azerbaijan Germany and Russia
More information about FSC Friday can be found here wwwfscfridayorg
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an in-ternational non-profit organization dedicated to promoting responsible forestry FSC certi-fies forests all over the world to ensure they meet the highest environmental and social standards FSC Friday is a global celebration of the worlds forests and aims to highlight the importance of responsible forest man-agement Every year schools businesses individuals forest ownersmanagers and other organizations around the world get involved in spreading the word about FSC and responsible forestry
18
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
On July 3 the Telekritika a popular Ukranian website about media announced the results of the competition sponsored by FLEG II
Olena Sereda journalist of the newspaper Business won the highest award in the competition for her article that focused on issues that affect the development of the Ukrainian forest industry It also covered the roundtables conducted by the FLEG II program with the new leadership of the state forest agency Olena Sereda
Mykhail Popkov Yulia Zelinska Iryna Fedoriv
Iryna Fedoriv who was a winner in 2011 for a series of stories on protection of the forest on the border of the town of Kotsyubynske and Kyiv was given a special award mdash for five years of social work directed to returning the forest to the community and for her important contribution to the creation of the branch of Holosyivsky National Park Bilychansky Forest
Other winners included an article about financial irregularities in the State Forestry Agency and two journalistic investigations into corruption schemes concerning communal and state forests in Mykolayiv Oblast and near Kyiv (the journalists are still investigating)
The competition lasted from February to May 2014 Each judge of the competition all well-known journalists and foresters allotted the marks on their own Ratings of participants were then determined based on the total score Those rated first received top prizes
Yuri Rybachuk Inna Kuznetsova
Ukraine Journalists win prizes in Forestry Media Competition
19
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
The jury received some 100 materials aired or published between July 1 2013 and May 31 2014 in Ukrainian media The 25 most exciting works were posted on the Telekritika website with the payment of fees to the authors and all works without exception were posted for general access on the site of FLEG II program
Foresters gain insight and confidence on Round Timber Regulations
FLEG II organized a training on the implementation of Wood Tracking System through Supply Chain
The first training on the Round Timber Reg-ulations and Manual was organized on 4 and 5 October in Goris Armenia with participants from Vayots Dzor Sisian Kapan and Goris Forest Enterprises
Mykhail Popkov
As envisaged in the FLEG II Program Arme-nia Country Workplan the training covered the theory and practical implementation of the new timber regulations
Competition judges Inna Kuznetsova editor of the Kyiv office of Ra-dio Liberty and Yuri Rybachuk editor of the weekly Comments said We are journalists and therefore our prime interest is journalistic investigations as the most dangerous genre so we opted for them
Mykhailo Popkov an expert of program FLEG II (EІSPSkhid 2) and editor of Ukranian For-ester website suggested that next year the contest should include a special nomination for foresters who alongside with journalists communicate and explain forest issues to the public
20
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
They were drafted in 2011 and recently ap-proved by the state authorities and made mandatory for application The regulations cover using wood marking hammers per-sonal stamps numbered labels and staplers with needles and tapes in order to monitor wood movement in the supply chain
The training was delivered over two days in three groups each comprising of up to 20 participants The first day of the training was dedicated exploring and explaining the Regulation and the Manual through Power Point Presentations lively discussions and QA sessions At the end of the day the par-ticipants completed a test on the obtained knowledge
The second day of the training was a prac-tical hands on implementation of the re-quirements of the Regulation in the forest The trainer demonstrated the technique ex-plained the procedures and asked each of the participants to perform different elements of the process
The foresters involved were given the op-portunity to raise all kinds of questions of concern during the practical application and received guidance on further steps
Itrsquos always better to see rather than read and try to make your own assumptions Now that both the theoretical and practical parts of the process are learned we are more confident with the new system one of the participants said after the training
21
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Day of Forester in Georgia This year Georgia revived the tradition of celebrating annual Day of Forester FLEG II Program took part in the event
The Day of Forester was established in Georgia in 1999 Foresters from all over the country used to gather on 10th of October to celebrate their professional day However it has not been observed for many years
This fall the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia (MENRP) together with National Forest Agency (NFA) revived the tradition and organized a special event for marking the professional day of Georgian foresters It was touching not only for the foresters but for everybody who cares for the environment MENRP hosted a reception and an award ceremony About hundred participants attended the event including donors NGOs academia media and foresters from all over the country
Elguja Khokrishvili Minister of Environment made opening re-marks followed by a brief presentation on key achievement in forestry sector Levan Tabutsidze Head of NFA expressed special gratitude to the international donor community and civil society for valuable support provided for forestry sector develop-ment in Georgia He delivered an overview of ongoing projects and programs including FLEG II
Fourteen foresters from various regions of Georgia were awarded for their valuable con-tribution to the development of forestry sector The Minister handed over certificates and souvenirs crafted for the occasion A special prize for the Best Forester of the Year was awarded to Marine Sujashvili Deputy Head Department of Forest Maintenance of and Restoration NFA
October 10 2014 was a remarkable day encouraging foresters supporting their professional growth and raising public awareness
22
What is FLEG II
How did FLEG come about
wwwenpi-flegorg
FLEG II is the regional European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II Program Its objective is to promote sustainable forest governance management and protection of forests in Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The programrsquos work helps to promote the contribution of the regionrsquos forests to climate change adaptation and mitiga-tion to ecosystems and biodiversity protection and to sustainable livelihoods and income sources for local populations and national economies
In 2005 representatives of 44 governments signed the St Petersburg Declaration com-mitting themselves to address illegal logging and improve forest governance Momentum towards strengthening forest law enforcement and governance in the ENPI region grew when in 2008 the EC the World Bank WWF and IUCN teamed up to implement the first ENPI FLEG Program (2008ndash2012 6 million EUR)
The ENPI Forest Law Enforcement and Governance II (FLEG II) Program (2012ndash2016 9 million EUR) builds on the first ENPI FLEG I Program to support good forest governance sustainable forest management and forest protection in the ENPI East region
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
23
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Which Organisations are the FLEG II Programrsquos Donors and Implementers
FLEG II is funded by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
What are the Specific Objectives of the FLEG II Project
The FLEG II Program has three specific Program Development Objectives
bull make progress implementing the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration in the participating countries and support the participating countries commit to a time-bound action plan to ensure its implementation and follow-up activities (regional level)
bull review or revise (or establish a time-bound action plan to review or revise) forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance (including the impact of related EU regulations) in the participating countries (national level) and
bull test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis in all partici-pating countries (sub-national level)
How FLEG II Program is implementedWithin the FLEG II Program there is an overall Program Management Team (PMT) consist-ing of one member from each of the three Implementing Organizations (IOs) The PMT is responsible for the overall planning guidance and implementation of the Program
The Steering Committee (SC) includes a representative from each Participating Country the World Bank (WB) IUCN WWF and the European Commission The SC meets at least annually to discuss the Programrsquos progress and approve country workplans and it is re-sponsible for providing advice on policy and strategic directions of the Program The World Bank and EC co- chair the SC and decisions are taken by consensus
24
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
At the country level each country has a Country Program Coordination Team (PCT) which is made up of one member from each of the three IOs
Also each country has a National Program Advisory Committee (NPAC) which provides guidance to the PCT The NPACs generally consist of eight members (1 FLEG National Focal Point 2 representatives from key government institutions 3 representatives from key NGOs 1 representative from the European Commission and 1 representative of the country PCT) The NPACrsquos role is to provide guidance to the IOrsquos on the development planning implementation monitoring and evaluation of the Program activities at the national and sub-national levels in each participating country
If you would like any more information or have any comments on any aspect of the FLEG II Program please send them by e-mail to the Communication Team
Feedback
Mark Gnadt markgnadtiucnorg Gera Voskanyan gvoskanyanwwfcaucasusorg Carol Howard carolhowardenpi-flegorg
25
EUROPEAN COMMISSION The European Union is the worldrsquos largest donor of official development assistance EuropeAid Development and Cooperation a Directorate General of the European Commission is responsible for designing European development policy and delivering aid throughout the world EuropeAid delivers aid through a set of financial instruments with a focus on ensuring the quality of EU aid and its effectiveness An active and proactive player in the development field EuropeAid promotes good governance human and economic development and tackle universal issues such as fighting hunger and preserving natural resourceshttpeceuropaeuindex_enhtm
WORLD BANKThe World Bank Group is one of the worldrsquos largest sources of knowledge and funding for its 188 member-countries The organizations that make up the World Bank Group are owned by the governments of member nations which have the ultimate decision-making power within the organizations on all matters including policy financial or membership issues The World Bank Group comprises five closely associated institutions the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) which together form the World Bank the International Finance Corporation (IFC) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Each institution plays a distinct role in the World Bank Grouprsquos mission to end extreme poverty by decreasing the percentage of people living on less than $125 a day to no more than 3 percent and promote shared prosperity by fostering the income growth of the bottom 40 percent for every country For additional information please visithttpwwwworldbankorg httpwwwifcorg httpwwwmigaorg
IUCNIUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges IUCNrsquos work focuses on valuing and conserving nature ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate food and development IUCN supports scientific research manages field projects all over the world and brings governments NGOs the UN and companies together to develop policy laws and best practice IUCN is the worldrsquos oldest and largest global environmental organisation with more than 1200 government and NGO members and almost 11000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries IUCNrsquos work is supported by over 1000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public NGO and private sectors around the worldwwwiucnorg
WWFWWF is one of the worldrsquos largest and most respected independent conservation organizations with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries WWFrsquos mission is to stop the degradation of the planetrsquos natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by conserving the worldrsquos biological diversity ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumptionwwwpandaorg
About ENPI FLEG Program
Project Partners
The Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Program supports participating countriesrsquo forest governance At the regional level the Program aims to implement the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration and support countries to commit to a time-bound action plan at the national level the Program will review or revise forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures and improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance in the participating countries and at the sub-national (local) level the Program will test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis Participating countries include Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The Program is funded by the European Union httpwwwenpi-flegorg
wwwenpi-flegorg 26
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
YOUNG FORESTERS CORNER
Young Foresters of Azerbaijan initiate new era in the preservation of countryrsquos forests
The FLEG II Program init iated the young forester movement in Azerbaijan to promote knowledge of forestry and sustainable forest management
Azerbaijan is a beautiful country featuring diverse landscapes and a home to rich bio-diversity Although the forests amount only 11 of Azerbaijani land many communities heavily depend on them
The Republican Center on Ecological Ed-ucation and Practice under the Ministry of Education along with the FLEG II Program has been able to mobilize youth as well as educational and forestry specialists in the forest-dependent communities The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources provided support through its affiliated forestry enter-prises on the ground
3
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
There was a high interest to the formation of school-based young forester unions The first brigades were established in the secondary schools of Gakh Gusari Ismailli and a number of other forest regions of Azerbaijan More requests have been received from Astara Lankaran and many other districts This led to creation of a tutorial School of the Young Foresters followed by trainings and round tables for the teachers and school students which revived public interest in forest preservation
The FLEG II Program has been able to involve major ecological organizations such as IDEA (International Dialogue for Environmental Action) to support initiatives of young foresters of Azerbaijan
More information on young forester activities in Azerbaijan is available at wwwenpi-flegaz
Young Forester from Azerbaijan wins at International Junior Forest Contest
Vusala Suleymanova won the 3rd place at the International Junior Forest Contest in Saint Petersburg Russia
Earlier the Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan launched nation-wide Young Forester Con-tests The winners young foresters from the Gakh city secondary school became the first participants from Azerbaijan to take part in international junior forestry contests held in the Russian Federation Passionate and dedicated students impressed both the jury and international participants with their academic knowledge and practical skills
4
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
After winning Vusula said that she would like to initiate an inter-national young forester event in Azerbaijan This event would com-plement the international summer camp for young foresters which the FLEG II Program together with the Republican Center of Ecolog-ical Education and Practice have already agreed to organize in Gakh district of Azerbaijan in 2015
5
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Hundreds come out to Celebrate Moldovarsquos Beech Forest Heritage
In Ungheni District Moldova hundreds of people came together to celebrate Moldovarsquos valuable natural heritage Beech Forest Nature Reserve during the annual Beech Festival Culture and Tourism Event
Attendees enjoyed local food arts music and educational events promoting the forest and the culture and folklore of the people who live there
It was amazing to see so many people celebrating the forest heritage and all that it means to them said Aurel Lozan the FLEG II national coordinator and program consultant This forest is a hot-spot for biodiversity and one of the eastern-most stands of the beech a sym-bolic species of the area
Local craftsmen showcased wood carving and other wood works and artists exhibited a va-riety of artwork at the festival FLEG sponsored an art contest and joined with the nature reserve to sponsor a food contest of dishes prepared from local non-timber forest products such as mushrooms fruits honey and medicinal herbs
The event is another occasion for local communities to promote their traditions said Gali-na Norocea a senior consultant with the Moldova Ministry of Environment Norocea went on to explain how the festival can help the conservation of the beech tree through better promotion of the beech in the culture of locals as well as of the ecological significance of it as species
The FLEG II Program also helped organize a number of events to educate participants and local leaders on the value of forests challenges facing them and economic opportunities that come from sustainable healthy forests FLEG II took part in a field discussion with the main stakeholders gathered in the area including representatives from the Ministry of En-vironment Agency Moldsilva Nature Reserve local public administrations of surrounding villages and communities and members of the media
6
Assessing Forest Dependency in Eastern Europe
wwwenpi-flegorg
Belarus basket
Consultant MSLazareva holds a hand-made wicker basket given to her by this couple in Belarus after she surveyed them for the forest dependency study The forest provides this community with heating mushrooms berries and other forest products and is also a source of raw materials for making wicker and other goods mainly for personal use
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
In a land with communities as diverse as its politics and landscapes FLEG II Program undertook a survey that attempts to quantify human dependency on forests
Over the last four months consultants have walked from house to house in rural areas of Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine to complete surveys of over 1250 households in forest communities The goal of the study is not only to quantify how people rely on forests but also to help determine whether that reli-ance is sustainable into the future and why
FORESTRY CONSULTATION
7
People in Eastern Europe have been living in and around forests for count-less generations and have their own unique relationship with the forest said Richard Aishton FLEG II Program Coordinator for the International Un-ion for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
wwwenpi-flegorg
Tatev Village Armenia
The village of Tatev is surrounded by forest in the high plains of south eastern Armenia 1610 meters above sea level Pensioners make up one-third of the population and residents of all ages make use of the forest for fuel wood wild vegetables carnelian cherry walnut blackberry wild rose berry strawberry and medical plants
Under direction from Bakkegaard and FLEG II country program coordinators consultants in the seven countries carried out the surveys between May and August of 2014 With the ground work complete Bakkegaard and other con-sultants are compiling and analysing the results of the survey now and expect to release them at the FLEG II Forest Dependency Workshop October 28-30 2014 The final report will be available for peer review in the following months
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
We hope this study will be valuable not only to the local and national of-ficials as they set and enforce forest policy that directly impacts these peo-ple but also to larger efforts to better understand the human dependency on nature no matter where we live
We worked hard to prepare and im-plement this work and the sample has already given us very useful results said Riyong Kim Bakkegaard IUCN Consultant coordinating work on the survey
By compiling the data from the seven countries FLEG II hopes to answer many questions among thembull What value does the forest have to these communitiesbull What forest-related products are significantbull Who in particular is most dependent on the forestbull How do these communities use the forest For example as a safety net
For current consumptionbull Why do they use the forestbull What are the implications of their relationship with the forestbull How does this relationship factor in or relate to national and regional forest
policy To climate resilient development
8
Are Azerbaijanrsquos Ancient Forest Communities Ready for Climate Change
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
While ancient culture stil l thrives in Lahij Azerbaijan the forests around the village have been degraded and the effects of climate change are becoming more evident FLEG II is assessing these impacts and how ready the village is to adapt to the changing climate
Stepping past the wood-fired bread oven in the sandstone courtyard into the cool shade of one of the many generations-old coppersmith workshops in Lahij Azerbaijan you are likely to find museum-quality copper goblets sitting alongside dozens more on shelves and in well-worn niches in the stone walls In these ground floor workshops under thousand-year-old homes villagers still speak the local Lahiji language a version of Tati spoken by only a few thousand people and proudly trace their connections to the court of the legendary Shah Kay Khosrow who vacationed in the village a millennium ago
Its ancient language and medieval streets arts and even sewers have withstood the test of time but how ready is the village to adapt to a changing climate
Until recently little has been done to understand the impacts of climate change on Azerbaijanrsquos forest communities such as Lahij Like in many other forest communities in Eastern Europe unregulated tourism illegal grazing and logging and a warming climate have taken a toll on the resources Lahijrsquos residents use for food medicine and firewood
What impacts of climate change are already evident How ready are these com-munities to adapt What can local residents and governments do to mitigate the impacts on their communities Those are some of the questions Bariz Mehdiyev is trying to answer for the Forest Law Enforcement and Governance program (FLEG II) through a series of surveys in forest communities in Azerbaijan
We are working to get an idea of how local authorities and local communities understand climate change its negative impact to forest areas and climate change adaptation and mitigation said Mehdiyev
9
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Forest communities and forest beneficiaries should understand both the economic and social aspects of climate change impacts such as how long lasting hot days during the summer season can lead to lsquoheat stressesrsquo and increased fire cases said Azer Garayev ENPI East FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) a FLEG II project partner organization We hope this project will give us a better understanding of what people in Azerbaijanrsquos forest communities know and donrsquot yet know about how climate change could impact them and what they can do about it
For more details go to enpi-flegorg
A tourist destination in Azerbaijan welcomes sustainable recreation in its forest territories Zitta Hasanova FLEG II Programrsquos Forestry Recreation Research Consultant in Azerbai jan researched into opportunit ies of ecological tourism in one of the hottest tourist ic spots in Azerbai jan mdash Gusar distr ict
Eco Tourism Meeting in Gusar
Gusar district is distinguished by its fascinating forest landscapes abundance of pure springs and beneficial climate Gusar is also of a high historical value there are many historical monuments in the villages including old mosques and museums
During her trip to the pilot regions in August 2014 Zitta Hasanova met with a wide spectrum of stake-holders from the state Forest Rehabilitation and Protection Enterprise (FRPE) state Tourist and Culture department local executive authorities and forest-dependent communities
The concluding roundtable held in the Museum of the Local History of Gusari city revealed a high stakeholder interest towards the development of ecological tourism Participants reaffirmed their readiness to be active in implementation of re-spective activities
10
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Stakeholders discussed progress of TEEB Scoping Study and FSCrsquos potential in Azerbaijan
TEEB Scoping Study Meeting
At a recent meeting Rovshan Abbasov FLEG II Programrsquos WWF Consultant on TEEB scoping study presented preliminary outcomes of his study to the stakeholders to obtain their feedback
Forests of Azerbaijan have significant ecosystem services and it is very important to evaluate their economic social and cultural services said Mr Abbasov Experts concluded that the major threats of sustainable forests are illegal timber production non-sustainable tourism and overgrazing which could be solved by improving forest governance
The second part of the meeting was dedicated to the Voluntary Forest Certification and the Principles and Criteria of FSC potential in Azerbaijan which were presented by an FSC expert Mr Vasili Gerasimov Participants finalized the discussions with the FSC-certification prospective for Azerbaijani forestry sector
The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) is a worldwide initiative aimed to draw attention to the economic benefits of biodiversity including the growing cost of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation TEEB presents an approach that can help decision-makers recognize demonstrate and capture the values of ecosystem services and biodiversity
The meeting brought together governmen-tal officials leading ecological NGOs and scholars as well as international organiza-tions The comments and suggestions of the participants will be incorporated into the final report of the TEEB study
11
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Round tables in pilot regions helped outline forest rehabilitation techniques
Allahverdi Dolkhanov FLEG II Program IUCN Tugay forest rehabilitation Consultant in Azerbaijan held meetings and roundtables in the 8 districts located in Kura-Araz lowland and Ganja-Gazakh regions in August 2014
These districts used to have vast areas of valuable riparian Tugay forests These forests are highly sensitive to changes in water supply and rapidly decline under anthropogenic pressure
In the past exactly this zone was a home to the large Tugay forestland in the country The aim of the meetings was to assess the current status of Tugay forests and discuss with the participants existing and possible Tugay forest rehabilitation techniques
Participants representing local foresters forestry enterprises authorities local communities and media elaborated on the effectiveness of past and present methods and approaches applied for restoration of former Tugay forests Out of various ideas proposed by the stakeholders the most popular one was to plant mixed forests which would meet economic and social demands of local population in collection of wild fruits and berries as well as medicinal plants
Tugay Forest Rehabilitation Meeting
12
Home at Last Tusheti Protected Landscape Officially Under Local Control
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
For the first time since before the Soviet era local officials can manage and protect the forest based on local needs
GOOD GOVERNANCE COLUMN
In September of 2014 the Georgian Gov-ernment officially transferred control of the Tusheti Protected Landscape to the Akhmeta municipality It is the first case of decentral-izing forest management in Georgia and the first time forests in Tusheti have been under local control since the beginning of the So-viet period in Georgia in 1921
13
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Tusheti Protected Landscape is an ecological wonder located on the Northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains in Georgia It is classified as a category V pro-tected area by IUCN which means it is a unique place where the in-teraction of people and nature over time has produced an area of dis-tinct character with significant eco-logical biological cultural and sce-nic value and where safeguarding the integrity of this interaction is vital to protecting and sustaining the area and its associated nature conservation and other values
With the centralized and uncertain authority over the forest during much of the last 100 years the forests in the Tusheti Protected Landscape were not receiving the management or sil-vicultural attention they needed Local people were unable to get clear direction on how to legally and sustainably meet their local forest needs especially with regard to obtaining legal firewood and timber
Local control in Tusheti forests is a way to sustainably meet local forest needs and provide employment for local people in forest management tourism and recreation said Merab Matchavariani National Forestry Consultant for FLEG II program in Georgia who is develop-ing the methodology for forest management in the Tusheti Protected Landscape The local administration is working hard to undertake all the necessary measures to establish proper forest management so it will be able to meet the primary objectives of ensuring the integrity of forest ecosystems and their ecological stability over the long run
14
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
With the legal transfer of authority now in place the Tusheti Protected Landscape Admin-istration can enhance forestry personnel undertake forest inventory elaborate a forest management plan and establish a transparent and sustainable system of harvesting and supply of forest products to meet local needs The Administration will also be responsible for undertaking all the necessary measures in consideration of its Protected Area status including forest fire control and proper management of pests and diseases
This year in Georgia FLEG II is working across three main pillars of work assessing forest management in protected areas supporting locally controlled forestry and assessing the extent of human dependency on nature (HDN) in forested landscapes For more information please contact Marika Kavtarishvili from IUCN Caucasus Cooperation Center at marikakavtarishviliiucnorg
Tusheti is both a beautiful place with tremen-dous natural value and a place where peo-ple depend on the land for their livelihoods said Marika Kavtarishvili FLEG II country program coordinator for IUCN Georgia and a native of the Tusheti region This transition to local control can help both the forest and the people living there and a lot of work has gone into it from both the national and local levels to make sure it does
The FLEG II Program has been working with all parties to provide the technical expertise required at various stages of the process Until recently the goal was to register the Tusheti Protected Landscape as a lsquoForest of Local Significancersquo to complete the transi-tion to local control (see Preparing the final mile in historic handover of Georgian for-est protection to local control on the FLEG website) but over the summer authorities identified a more direct way The Georgian Government amended two forest laws al-lowing the Tusheti Protected Landscape to remain within the government controlled forest system called the State Forest Fund but under the management of the Akhmeta municipality through its Tusheti Protected Landscape Administration
15
ENPI East and Central Asian Countries Regional Conference
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
EVENTS
Senior-level participants from the ENPI East and Central Asian regions met in Tbilisi Georgia on 9 July 2014 to discuss progress in implementing the Saint Petersburg Declaration on Forest Law Enforcement and Governance in Europe and North Asia (ENA-FLEG Declaration November 25 2005)
Ten of the forty-four signatories to the Declaration were present The meeting was organized by the FLEG II Program which is funded by the EU and implemented by the World Bank WWF and IUCN The meeting was co-chaired by Mathieu Bousquet from the European Commission and Tuukka Castreacuten from the World Bank
16
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
During the meeting nine years of progress and substantive achieve-ments in fulfilling the ENA-FLEG Declaration commitments at national and regional levels were reviewed Recommendations for future action were also developed focusing in particular on opportunities for regional and international cooperation
Participants recognized that the is-sues and challenges identified in the ENA-FLEG Declaration are still relevant At the same time the en-vironment we work in has changed Issues such as climate change higher demand for wood energy wood products and forest services inter-sectoral linkages and recog-nition of the green economy have modified the landscape Initiatives such as the EU Timber regulation (EUTR) the Lacey Act the Russian Roundwood Act Forest Europe and a number of revised forest codes in signatory countries have signif-icantly changed institutional and legal frameworks at international and national levels
For futher details (photos presentations) see FLEG II Program website wwwenpi-flegorg
17
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia
In the framework of celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia on September 26 Ilia Osepashvili FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for WWF in Georgia presented existing perspectives challenges and solutions on the way towards forest certification
WWF-Caucasus Programme Office in Tbilisi organized the meeting aiming to highlight the importance of FSC-based voluntary for-est certification and relevant perspectives in Georgia The meeting was attended by representatives of WWF offices in Georgia Armenia Azerbaijan Germany and Russia
More information about FSC Friday can be found here wwwfscfridayorg
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an in-ternational non-profit organization dedicated to promoting responsible forestry FSC certi-fies forests all over the world to ensure they meet the highest environmental and social standards FSC Friday is a global celebration of the worlds forests and aims to highlight the importance of responsible forest man-agement Every year schools businesses individuals forest ownersmanagers and other organizations around the world get involved in spreading the word about FSC and responsible forestry
18
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
On July 3 the Telekritika a popular Ukranian website about media announced the results of the competition sponsored by FLEG II
Olena Sereda journalist of the newspaper Business won the highest award in the competition for her article that focused on issues that affect the development of the Ukrainian forest industry It also covered the roundtables conducted by the FLEG II program with the new leadership of the state forest agency Olena Sereda
Mykhail Popkov Yulia Zelinska Iryna Fedoriv
Iryna Fedoriv who was a winner in 2011 for a series of stories on protection of the forest on the border of the town of Kotsyubynske and Kyiv was given a special award mdash for five years of social work directed to returning the forest to the community and for her important contribution to the creation of the branch of Holosyivsky National Park Bilychansky Forest
Other winners included an article about financial irregularities in the State Forestry Agency and two journalistic investigations into corruption schemes concerning communal and state forests in Mykolayiv Oblast and near Kyiv (the journalists are still investigating)
The competition lasted from February to May 2014 Each judge of the competition all well-known journalists and foresters allotted the marks on their own Ratings of participants were then determined based on the total score Those rated first received top prizes
Yuri Rybachuk Inna Kuznetsova
Ukraine Journalists win prizes in Forestry Media Competition
19
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
The jury received some 100 materials aired or published between July 1 2013 and May 31 2014 in Ukrainian media The 25 most exciting works were posted on the Telekritika website with the payment of fees to the authors and all works without exception were posted for general access on the site of FLEG II program
Foresters gain insight and confidence on Round Timber Regulations
FLEG II organized a training on the implementation of Wood Tracking System through Supply Chain
The first training on the Round Timber Reg-ulations and Manual was organized on 4 and 5 October in Goris Armenia with participants from Vayots Dzor Sisian Kapan and Goris Forest Enterprises
Mykhail Popkov
As envisaged in the FLEG II Program Arme-nia Country Workplan the training covered the theory and practical implementation of the new timber regulations
Competition judges Inna Kuznetsova editor of the Kyiv office of Ra-dio Liberty and Yuri Rybachuk editor of the weekly Comments said We are journalists and therefore our prime interest is journalistic investigations as the most dangerous genre so we opted for them
Mykhailo Popkov an expert of program FLEG II (EІSPSkhid 2) and editor of Ukranian For-ester website suggested that next year the contest should include a special nomination for foresters who alongside with journalists communicate and explain forest issues to the public
20
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
They were drafted in 2011 and recently ap-proved by the state authorities and made mandatory for application The regulations cover using wood marking hammers per-sonal stamps numbered labels and staplers with needles and tapes in order to monitor wood movement in the supply chain
The training was delivered over two days in three groups each comprising of up to 20 participants The first day of the training was dedicated exploring and explaining the Regulation and the Manual through Power Point Presentations lively discussions and QA sessions At the end of the day the par-ticipants completed a test on the obtained knowledge
The second day of the training was a prac-tical hands on implementation of the re-quirements of the Regulation in the forest The trainer demonstrated the technique ex-plained the procedures and asked each of the participants to perform different elements of the process
The foresters involved were given the op-portunity to raise all kinds of questions of concern during the practical application and received guidance on further steps
Itrsquos always better to see rather than read and try to make your own assumptions Now that both the theoretical and practical parts of the process are learned we are more confident with the new system one of the participants said after the training
21
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Day of Forester in Georgia This year Georgia revived the tradition of celebrating annual Day of Forester FLEG II Program took part in the event
The Day of Forester was established in Georgia in 1999 Foresters from all over the country used to gather on 10th of October to celebrate their professional day However it has not been observed for many years
This fall the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia (MENRP) together with National Forest Agency (NFA) revived the tradition and organized a special event for marking the professional day of Georgian foresters It was touching not only for the foresters but for everybody who cares for the environment MENRP hosted a reception and an award ceremony About hundred participants attended the event including donors NGOs academia media and foresters from all over the country
Elguja Khokrishvili Minister of Environment made opening re-marks followed by a brief presentation on key achievement in forestry sector Levan Tabutsidze Head of NFA expressed special gratitude to the international donor community and civil society for valuable support provided for forestry sector develop-ment in Georgia He delivered an overview of ongoing projects and programs including FLEG II
Fourteen foresters from various regions of Georgia were awarded for their valuable con-tribution to the development of forestry sector The Minister handed over certificates and souvenirs crafted for the occasion A special prize for the Best Forester of the Year was awarded to Marine Sujashvili Deputy Head Department of Forest Maintenance of and Restoration NFA
October 10 2014 was a remarkable day encouraging foresters supporting their professional growth and raising public awareness
22
What is FLEG II
How did FLEG come about
wwwenpi-flegorg
FLEG II is the regional European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II Program Its objective is to promote sustainable forest governance management and protection of forests in Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The programrsquos work helps to promote the contribution of the regionrsquos forests to climate change adaptation and mitiga-tion to ecosystems and biodiversity protection and to sustainable livelihoods and income sources for local populations and national economies
In 2005 representatives of 44 governments signed the St Petersburg Declaration com-mitting themselves to address illegal logging and improve forest governance Momentum towards strengthening forest law enforcement and governance in the ENPI region grew when in 2008 the EC the World Bank WWF and IUCN teamed up to implement the first ENPI FLEG Program (2008ndash2012 6 million EUR)
The ENPI Forest Law Enforcement and Governance II (FLEG II) Program (2012ndash2016 9 million EUR) builds on the first ENPI FLEG I Program to support good forest governance sustainable forest management and forest protection in the ENPI East region
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
23
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Which Organisations are the FLEG II Programrsquos Donors and Implementers
FLEG II is funded by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
What are the Specific Objectives of the FLEG II Project
The FLEG II Program has three specific Program Development Objectives
bull make progress implementing the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration in the participating countries and support the participating countries commit to a time-bound action plan to ensure its implementation and follow-up activities (regional level)
bull review or revise (or establish a time-bound action plan to review or revise) forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance (including the impact of related EU regulations) in the participating countries (national level) and
bull test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis in all partici-pating countries (sub-national level)
How FLEG II Program is implementedWithin the FLEG II Program there is an overall Program Management Team (PMT) consist-ing of one member from each of the three Implementing Organizations (IOs) The PMT is responsible for the overall planning guidance and implementation of the Program
The Steering Committee (SC) includes a representative from each Participating Country the World Bank (WB) IUCN WWF and the European Commission The SC meets at least annually to discuss the Programrsquos progress and approve country workplans and it is re-sponsible for providing advice on policy and strategic directions of the Program The World Bank and EC co- chair the SC and decisions are taken by consensus
24
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
At the country level each country has a Country Program Coordination Team (PCT) which is made up of one member from each of the three IOs
Also each country has a National Program Advisory Committee (NPAC) which provides guidance to the PCT The NPACs generally consist of eight members (1 FLEG National Focal Point 2 representatives from key government institutions 3 representatives from key NGOs 1 representative from the European Commission and 1 representative of the country PCT) The NPACrsquos role is to provide guidance to the IOrsquos on the development planning implementation monitoring and evaluation of the Program activities at the national and sub-national levels in each participating country
If you would like any more information or have any comments on any aspect of the FLEG II Program please send them by e-mail to the Communication Team
Feedback
Mark Gnadt markgnadtiucnorg Gera Voskanyan gvoskanyanwwfcaucasusorg Carol Howard carolhowardenpi-flegorg
25
EUROPEAN COMMISSION The European Union is the worldrsquos largest donor of official development assistance EuropeAid Development and Cooperation a Directorate General of the European Commission is responsible for designing European development policy and delivering aid throughout the world EuropeAid delivers aid through a set of financial instruments with a focus on ensuring the quality of EU aid and its effectiveness An active and proactive player in the development field EuropeAid promotes good governance human and economic development and tackle universal issues such as fighting hunger and preserving natural resourceshttpeceuropaeuindex_enhtm
WORLD BANKThe World Bank Group is one of the worldrsquos largest sources of knowledge and funding for its 188 member-countries The organizations that make up the World Bank Group are owned by the governments of member nations which have the ultimate decision-making power within the organizations on all matters including policy financial or membership issues The World Bank Group comprises five closely associated institutions the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) which together form the World Bank the International Finance Corporation (IFC) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Each institution plays a distinct role in the World Bank Grouprsquos mission to end extreme poverty by decreasing the percentage of people living on less than $125 a day to no more than 3 percent and promote shared prosperity by fostering the income growth of the bottom 40 percent for every country For additional information please visithttpwwwworldbankorg httpwwwifcorg httpwwwmigaorg
IUCNIUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges IUCNrsquos work focuses on valuing and conserving nature ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate food and development IUCN supports scientific research manages field projects all over the world and brings governments NGOs the UN and companies together to develop policy laws and best practice IUCN is the worldrsquos oldest and largest global environmental organisation with more than 1200 government and NGO members and almost 11000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries IUCNrsquos work is supported by over 1000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public NGO and private sectors around the worldwwwiucnorg
WWFWWF is one of the worldrsquos largest and most respected independent conservation organizations with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries WWFrsquos mission is to stop the degradation of the planetrsquos natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by conserving the worldrsquos biological diversity ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumptionwwwpandaorg
About ENPI FLEG Program
Project Partners
The Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Program supports participating countriesrsquo forest governance At the regional level the Program aims to implement the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration and support countries to commit to a time-bound action plan at the national level the Program will review or revise forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures and improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance in the participating countries and at the sub-national (local) level the Program will test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis Participating countries include Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The Program is funded by the European Union httpwwwenpi-flegorg
wwwenpi-flegorg 26
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
There was a high interest to the formation of school-based young forester unions The first brigades were established in the secondary schools of Gakh Gusari Ismailli and a number of other forest regions of Azerbaijan More requests have been received from Astara Lankaran and many other districts This led to creation of a tutorial School of the Young Foresters followed by trainings and round tables for the teachers and school students which revived public interest in forest preservation
The FLEG II Program has been able to involve major ecological organizations such as IDEA (International Dialogue for Environmental Action) to support initiatives of young foresters of Azerbaijan
More information on young forester activities in Azerbaijan is available at wwwenpi-flegaz
Young Forester from Azerbaijan wins at International Junior Forest Contest
Vusala Suleymanova won the 3rd place at the International Junior Forest Contest in Saint Petersburg Russia
Earlier the Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan launched nation-wide Young Forester Con-tests The winners young foresters from the Gakh city secondary school became the first participants from Azerbaijan to take part in international junior forestry contests held in the Russian Federation Passionate and dedicated students impressed both the jury and international participants with their academic knowledge and practical skills
4
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
After winning Vusula said that she would like to initiate an inter-national young forester event in Azerbaijan This event would com-plement the international summer camp for young foresters which the FLEG II Program together with the Republican Center of Ecolog-ical Education and Practice have already agreed to organize in Gakh district of Azerbaijan in 2015
5
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Hundreds come out to Celebrate Moldovarsquos Beech Forest Heritage
In Ungheni District Moldova hundreds of people came together to celebrate Moldovarsquos valuable natural heritage Beech Forest Nature Reserve during the annual Beech Festival Culture and Tourism Event
Attendees enjoyed local food arts music and educational events promoting the forest and the culture and folklore of the people who live there
It was amazing to see so many people celebrating the forest heritage and all that it means to them said Aurel Lozan the FLEG II national coordinator and program consultant This forest is a hot-spot for biodiversity and one of the eastern-most stands of the beech a sym-bolic species of the area
Local craftsmen showcased wood carving and other wood works and artists exhibited a va-riety of artwork at the festival FLEG sponsored an art contest and joined with the nature reserve to sponsor a food contest of dishes prepared from local non-timber forest products such as mushrooms fruits honey and medicinal herbs
The event is another occasion for local communities to promote their traditions said Gali-na Norocea a senior consultant with the Moldova Ministry of Environment Norocea went on to explain how the festival can help the conservation of the beech tree through better promotion of the beech in the culture of locals as well as of the ecological significance of it as species
The FLEG II Program also helped organize a number of events to educate participants and local leaders on the value of forests challenges facing them and economic opportunities that come from sustainable healthy forests FLEG II took part in a field discussion with the main stakeholders gathered in the area including representatives from the Ministry of En-vironment Agency Moldsilva Nature Reserve local public administrations of surrounding villages and communities and members of the media
6
Assessing Forest Dependency in Eastern Europe
wwwenpi-flegorg
Belarus basket
Consultant MSLazareva holds a hand-made wicker basket given to her by this couple in Belarus after she surveyed them for the forest dependency study The forest provides this community with heating mushrooms berries and other forest products and is also a source of raw materials for making wicker and other goods mainly for personal use
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
In a land with communities as diverse as its politics and landscapes FLEG II Program undertook a survey that attempts to quantify human dependency on forests
Over the last four months consultants have walked from house to house in rural areas of Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine to complete surveys of over 1250 households in forest communities The goal of the study is not only to quantify how people rely on forests but also to help determine whether that reli-ance is sustainable into the future and why
FORESTRY CONSULTATION
7
People in Eastern Europe have been living in and around forests for count-less generations and have their own unique relationship with the forest said Richard Aishton FLEG II Program Coordinator for the International Un-ion for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
wwwenpi-flegorg
Tatev Village Armenia
The village of Tatev is surrounded by forest in the high plains of south eastern Armenia 1610 meters above sea level Pensioners make up one-third of the population and residents of all ages make use of the forest for fuel wood wild vegetables carnelian cherry walnut blackberry wild rose berry strawberry and medical plants
Under direction from Bakkegaard and FLEG II country program coordinators consultants in the seven countries carried out the surveys between May and August of 2014 With the ground work complete Bakkegaard and other con-sultants are compiling and analysing the results of the survey now and expect to release them at the FLEG II Forest Dependency Workshop October 28-30 2014 The final report will be available for peer review in the following months
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
We hope this study will be valuable not only to the local and national of-ficials as they set and enforce forest policy that directly impacts these peo-ple but also to larger efforts to better understand the human dependency on nature no matter where we live
We worked hard to prepare and im-plement this work and the sample has already given us very useful results said Riyong Kim Bakkegaard IUCN Consultant coordinating work on the survey
By compiling the data from the seven countries FLEG II hopes to answer many questions among thembull What value does the forest have to these communitiesbull What forest-related products are significantbull Who in particular is most dependent on the forestbull How do these communities use the forest For example as a safety net
For current consumptionbull Why do they use the forestbull What are the implications of their relationship with the forestbull How does this relationship factor in or relate to national and regional forest
policy To climate resilient development
8
Are Azerbaijanrsquos Ancient Forest Communities Ready for Climate Change
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
While ancient culture stil l thrives in Lahij Azerbaijan the forests around the village have been degraded and the effects of climate change are becoming more evident FLEG II is assessing these impacts and how ready the village is to adapt to the changing climate
Stepping past the wood-fired bread oven in the sandstone courtyard into the cool shade of one of the many generations-old coppersmith workshops in Lahij Azerbaijan you are likely to find museum-quality copper goblets sitting alongside dozens more on shelves and in well-worn niches in the stone walls In these ground floor workshops under thousand-year-old homes villagers still speak the local Lahiji language a version of Tati spoken by only a few thousand people and proudly trace their connections to the court of the legendary Shah Kay Khosrow who vacationed in the village a millennium ago
Its ancient language and medieval streets arts and even sewers have withstood the test of time but how ready is the village to adapt to a changing climate
Until recently little has been done to understand the impacts of climate change on Azerbaijanrsquos forest communities such as Lahij Like in many other forest communities in Eastern Europe unregulated tourism illegal grazing and logging and a warming climate have taken a toll on the resources Lahijrsquos residents use for food medicine and firewood
What impacts of climate change are already evident How ready are these com-munities to adapt What can local residents and governments do to mitigate the impacts on their communities Those are some of the questions Bariz Mehdiyev is trying to answer for the Forest Law Enforcement and Governance program (FLEG II) through a series of surveys in forest communities in Azerbaijan
We are working to get an idea of how local authorities and local communities understand climate change its negative impact to forest areas and climate change adaptation and mitigation said Mehdiyev
9
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Forest communities and forest beneficiaries should understand both the economic and social aspects of climate change impacts such as how long lasting hot days during the summer season can lead to lsquoheat stressesrsquo and increased fire cases said Azer Garayev ENPI East FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) a FLEG II project partner organization We hope this project will give us a better understanding of what people in Azerbaijanrsquos forest communities know and donrsquot yet know about how climate change could impact them and what they can do about it
For more details go to enpi-flegorg
A tourist destination in Azerbaijan welcomes sustainable recreation in its forest territories Zitta Hasanova FLEG II Programrsquos Forestry Recreation Research Consultant in Azerbai jan researched into opportunit ies of ecological tourism in one of the hottest tourist ic spots in Azerbai jan mdash Gusar distr ict
Eco Tourism Meeting in Gusar
Gusar district is distinguished by its fascinating forest landscapes abundance of pure springs and beneficial climate Gusar is also of a high historical value there are many historical monuments in the villages including old mosques and museums
During her trip to the pilot regions in August 2014 Zitta Hasanova met with a wide spectrum of stake-holders from the state Forest Rehabilitation and Protection Enterprise (FRPE) state Tourist and Culture department local executive authorities and forest-dependent communities
The concluding roundtable held in the Museum of the Local History of Gusari city revealed a high stakeholder interest towards the development of ecological tourism Participants reaffirmed their readiness to be active in implementation of re-spective activities
10
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Stakeholders discussed progress of TEEB Scoping Study and FSCrsquos potential in Azerbaijan
TEEB Scoping Study Meeting
At a recent meeting Rovshan Abbasov FLEG II Programrsquos WWF Consultant on TEEB scoping study presented preliminary outcomes of his study to the stakeholders to obtain their feedback
Forests of Azerbaijan have significant ecosystem services and it is very important to evaluate their economic social and cultural services said Mr Abbasov Experts concluded that the major threats of sustainable forests are illegal timber production non-sustainable tourism and overgrazing which could be solved by improving forest governance
The second part of the meeting was dedicated to the Voluntary Forest Certification and the Principles and Criteria of FSC potential in Azerbaijan which were presented by an FSC expert Mr Vasili Gerasimov Participants finalized the discussions with the FSC-certification prospective for Azerbaijani forestry sector
The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) is a worldwide initiative aimed to draw attention to the economic benefits of biodiversity including the growing cost of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation TEEB presents an approach that can help decision-makers recognize demonstrate and capture the values of ecosystem services and biodiversity
The meeting brought together governmen-tal officials leading ecological NGOs and scholars as well as international organiza-tions The comments and suggestions of the participants will be incorporated into the final report of the TEEB study
11
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Round tables in pilot regions helped outline forest rehabilitation techniques
Allahverdi Dolkhanov FLEG II Program IUCN Tugay forest rehabilitation Consultant in Azerbaijan held meetings and roundtables in the 8 districts located in Kura-Araz lowland and Ganja-Gazakh regions in August 2014
These districts used to have vast areas of valuable riparian Tugay forests These forests are highly sensitive to changes in water supply and rapidly decline under anthropogenic pressure
In the past exactly this zone was a home to the large Tugay forestland in the country The aim of the meetings was to assess the current status of Tugay forests and discuss with the participants existing and possible Tugay forest rehabilitation techniques
Participants representing local foresters forestry enterprises authorities local communities and media elaborated on the effectiveness of past and present methods and approaches applied for restoration of former Tugay forests Out of various ideas proposed by the stakeholders the most popular one was to plant mixed forests which would meet economic and social demands of local population in collection of wild fruits and berries as well as medicinal plants
Tugay Forest Rehabilitation Meeting
12
Home at Last Tusheti Protected Landscape Officially Under Local Control
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
For the first time since before the Soviet era local officials can manage and protect the forest based on local needs
GOOD GOVERNANCE COLUMN
In September of 2014 the Georgian Gov-ernment officially transferred control of the Tusheti Protected Landscape to the Akhmeta municipality It is the first case of decentral-izing forest management in Georgia and the first time forests in Tusheti have been under local control since the beginning of the So-viet period in Georgia in 1921
13
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Tusheti Protected Landscape is an ecological wonder located on the Northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains in Georgia It is classified as a category V pro-tected area by IUCN which means it is a unique place where the in-teraction of people and nature over time has produced an area of dis-tinct character with significant eco-logical biological cultural and sce-nic value and where safeguarding the integrity of this interaction is vital to protecting and sustaining the area and its associated nature conservation and other values
With the centralized and uncertain authority over the forest during much of the last 100 years the forests in the Tusheti Protected Landscape were not receiving the management or sil-vicultural attention they needed Local people were unable to get clear direction on how to legally and sustainably meet their local forest needs especially with regard to obtaining legal firewood and timber
Local control in Tusheti forests is a way to sustainably meet local forest needs and provide employment for local people in forest management tourism and recreation said Merab Matchavariani National Forestry Consultant for FLEG II program in Georgia who is develop-ing the methodology for forest management in the Tusheti Protected Landscape The local administration is working hard to undertake all the necessary measures to establish proper forest management so it will be able to meet the primary objectives of ensuring the integrity of forest ecosystems and their ecological stability over the long run
14
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
With the legal transfer of authority now in place the Tusheti Protected Landscape Admin-istration can enhance forestry personnel undertake forest inventory elaborate a forest management plan and establish a transparent and sustainable system of harvesting and supply of forest products to meet local needs The Administration will also be responsible for undertaking all the necessary measures in consideration of its Protected Area status including forest fire control and proper management of pests and diseases
This year in Georgia FLEG II is working across three main pillars of work assessing forest management in protected areas supporting locally controlled forestry and assessing the extent of human dependency on nature (HDN) in forested landscapes For more information please contact Marika Kavtarishvili from IUCN Caucasus Cooperation Center at marikakavtarishviliiucnorg
Tusheti is both a beautiful place with tremen-dous natural value and a place where peo-ple depend on the land for their livelihoods said Marika Kavtarishvili FLEG II country program coordinator for IUCN Georgia and a native of the Tusheti region This transition to local control can help both the forest and the people living there and a lot of work has gone into it from both the national and local levels to make sure it does
The FLEG II Program has been working with all parties to provide the technical expertise required at various stages of the process Until recently the goal was to register the Tusheti Protected Landscape as a lsquoForest of Local Significancersquo to complete the transi-tion to local control (see Preparing the final mile in historic handover of Georgian for-est protection to local control on the FLEG website) but over the summer authorities identified a more direct way The Georgian Government amended two forest laws al-lowing the Tusheti Protected Landscape to remain within the government controlled forest system called the State Forest Fund but under the management of the Akhmeta municipality through its Tusheti Protected Landscape Administration
15
ENPI East and Central Asian Countries Regional Conference
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
EVENTS
Senior-level participants from the ENPI East and Central Asian regions met in Tbilisi Georgia on 9 July 2014 to discuss progress in implementing the Saint Petersburg Declaration on Forest Law Enforcement and Governance in Europe and North Asia (ENA-FLEG Declaration November 25 2005)
Ten of the forty-four signatories to the Declaration were present The meeting was organized by the FLEG II Program which is funded by the EU and implemented by the World Bank WWF and IUCN The meeting was co-chaired by Mathieu Bousquet from the European Commission and Tuukka Castreacuten from the World Bank
16
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
During the meeting nine years of progress and substantive achieve-ments in fulfilling the ENA-FLEG Declaration commitments at national and regional levels were reviewed Recommendations for future action were also developed focusing in particular on opportunities for regional and international cooperation
Participants recognized that the is-sues and challenges identified in the ENA-FLEG Declaration are still relevant At the same time the en-vironment we work in has changed Issues such as climate change higher demand for wood energy wood products and forest services inter-sectoral linkages and recog-nition of the green economy have modified the landscape Initiatives such as the EU Timber regulation (EUTR) the Lacey Act the Russian Roundwood Act Forest Europe and a number of revised forest codes in signatory countries have signif-icantly changed institutional and legal frameworks at international and national levels
For futher details (photos presentations) see FLEG II Program website wwwenpi-flegorg
17
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia
In the framework of celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia on September 26 Ilia Osepashvili FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for WWF in Georgia presented existing perspectives challenges and solutions on the way towards forest certification
WWF-Caucasus Programme Office in Tbilisi organized the meeting aiming to highlight the importance of FSC-based voluntary for-est certification and relevant perspectives in Georgia The meeting was attended by representatives of WWF offices in Georgia Armenia Azerbaijan Germany and Russia
More information about FSC Friday can be found here wwwfscfridayorg
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an in-ternational non-profit organization dedicated to promoting responsible forestry FSC certi-fies forests all over the world to ensure they meet the highest environmental and social standards FSC Friday is a global celebration of the worlds forests and aims to highlight the importance of responsible forest man-agement Every year schools businesses individuals forest ownersmanagers and other organizations around the world get involved in spreading the word about FSC and responsible forestry
18
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
On July 3 the Telekritika a popular Ukranian website about media announced the results of the competition sponsored by FLEG II
Olena Sereda journalist of the newspaper Business won the highest award in the competition for her article that focused on issues that affect the development of the Ukrainian forest industry It also covered the roundtables conducted by the FLEG II program with the new leadership of the state forest agency Olena Sereda
Mykhail Popkov Yulia Zelinska Iryna Fedoriv
Iryna Fedoriv who was a winner in 2011 for a series of stories on protection of the forest on the border of the town of Kotsyubynske and Kyiv was given a special award mdash for five years of social work directed to returning the forest to the community and for her important contribution to the creation of the branch of Holosyivsky National Park Bilychansky Forest
Other winners included an article about financial irregularities in the State Forestry Agency and two journalistic investigations into corruption schemes concerning communal and state forests in Mykolayiv Oblast and near Kyiv (the journalists are still investigating)
The competition lasted from February to May 2014 Each judge of the competition all well-known journalists and foresters allotted the marks on their own Ratings of participants were then determined based on the total score Those rated first received top prizes
Yuri Rybachuk Inna Kuznetsova
Ukraine Journalists win prizes in Forestry Media Competition
19
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
The jury received some 100 materials aired or published between July 1 2013 and May 31 2014 in Ukrainian media The 25 most exciting works were posted on the Telekritika website with the payment of fees to the authors and all works without exception were posted for general access on the site of FLEG II program
Foresters gain insight and confidence on Round Timber Regulations
FLEG II organized a training on the implementation of Wood Tracking System through Supply Chain
The first training on the Round Timber Reg-ulations and Manual was organized on 4 and 5 October in Goris Armenia with participants from Vayots Dzor Sisian Kapan and Goris Forest Enterprises
Mykhail Popkov
As envisaged in the FLEG II Program Arme-nia Country Workplan the training covered the theory and practical implementation of the new timber regulations
Competition judges Inna Kuznetsova editor of the Kyiv office of Ra-dio Liberty and Yuri Rybachuk editor of the weekly Comments said We are journalists and therefore our prime interest is journalistic investigations as the most dangerous genre so we opted for them
Mykhailo Popkov an expert of program FLEG II (EІSPSkhid 2) and editor of Ukranian For-ester website suggested that next year the contest should include a special nomination for foresters who alongside with journalists communicate and explain forest issues to the public
20
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
They were drafted in 2011 and recently ap-proved by the state authorities and made mandatory for application The regulations cover using wood marking hammers per-sonal stamps numbered labels and staplers with needles and tapes in order to monitor wood movement in the supply chain
The training was delivered over two days in three groups each comprising of up to 20 participants The first day of the training was dedicated exploring and explaining the Regulation and the Manual through Power Point Presentations lively discussions and QA sessions At the end of the day the par-ticipants completed a test on the obtained knowledge
The second day of the training was a prac-tical hands on implementation of the re-quirements of the Regulation in the forest The trainer demonstrated the technique ex-plained the procedures and asked each of the participants to perform different elements of the process
The foresters involved were given the op-portunity to raise all kinds of questions of concern during the practical application and received guidance on further steps
Itrsquos always better to see rather than read and try to make your own assumptions Now that both the theoretical and practical parts of the process are learned we are more confident with the new system one of the participants said after the training
21
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Day of Forester in Georgia This year Georgia revived the tradition of celebrating annual Day of Forester FLEG II Program took part in the event
The Day of Forester was established in Georgia in 1999 Foresters from all over the country used to gather on 10th of October to celebrate their professional day However it has not been observed for many years
This fall the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia (MENRP) together with National Forest Agency (NFA) revived the tradition and organized a special event for marking the professional day of Georgian foresters It was touching not only for the foresters but for everybody who cares for the environment MENRP hosted a reception and an award ceremony About hundred participants attended the event including donors NGOs academia media and foresters from all over the country
Elguja Khokrishvili Minister of Environment made opening re-marks followed by a brief presentation on key achievement in forestry sector Levan Tabutsidze Head of NFA expressed special gratitude to the international donor community and civil society for valuable support provided for forestry sector develop-ment in Georgia He delivered an overview of ongoing projects and programs including FLEG II
Fourteen foresters from various regions of Georgia were awarded for their valuable con-tribution to the development of forestry sector The Minister handed over certificates and souvenirs crafted for the occasion A special prize for the Best Forester of the Year was awarded to Marine Sujashvili Deputy Head Department of Forest Maintenance of and Restoration NFA
October 10 2014 was a remarkable day encouraging foresters supporting their professional growth and raising public awareness
22
What is FLEG II
How did FLEG come about
wwwenpi-flegorg
FLEG II is the regional European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II Program Its objective is to promote sustainable forest governance management and protection of forests in Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The programrsquos work helps to promote the contribution of the regionrsquos forests to climate change adaptation and mitiga-tion to ecosystems and biodiversity protection and to sustainable livelihoods and income sources for local populations and national economies
In 2005 representatives of 44 governments signed the St Petersburg Declaration com-mitting themselves to address illegal logging and improve forest governance Momentum towards strengthening forest law enforcement and governance in the ENPI region grew when in 2008 the EC the World Bank WWF and IUCN teamed up to implement the first ENPI FLEG Program (2008ndash2012 6 million EUR)
The ENPI Forest Law Enforcement and Governance II (FLEG II) Program (2012ndash2016 9 million EUR) builds on the first ENPI FLEG I Program to support good forest governance sustainable forest management and forest protection in the ENPI East region
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
23
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Which Organisations are the FLEG II Programrsquos Donors and Implementers
FLEG II is funded by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
What are the Specific Objectives of the FLEG II Project
The FLEG II Program has three specific Program Development Objectives
bull make progress implementing the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration in the participating countries and support the participating countries commit to a time-bound action plan to ensure its implementation and follow-up activities (regional level)
bull review or revise (or establish a time-bound action plan to review or revise) forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance (including the impact of related EU regulations) in the participating countries (national level) and
bull test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis in all partici-pating countries (sub-national level)
How FLEG II Program is implementedWithin the FLEG II Program there is an overall Program Management Team (PMT) consist-ing of one member from each of the three Implementing Organizations (IOs) The PMT is responsible for the overall planning guidance and implementation of the Program
The Steering Committee (SC) includes a representative from each Participating Country the World Bank (WB) IUCN WWF and the European Commission The SC meets at least annually to discuss the Programrsquos progress and approve country workplans and it is re-sponsible for providing advice on policy and strategic directions of the Program The World Bank and EC co- chair the SC and decisions are taken by consensus
24
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
At the country level each country has a Country Program Coordination Team (PCT) which is made up of one member from each of the three IOs
Also each country has a National Program Advisory Committee (NPAC) which provides guidance to the PCT The NPACs generally consist of eight members (1 FLEG National Focal Point 2 representatives from key government institutions 3 representatives from key NGOs 1 representative from the European Commission and 1 representative of the country PCT) The NPACrsquos role is to provide guidance to the IOrsquos on the development planning implementation monitoring and evaluation of the Program activities at the national and sub-national levels in each participating country
If you would like any more information or have any comments on any aspect of the FLEG II Program please send them by e-mail to the Communication Team
Feedback
Mark Gnadt markgnadtiucnorg Gera Voskanyan gvoskanyanwwfcaucasusorg Carol Howard carolhowardenpi-flegorg
25
EUROPEAN COMMISSION The European Union is the worldrsquos largest donor of official development assistance EuropeAid Development and Cooperation a Directorate General of the European Commission is responsible for designing European development policy and delivering aid throughout the world EuropeAid delivers aid through a set of financial instruments with a focus on ensuring the quality of EU aid and its effectiveness An active and proactive player in the development field EuropeAid promotes good governance human and economic development and tackle universal issues such as fighting hunger and preserving natural resourceshttpeceuropaeuindex_enhtm
WORLD BANKThe World Bank Group is one of the worldrsquos largest sources of knowledge and funding for its 188 member-countries The organizations that make up the World Bank Group are owned by the governments of member nations which have the ultimate decision-making power within the organizations on all matters including policy financial or membership issues The World Bank Group comprises five closely associated institutions the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) which together form the World Bank the International Finance Corporation (IFC) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Each institution plays a distinct role in the World Bank Grouprsquos mission to end extreme poverty by decreasing the percentage of people living on less than $125 a day to no more than 3 percent and promote shared prosperity by fostering the income growth of the bottom 40 percent for every country For additional information please visithttpwwwworldbankorg httpwwwifcorg httpwwwmigaorg
IUCNIUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges IUCNrsquos work focuses on valuing and conserving nature ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate food and development IUCN supports scientific research manages field projects all over the world and brings governments NGOs the UN and companies together to develop policy laws and best practice IUCN is the worldrsquos oldest and largest global environmental organisation with more than 1200 government and NGO members and almost 11000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries IUCNrsquos work is supported by over 1000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public NGO and private sectors around the worldwwwiucnorg
WWFWWF is one of the worldrsquos largest and most respected independent conservation organizations with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries WWFrsquos mission is to stop the degradation of the planetrsquos natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by conserving the worldrsquos biological diversity ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumptionwwwpandaorg
About ENPI FLEG Program
Project Partners
The Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Program supports participating countriesrsquo forest governance At the regional level the Program aims to implement the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration and support countries to commit to a time-bound action plan at the national level the Program will review or revise forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures and improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance in the participating countries and at the sub-national (local) level the Program will test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis Participating countries include Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The Program is funded by the European Union httpwwwenpi-flegorg
wwwenpi-flegorg 26
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
After winning Vusula said that she would like to initiate an inter-national young forester event in Azerbaijan This event would com-plement the international summer camp for young foresters which the FLEG II Program together with the Republican Center of Ecolog-ical Education and Practice have already agreed to organize in Gakh district of Azerbaijan in 2015
5
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Hundreds come out to Celebrate Moldovarsquos Beech Forest Heritage
In Ungheni District Moldova hundreds of people came together to celebrate Moldovarsquos valuable natural heritage Beech Forest Nature Reserve during the annual Beech Festival Culture and Tourism Event
Attendees enjoyed local food arts music and educational events promoting the forest and the culture and folklore of the people who live there
It was amazing to see so many people celebrating the forest heritage and all that it means to them said Aurel Lozan the FLEG II national coordinator and program consultant This forest is a hot-spot for biodiversity and one of the eastern-most stands of the beech a sym-bolic species of the area
Local craftsmen showcased wood carving and other wood works and artists exhibited a va-riety of artwork at the festival FLEG sponsored an art contest and joined with the nature reserve to sponsor a food contest of dishes prepared from local non-timber forest products such as mushrooms fruits honey and medicinal herbs
The event is another occasion for local communities to promote their traditions said Gali-na Norocea a senior consultant with the Moldova Ministry of Environment Norocea went on to explain how the festival can help the conservation of the beech tree through better promotion of the beech in the culture of locals as well as of the ecological significance of it as species
The FLEG II Program also helped organize a number of events to educate participants and local leaders on the value of forests challenges facing them and economic opportunities that come from sustainable healthy forests FLEG II took part in a field discussion with the main stakeholders gathered in the area including representatives from the Ministry of En-vironment Agency Moldsilva Nature Reserve local public administrations of surrounding villages and communities and members of the media
6
Assessing Forest Dependency in Eastern Europe
wwwenpi-flegorg
Belarus basket
Consultant MSLazareva holds a hand-made wicker basket given to her by this couple in Belarus after she surveyed them for the forest dependency study The forest provides this community with heating mushrooms berries and other forest products and is also a source of raw materials for making wicker and other goods mainly for personal use
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
In a land with communities as diverse as its politics and landscapes FLEG II Program undertook a survey that attempts to quantify human dependency on forests
Over the last four months consultants have walked from house to house in rural areas of Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine to complete surveys of over 1250 households in forest communities The goal of the study is not only to quantify how people rely on forests but also to help determine whether that reli-ance is sustainable into the future and why
FORESTRY CONSULTATION
7
People in Eastern Europe have been living in and around forests for count-less generations and have their own unique relationship with the forest said Richard Aishton FLEG II Program Coordinator for the International Un-ion for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
wwwenpi-flegorg
Tatev Village Armenia
The village of Tatev is surrounded by forest in the high plains of south eastern Armenia 1610 meters above sea level Pensioners make up one-third of the population and residents of all ages make use of the forest for fuel wood wild vegetables carnelian cherry walnut blackberry wild rose berry strawberry and medical plants
Under direction from Bakkegaard and FLEG II country program coordinators consultants in the seven countries carried out the surveys between May and August of 2014 With the ground work complete Bakkegaard and other con-sultants are compiling and analysing the results of the survey now and expect to release them at the FLEG II Forest Dependency Workshop October 28-30 2014 The final report will be available for peer review in the following months
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
We hope this study will be valuable not only to the local and national of-ficials as they set and enforce forest policy that directly impacts these peo-ple but also to larger efforts to better understand the human dependency on nature no matter where we live
We worked hard to prepare and im-plement this work and the sample has already given us very useful results said Riyong Kim Bakkegaard IUCN Consultant coordinating work on the survey
By compiling the data from the seven countries FLEG II hopes to answer many questions among thembull What value does the forest have to these communitiesbull What forest-related products are significantbull Who in particular is most dependent on the forestbull How do these communities use the forest For example as a safety net
For current consumptionbull Why do they use the forestbull What are the implications of their relationship with the forestbull How does this relationship factor in or relate to national and regional forest
policy To climate resilient development
8
Are Azerbaijanrsquos Ancient Forest Communities Ready for Climate Change
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
While ancient culture stil l thrives in Lahij Azerbaijan the forests around the village have been degraded and the effects of climate change are becoming more evident FLEG II is assessing these impacts and how ready the village is to adapt to the changing climate
Stepping past the wood-fired bread oven in the sandstone courtyard into the cool shade of one of the many generations-old coppersmith workshops in Lahij Azerbaijan you are likely to find museum-quality copper goblets sitting alongside dozens more on shelves and in well-worn niches in the stone walls In these ground floor workshops under thousand-year-old homes villagers still speak the local Lahiji language a version of Tati spoken by only a few thousand people and proudly trace their connections to the court of the legendary Shah Kay Khosrow who vacationed in the village a millennium ago
Its ancient language and medieval streets arts and even sewers have withstood the test of time but how ready is the village to adapt to a changing climate
Until recently little has been done to understand the impacts of climate change on Azerbaijanrsquos forest communities such as Lahij Like in many other forest communities in Eastern Europe unregulated tourism illegal grazing and logging and a warming climate have taken a toll on the resources Lahijrsquos residents use for food medicine and firewood
What impacts of climate change are already evident How ready are these com-munities to adapt What can local residents and governments do to mitigate the impacts on their communities Those are some of the questions Bariz Mehdiyev is trying to answer for the Forest Law Enforcement and Governance program (FLEG II) through a series of surveys in forest communities in Azerbaijan
We are working to get an idea of how local authorities and local communities understand climate change its negative impact to forest areas and climate change adaptation and mitigation said Mehdiyev
9
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Forest communities and forest beneficiaries should understand both the economic and social aspects of climate change impacts such as how long lasting hot days during the summer season can lead to lsquoheat stressesrsquo and increased fire cases said Azer Garayev ENPI East FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) a FLEG II project partner organization We hope this project will give us a better understanding of what people in Azerbaijanrsquos forest communities know and donrsquot yet know about how climate change could impact them and what they can do about it
For more details go to enpi-flegorg
A tourist destination in Azerbaijan welcomes sustainable recreation in its forest territories Zitta Hasanova FLEG II Programrsquos Forestry Recreation Research Consultant in Azerbai jan researched into opportunit ies of ecological tourism in one of the hottest tourist ic spots in Azerbai jan mdash Gusar distr ict
Eco Tourism Meeting in Gusar
Gusar district is distinguished by its fascinating forest landscapes abundance of pure springs and beneficial climate Gusar is also of a high historical value there are many historical monuments in the villages including old mosques and museums
During her trip to the pilot regions in August 2014 Zitta Hasanova met with a wide spectrum of stake-holders from the state Forest Rehabilitation and Protection Enterprise (FRPE) state Tourist and Culture department local executive authorities and forest-dependent communities
The concluding roundtable held in the Museum of the Local History of Gusari city revealed a high stakeholder interest towards the development of ecological tourism Participants reaffirmed their readiness to be active in implementation of re-spective activities
10
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Stakeholders discussed progress of TEEB Scoping Study and FSCrsquos potential in Azerbaijan
TEEB Scoping Study Meeting
At a recent meeting Rovshan Abbasov FLEG II Programrsquos WWF Consultant on TEEB scoping study presented preliminary outcomes of his study to the stakeholders to obtain their feedback
Forests of Azerbaijan have significant ecosystem services and it is very important to evaluate their economic social and cultural services said Mr Abbasov Experts concluded that the major threats of sustainable forests are illegal timber production non-sustainable tourism and overgrazing which could be solved by improving forest governance
The second part of the meeting was dedicated to the Voluntary Forest Certification and the Principles and Criteria of FSC potential in Azerbaijan which were presented by an FSC expert Mr Vasili Gerasimov Participants finalized the discussions with the FSC-certification prospective for Azerbaijani forestry sector
The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) is a worldwide initiative aimed to draw attention to the economic benefits of biodiversity including the growing cost of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation TEEB presents an approach that can help decision-makers recognize demonstrate and capture the values of ecosystem services and biodiversity
The meeting brought together governmen-tal officials leading ecological NGOs and scholars as well as international organiza-tions The comments and suggestions of the participants will be incorporated into the final report of the TEEB study
11
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Round tables in pilot regions helped outline forest rehabilitation techniques
Allahverdi Dolkhanov FLEG II Program IUCN Tugay forest rehabilitation Consultant in Azerbaijan held meetings and roundtables in the 8 districts located in Kura-Araz lowland and Ganja-Gazakh regions in August 2014
These districts used to have vast areas of valuable riparian Tugay forests These forests are highly sensitive to changes in water supply and rapidly decline under anthropogenic pressure
In the past exactly this zone was a home to the large Tugay forestland in the country The aim of the meetings was to assess the current status of Tugay forests and discuss with the participants existing and possible Tugay forest rehabilitation techniques
Participants representing local foresters forestry enterprises authorities local communities and media elaborated on the effectiveness of past and present methods and approaches applied for restoration of former Tugay forests Out of various ideas proposed by the stakeholders the most popular one was to plant mixed forests which would meet economic and social demands of local population in collection of wild fruits and berries as well as medicinal plants
Tugay Forest Rehabilitation Meeting
12
Home at Last Tusheti Protected Landscape Officially Under Local Control
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
For the first time since before the Soviet era local officials can manage and protect the forest based on local needs
GOOD GOVERNANCE COLUMN
In September of 2014 the Georgian Gov-ernment officially transferred control of the Tusheti Protected Landscape to the Akhmeta municipality It is the first case of decentral-izing forest management in Georgia and the first time forests in Tusheti have been under local control since the beginning of the So-viet period in Georgia in 1921
13
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Tusheti Protected Landscape is an ecological wonder located on the Northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains in Georgia It is classified as a category V pro-tected area by IUCN which means it is a unique place where the in-teraction of people and nature over time has produced an area of dis-tinct character with significant eco-logical biological cultural and sce-nic value and where safeguarding the integrity of this interaction is vital to protecting and sustaining the area and its associated nature conservation and other values
With the centralized and uncertain authority over the forest during much of the last 100 years the forests in the Tusheti Protected Landscape were not receiving the management or sil-vicultural attention they needed Local people were unable to get clear direction on how to legally and sustainably meet their local forest needs especially with regard to obtaining legal firewood and timber
Local control in Tusheti forests is a way to sustainably meet local forest needs and provide employment for local people in forest management tourism and recreation said Merab Matchavariani National Forestry Consultant for FLEG II program in Georgia who is develop-ing the methodology for forest management in the Tusheti Protected Landscape The local administration is working hard to undertake all the necessary measures to establish proper forest management so it will be able to meet the primary objectives of ensuring the integrity of forest ecosystems and their ecological stability over the long run
14
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
With the legal transfer of authority now in place the Tusheti Protected Landscape Admin-istration can enhance forestry personnel undertake forest inventory elaborate a forest management plan and establish a transparent and sustainable system of harvesting and supply of forest products to meet local needs The Administration will also be responsible for undertaking all the necessary measures in consideration of its Protected Area status including forest fire control and proper management of pests and diseases
This year in Georgia FLEG II is working across three main pillars of work assessing forest management in protected areas supporting locally controlled forestry and assessing the extent of human dependency on nature (HDN) in forested landscapes For more information please contact Marika Kavtarishvili from IUCN Caucasus Cooperation Center at marikakavtarishviliiucnorg
Tusheti is both a beautiful place with tremen-dous natural value and a place where peo-ple depend on the land for their livelihoods said Marika Kavtarishvili FLEG II country program coordinator for IUCN Georgia and a native of the Tusheti region This transition to local control can help both the forest and the people living there and a lot of work has gone into it from both the national and local levels to make sure it does
The FLEG II Program has been working with all parties to provide the technical expertise required at various stages of the process Until recently the goal was to register the Tusheti Protected Landscape as a lsquoForest of Local Significancersquo to complete the transi-tion to local control (see Preparing the final mile in historic handover of Georgian for-est protection to local control on the FLEG website) but over the summer authorities identified a more direct way The Georgian Government amended two forest laws al-lowing the Tusheti Protected Landscape to remain within the government controlled forest system called the State Forest Fund but under the management of the Akhmeta municipality through its Tusheti Protected Landscape Administration
15
ENPI East and Central Asian Countries Regional Conference
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
EVENTS
Senior-level participants from the ENPI East and Central Asian regions met in Tbilisi Georgia on 9 July 2014 to discuss progress in implementing the Saint Petersburg Declaration on Forest Law Enforcement and Governance in Europe and North Asia (ENA-FLEG Declaration November 25 2005)
Ten of the forty-four signatories to the Declaration were present The meeting was organized by the FLEG II Program which is funded by the EU and implemented by the World Bank WWF and IUCN The meeting was co-chaired by Mathieu Bousquet from the European Commission and Tuukka Castreacuten from the World Bank
16
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
During the meeting nine years of progress and substantive achieve-ments in fulfilling the ENA-FLEG Declaration commitments at national and regional levels were reviewed Recommendations for future action were also developed focusing in particular on opportunities for regional and international cooperation
Participants recognized that the is-sues and challenges identified in the ENA-FLEG Declaration are still relevant At the same time the en-vironment we work in has changed Issues such as climate change higher demand for wood energy wood products and forest services inter-sectoral linkages and recog-nition of the green economy have modified the landscape Initiatives such as the EU Timber regulation (EUTR) the Lacey Act the Russian Roundwood Act Forest Europe and a number of revised forest codes in signatory countries have signif-icantly changed institutional and legal frameworks at international and national levels
For futher details (photos presentations) see FLEG II Program website wwwenpi-flegorg
17
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia
In the framework of celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia on September 26 Ilia Osepashvili FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for WWF in Georgia presented existing perspectives challenges and solutions on the way towards forest certification
WWF-Caucasus Programme Office in Tbilisi organized the meeting aiming to highlight the importance of FSC-based voluntary for-est certification and relevant perspectives in Georgia The meeting was attended by representatives of WWF offices in Georgia Armenia Azerbaijan Germany and Russia
More information about FSC Friday can be found here wwwfscfridayorg
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an in-ternational non-profit organization dedicated to promoting responsible forestry FSC certi-fies forests all over the world to ensure they meet the highest environmental and social standards FSC Friday is a global celebration of the worlds forests and aims to highlight the importance of responsible forest man-agement Every year schools businesses individuals forest ownersmanagers and other organizations around the world get involved in spreading the word about FSC and responsible forestry
18
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
On July 3 the Telekritika a popular Ukranian website about media announced the results of the competition sponsored by FLEG II
Olena Sereda journalist of the newspaper Business won the highest award in the competition for her article that focused on issues that affect the development of the Ukrainian forest industry It also covered the roundtables conducted by the FLEG II program with the new leadership of the state forest agency Olena Sereda
Mykhail Popkov Yulia Zelinska Iryna Fedoriv
Iryna Fedoriv who was a winner in 2011 for a series of stories on protection of the forest on the border of the town of Kotsyubynske and Kyiv was given a special award mdash for five years of social work directed to returning the forest to the community and for her important contribution to the creation of the branch of Holosyivsky National Park Bilychansky Forest
Other winners included an article about financial irregularities in the State Forestry Agency and two journalistic investigations into corruption schemes concerning communal and state forests in Mykolayiv Oblast and near Kyiv (the journalists are still investigating)
The competition lasted from February to May 2014 Each judge of the competition all well-known journalists and foresters allotted the marks on their own Ratings of participants were then determined based on the total score Those rated first received top prizes
Yuri Rybachuk Inna Kuznetsova
Ukraine Journalists win prizes in Forestry Media Competition
19
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
The jury received some 100 materials aired or published between July 1 2013 and May 31 2014 in Ukrainian media The 25 most exciting works were posted on the Telekritika website with the payment of fees to the authors and all works without exception were posted for general access on the site of FLEG II program
Foresters gain insight and confidence on Round Timber Regulations
FLEG II organized a training on the implementation of Wood Tracking System through Supply Chain
The first training on the Round Timber Reg-ulations and Manual was organized on 4 and 5 October in Goris Armenia with participants from Vayots Dzor Sisian Kapan and Goris Forest Enterprises
Mykhail Popkov
As envisaged in the FLEG II Program Arme-nia Country Workplan the training covered the theory and practical implementation of the new timber regulations
Competition judges Inna Kuznetsova editor of the Kyiv office of Ra-dio Liberty and Yuri Rybachuk editor of the weekly Comments said We are journalists and therefore our prime interest is journalistic investigations as the most dangerous genre so we opted for them
Mykhailo Popkov an expert of program FLEG II (EІSPSkhid 2) and editor of Ukranian For-ester website suggested that next year the contest should include a special nomination for foresters who alongside with journalists communicate and explain forest issues to the public
20
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
They were drafted in 2011 and recently ap-proved by the state authorities and made mandatory for application The regulations cover using wood marking hammers per-sonal stamps numbered labels and staplers with needles and tapes in order to monitor wood movement in the supply chain
The training was delivered over two days in three groups each comprising of up to 20 participants The first day of the training was dedicated exploring and explaining the Regulation and the Manual through Power Point Presentations lively discussions and QA sessions At the end of the day the par-ticipants completed a test on the obtained knowledge
The second day of the training was a prac-tical hands on implementation of the re-quirements of the Regulation in the forest The trainer demonstrated the technique ex-plained the procedures and asked each of the participants to perform different elements of the process
The foresters involved were given the op-portunity to raise all kinds of questions of concern during the practical application and received guidance on further steps
Itrsquos always better to see rather than read and try to make your own assumptions Now that both the theoretical and practical parts of the process are learned we are more confident with the new system one of the participants said after the training
21
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Day of Forester in Georgia This year Georgia revived the tradition of celebrating annual Day of Forester FLEG II Program took part in the event
The Day of Forester was established in Georgia in 1999 Foresters from all over the country used to gather on 10th of October to celebrate their professional day However it has not been observed for many years
This fall the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia (MENRP) together with National Forest Agency (NFA) revived the tradition and organized a special event for marking the professional day of Georgian foresters It was touching not only for the foresters but for everybody who cares for the environment MENRP hosted a reception and an award ceremony About hundred participants attended the event including donors NGOs academia media and foresters from all over the country
Elguja Khokrishvili Minister of Environment made opening re-marks followed by a brief presentation on key achievement in forestry sector Levan Tabutsidze Head of NFA expressed special gratitude to the international donor community and civil society for valuable support provided for forestry sector develop-ment in Georgia He delivered an overview of ongoing projects and programs including FLEG II
Fourteen foresters from various regions of Georgia were awarded for their valuable con-tribution to the development of forestry sector The Minister handed over certificates and souvenirs crafted for the occasion A special prize for the Best Forester of the Year was awarded to Marine Sujashvili Deputy Head Department of Forest Maintenance of and Restoration NFA
October 10 2014 was a remarkable day encouraging foresters supporting their professional growth and raising public awareness
22
What is FLEG II
How did FLEG come about
wwwenpi-flegorg
FLEG II is the regional European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II Program Its objective is to promote sustainable forest governance management and protection of forests in Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The programrsquos work helps to promote the contribution of the regionrsquos forests to climate change adaptation and mitiga-tion to ecosystems and biodiversity protection and to sustainable livelihoods and income sources for local populations and national economies
In 2005 representatives of 44 governments signed the St Petersburg Declaration com-mitting themselves to address illegal logging and improve forest governance Momentum towards strengthening forest law enforcement and governance in the ENPI region grew when in 2008 the EC the World Bank WWF and IUCN teamed up to implement the first ENPI FLEG Program (2008ndash2012 6 million EUR)
The ENPI Forest Law Enforcement and Governance II (FLEG II) Program (2012ndash2016 9 million EUR) builds on the first ENPI FLEG I Program to support good forest governance sustainable forest management and forest protection in the ENPI East region
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
23
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Which Organisations are the FLEG II Programrsquos Donors and Implementers
FLEG II is funded by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
What are the Specific Objectives of the FLEG II Project
The FLEG II Program has three specific Program Development Objectives
bull make progress implementing the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration in the participating countries and support the participating countries commit to a time-bound action plan to ensure its implementation and follow-up activities (regional level)
bull review or revise (or establish a time-bound action plan to review or revise) forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance (including the impact of related EU regulations) in the participating countries (national level) and
bull test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis in all partici-pating countries (sub-national level)
How FLEG II Program is implementedWithin the FLEG II Program there is an overall Program Management Team (PMT) consist-ing of one member from each of the three Implementing Organizations (IOs) The PMT is responsible for the overall planning guidance and implementation of the Program
The Steering Committee (SC) includes a representative from each Participating Country the World Bank (WB) IUCN WWF and the European Commission The SC meets at least annually to discuss the Programrsquos progress and approve country workplans and it is re-sponsible for providing advice on policy and strategic directions of the Program The World Bank and EC co- chair the SC and decisions are taken by consensus
24
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
At the country level each country has a Country Program Coordination Team (PCT) which is made up of one member from each of the three IOs
Also each country has a National Program Advisory Committee (NPAC) which provides guidance to the PCT The NPACs generally consist of eight members (1 FLEG National Focal Point 2 representatives from key government institutions 3 representatives from key NGOs 1 representative from the European Commission and 1 representative of the country PCT) The NPACrsquos role is to provide guidance to the IOrsquos on the development planning implementation monitoring and evaluation of the Program activities at the national and sub-national levels in each participating country
If you would like any more information or have any comments on any aspect of the FLEG II Program please send them by e-mail to the Communication Team
Feedback
Mark Gnadt markgnadtiucnorg Gera Voskanyan gvoskanyanwwfcaucasusorg Carol Howard carolhowardenpi-flegorg
25
EUROPEAN COMMISSION The European Union is the worldrsquos largest donor of official development assistance EuropeAid Development and Cooperation a Directorate General of the European Commission is responsible for designing European development policy and delivering aid throughout the world EuropeAid delivers aid through a set of financial instruments with a focus on ensuring the quality of EU aid and its effectiveness An active and proactive player in the development field EuropeAid promotes good governance human and economic development and tackle universal issues such as fighting hunger and preserving natural resourceshttpeceuropaeuindex_enhtm
WORLD BANKThe World Bank Group is one of the worldrsquos largest sources of knowledge and funding for its 188 member-countries The organizations that make up the World Bank Group are owned by the governments of member nations which have the ultimate decision-making power within the organizations on all matters including policy financial or membership issues The World Bank Group comprises five closely associated institutions the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) which together form the World Bank the International Finance Corporation (IFC) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Each institution plays a distinct role in the World Bank Grouprsquos mission to end extreme poverty by decreasing the percentage of people living on less than $125 a day to no more than 3 percent and promote shared prosperity by fostering the income growth of the bottom 40 percent for every country For additional information please visithttpwwwworldbankorg httpwwwifcorg httpwwwmigaorg
IUCNIUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges IUCNrsquos work focuses on valuing and conserving nature ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate food and development IUCN supports scientific research manages field projects all over the world and brings governments NGOs the UN and companies together to develop policy laws and best practice IUCN is the worldrsquos oldest and largest global environmental organisation with more than 1200 government and NGO members and almost 11000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries IUCNrsquos work is supported by over 1000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public NGO and private sectors around the worldwwwiucnorg
WWFWWF is one of the worldrsquos largest and most respected independent conservation organizations with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries WWFrsquos mission is to stop the degradation of the planetrsquos natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by conserving the worldrsquos biological diversity ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumptionwwwpandaorg
About ENPI FLEG Program
Project Partners
The Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Program supports participating countriesrsquo forest governance At the regional level the Program aims to implement the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration and support countries to commit to a time-bound action plan at the national level the Program will review or revise forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures and improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance in the participating countries and at the sub-national (local) level the Program will test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis Participating countries include Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The Program is funded by the European Union httpwwwenpi-flegorg
wwwenpi-flegorg 26
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Hundreds come out to Celebrate Moldovarsquos Beech Forest Heritage
In Ungheni District Moldova hundreds of people came together to celebrate Moldovarsquos valuable natural heritage Beech Forest Nature Reserve during the annual Beech Festival Culture and Tourism Event
Attendees enjoyed local food arts music and educational events promoting the forest and the culture and folklore of the people who live there
It was amazing to see so many people celebrating the forest heritage and all that it means to them said Aurel Lozan the FLEG II national coordinator and program consultant This forest is a hot-spot for biodiversity and one of the eastern-most stands of the beech a sym-bolic species of the area
Local craftsmen showcased wood carving and other wood works and artists exhibited a va-riety of artwork at the festival FLEG sponsored an art contest and joined with the nature reserve to sponsor a food contest of dishes prepared from local non-timber forest products such as mushrooms fruits honey and medicinal herbs
The event is another occasion for local communities to promote their traditions said Gali-na Norocea a senior consultant with the Moldova Ministry of Environment Norocea went on to explain how the festival can help the conservation of the beech tree through better promotion of the beech in the culture of locals as well as of the ecological significance of it as species
The FLEG II Program also helped organize a number of events to educate participants and local leaders on the value of forests challenges facing them and economic opportunities that come from sustainable healthy forests FLEG II took part in a field discussion with the main stakeholders gathered in the area including representatives from the Ministry of En-vironment Agency Moldsilva Nature Reserve local public administrations of surrounding villages and communities and members of the media
6
Assessing Forest Dependency in Eastern Europe
wwwenpi-flegorg
Belarus basket
Consultant MSLazareva holds a hand-made wicker basket given to her by this couple in Belarus after she surveyed them for the forest dependency study The forest provides this community with heating mushrooms berries and other forest products and is also a source of raw materials for making wicker and other goods mainly for personal use
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
In a land with communities as diverse as its politics and landscapes FLEG II Program undertook a survey that attempts to quantify human dependency on forests
Over the last four months consultants have walked from house to house in rural areas of Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine to complete surveys of over 1250 households in forest communities The goal of the study is not only to quantify how people rely on forests but also to help determine whether that reli-ance is sustainable into the future and why
FORESTRY CONSULTATION
7
People in Eastern Europe have been living in and around forests for count-less generations and have their own unique relationship with the forest said Richard Aishton FLEG II Program Coordinator for the International Un-ion for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
wwwenpi-flegorg
Tatev Village Armenia
The village of Tatev is surrounded by forest in the high plains of south eastern Armenia 1610 meters above sea level Pensioners make up one-third of the population and residents of all ages make use of the forest for fuel wood wild vegetables carnelian cherry walnut blackberry wild rose berry strawberry and medical plants
Under direction from Bakkegaard and FLEG II country program coordinators consultants in the seven countries carried out the surveys between May and August of 2014 With the ground work complete Bakkegaard and other con-sultants are compiling and analysing the results of the survey now and expect to release them at the FLEG II Forest Dependency Workshop October 28-30 2014 The final report will be available for peer review in the following months
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
We hope this study will be valuable not only to the local and national of-ficials as they set and enforce forest policy that directly impacts these peo-ple but also to larger efforts to better understand the human dependency on nature no matter where we live
We worked hard to prepare and im-plement this work and the sample has already given us very useful results said Riyong Kim Bakkegaard IUCN Consultant coordinating work on the survey
By compiling the data from the seven countries FLEG II hopes to answer many questions among thembull What value does the forest have to these communitiesbull What forest-related products are significantbull Who in particular is most dependent on the forestbull How do these communities use the forest For example as a safety net
For current consumptionbull Why do they use the forestbull What are the implications of their relationship with the forestbull How does this relationship factor in or relate to national and regional forest
policy To climate resilient development
8
Are Azerbaijanrsquos Ancient Forest Communities Ready for Climate Change
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
While ancient culture stil l thrives in Lahij Azerbaijan the forests around the village have been degraded and the effects of climate change are becoming more evident FLEG II is assessing these impacts and how ready the village is to adapt to the changing climate
Stepping past the wood-fired bread oven in the sandstone courtyard into the cool shade of one of the many generations-old coppersmith workshops in Lahij Azerbaijan you are likely to find museum-quality copper goblets sitting alongside dozens more on shelves and in well-worn niches in the stone walls In these ground floor workshops under thousand-year-old homes villagers still speak the local Lahiji language a version of Tati spoken by only a few thousand people and proudly trace their connections to the court of the legendary Shah Kay Khosrow who vacationed in the village a millennium ago
Its ancient language and medieval streets arts and even sewers have withstood the test of time but how ready is the village to adapt to a changing climate
Until recently little has been done to understand the impacts of climate change on Azerbaijanrsquos forest communities such as Lahij Like in many other forest communities in Eastern Europe unregulated tourism illegal grazing and logging and a warming climate have taken a toll on the resources Lahijrsquos residents use for food medicine and firewood
What impacts of climate change are already evident How ready are these com-munities to adapt What can local residents and governments do to mitigate the impacts on their communities Those are some of the questions Bariz Mehdiyev is trying to answer for the Forest Law Enforcement and Governance program (FLEG II) through a series of surveys in forest communities in Azerbaijan
We are working to get an idea of how local authorities and local communities understand climate change its negative impact to forest areas and climate change adaptation and mitigation said Mehdiyev
9
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Forest communities and forest beneficiaries should understand both the economic and social aspects of climate change impacts such as how long lasting hot days during the summer season can lead to lsquoheat stressesrsquo and increased fire cases said Azer Garayev ENPI East FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) a FLEG II project partner organization We hope this project will give us a better understanding of what people in Azerbaijanrsquos forest communities know and donrsquot yet know about how climate change could impact them and what they can do about it
For more details go to enpi-flegorg
A tourist destination in Azerbaijan welcomes sustainable recreation in its forest territories Zitta Hasanova FLEG II Programrsquos Forestry Recreation Research Consultant in Azerbai jan researched into opportunit ies of ecological tourism in one of the hottest tourist ic spots in Azerbai jan mdash Gusar distr ict
Eco Tourism Meeting in Gusar
Gusar district is distinguished by its fascinating forest landscapes abundance of pure springs and beneficial climate Gusar is also of a high historical value there are many historical monuments in the villages including old mosques and museums
During her trip to the pilot regions in August 2014 Zitta Hasanova met with a wide spectrum of stake-holders from the state Forest Rehabilitation and Protection Enterprise (FRPE) state Tourist and Culture department local executive authorities and forest-dependent communities
The concluding roundtable held in the Museum of the Local History of Gusari city revealed a high stakeholder interest towards the development of ecological tourism Participants reaffirmed their readiness to be active in implementation of re-spective activities
10
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Stakeholders discussed progress of TEEB Scoping Study and FSCrsquos potential in Azerbaijan
TEEB Scoping Study Meeting
At a recent meeting Rovshan Abbasov FLEG II Programrsquos WWF Consultant on TEEB scoping study presented preliminary outcomes of his study to the stakeholders to obtain their feedback
Forests of Azerbaijan have significant ecosystem services and it is very important to evaluate their economic social and cultural services said Mr Abbasov Experts concluded that the major threats of sustainable forests are illegal timber production non-sustainable tourism and overgrazing which could be solved by improving forest governance
The second part of the meeting was dedicated to the Voluntary Forest Certification and the Principles and Criteria of FSC potential in Azerbaijan which were presented by an FSC expert Mr Vasili Gerasimov Participants finalized the discussions with the FSC-certification prospective for Azerbaijani forestry sector
The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) is a worldwide initiative aimed to draw attention to the economic benefits of biodiversity including the growing cost of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation TEEB presents an approach that can help decision-makers recognize demonstrate and capture the values of ecosystem services and biodiversity
The meeting brought together governmen-tal officials leading ecological NGOs and scholars as well as international organiza-tions The comments and suggestions of the participants will be incorporated into the final report of the TEEB study
11
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Round tables in pilot regions helped outline forest rehabilitation techniques
Allahverdi Dolkhanov FLEG II Program IUCN Tugay forest rehabilitation Consultant in Azerbaijan held meetings and roundtables in the 8 districts located in Kura-Araz lowland and Ganja-Gazakh regions in August 2014
These districts used to have vast areas of valuable riparian Tugay forests These forests are highly sensitive to changes in water supply and rapidly decline under anthropogenic pressure
In the past exactly this zone was a home to the large Tugay forestland in the country The aim of the meetings was to assess the current status of Tugay forests and discuss with the participants existing and possible Tugay forest rehabilitation techniques
Participants representing local foresters forestry enterprises authorities local communities and media elaborated on the effectiveness of past and present methods and approaches applied for restoration of former Tugay forests Out of various ideas proposed by the stakeholders the most popular one was to plant mixed forests which would meet economic and social demands of local population in collection of wild fruits and berries as well as medicinal plants
Tugay Forest Rehabilitation Meeting
12
Home at Last Tusheti Protected Landscape Officially Under Local Control
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
For the first time since before the Soviet era local officials can manage and protect the forest based on local needs
GOOD GOVERNANCE COLUMN
In September of 2014 the Georgian Gov-ernment officially transferred control of the Tusheti Protected Landscape to the Akhmeta municipality It is the first case of decentral-izing forest management in Georgia and the first time forests in Tusheti have been under local control since the beginning of the So-viet period in Georgia in 1921
13
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Tusheti Protected Landscape is an ecological wonder located on the Northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains in Georgia It is classified as a category V pro-tected area by IUCN which means it is a unique place where the in-teraction of people and nature over time has produced an area of dis-tinct character with significant eco-logical biological cultural and sce-nic value and where safeguarding the integrity of this interaction is vital to protecting and sustaining the area and its associated nature conservation and other values
With the centralized and uncertain authority over the forest during much of the last 100 years the forests in the Tusheti Protected Landscape were not receiving the management or sil-vicultural attention they needed Local people were unable to get clear direction on how to legally and sustainably meet their local forest needs especially with regard to obtaining legal firewood and timber
Local control in Tusheti forests is a way to sustainably meet local forest needs and provide employment for local people in forest management tourism and recreation said Merab Matchavariani National Forestry Consultant for FLEG II program in Georgia who is develop-ing the methodology for forest management in the Tusheti Protected Landscape The local administration is working hard to undertake all the necessary measures to establish proper forest management so it will be able to meet the primary objectives of ensuring the integrity of forest ecosystems and their ecological stability over the long run
14
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
With the legal transfer of authority now in place the Tusheti Protected Landscape Admin-istration can enhance forestry personnel undertake forest inventory elaborate a forest management plan and establish a transparent and sustainable system of harvesting and supply of forest products to meet local needs The Administration will also be responsible for undertaking all the necessary measures in consideration of its Protected Area status including forest fire control and proper management of pests and diseases
This year in Georgia FLEG II is working across three main pillars of work assessing forest management in protected areas supporting locally controlled forestry and assessing the extent of human dependency on nature (HDN) in forested landscapes For more information please contact Marika Kavtarishvili from IUCN Caucasus Cooperation Center at marikakavtarishviliiucnorg
Tusheti is both a beautiful place with tremen-dous natural value and a place where peo-ple depend on the land for their livelihoods said Marika Kavtarishvili FLEG II country program coordinator for IUCN Georgia and a native of the Tusheti region This transition to local control can help both the forest and the people living there and a lot of work has gone into it from both the national and local levels to make sure it does
The FLEG II Program has been working with all parties to provide the technical expertise required at various stages of the process Until recently the goal was to register the Tusheti Protected Landscape as a lsquoForest of Local Significancersquo to complete the transi-tion to local control (see Preparing the final mile in historic handover of Georgian for-est protection to local control on the FLEG website) but over the summer authorities identified a more direct way The Georgian Government amended two forest laws al-lowing the Tusheti Protected Landscape to remain within the government controlled forest system called the State Forest Fund but under the management of the Akhmeta municipality through its Tusheti Protected Landscape Administration
15
ENPI East and Central Asian Countries Regional Conference
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
EVENTS
Senior-level participants from the ENPI East and Central Asian regions met in Tbilisi Georgia on 9 July 2014 to discuss progress in implementing the Saint Petersburg Declaration on Forest Law Enforcement and Governance in Europe and North Asia (ENA-FLEG Declaration November 25 2005)
Ten of the forty-four signatories to the Declaration were present The meeting was organized by the FLEG II Program which is funded by the EU and implemented by the World Bank WWF and IUCN The meeting was co-chaired by Mathieu Bousquet from the European Commission and Tuukka Castreacuten from the World Bank
16
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
During the meeting nine years of progress and substantive achieve-ments in fulfilling the ENA-FLEG Declaration commitments at national and regional levels were reviewed Recommendations for future action were also developed focusing in particular on opportunities for regional and international cooperation
Participants recognized that the is-sues and challenges identified in the ENA-FLEG Declaration are still relevant At the same time the en-vironment we work in has changed Issues such as climate change higher demand for wood energy wood products and forest services inter-sectoral linkages and recog-nition of the green economy have modified the landscape Initiatives such as the EU Timber regulation (EUTR) the Lacey Act the Russian Roundwood Act Forest Europe and a number of revised forest codes in signatory countries have signif-icantly changed institutional and legal frameworks at international and national levels
For futher details (photos presentations) see FLEG II Program website wwwenpi-flegorg
17
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia
In the framework of celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia on September 26 Ilia Osepashvili FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for WWF in Georgia presented existing perspectives challenges and solutions on the way towards forest certification
WWF-Caucasus Programme Office in Tbilisi organized the meeting aiming to highlight the importance of FSC-based voluntary for-est certification and relevant perspectives in Georgia The meeting was attended by representatives of WWF offices in Georgia Armenia Azerbaijan Germany and Russia
More information about FSC Friday can be found here wwwfscfridayorg
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an in-ternational non-profit organization dedicated to promoting responsible forestry FSC certi-fies forests all over the world to ensure they meet the highest environmental and social standards FSC Friday is a global celebration of the worlds forests and aims to highlight the importance of responsible forest man-agement Every year schools businesses individuals forest ownersmanagers and other organizations around the world get involved in spreading the word about FSC and responsible forestry
18
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
On July 3 the Telekritika a popular Ukranian website about media announced the results of the competition sponsored by FLEG II
Olena Sereda journalist of the newspaper Business won the highest award in the competition for her article that focused on issues that affect the development of the Ukrainian forest industry It also covered the roundtables conducted by the FLEG II program with the new leadership of the state forest agency Olena Sereda
Mykhail Popkov Yulia Zelinska Iryna Fedoriv
Iryna Fedoriv who was a winner in 2011 for a series of stories on protection of the forest on the border of the town of Kotsyubynske and Kyiv was given a special award mdash for five years of social work directed to returning the forest to the community and for her important contribution to the creation of the branch of Holosyivsky National Park Bilychansky Forest
Other winners included an article about financial irregularities in the State Forestry Agency and two journalistic investigations into corruption schemes concerning communal and state forests in Mykolayiv Oblast and near Kyiv (the journalists are still investigating)
The competition lasted from February to May 2014 Each judge of the competition all well-known journalists and foresters allotted the marks on their own Ratings of participants were then determined based on the total score Those rated first received top prizes
Yuri Rybachuk Inna Kuznetsova
Ukraine Journalists win prizes in Forestry Media Competition
19
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
The jury received some 100 materials aired or published between July 1 2013 and May 31 2014 in Ukrainian media The 25 most exciting works were posted on the Telekritika website with the payment of fees to the authors and all works without exception were posted for general access on the site of FLEG II program
Foresters gain insight and confidence on Round Timber Regulations
FLEG II organized a training on the implementation of Wood Tracking System through Supply Chain
The first training on the Round Timber Reg-ulations and Manual was organized on 4 and 5 October in Goris Armenia with participants from Vayots Dzor Sisian Kapan and Goris Forest Enterprises
Mykhail Popkov
As envisaged in the FLEG II Program Arme-nia Country Workplan the training covered the theory and practical implementation of the new timber regulations
Competition judges Inna Kuznetsova editor of the Kyiv office of Ra-dio Liberty and Yuri Rybachuk editor of the weekly Comments said We are journalists and therefore our prime interest is journalistic investigations as the most dangerous genre so we opted for them
Mykhailo Popkov an expert of program FLEG II (EІSPSkhid 2) and editor of Ukranian For-ester website suggested that next year the contest should include a special nomination for foresters who alongside with journalists communicate and explain forest issues to the public
20
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
They were drafted in 2011 and recently ap-proved by the state authorities and made mandatory for application The regulations cover using wood marking hammers per-sonal stamps numbered labels and staplers with needles and tapes in order to monitor wood movement in the supply chain
The training was delivered over two days in three groups each comprising of up to 20 participants The first day of the training was dedicated exploring and explaining the Regulation and the Manual through Power Point Presentations lively discussions and QA sessions At the end of the day the par-ticipants completed a test on the obtained knowledge
The second day of the training was a prac-tical hands on implementation of the re-quirements of the Regulation in the forest The trainer demonstrated the technique ex-plained the procedures and asked each of the participants to perform different elements of the process
The foresters involved were given the op-portunity to raise all kinds of questions of concern during the practical application and received guidance on further steps
Itrsquos always better to see rather than read and try to make your own assumptions Now that both the theoretical and practical parts of the process are learned we are more confident with the new system one of the participants said after the training
21
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Day of Forester in Georgia This year Georgia revived the tradition of celebrating annual Day of Forester FLEG II Program took part in the event
The Day of Forester was established in Georgia in 1999 Foresters from all over the country used to gather on 10th of October to celebrate their professional day However it has not been observed for many years
This fall the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia (MENRP) together with National Forest Agency (NFA) revived the tradition and organized a special event for marking the professional day of Georgian foresters It was touching not only for the foresters but for everybody who cares for the environment MENRP hosted a reception and an award ceremony About hundred participants attended the event including donors NGOs academia media and foresters from all over the country
Elguja Khokrishvili Minister of Environment made opening re-marks followed by a brief presentation on key achievement in forestry sector Levan Tabutsidze Head of NFA expressed special gratitude to the international donor community and civil society for valuable support provided for forestry sector develop-ment in Georgia He delivered an overview of ongoing projects and programs including FLEG II
Fourteen foresters from various regions of Georgia were awarded for their valuable con-tribution to the development of forestry sector The Minister handed over certificates and souvenirs crafted for the occasion A special prize for the Best Forester of the Year was awarded to Marine Sujashvili Deputy Head Department of Forest Maintenance of and Restoration NFA
October 10 2014 was a remarkable day encouraging foresters supporting their professional growth and raising public awareness
22
What is FLEG II
How did FLEG come about
wwwenpi-flegorg
FLEG II is the regional European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II Program Its objective is to promote sustainable forest governance management and protection of forests in Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The programrsquos work helps to promote the contribution of the regionrsquos forests to climate change adaptation and mitiga-tion to ecosystems and biodiversity protection and to sustainable livelihoods and income sources for local populations and national economies
In 2005 representatives of 44 governments signed the St Petersburg Declaration com-mitting themselves to address illegal logging and improve forest governance Momentum towards strengthening forest law enforcement and governance in the ENPI region grew when in 2008 the EC the World Bank WWF and IUCN teamed up to implement the first ENPI FLEG Program (2008ndash2012 6 million EUR)
The ENPI Forest Law Enforcement and Governance II (FLEG II) Program (2012ndash2016 9 million EUR) builds on the first ENPI FLEG I Program to support good forest governance sustainable forest management and forest protection in the ENPI East region
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
23
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Which Organisations are the FLEG II Programrsquos Donors and Implementers
FLEG II is funded by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
What are the Specific Objectives of the FLEG II Project
The FLEG II Program has three specific Program Development Objectives
bull make progress implementing the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration in the participating countries and support the participating countries commit to a time-bound action plan to ensure its implementation and follow-up activities (regional level)
bull review or revise (or establish a time-bound action plan to review or revise) forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance (including the impact of related EU regulations) in the participating countries (national level) and
bull test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis in all partici-pating countries (sub-national level)
How FLEG II Program is implementedWithin the FLEG II Program there is an overall Program Management Team (PMT) consist-ing of one member from each of the three Implementing Organizations (IOs) The PMT is responsible for the overall planning guidance and implementation of the Program
The Steering Committee (SC) includes a representative from each Participating Country the World Bank (WB) IUCN WWF and the European Commission The SC meets at least annually to discuss the Programrsquos progress and approve country workplans and it is re-sponsible for providing advice on policy and strategic directions of the Program The World Bank and EC co- chair the SC and decisions are taken by consensus
24
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
At the country level each country has a Country Program Coordination Team (PCT) which is made up of one member from each of the three IOs
Also each country has a National Program Advisory Committee (NPAC) which provides guidance to the PCT The NPACs generally consist of eight members (1 FLEG National Focal Point 2 representatives from key government institutions 3 representatives from key NGOs 1 representative from the European Commission and 1 representative of the country PCT) The NPACrsquos role is to provide guidance to the IOrsquos on the development planning implementation monitoring and evaluation of the Program activities at the national and sub-national levels in each participating country
If you would like any more information or have any comments on any aspect of the FLEG II Program please send them by e-mail to the Communication Team
Feedback
Mark Gnadt markgnadtiucnorg Gera Voskanyan gvoskanyanwwfcaucasusorg Carol Howard carolhowardenpi-flegorg
25
EUROPEAN COMMISSION The European Union is the worldrsquos largest donor of official development assistance EuropeAid Development and Cooperation a Directorate General of the European Commission is responsible for designing European development policy and delivering aid throughout the world EuropeAid delivers aid through a set of financial instruments with a focus on ensuring the quality of EU aid and its effectiveness An active and proactive player in the development field EuropeAid promotes good governance human and economic development and tackle universal issues such as fighting hunger and preserving natural resourceshttpeceuropaeuindex_enhtm
WORLD BANKThe World Bank Group is one of the worldrsquos largest sources of knowledge and funding for its 188 member-countries The organizations that make up the World Bank Group are owned by the governments of member nations which have the ultimate decision-making power within the organizations on all matters including policy financial or membership issues The World Bank Group comprises five closely associated institutions the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) which together form the World Bank the International Finance Corporation (IFC) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Each institution plays a distinct role in the World Bank Grouprsquos mission to end extreme poverty by decreasing the percentage of people living on less than $125 a day to no more than 3 percent and promote shared prosperity by fostering the income growth of the bottom 40 percent for every country For additional information please visithttpwwwworldbankorg httpwwwifcorg httpwwwmigaorg
IUCNIUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges IUCNrsquos work focuses on valuing and conserving nature ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate food and development IUCN supports scientific research manages field projects all over the world and brings governments NGOs the UN and companies together to develop policy laws and best practice IUCN is the worldrsquos oldest and largest global environmental organisation with more than 1200 government and NGO members and almost 11000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries IUCNrsquos work is supported by over 1000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public NGO and private sectors around the worldwwwiucnorg
WWFWWF is one of the worldrsquos largest and most respected independent conservation organizations with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries WWFrsquos mission is to stop the degradation of the planetrsquos natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by conserving the worldrsquos biological diversity ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumptionwwwpandaorg
About ENPI FLEG Program
Project Partners
The Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Program supports participating countriesrsquo forest governance At the regional level the Program aims to implement the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration and support countries to commit to a time-bound action plan at the national level the Program will review or revise forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures and improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance in the participating countries and at the sub-national (local) level the Program will test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis Participating countries include Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The Program is funded by the European Union httpwwwenpi-flegorg
wwwenpi-flegorg 26
Assessing Forest Dependency in Eastern Europe
wwwenpi-flegorg
Belarus basket
Consultant MSLazareva holds a hand-made wicker basket given to her by this couple in Belarus after she surveyed them for the forest dependency study The forest provides this community with heating mushrooms berries and other forest products and is also a source of raw materials for making wicker and other goods mainly for personal use
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
In a land with communities as diverse as its politics and landscapes FLEG II Program undertook a survey that attempts to quantify human dependency on forests
Over the last four months consultants have walked from house to house in rural areas of Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine to complete surveys of over 1250 households in forest communities The goal of the study is not only to quantify how people rely on forests but also to help determine whether that reli-ance is sustainable into the future and why
FORESTRY CONSULTATION
7
People in Eastern Europe have been living in and around forests for count-less generations and have their own unique relationship with the forest said Richard Aishton FLEG II Program Coordinator for the International Un-ion for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
wwwenpi-flegorg
Tatev Village Armenia
The village of Tatev is surrounded by forest in the high plains of south eastern Armenia 1610 meters above sea level Pensioners make up one-third of the population and residents of all ages make use of the forest for fuel wood wild vegetables carnelian cherry walnut blackberry wild rose berry strawberry and medical plants
Under direction from Bakkegaard and FLEG II country program coordinators consultants in the seven countries carried out the surveys between May and August of 2014 With the ground work complete Bakkegaard and other con-sultants are compiling and analysing the results of the survey now and expect to release them at the FLEG II Forest Dependency Workshop October 28-30 2014 The final report will be available for peer review in the following months
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
We hope this study will be valuable not only to the local and national of-ficials as they set and enforce forest policy that directly impacts these peo-ple but also to larger efforts to better understand the human dependency on nature no matter where we live
We worked hard to prepare and im-plement this work and the sample has already given us very useful results said Riyong Kim Bakkegaard IUCN Consultant coordinating work on the survey
By compiling the data from the seven countries FLEG II hopes to answer many questions among thembull What value does the forest have to these communitiesbull What forest-related products are significantbull Who in particular is most dependent on the forestbull How do these communities use the forest For example as a safety net
For current consumptionbull Why do they use the forestbull What are the implications of their relationship with the forestbull How does this relationship factor in or relate to national and regional forest
policy To climate resilient development
8
Are Azerbaijanrsquos Ancient Forest Communities Ready for Climate Change
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
While ancient culture stil l thrives in Lahij Azerbaijan the forests around the village have been degraded and the effects of climate change are becoming more evident FLEG II is assessing these impacts and how ready the village is to adapt to the changing climate
Stepping past the wood-fired bread oven in the sandstone courtyard into the cool shade of one of the many generations-old coppersmith workshops in Lahij Azerbaijan you are likely to find museum-quality copper goblets sitting alongside dozens more on shelves and in well-worn niches in the stone walls In these ground floor workshops under thousand-year-old homes villagers still speak the local Lahiji language a version of Tati spoken by only a few thousand people and proudly trace their connections to the court of the legendary Shah Kay Khosrow who vacationed in the village a millennium ago
Its ancient language and medieval streets arts and even sewers have withstood the test of time but how ready is the village to adapt to a changing climate
Until recently little has been done to understand the impacts of climate change on Azerbaijanrsquos forest communities such as Lahij Like in many other forest communities in Eastern Europe unregulated tourism illegal grazing and logging and a warming climate have taken a toll on the resources Lahijrsquos residents use for food medicine and firewood
What impacts of climate change are already evident How ready are these com-munities to adapt What can local residents and governments do to mitigate the impacts on their communities Those are some of the questions Bariz Mehdiyev is trying to answer for the Forest Law Enforcement and Governance program (FLEG II) through a series of surveys in forest communities in Azerbaijan
We are working to get an idea of how local authorities and local communities understand climate change its negative impact to forest areas and climate change adaptation and mitigation said Mehdiyev
9
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Forest communities and forest beneficiaries should understand both the economic and social aspects of climate change impacts such as how long lasting hot days during the summer season can lead to lsquoheat stressesrsquo and increased fire cases said Azer Garayev ENPI East FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) a FLEG II project partner organization We hope this project will give us a better understanding of what people in Azerbaijanrsquos forest communities know and donrsquot yet know about how climate change could impact them and what they can do about it
For more details go to enpi-flegorg
A tourist destination in Azerbaijan welcomes sustainable recreation in its forest territories Zitta Hasanova FLEG II Programrsquos Forestry Recreation Research Consultant in Azerbai jan researched into opportunit ies of ecological tourism in one of the hottest tourist ic spots in Azerbai jan mdash Gusar distr ict
Eco Tourism Meeting in Gusar
Gusar district is distinguished by its fascinating forest landscapes abundance of pure springs and beneficial climate Gusar is also of a high historical value there are many historical monuments in the villages including old mosques and museums
During her trip to the pilot regions in August 2014 Zitta Hasanova met with a wide spectrum of stake-holders from the state Forest Rehabilitation and Protection Enterprise (FRPE) state Tourist and Culture department local executive authorities and forest-dependent communities
The concluding roundtable held in the Museum of the Local History of Gusari city revealed a high stakeholder interest towards the development of ecological tourism Participants reaffirmed their readiness to be active in implementation of re-spective activities
10
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Stakeholders discussed progress of TEEB Scoping Study and FSCrsquos potential in Azerbaijan
TEEB Scoping Study Meeting
At a recent meeting Rovshan Abbasov FLEG II Programrsquos WWF Consultant on TEEB scoping study presented preliminary outcomes of his study to the stakeholders to obtain their feedback
Forests of Azerbaijan have significant ecosystem services and it is very important to evaluate their economic social and cultural services said Mr Abbasov Experts concluded that the major threats of sustainable forests are illegal timber production non-sustainable tourism and overgrazing which could be solved by improving forest governance
The second part of the meeting was dedicated to the Voluntary Forest Certification and the Principles and Criteria of FSC potential in Azerbaijan which were presented by an FSC expert Mr Vasili Gerasimov Participants finalized the discussions with the FSC-certification prospective for Azerbaijani forestry sector
The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) is a worldwide initiative aimed to draw attention to the economic benefits of biodiversity including the growing cost of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation TEEB presents an approach that can help decision-makers recognize demonstrate and capture the values of ecosystem services and biodiversity
The meeting brought together governmen-tal officials leading ecological NGOs and scholars as well as international organiza-tions The comments and suggestions of the participants will be incorporated into the final report of the TEEB study
11
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Round tables in pilot regions helped outline forest rehabilitation techniques
Allahverdi Dolkhanov FLEG II Program IUCN Tugay forest rehabilitation Consultant in Azerbaijan held meetings and roundtables in the 8 districts located in Kura-Araz lowland and Ganja-Gazakh regions in August 2014
These districts used to have vast areas of valuable riparian Tugay forests These forests are highly sensitive to changes in water supply and rapidly decline under anthropogenic pressure
In the past exactly this zone was a home to the large Tugay forestland in the country The aim of the meetings was to assess the current status of Tugay forests and discuss with the participants existing and possible Tugay forest rehabilitation techniques
Participants representing local foresters forestry enterprises authorities local communities and media elaborated on the effectiveness of past and present methods and approaches applied for restoration of former Tugay forests Out of various ideas proposed by the stakeholders the most popular one was to plant mixed forests which would meet economic and social demands of local population in collection of wild fruits and berries as well as medicinal plants
Tugay Forest Rehabilitation Meeting
12
Home at Last Tusheti Protected Landscape Officially Under Local Control
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
For the first time since before the Soviet era local officials can manage and protect the forest based on local needs
GOOD GOVERNANCE COLUMN
In September of 2014 the Georgian Gov-ernment officially transferred control of the Tusheti Protected Landscape to the Akhmeta municipality It is the first case of decentral-izing forest management in Georgia and the first time forests in Tusheti have been under local control since the beginning of the So-viet period in Georgia in 1921
13
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Tusheti Protected Landscape is an ecological wonder located on the Northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains in Georgia It is classified as a category V pro-tected area by IUCN which means it is a unique place where the in-teraction of people and nature over time has produced an area of dis-tinct character with significant eco-logical biological cultural and sce-nic value and where safeguarding the integrity of this interaction is vital to protecting and sustaining the area and its associated nature conservation and other values
With the centralized and uncertain authority over the forest during much of the last 100 years the forests in the Tusheti Protected Landscape were not receiving the management or sil-vicultural attention they needed Local people were unable to get clear direction on how to legally and sustainably meet their local forest needs especially with regard to obtaining legal firewood and timber
Local control in Tusheti forests is a way to sustainably meet local forest needs and provide employment for local people in forest management tourism and recreation said Merab Matchavariani National Forestry Consultant for FLEG II program in Georgia who is develop-ing the methodology for forest management in the Tusheti Protected Landscape The local administration is working hard to undertake all the necessary measures to establish proper forest management so it will be able to meet the primary objectives of ensuring the integrity of forest ecosystems and their ecological stability over the long run
14
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
With the legal transfer of authority now in place the Tusheti Protected Landscape Admin-istration can enhance forestry personnel undertake forest inventory elaborate a forest management plan and establish a transparent and sustainable system of harvesting and supply of forest products to meet local needs The Administration will also be responsible for undertaking all the necessary measures in consideration of its Protected Area status including forest fire control and proper management of pests and diseases
This year in Georgia FLEG II is working across three main pillars of work assessing forest management in protected areas supporting locally controlled forestry and assessing the extent of human dependency on nature (HDN) in forested landscapes For more information please contact Marika Kavtarishvili from IUCN Caucasus Cooperation Center at marikakavtarishviliiucnorg
Tusheti is both a beautiful place with tremen-dous natural value and a place where peo-ple depend on the land for their livelihoods said Marika Kavtarishvili FLEG II country program coordinator for IUCN Georgia and a native of the Tusheti region This transition to local control can help both the forest and the people living there and a lot of work has gone into it from both the national and local levels to make sure it does
The FLEG II Program has been working with all parties to provide the technical expertise required at various stages of the process Until recently the goal was to register the Tusheti Protected Landscape as a lsquoForest of Local Significancersquo to complete the transi-tion to local control (see Preparing the final mile in historic handover of Georgian for-est protection to local control on the FLEG website) but over the summer authorities identified a more direct way The Georgian Government amended two forest laws al-lowing the Tusheti Protected Landscape to remain within the government controlled forest system called the State Forest Fund but under the management of the Akhmeta municipality through its Tusheti Protected Landscape Administration
15
ENPI East and Central Asian Countries Regional Conference
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
EVENTS
Senior-level participants from the ENPI East and Central Asian regions met in Tbilisi Georgia on 9 July 2014 to discuss progress in implementing the Saint Petersburg Declaration on Forest Law Enforcement and Governance in Europe and North Asia (ENA-FLEG Declaration November 25 2005)
Ten of the forty-four signatories to the Declaration were present The meeting was organized by the FLEG II Program which is funded by the EU and implemented by the World Bank WWF and IUCN The meeting was co-chaired by Mathieu Bousquet from the European Commission and Tuukka Castreacuten from the World Bank
16
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
During the meeting nine years of progress and substantive achieve-ments in fulfilling the ENA-FLEG Declaration commitments at national and regional levels were reviewed Recommendations for future action were also developed focusing in particular on opportunities for regional and international cooperation
Participants recognized that the is-sues and challenges identified in the ENA-FLEG Declaration are still relevant At the same time the en-vironment we work in has changed Issues such as climate change higher demand for wood energy wood products and forest services inter-sectoral linkages and recog-nition of the green economy have modified the landscape Initiatives such as the EU Timber regulation (EUTR) the Lacey Act the Russian Roundwood Act Forest Europe and a number of revised forest codes in signatory countries have signif-icantly changed institutional and legal frameworks at international and national levels
For futher details (photos presentations) see FLEG II Program website wwwenpi-flegorg
17
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia
In the framework of celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia on September 26 Ilia Osepashvili FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for WWF in Georgia presented existing perspectives challenges and solutions on the way towards forest certification
WWF-Caucasus Programme Office in Tbilisi organized the meeting aiming to highlight the importance of FSC-based voluntary for-est certification and relevant perspectives in Georgia The meeting was attended by representatives of WWF offices in Georgia Armenia Azerbaijan Germany and Russia
More information about FSC Friday can be found here wwwfscfridayorg
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an in-ternational non-profit organization dedicated to promoting responsible forestry FSC certi-fies forests all over the world to ensure they meet the highest environmental and social standards FSC Friday is a global celebration of the worlds forests and aims to highlight the importance of responsible forest man-agement Every year schools businesses individuals forest ownersmanagers and other organizations around the world get involved in spreading the word about FSC and responsible forestry
18
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
On July 3 the Telekritika a popular Ukranian website about media announced the results of the competition sponsored by FLEG II
Olena Sereda journalist of the newspaper Business won the highest award in the competition for her article that focused on issues that affect the development of the Ukrainian forest industry It also covered the roundtables conducted by the FLEG II program with the new leadership of the state forest agency Olena Sereda
Mykhail Popkov Yulia Zelinska Iryna Fedoriv
Iryna Fedoriv who was a winner in 2011 for a series of stories on protection of the forest on the border of the town of Kotsyubynske and Kyiv was given a special award mdash for five years of social work directed to returning the forest to the community and for her important contribution to the creation of the branch of Holosyivsky National Park Bilychansky Forest
Other winners included an article about financial irregularities in the State Forestry Agency and two journalistic investigations into corruption schemes concerning communal and state forests in Mykolayiv Oblast and near Kyiv (the journalists are still investigating)
The competition lasted from February to May 2014 Each judge of the competition all well-known journalists and foresters allotted the marks on their own Ratings of participants were then determined based on the total score Those rated first received top prizes
Yuri Rybachuk Inna Kuznetsova
Ukraine Journalists win prizes in Forestry Media Competition
19
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
The jury received some 100 materials aired or published between July 1 2013 and May 31 2014 in Ukrainian media The 25 most exciting works were posted on the Telekritika website with the payment of fees to the authors and all works without exception were posted for general access on the site of FLEG II program
Foresters gain insight and confidence on Round Timber Regulations
FLEG II organized a training on the implementation of Wood Tracking System through Supply Chain
The first training on the Round Timber Reg-ulations and Manual was organized on 4 and 5 October in Goris Armenia with participants from Vayots Dzor Sisian Kapan and Goris Forest Enterprises
Mykhail Popkov
As envisaged in the FLEG II Program Arme-nia Country Workplan the training covered the theory and practical implementation of the new timber regulations
Competition judges Inna Kuznetsova editor of the Kyiv office of Ra-dio Liberty and Yuri Rybachuk editor of the weekly Comments said We are journalists and therefore our prime interest is journalistic investigations as the most dangerous genre so we opted for them
Mykhailo Popkov an expert of program FLEG II (EІSPSkhid 2) and editor of Ukranian For-ester website suggested that next year the contest should include a special nomination for foresters who alongside with journalists communicate and explain forest issues to the public
20
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
They were drafted in 2011 and recently ap-proved by the state authorities and made mandatory for application The regulations cover using wood marking hammers per-sonal stamps numbered labels and staplers with needles and tapes in order to monitor wood movement in the supply chain
The training was delivered over two days in three groups each comprising of up to 20 participants The first day of the training was dedicated exploring and explaining the Regulation and the Manual through Power Point Presentations lively discussions and QA sessions At the end of the day the par-ticipants completed a test on the obtained knowledge
The second day of the training was a prac-tical hands on implementation of the re-quirements of the Regulation in the forest The trainer demonstrated the technique ex-plained the procedures and asked each of the participants to perform different elements of the process
The foresters involved were given the op-portunity to raise all kinds of questions of concern during the practical application and received guidance on further steps
Itrsquos always better to see rather than read and try to make your own assumptions Now that both the theoretical and practical parts of the process are learned we are more confident with the new system one of the participants said after the training
21
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Day of Forester in Georgia This year Georgia revived the tradition of celebrating annual Day of Forester FLEG II Program took part in the event
The Day of Forester was established in Georgia in 1999 Foresters from all over the country used to gather on 10th of October to celebrate their professional day However it has not been observed for many years
This fall the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia (MENRP) together with National Forest Agency (NFA) revived the tradition and organized a special event for marking the professional day of Georgian foresters It was touching not only for the foresters but for everybody who cares for the environment MENRP hosted a reception and an award ceremony About hundred participants attended the event including donors NGOs academia media and foresters from all over the country
Elguja Khokrishvili Minister of Environment made opening re-marks followed by a brief presentation on key achievement in forestry sector Levan Tabutsidze Head of NFA expressed special gratitude to the international donor community and civil society for valuable support provided for forestry sector develop-ment in Georgia He delivered an overview of ongoing projects and programs including FLEG II
Fourteen foresters from various regions of Georgia were awarded for their valuable con-tribution to the development of forestry sector The Minister handed over certificates and souvenirs crafted for the occasion A special prize for the Best Forester of the Year was awarded to Marine Sujashvili Deputy Head Department of Forest Maintenance of and Restoration NFA
October 10 2014 was a remarkable day encouraging foresters supporting their professional growth and raising public awareness
22
What is FLEG II
How did FLEG come about
wwwenpi-flegorg
FLEG II is the regional European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II Program Its objective is to promote sustainable forest governance management and protection of forests in Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The programrsquos work helps to promote the contribution of the regionrsquos forests to climate change adaptation and mitiga-tion to ecosystems and biodiversity protection and to sustainable livelihoods and income sources for local populations and national economies
In 2005 representatives of 44 governments signed the St Petersburg Declaration com-mitting themselves to address illegal logging and improve forest governance Momentum towards strengthening forest law enforcement and governance in the ENPI region grew when in 2008 the EC the World Bank WWF and IUCN teamed up to implement the first ENPI FLEG Program (2008ndash2012 6 million EUR)
The ENPI Forest Law Enforcement and Governance II (FLEG II) Program (2012ndash2016 9 million EUR) builds on the first ENPI FLEG I Program to support good forest governance sustainable forest management and forest protection in the ENPI East region
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
23
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Which Organisations are the FLEG II Programrsquos Donors and Implementers
FLEG II is funded by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
What are the Specific Objectives of the FLEG II Project
The FLEG II Program has three specific Program Development Objectives
bull make progress implementing the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration in the participating countries and support the participating countries commit to a time-bound action plan to ensure its implementation and follow-up activities (regional level)
bull review or revise (or establish a time-bound action plan to review or revise) forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance (including the impact of related EU regulations) in the participating countries (national level) and
bull test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis in all partici-pating countries (sub-national level)
How FLEG II Program is implementedWithin the FLEG II Program there is an overall Program Management Team (PMT) consist-ing of one member from each of the three Implementing Organizations (IOs) The PMT is responsible for the overall planning guidance and implementation of the Program
The Steering Committee (SC) includes a representative from each Participating Country the World Bank (WB) IUCN WWF and the European Commission The SC meets at least annually to discuss the Programrsquos progress and approve country workplans and it is re-sponsible for providing advice on policy and strategic directions of the Program The World Bank and EC co- chair the SC and decisions are taken by consensus
24
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
At the country level each country has a Country Program Coordination Team (PCT) which is made up of one member from each of the three IOs
Also each country has a National Program Advisory Committee (NPAC) which provides guidance to the PCT The NPACs generally consist of eight members (1 FLEG National Focal Point 2 representatives from key government institutions 3 representatives from key NGOs 1 representative from the European Commission and 1 representative of the country PCT) The NPACrsquos role is to provide guidance to the IOrsquos on the development planning implementation monitoring and evaluation of the Program activities at the national and sub-national levels in each participating country
If you would like any more information or have any comments on any aspect of the FLEG II Program please send them by e-mail to the Communication Team
Feedback
Mark Gnadt markgnadtiucnorg Gera Voskanyan gvoskanyanwwfcaucasusorg Carol Howard carolhowardenpi-flegorg
25
EUROPEAN COMMISSION The European Union is the worldrsquos largest donor of official development assistance EuropeAid Development and Cooperation a Directorate General of the European Commission is responsible for designing European development policy and delivering aid throughout the world EuropeAid delivers aid through a set of financial instruments with a focus on ensuring the quality of EU aid and its effectiveness An active and proactive player in the development field EuropeAid promotes good governance human and economic development and tackle universal issues such as fighting hunger and preserving natural resourceshttpeceuropaeuindex_enhtm
WORLD BANKThe World Bank Group is one of the worldrsquos largest sources of knowledge and funding for its 188 member-countries The organizations that make up the World Bank Group are owned by the governments of member nations which have the ultimate decision-making power within the organizations on all matters including policy financial or membership issues The World Bank Group comprises five closely associated institutions the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) which together form the World Bank the International Finance Corporation (IFC) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Each institution plays a distinct role in the World Bank Grouprsquos mission to end extreme poverty by decreasing the percentage of people living on less than $125 a day to no more than 3 percent and promote shared prosperity by fostering the income growth of the bottom 40 percent for every country For additional information please visithttpwwwworldbankorg httpwwwifcorg httpwwwmigaorg
IUCNIUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges IUCNrsquos work focuses on valuing and conserving nature ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate food and development IUCN supports scientific research manages field projects all over the world and brings governments NGOs the UN and companies together to develop policy laws and best practice IUCN is the worldrsquos oldest and largest global environmental organisation with more than 1200 government and NGO members and almost 11000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries IUCNrsquos work is supported by over 1000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public NGO and private sectors around the worldwwwiucnorg
WWFWWF is one of the worldrsquos largest and most respected independent conservation organizations with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries WWFrsquos mission is to stop the degradation of the planetrsquos natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by conserving the worldrsquos biological diversity ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumptionwwwpandaorg
About ENPI FLEG Program
Project Partners
The Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Program supports participating countriesrsquo forest governance At the regional level the Program aims to implement the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration and support countries to commit to a time-bound action plan at the national level the Program will review or revise forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures and improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance in the participating countries and at the sub-national (local) level the Program will test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis Participating countries include Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The Program is funded by the European Union httpwwwenpi-flegorg
wwwenpi-flegorg 26
People in Eastern Europe have been living in and around forests for count-less generations and have their own unique relationship with the forest said Richard Aishton FLEG II Program Coordinator for the International Un-ion for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
wwwenpi-flegorg
Tatev Village Armenia
The village of Tatev is surrounded by forest in the high plains of south eastern Armenia 1610 meters above sea level Pensioners make up one-third of the population and residents of all ages make use of the forest for fuel wood wild vegetables carnelian cherry walnut blackberry wild rose berry strawberry and medical plants
Under direction from Bakkegaard and FLEG II country program coordinators consultants in the seven countries carried out the surveys between May and August of 2014 With the ground work complete Bakkegaard and other con-sultants are compiling and analysing the results of the survey now and expect to release them at the FLEG II Forest Dependency Workshop October 28-30 2014 The final report will be available for peer review in the following months
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
We hope this study will be valuable not only to the local and national of-ficials as they set and enforce forest policy that directly impacts these peo-ple but also to larger efforts to better understand the human dependency on nature no matter where we live
We worked hard to prepare and im-plement this work and the sample has already given us very useful results said Riyong Kim Bakkegaard IUCN Consultant coordinating work on the survey
By compiling the data from the seven countries FLEG II hopes to answer many questions among thembull What value does the forest have to these communitiesbull What forest-related products are significantbull Who in particular is most dependent on the forestbull How do these communities use the forest For example as a safety net
For current consumptionbull Why do they use the forestbull What are the implications of their relationship with the forestbull How does this relationship factor in or relate to national and regional forest
policy To climate resilient development
8
Are Azerbaijanrsquos Ancient Forest Communities Ready for Climate Change
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
While ancient culture stil l thrives in Lahij Azerbaijan the forests around the village have been degraded and the effects of climate change are becoming more evident FLEG II is assessing these impacts and how ready the village is to adapt to the changing climate
Stepping past the wood-fired bread oven in the sandstone courtyard into the cool shade of one of the many generations-old coppersmith workshops in Lahij Azerbaijan you are likely to find museum-quality copper goblets sitting alongside dozens more on shelves and in well-worn niches in the stone walls In these ground floor workshops under thousand-year-old homes villagers still speak the local Lahiji language a version of Tati spoken by only a few thousand people and proudly trace their connections to the court of the legendary Shah Kay Khosrow who vacationed in the village a millennium ago
Its ancient language and medieval streets arts and even sewers have withstood the test of time but how ready is the village to adapt to a changing climate
Until recently little has been done to understand the impacts of climate change on Azerbaijanrsquos forest communities such as Lahij Like in many other forest communities in Eastern Europe unregulated tourism illegal grazing and logging and a warming climate have taken a toll on the resources Lahijrsquos residents use for food medicine and firewood
What impacts of climate change are already evident How ready are these com-munities to adapt What can local residents and governments do to mitigate the impacts on their communities Those are some of the questions Bariz Mehdiyev is trying to answer for the Forest Law Enforcement and Governance program (FLEG II) through a series of surveys in forest communities in Azerbaijan
We are working to get an idea of how local authorities and local communities understand climate change its negative impact to forest areas and climate change adaptation and mitigation said Mehdiyev
9
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Forest communities and forest beneficiaries should understand both the economic and social aspects of climate change impacts such as how long lasting hot days during the summer season can lead to lsquoheat stressesrsquo and increased fire cases said Azer Garayev ENPI East FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) a FLEG II project partner organization We hope this project will give us a better understanding of what people in Azerbaijanrsquos forest communities know and donrsquot yet know about how climate change could impact them and what they can do about it
For more details go to enpi-flegorg
A tourist destination in Azerbaijan welcomes sustainable recreation in its forest territories Zitta Hasanova FLEG II Programrsquos Forestry Recreation Research Consultant in Azerbai jan researched into opportunit ies of ecological tourism in one of the hottest tourist ic spots in Azerbai jan mdash Gusar distr ict
Eco Tourism Meeting in Gusar
Gusar district is distinguished by its fascinating forest landscapes abundance of pure springs and beneficial climate Gusar is also of a high historical value there are many historical monuments in the villages including old mosques and museums
During her trip to the pilot regions in August 2014 Zitta Hasanova met with a wide spectrum of stake-holders from the state Forest Rehabilitation and Protection Enterprise (FRPE) state Tourist and Culture department local executive authorities and forest-dependent communities
The concluding roundtable held in the Museum of the Local History of Gusari city revealed a high stakeholder interest towards the development of ecological tourism Participants reaffirmed their readiness to be active in implementation of re-spective activities
10
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Stakeholders discussed progress of TEEB Scoping Study and FSCrsquos potential in Azerbaijan
TEEB Scoping Study Meeting
At a recent meeting Rovshan Abbasov FLEG II Programrsquos WWF Consultant on TEEB scoping study presented preliminary outcomes of his study to the stakeholders to obtain their feedback
Forests of Azerbaijan have significant ecosystem services and it is very important to evaluate their economic social and cultural services said Mr Abbasov Experts concluded that the major threats of sustainable forests are illegal timber production non-sustainable tourism and overgrazing which could be solved by improving forest governance
The second part of the meeting was dedicated to the Voluntary Forest Certification and the Principles and Criteria of FSC potential in Azerbaijan which were presented by an FSC expert Mr Vasili Gerasimov Participants finalized the discussions with the FSC-certification prospective for Azerbaijani forestry sector
The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) is a worldwide initiative aimed to draw attention to the economic benefits of biodiversity including the growing cost of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation TEEB presents an approach that can help decision-makers recognize demonstrate and capture the values of ecosystem services and biodiversity
The meeting brought together governmen-tal officials leading ecological NGOs and scholars as well as international organiza-tions The comments and suggestions of the participants will be incorporated into the final report of the TEEB study
11
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Round tables in pilot regions helped outline forest rehabilitation techniques
Allahverdi Dolkhanov FLEG II Program IUCN Tugay forest rehabilitation Consultant in Azerbaijan held meetings and roundtables in the 8 districts located in Kura-Araz lowland and Ganja-Gazakh regions in August 2014
These districts used to have vast areas of valuable riparian Tugay forests These forests are highly sensitive to changes in water supply and rapidly decline under anthropogenic pressure
In the past exactly this zone was a home to the large Tugay forestland in the country The aim of the meetings was to assess the current status of Tugay forests and discuss with the participants existing and possible Tugay forest rehabilitation techniques
Participants representing local foresters forestry enterprises authorities local communities and media elaborated on the effectiveness of past and present methods and approaches applied for restoration of former Tugay forests Out of various ideas proposed by the stakeholders the most popular one was to plant mixed forests which would meet economic and social demands of local population in collection of wild fruits and berries as well as medicinal plants
Tugay Forest Rehabilitation Meeting
12
Home at Last Tusheti Protected Landscape Officially Under Local Control
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
For the first time since before the Soviet era local officials can manage and protect the forest based on local needs
GOOD GOVERNANCE COLUMN
In September of 2014 the Georgian Gov-ernment officially transferred control of the Tusheti Protected Landscape to the Akhmeta municipality It is the first case of decentral-izing forest management in Georgia and the first time forests in Tusheti have been under local control since the beginning of the So-viet period in Georgia in 1921
13
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Tusheti Protected Landscape is an ecological wonder located on the Northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains in Georgia It is classified as a category V pro-tected area by IUCN which means it is a unique place where the in-teraction of people and nature over time has produced an area of dis-tinct character with significant eco-logical biological cultural and sce-nic value and where safeguarding the integrity of this interaction is vital to protecting and sustaining the area and its associated nature conservation and other values
With the centralized and uncertain authority over the forest during much of the last 100 years the forests in the Tusheti Protected Landscape were not receiving the management or sil-vicultural attention they needed Local people were unable to get clear direction on how to legally and sustainably meet their local forest needs especially with regard to obtaining legal firewood and timber
Local control in Tusheti forests is a way to sustainably meet local forest needs and provide employment for local people in forest management tourism and recreation said Merab Matchavariani National Forestry Consultant for FLEG II program in Georgia who is develop-ing the methodology for forest management in the Tusheti Protected Landscape The local administration is working hard to undertake all the necessary measures to establish proper forest management so it will be able to meet the primary objectives of ensuring the integrity of forest ecosystems and their ecological stability over the long run
14
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
With the legal transfer of authority now in place the Tusheti Protected Landscape Admin-istration can enhance forestry personnel undertake forest inventory elaborate a forest management plan and establish a transparent and sustainable system of harvesting and supply of forest products to meet local needs The Administration will also be responsible for undertaking all the necessary measures in consideration of its Protected Area status including forest fire control and proper management of pests and diseases
This year in Georgia FLEG II is working across three main pillars of work assessing forest management in protected areas supporting locally controlled forestry and assessing the extent of human dependency on nature (HDN) in forested landscapes For more information please contact Marika Kavtarishvili from IUCN Caucasus Cooperation Center at marikakavtarishviliiucnorg
Tusheti is both a beautiful place with tremen-dous natural value and a place where peo-ple depend on the land for their livelihoods said Marika Kavtarishvili FLEG II country program coordinator for IUCN Georgia and a native of the Tusheti region This transition to local control can help both the forest and the people living there and a lot of work has gone into it from both the national and local levels to make sure it does
The FLEG II Program has been working with all parties to provide the technical expertise required at various stages of the process Until recently the goal was to register the Tusheti Protected Landscape as a lsquoForest of Local Significancersquo to complete the transi-tion to local control (see Preparing the final mile in historic handover of Georgian for-est protection to local control on the FLEG website) but over the summer authorities identified a more direct way The Georgian Government amended two forest laws al-lowing the Tusheti Protected Landscape to remain within the government controlled forest system called the State Forest Fund but under the management of the Akhmeta municipality through its Tusheti Protected Landscape Administration
15
ENPI East and Central Asian Countries Regional Conference
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
EVENTS
Senior-level participants from the ENPI East and Central Asian regions met in Tbilisi Georgia on 9 July 2014 to discuss progress in implementing the Saint Petersburg Declaration on Forest Law Enforcement and Governance in Europe and North Asia (ENA-FLEG Declaration November 25 2005)
Ten of the forty-four signatories to the Declaration were present The meeting was organized by the FLEG II Program which is funded by the EU and implemented by the World Bank WWF and IUCN The meeting was co-chaired by Mathieu Bousquet from the European Commission and Tuukka Castreacuten from the World Bank
16
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
During the meeting nine years of progress and substantive achieve-ments in fulfilling the ENA-FLEG Declaration commitments at national and regional levels were reviewed Recommendations for future action were also developed focusing in particular on opportunities for regional and international cooperation
Participants recognized that the is-sues and challenges identified in the ENA-FLEG Declaration are still relevant At the same time the en-vironment we work in has changed Issues such as climate change higher demand for wood energy wood products and forest services inter-sectoral linkages and recog-nition of the green economy have modified the landscape Initiatives such as the EU Timber regulation (EUTR) the Lacey Act the Russian Roundwood Act Forest Europe and a number of revised forest codes in signatory countries have signif-icantly changed institutional and legal frameworks at international and national levels
For futher details (photos presentations) see FLEG II Program website wwwenpi-flegorg
17
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia
In the framework of celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia on September 26 Ilia Osepashvili FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for WWF in Georgia presented existing perspectives challenges and solutions on the way towards forest certification
WWF-Caucasus Programme Office in Tbilisi organized the meeting aiming to highlight the importance of FSC-based voluntary for-est certification and relevant perspectives in Georgia The meeting was attended by representatives of WWF offices in Georgia Armenia Azerbaijan Germany and Russia
More information about FSC Friday can be found here wwwfscfridayorg
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an in-ternational non-profit organization dedicated to promoting responsible forestry FSC certi-fies forests all over the world to ensure they meet the highest environmental and social standards FSC Friday is a global celebration of the worlds forests and aims to highlight the importance of responsible forest man-agement Every year schools businesses individuals forest ownersmanagers and other organizations around the world get involved in spreading the word about FSC and responsible forestry
18
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
On July 3 the Telekritika a popular Ukranian website about media announced the results of the competition sponsored by FLEG II
Olena Sereda journalist of the newspaper Business won the highest award in the competition for her article that focused on issues that affect the development of the Ukrainian forest industry It also covered the roundtables conducted by the FLEG II program with the new leadership of the state forest agency Olena Sereda
Mykhail Popkov Yulia Zelinska Iryna Fedoriv
Iryna Fedoriv who was a winner in 2011 for a series of stories on protection of the forest on the border of the town of Kotsyubynske and Kyiv was given a special award mdash for five years of social work directed to returning the forest to the community and for her important contribution to the creation of the branch of Holosyivsky National Park Bilychansky Forest
Other winners included an article about financial irregularities in the State Forestry Agency and two journalistic investigations into corruption schemes concerning communal and state forests in Mykolayiv Oblast and near Kyiv (the journalists are still investigating)
The competition lasted from February to May 2014 Each judge of the competition all well-known journalists and foresters allotted the marks on their own Ratings of participants were then determined based on the total score Those rated first received top prizes
Yuri Rybachuk Inna Kuznetsova
Ukraine Journalists win prizes in Forestry Media Competition
19
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
The jury received some 100 materials aired or published between July 1 2013 and May 31 2014 in Ukrainian media The 25 most exciting works were posted on the Telekritika website with the payment of fees to the authors and all works without exception were posted for general access on the site of FLEG II program
Foresters gain insight and confidence on Round Timber Regulations
FLEG II organized a training on the implementation of Wood Tracking System through Supply Chain
The first training on the Round Timber Reg-ulations and Manual was organized on 4 and 5 October in Goris Armenia with participants from Vayots Dzor Sisian Kapan and Goris Forest Enterprises
Mykhail Popkov
As envisaged in the FLEG II Program Arme-nia Country Workplan the training covered the theory and practical implementation of the new timber regulations
Competition judges Inna Kuznetsova editor of the Kyiv office of Ra-dio Liberty and Yuri Rybachuk editor of the weekly Comments said We are journalists and therefore our prime interest is journalistic investigations as the most dangerous genre so we opted for them
Mykhailo Popkov an expert of program FLEG II (EІSPSkhid 2) and editor of Ukranian For-ester website suggested that next year the contest should include a special nomination for foresters who alongside with journalists communicate and explain forest issues to the public
20
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
They were drafted in 2011 and recently ap-proved by the state authorities and made mandatory for application The regulations cover using wood marking hammers per-sonal stamps numbered labels and staplers with needles and tapes in order to monitor wood movement in the supply chain
The training was delivered over two days in three groups each comprising of up to 20 participants The first day of the training was dedicated exploring and explaining the Regulation and the Manual through Power Point Presentations lively discussions and QA sessions At the end of the day the par-ticipants completed a test on the obtained knowledge
The second day of the training was a prac-tical hands on implementation of the re-quirements of the Regulation in the forest The trainer demonstrated the technique ex-plained the procedures and asked each of the participants to perform different elements of the process
The foresters involved were given the op-portunity to raise all kinds of questions of concern during the practical application and received guidance on further steps
Itrsquos always better to see rather than read and try to make your own assumptions Now that both the theoretical and practical parts of the process are learned we are more confident with the new system one of the participants said after the training
21
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Day of Forester in Georgia This year Georgia revived the tradition of celebrating annual Day of Forester FLEG II Program took part in the event
The Day of Forester was established in Georgia in 1999 Foresters from all over the country used to gather on 10th of October to celebrate their professional day However it has not been observed for many years
This fall the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia (MENRP) together with National Forest Agency (NFA) revived the tradition and organized a special event for marking the professional day of Georgian foresters It was touching not only for the foresters but for everybody who cares for the environment MENRP hosted a reception and an award ceremony About hundred participants attended the event including donors NGOs academia media and foresters from all over the country
Elguja Khokrishvili Minister of Environment made opening re-marks followed by a brief presentation on key achievement in forestry sector Levan Tabutsidze Head of NFA expressed special gratitude to the international donor community and civil society for valuable support provided for forestry sector develop-ment in Georgia He delivered an overview of ongoing projects and programs including FLEG II
Fourteen foresters from various regions of Georgia were awarded for their valuable con-tribution to the development of forestry sector The Minister handed over certificates and souvenirs crafted for the occasion A special prize for the Best Forester of the Year was awarded to Marine Sujashvili Deputy Head Department of Forest Maintenance of and Restoration NFA
October 10 2014 was a remarkable day encouraging foresters supporting their professional growth and raising public awareness
22
What is FLEG II
How did FLEG come about
wwwenpi-flegorg
FLEG II is the regional European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II Program Its objective is to promote sustainable forest governance management and protection of forests in Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The programrsquos work helps to promote the contribution of the regionrsquos forests to climate change adaptation and mitiga-tion to ecosystems and biodiversity protection and to sustainable livelihoods and income sources for local populations and national economies
In 2005 representatives of 44 governments signed the St Petersburg Declaration com-mitting themselves to address illegal logging and improve forest governance Momentum towards strengthening forest law enforcement and governance in the ENPI region grew when in 2008 the EC the World Bank WWF and IUCN teamed up to implement the first ENPI FLEG Program (2008ndash2012 6 million EUR)
The ENPI Forest Law Enforcement and Governance II (FLEG II) Program (2012ndash2016 9 million EUR) builds on the first ENPI FLEG I Program to support good forest governance sustainable forest management and forest protection in the ENPI East region
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
23
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Which Organisations are the FLEG II Programrsquos Donors and Implementers
FLEG II is funded by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
What are the Specific Objectives of the FLEG II Project
The FLEG II Program has three specific Program Development Objectives
bull make progress implementing the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration in the participating countries and support the participating countries commit to a time-bound action plan to ensure its implementation and follow-up activities (regional level)
bull review or revise (or establish a time-bound action plan to review or revise) forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance (including the impact of related EU regulations) in the participating countries (national level) and
bull test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis in all partici-pating countries (sub-national level)
How FLEG II Program is implementedWithin the FLEG II Program there is an overall Program Management Team (PMT) consist-ing of one member from each of the three Implementing Organizations (IOs) The PMT is responsible for the overall planning guidance and implementation of the Program
The Steering Committee (SC) includes a representative from each Participating Country the World Bank (WB) IUCN WWF and the European Commission The SC meets at least annually to discuss the Programrsquos progress and approve country workplans and it is re-sponsible for providing advice on policy and strategic directions of the Program The World Bank and EC co- chair the SC and decisions are taken by consensus
24
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
At the country level each country has a Country Program Coordination Team (PCT) which is made up of one member from each of the three IOs
Also each country has a National Program Advisory Committee (NPAC) which provides guidance to the PCT The NPACs generally consist of eight members (1 FLEG National Focal Point 2 representatives from key government institutions 3 representatives from key NGOs 1 representative from the European Commission and 1 representative of the country PCT) The NPACrsquos role is to provide guidance to the IOrsquos on the development planning implementation monitoring and evaluation of the Program activities at the national and sub-national levels in each participating country
If you would like any more information or have any comments on any aspect of the FLEG II Program please send them by e-mail to the Communication Team
Feedback
Mark Gnadt markgnadtiucnorg Gera Voskanyan gvoskanyanwwfcaucasusorg Carol Howard carolhowardenpi-flegorg
25
EUROPEAN COMMISSION The European Union is the worldrsquos largest donor of official development assistance EuropeAid Development and Cooperation a Directorate General of the European Commission is responsible for designing European development policy and delivering aid throughout the world EuropeAid delivers aid through a set of financial instruments with a focus on ensuring the quality of EU aid and its effectiveness An active and proactive player in the development field EuropeAid promotes good governance human and economic development and tackle universal issues such as fighting hunger and preserving natural resourceshttpeceuropaeuindex_enhtm
WORLD BANKThe World Bank Group is one of the worldrsquos largest sources of knowledge and funding for its 188 member-countries The organizations that make up the World Bank Group are owned by the governments of member nations which have the ultimate decision-making power within the organizations on all matters including policy financial or membership issues The World Bank Group comprises five closely associated institutions the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) which together form the World Bank the International Finance Corporation (IFC) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Each institution plays a distinct role in the World Bank Grouprsquos mission to end extreme poverty by decreasing the percentage of people living on less than $125 a day to no more than 3 percent and promote shared prosperity by fostering the income growth of the bottom 40 percent for every country For additional information please visithttpwwwworldbankorg httpwwwifcorg httpwwwmigaorg
IUCNIUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges IUCNrsquos work focuses on valuing and conserving nature ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate food and development IUCN supports scientific research manages field projects all over the world and brings governments NGOs the UN and companies together to develop policy laws and best practice IUCN is the worldrsquos oldest and largest global environmental organisation with more than 1200 government and NGO members and almost 11000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries IUCNrsquos work is supported by over 1000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public NGO and private sectors around the worldwwwiucnorg
WWFWWF is one of the worldrsquos largest and most respected independent conservation organizations with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries WWFrsquos mission is to stop the degradation of the planetrsquos natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by conserving the worldrsquos biological diversity ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumptionwwwpandaorg
About ENPI FLEG Program
Project Partners
The Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Program supports participating countriesrsquo forest governance At the regional level the Program aims to implement the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration and support countries to commit to a time-bound action plan at the national level the Program will review or revise forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures and improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance in the participating countries and at the sub-national (local) level the Program will test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis Participating countries include Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The Program is funded by the European Union httpwwwenpi-flegorg
wwwenpi-flegorg 26
Are Azerbaijanrsquos Ancient Forest Communities Ready for Climate Change
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
While ancient culture stil l thrives in Lahij Azerbaijan the forests around the village have been degraded and the effects of climate change are becoming more evident FLEG II is assessing these impacts and how ready the village is to adapt to the changing climate
Stepping past the wood-fired bread oven in the sandstone courtyard into the cool shade of one of the many generations-old coppersmith workshops in Lahij Azerbaijan you are likely to find museum-quality copper goblets sitting alongside dozens more on shelves and in well-worn niches in the stone walls In these ground floor workshops under thousand-year-old homes villagers still speak the local Lahiji language a version of Tati spoken by only a few thousand people and proudly trace their connections to the court of the legendary Shah Kay Khosrow who vacationed in the village a millennium ago
Its ancient language and medieval streets arts and even sewers have withstood the test of time but how ready is the village to adapt to a changing climate
Until recently little has been done to understand the impacts of climate change on Azerbaijanrsquos forest communities such as Lahij Like in many other forest communities in Eastern Europe unregulated tourism illegal grazing and logging and a warming climate have taken a toll on the resources Lahijrsquos residents use for food medicine and firewood
What impacts of climate change are already evident How ready are these com-munities to adapt What can local residents and governments do to mitigate the impacts on their communities Those are some of the questions Bariz Mehdiyev is trying to answer for the Forest Law Enforcement and Governance program (FLEG II) through a series of surveys in forest communities in Azerbaijan
We are working to get an idea of how local authorities and local communities understand climate change its negative impact to forest areas and climate change adaptation and mitigation said Mehdiyev
9
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Forest communities and forest beneficiaries should understand both the economic and social aspects of climate change impacts such as how long lasting hot days during the summer season can lead to lsquoheat stressesrsquo and increased fire cases said Azer Garayev ENPI East FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) a FLEG II project partner organization We hope this project will give us a better understanding of what people in Azerbaijanrsquos forest communities know and donrsquot yet know about how climate change could impact them and what they can do about it
For more details go to enpi-flegorg
A tourist destination in Azerbaijan welcomes sustainable recreation in its forest territories Zitta Hasanova FLEG II Programrsquos Forestry Recreation Research Consultant in Azerbai jan researched into opportunit ies of ecological tourism in one of the hottest tourist ic spots in Azerbai jan mdash Gusar distr ict
Eco Tourism Meeting in Gusar
Gusar district is distinguished by its fascinating forest landscapes abundance of pure springs and beneficial climate Gusar is also of a high historical value there are many historical monuments in the villages including old mosques and museums
During her trip to the pilot regions in August 2014 Zitta Hasanova met with a wide spectrum of stake-holders from the state Forest Rehabilitation and Protection Enterprise (FRPE) state Tourist and Culture department local executive authorities and forest-dependent communities
The concluding roundtable held in the Museum of the Local History of Gusari city revealed a high stakeholder interest towards the development of ecological tourism Participants reaffirmed their readiness to be active in implementation of re-spective activities
10
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Stakeholders discussed progress of TEEB Scoping Study and FSCrsquos potential in Azerbaijan
TEEB Scoping Study Meeting
At a recent meeting Rovshan Abbasov FLEG II Programrsquos WWF Consultant on TEEB scoping study presented preliminary outcomes of his study to the stakeholders to obtain their feedback
Forests of Azerbaijan have significant ecosystem services and it is very important to evaluate their economic social and cultural services said Mr Abbasov Experts concluded that the major threats of sustainable forests are illegal timber production non-sustainable tourism and overgrazing which could be solved by improving forest governance
The second part of the meeting was dedicated to the Voluntary Forest Certification and the Principles and Criteria of FSC potential in Azerbaijan which were presented by an FSC expert Mr Vasili Gerasimov Participants finalized the discussions with the FSC-certification prospective for Azerbaijani forestry sector
The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) is a worldwide initiative aimed to draw attention to the economic benefits of biodiversity including the growing cost of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation TEEB presents an approach that can help decision-makers recognize demonstrate and capture the values of ecosystem services and biodiversity
The meeting brought together governmen-tal officials leading ecological NGOs and scholars as well as international organiza-tions The comments and suggestions of the participants will be incorporated into the final report of the TEEB study
11
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Round tables in pilot regions helped outline forest rehabilitation techniques
Allahverdi Dolkhanov FLEG II Program IUCN Tugay forest rehabilitation Consultant in Azerbaijan held meetings and roundtables in the 8 districts located in Kura-Araz lowland and Ganja-Gazakh regions in August 2014
These districts used to have vast areas of valuable riparian Tugay forests These forests are highly sensitive to changes in water supply and rapidly decline under anthropogenic pressure
In the past exactly this zone was a home to the large Tugay forestland in the country The aim of the meetings was to assess the current status of Tugay forests and discuss with the participants existing and possible Tugay forest rehabilitation techniques
Participants representing local foresters forestry enterprises authorities local communities and media elaborated on the effectiveness of past and present methods and approaches applied for restoration of former Tugay forests Out of various ideas proposed by the stakeholders the most popular one was to plant mixed forests which would meet economic and social demands of local population in collection of wild fruits and berries as well as medicinal plants
Tugay Forest Rehabilitation Meeting
12
Home at Last Tusheti Protected Landscape Officially Under Local Control
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
For the first time since before the Soviet era local officials can manage and protect the forest based on local needs
GOOD GOVERNANCE COLUMN
In September of 2014 the Georgian Gov-ernment officially transferred control of the Tusheti Protected Landscape to the Akhmeta municipality It is the first case of decentral-izing forest management in Georgia and the first time forests in Tusheti have been under local control since the beginning of the So-viet period in Georgia in 1921
13
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Tusheti Protected Landscape is an ecological wonder located on the Northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains in Georgia It is classified as a category V pro-tected area by IUCN which means it is a unique place where the in-teraction of people and nature over time has produced an area of dis-tinct character with significant eco-logical biological cultural and sce-nic value and where safeguarding the integrity of this interaction is vital to protecting and sustaining the area and its associated nature conservation and other values
With the centralized and uncertain authority over the forest during much of the last 100 years the forests in the Tusheti Protected Landscape were not receiving the management or sil-vicultural attention they needed Local people were unable to get clear direction on how to legally and sustainably meet their local forest needs especially with regard to obtaining legal firewood and timber
Local control in Tusheti forests is a way to sustainably meet local forest needs and provide employment for local people in forest management tourism and recreation said Merab Matchavariani National Forestry Consultant for FLEG II program in Georgia who is develop-ing the methodology for forest management in the Tusheti Protected Landscape The local administration is working hard to undertake all the necessary measures to establish proper forest management so it will be able to meet the primary objectives of ensuring the integrity of forest ecosystems and their ecological stability over the long run
14
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
With the legal transfer of authority now in place the Tusheti Protected Landscape Admin-istration can enhance forestry personnel undertake forest inventory elaborate a forest management plan and establish a transparent and sustainable system of harvesting and supply of forest products to meet local needs The Administration will also be responsible for undertaking all the necessary measures in consideration of its Protected Area status including forest fire control and proper management of pests and diseases
This year in Georgia FLEG II is working across three main pillars of work assessing forest management in protected areas supporting locally controlled forestry and assessing the extent of human dependency on nature (HDN) in forested landscapes For more information please contact Marika Kavtarishvili from IUCN Caucasus Cooperation Center at marikakavtarishviliiucnorg
Tusheti is both a beautiful place with tremen-dous natural value and a place where peo-ple depend on the land for their livelihoods said Marika Kavtarishvili FLEG II country program coordinator for IUCN Georgia and a native of the Tusheti region This transition to local control can help both the forest and the people living there and a lot of work has gone into it from both the national and local levels to make sure it does
The FLEG II Program has been working with all parties to provide the technical expertise required at various stages of the process Until recently the goal was to register the Tusheti Protected Landscape as a lsquoForest of Local Significancersquo to complete the transi-tion to local control (see Preparing the final mile in historic handover of Georgian for-est protection to local control on the FLEG website) but over the summer authorities identified a more direct way The Georgian Government amended two forest laws al-lowing the Tusheti Protected Landscape to remain within the government controlled forest system called the State Forest Fund but under the management of the Akhmeta municipality through its Tusheti Protected Landscape Administration
15
ENPI East and Central Asian Countries Regional Conference
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
EVENTS
Senior-level participants from the ENPI East and Central Asian regions met in Tbilisi Georgia on 9 July 2014 to discuss progress in implementing the Saint Petersburg Declaration on Forest Law Enforcement and Governance in Europe and North Asia (ENA-FLEG Declaration November 25 2005)
Ten of the forty-four signatories to the Declaration were present The meeting was organized by the FLEG II Program which is funded by the EU and implemented by the World Bank WWF and IUCN The meeting was co-chaired by Mathieu Bousquet from the European Commission and Tuukka Castreacuten from the World Bank
16
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
During the meeting nine years of progress and substantive achieve-ments in fulfilling the ENA-FLEG Declaration commitments at national and regional levels were reviewed Recommendations for future action were also developed focusing in particular on opportunities for regional and international cooperation
Participants recognized that the is-sues and challenges identified in the ENA-FLEG Declaration are still relevant At the same time the en-vironment we work in has changed Issues such as climate change higher demand for wood energy wood products and forest services inter-sectoral linkages and recog-nition of the green economy have modified the landscape Initiatives such as the EU Timber regulation (EUTR) the Lacey Act the Russian Roundwood Act Forest Europe and a number of revised forest codes in signatory countries have signif-icantly changed institutional and legal frameworks at international and national levels
For futher details (photos presentations) see FLEG II Program website wwwenpi-flegorg
17
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia
In the framework of celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia on September 26 Ilia Osepashvili FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for WWF in Georgia presented existing perspectives challenges and solutions on the way towards forest certification
WWF-Caucasus Programme Office in Tbilisi organized the meeting aiming to highlight the importance of FSC-based voluntary for-est certification and relevant perspectives in Georgia The meeting was attended by representatives of WWF offices in Georgia Armenia Azerbaijan Germany and Russia
More information about FSC Friday can be found here wwwfscfridayorg
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an in-ternational non-profit organization dedicated to promoting responsible forestry FSC certi-fies forests all over the world to ensure they meet the highest environmental and social standards FSC Friday is a global celebration of the worlds forests and aims to highlight the importance of responsible forest man-agement Every year schools businesses individuals forest ownersmanagers and other organizations around the world get involved in spreading the word about FSC and responsible forestry
18
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
On July 3 the Telekritika a popular Ukranian website about media announced the results of the competition sponsored by FLEG II
Olena Sereda journalist of the newspaper Business won the highest award in the competition for her article that focused on issues that affect the development of the Ukrainian forest industry It also covered the roundtables conducted by the FLEG II program with the new leadership of the state forest agency Olena Sereda
Mykhail Popkov Yulia Zelinska Iryna Fedoriv
Iryna Fedoriv who was a winner in 2011 for a series of stories on protection of the forest on the border of the town of Kotsyubynske and Kyiv was given a special award mdash for five years of social work directed to returning the forest to the community and for her important contribution to the creation of the branch of Holosyivsky National Park Bilychansky Forest
Other winners included an article about financial irregularities in the State Forestry Agency and two journalistic investigations into corruption schemes concerning communal and state forests in Mykolayiv Oblast and near Kyiv (the journalists are still investigating)
The competition lasted from February to May 2014 Each judge of the competition all well-known journalists and foresters allotted the marks on their own Ratings of participants were then determined based on the total score Those rated first received top prizes
Yuri Rybachuk Inna Kuznetsova
Ukraine Journalists win prizes in Forestry Media Competition
19
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
The jury received some 100 materials aired or published between July 1 2013 and May 31 2014 in Ukrainian media The 25 most exciting works were posted on the Telekritika website with the payment of fees to the authors and all works without exception were posted for general access on the site of FLEG II program
Foresters gain insight and confidence on Round Timber Regulations
FLEG II organized a training on the implementation of Wood Tracking System through Supply Chain
The first training on the Round Timber Reg-ulations and Manual was organized on 4 and 5 October in Goris Armenia with participants from Vayots Dzor Sisian Kapan and Goris Forest Enterprises
Mykhail Popkov
As envisaged in the FLEG II Program Arme-nia Country Workplan the training covered the theory and practical implementation of the new timber regulations
Competition judges Inna Kuznetsova editor of the Kyiv office of Ra-dio Liberty and Yuri Rybachuk editor of the weekly Comments said We are journalists and therefore our prime interest is journalistic investigations as the most dangerous genre so we opted for them
Mykhailo Popkov an expert of program FLEG II (EІSPSkhid 2) and editor of Ukranian For-ester website suggested that next year the contest should include a special nomination for foresters who alongside with journalists communicate and explain forest issues to the public
20
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
They were drafted in 2011 and recently ap-proved by the state authorities and made mandatory for application The regulations cover using wood marking hammers per-sonal stamps numbered labels and staplers with needles and tapes in order to monitor wood movement in the supply chain
The training was delivered over two days in three groups each comprising of up to 20 participants The first day of the training was dedicated exploring and explaining the Regulation and the Manual through Power Point Presentations lively discussions and QA sessions At the end of the day the par-ticipants completed a test on the obtained knowledge
The second day of the training was a prac-tical hands on implementation of the re-quirements of the Regulation in the forest The trainer demonstrated the technique ex-plained the procedures and asked each of the participants to perform different elements of the process
The foresters involved were given the op-portunity to raise all kinds of questions of concern during the practical application and received guidance on further steps
Itrsquos always better to see rather than read and try to make your own assumptions Now that both the theoretical and practical parts of the process are learned we are more confident with the new system one of the participants said after the training
21
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Day of Forester in Georgia This year Georgia revived the tradition of celebrating annual Day of Forester FLEG II Program took part in the event
The Day of Forester was established in Georgia in 1999 Foresters from all over the country used to gather on 10th of October to celebrate their professional day However it has not been observed for many years
This fall the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia (MENRP) together with National Forest Agency (NFA) revived the tradition and organized a special event for marking the professional day of Georgian foresters It was touching not only for the foresters but for everybody who cares for the environment MENRP hosted a reception and an award ceremony About hundred participants attended the event including donors NGOs academia media and foresters from all over the country
Elguja Khokrishvili Minister of Environment made opening re-marks followed by a brief presentation on key achievement in forestry sector Levan Tabutsidze Head of NFA expressed special gratitude to the international donor community and civil society for valuable support provided for forestry sector develop-ment in Georgia He delivered an overview of ongoing projects and programs including FLEG II
Fourteen foresters from various regions of Georgia were awarded for their valuable con-tribution to the development of forestry sector The Minister handed over certificates and souvenirs crafted for the occasion A special prize for the Best Forester of the Year was awarded to Marine Sujashvili Deputy Head Department of Forest Maintenance of and Restoration NFA
October 10 2014 was a remarkable day encouraging foresters supporting their professional growth and raising public awareness
22
What is FLEG II
How did FLEG come about
wwwenpi-flegorg
FLEG II is the regional European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II Program Its objective is to promote sustainable forest governance management and protection of forests in Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The programrsquos work helps to promote the contribution of the regionrsquos forests to climate change adaptation and mitiga-tion to ecosystems and biodiversity protection and to sustainable livelihoods and income sources for local populations and national economies
In 2005 representatives of 44 governments signed the St Petersburg Declaration com-mitting themselves to address illegal logging and improve forest governance Momentum towards strengthening forest law enforcement and governance in the ENPI region grew when in 2008 the EC the World Bank WWF and IUCN teamed up to implement the first ENPI FLEG Program (2008ndash2012 6 million EUR)
The ENPI Forest Law Enforcement and Governance II (FLEG II) Program (2012ndash2016 9 million EUR) builds on the first ENPI FLEG I Program to support good forest governance sustainable forest management and forest protection in the ENPI East region
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
23
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Which Organisations are the FLEG II Programrsquos Donors and Implementers
FLEG II is funded by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
What are the Specific Objectives of the FLEG II Project
The FLEG II Program has three specific Program Development Objectives
bull make progress implementing the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration in the participating countries and support the participating countries commit to a time-bound action plan to ensure its implementation and follow-up activities (regional level)
bull review or revise (or establish a time-bound action plan to review or revise) forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance (including the impact of related EU regulations) in the participating countries (national level) and
bull test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis in all partici-pating countries (sub-national level)
How FLEG II Program is implementedWithin the FLEG II Program there is an overall Program Management Team (PMT) consist-ing of one member from each of the three Implementing Organizations (IOs) The PMT is responsible for the overall planning guidance and implementation of the Program
The Steering Committee (SC) includes a representative from each Participating Country the World Bank (WB) IUCN WWF and the European Commission The SC meets at least annually to discuss the Programrsquos progress and approve country workplans and it is re-sponsible for providing advice on policy and strategic directions of the Program The World Bank and EC co- chair the SC and decisions are taken by consensus
24
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
At the country level each country has a Country Program Coordination Team (PCT) which is made up of one member from each of the three IOs
Also each country has a National Program Advisory Committee (NPAC) which provides guidance to the PCT The NPACs generally consist of eight members (1 FLEG National Focal Point 2 representatives from key government institutions 3 representatives from key NGOs 1 representative from the European Commission and 1 representative of the country PCT) The NPACrsquos role is to provide guidance to the IOrsquos on the development planning implementation monitoring and evaluation of the Program activities at the national and sub-national levels in each participating country
If you would like any more information or have any comments on any aspect of the FLEG II Program please send them by e-mail to the Communication Team
Feedback
Mark Gnadt markgnadtiucnorg Gera Voskanyan gvoskanyanwwfcaucasusorg Carol Howard carolhowardenpi-flegorg
25
EUROPEAN COMMISSION The European Union is the worldrsquos largest donor of official development assistance EuropeAid Development and Cooperation a Directorate General of the European Commission is responsible for designing European development policy and delivering aid throughout the world EuropeAid delivers aid through a set of financial instruments with a focus on ensuring the quality of EU aid and its effectiveness An active and proactive player in the development field EuropeAid promotes good governance human and economic development and tackle universal issues such as fighting hunger and preserving natural resourceshttpeceuropaeuindex_enhtm
WORLD BANKThe World Bank Group is one of the worldrsquos largest sources of knowledge and funding for its 188 member-countries The organizations that make up the World Bank Group are owned by the governments of member nations which have the ultimate decision-making power within the organizations on all matters including policy financial or membership issues The World Bank Group comprises five closely associated institutions the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) which together form the World Bank the International Finance Corporation (IFC) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Each institution plays a distinct role in the World Bank Grouprsquos mission to end extreme poverty by decreasing the percentage of people living on less than $125 a day to no more than 3 percent and promote shared prosperity by fostering the income growth of the bottom 40 percent for every country For additional information please visithttpwwwworldbankorg httpwwwifcorg httpwwwmigaorg
IUCNIUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges IUCNrsquos work focuses on valuing and conserving nature ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate food and development IUCN supports scientific research manages field projects all over the world and brings governments NGOs the UN and companies together to develop policy laws and best practice IUCN is the worldrsquos oldest and largest global environmental organisation with more than 1200 government and NGO members and almost 11000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries IUCNrsquos work is supported by over 1000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public NGO and private sectors around the worldwwwiucnorg
WWFWWF is one of the worldrsquos largest and most respected independent conservation organizations with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries WWFrsquos mission is to stop the degradation of the planetrsquos natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by conserving the worldrsquos biological diversity ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumptionwwwpandaorg
About ENPI FLEG Program
Project Partners
The Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Program supports participating countriesrsquo forest governance At the regional level the Program aims to implement the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration and support countries to commit to a time-bound action plan at the national level the Program will review or revise forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures and improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance in the participating countries and at the sub-national (local) level the Program will test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis Participating countries include Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The Program is funded by the European Union httpwwwenpi-flegorg
wwwenpi-flegorg 26
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Forest communities and forest beneficiaries should understand both the economic and social aspects of climate change impacts such as how long lasting hot days during the summer season can lead to lsquoheat stressesrsquo and increased fire cases said Azer Garayev ENPI East FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) a FLEG II project partner organization We hope this project will give us a better understanding of what people in Azerbaijanrsquos forest communities know and donrsquot yet know about how climate change could impact them and what they can do about it
For more details go to enpi-flegorg
A tourist destination in Azerbaijan welcomes sustainable recreation in its forest territories Zitta Hasanova FLEG II Programrsquos Forestry Recreation Research Consultant in Azerbai jan researched into opportunit ies of ecological tourism in one of the hottest tourist ic spots in Azerbai jan mdash Gusar distr ict
Eco Tourism Meeting in Gusar
Gusar district is distinguished by its fascinating forest landscapes abundance of pure springs and beneficial climate Gusar is also of a high historical value there are many historical monuments in the villages including old mosques and museums
During her trip to the pilot regions in August 2014 Zitta Hasanova met with a wide spectrum of stake-holders from the state Forest Rehabilitation and Protection Enterprise (FRPE) state Tourist and Culture department local executive authorities and forest-dependent communities
The concluding roundtable held in the Museum of the Local History of Gusari city revealed a high stakeholder interest towards the development of ecological tourism Participants reaffirmed their readiness to be active in implementation of re-spective activities
10
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Stakeholders discussed progress of TEEB Scoping Study and FSCrsquos potential in Azerbaijan
TEEB Scoping Study Meeting
At a recent meeting Rovshan Abbasov FLEG II Programrsquos WWF Consultant on TEEB scoping study presented preliminary outcomes of his study to the stakeholders to obtain their feedback
Forests of Azerbaijan have significant ecosystem services and it is very important to evaluate their economic social and cultural services said Mr Abbasov Experts concluded that the major threats of sustainable forests are illegal timber production non-sustainable tourism and overgrazing which could be solved by improving forest governance
The second part of the meeting was dedicated to the Voluntary Forest Certification and the Principles and Criteria of FSC potential in Azerbaijan which were presented by an FSC expert Mr Vasili Gerasimov Participants finalized the discussions with the FSC-certification prospective for Azerbaijani forestry sector
The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) is a worldwide initiative aimed to draw attention to the economic benefits of biodiversity including the growing cost of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation TEEB presents an approach that can help decision-makers recognize demonstrate and capture the values of ecosystem services and biodiversity
The meeting brought together governmen-tal officials leading ecological NGOs and scholars as well as international organiza-tions The comments and suggestions of the participants will be incorporated into the final report of the TEEB study
11
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Round tables in pilot regions helped outline forest rehabilitation techniques
Allahverdi Dolkhanov FLEG II Program IUCN Tugay forest rehabilitation Consultant in Azerbaijan held meetings and roundtables in the 8 districts located in Kura-Araz lowland and Ganja-Gazakh regions in August 2014
These districts used to have vast areas of valuable riparian Tugay forests These forests are highly sensitive to changes in water supply and rapidly decline under anthropogenic pressure
In the past exactly this zone was a home to the large Tugay forestland in the country The aim of the meetings was to assess the current status of Tugay forests and discuss with the participants existing and possible Tugay forest rehabilitation techniques
Participants representing local foresters forestry enterprises authorities local communities and media elaborated on the effectiveness of past and present methods and approaches applied for restoration of former Tugay forests Out of various ideas proposed by the stakeholders the most popular one was to plant mixed forests which would meet economic and social demands of local population in collection of wild fruits and berries as well as medicinal plants
Tugay Forest Rehabilitation Meeting
12
Home at Last Tusheti Protected Landscape Officially Under Local Control
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
For the first time since before the Soviet era local officials can manage and protect the forest based on local needs
GOOD GOVERNANCE COLUMN
In September of 2014 the Georgian Gov-ernment officially transferred control of the Tusheti Protected Landscape to the Akhmeta municipality It is the first case of decentral-izing forest management in Georgia and the first time forests in Tusheti have been under local control since the beginning of the So-viet period in Georgia in 1921
13
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Tusheti Protected Landscape is an ecological wonder located on the Northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains in Georgia It is classified as a category V pro-tected area by IUCN which means it is a unique place where the in-teraction of people and nature over time has produced an area of dis-tinct character with significant eco-logical biological cultural and sce-nic value and where safeguarding the integrity of this interaction is vital to protecting and sustaining the area and its associated nature conservation and other values
With the centralized and uncertain authority over the forest during much of the last 100 years the forests in the Tusheti Protected Landscape were not receiving the management or sil-vicultural attention they needed Local people were unable to get clear direction on how to legally and sustainably meet their local forest needs especially with regard to obtaining legal firewood and timber
Local control in Tusheti forests is a way to sustainably meet local forest needs and provide employment for local people in forest management tourism and recreation said Merab Matchavariani National Forestry Consultant for FLEG II program in Georgia who is develop-ing the methodology for forest management in the Tusheti Protected Landscape The local administration is working hard to undertake all the necessary measures to establish proper forest management so it will be able to meet the primary objectives of ensuring the integrity of forest ecosystems and their ecological stability over the long run
14
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
With the legal transfer of authority now in place the Tusheti Protected Landscape Admin-istration can enhance forestry personnel undertake forest inventory elaborate a forest management plan and establish a transparent and sustainable system of harvesting and supply of forest products to meet local needs The Administration will also be responsible for undertaking all the necessary measures in consideration of its Protected Area status including forest fire control and proper management of pests and diseases
This year in Georgia FLEG II is working across three main pillars of work assessing forest management in protected areas supporting locally controlled forestry and assessing the extent of human dependency on nature (HDN) in forested landscapes For more information please contact Marika Kavtarishvili from IUCN Caucasus Cooperation Center at marikakavtarishviliiucnorg
Tusheti is both a beautiful place with tremen-dous natural value and a place where peo-ple depend on the land for their livelihoods said Marika Kavtarishvili FLEG II country program coordinator for IUCN Georgia and a native of the Tusheti region This transition to local control can help both the forest and the people living there and a lot of work has gone into it from both the national and local levels to make sure it does
The FLEG II Program has been working with all parties to provide the technical expertise required at various stages of the process Until recently the goal was to register the Tusheti Protected Landscape as a lsquoForest of Local Significancersquo to complete the transi-tion to local control (see Preparing the final mile in historic handover of Georgian for-est protection to local control on the FLEG website) but over the summer authorities identified a more direct way The Georgian Government amended two forest laws al-lowing the Tusheti Protected Landscape to remain within the government controlled forest system called the State Forest Fund but under the management of the Akhmeta municipality through its Tusheti Protected Landscape Administration
15
ENPI East and Central Asian Countries Regional Conference
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
EVENTS
Senior-level participants from the ENPI East and Central Asian regions met in Tbilisi Georgia on 9 July 2014 to discuss progress in implementing the Saint Petersburg Declaration on Forest Law Enforcement and Governance in Europe and North Asia (ENA-FLEG Declaration November 25 2005)
Ten of the forty-four signatories to the Declaration were present The meeting was organized by the FLEG II Program which is funded by the EU and implemented by the World Bank WWF and IUCN The meeting was co-chaired by Mathieu Bousquet from the European Commission and Tuukka Castreacuten from the World Bank
16
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
During the meeting nine years of progress and substantive achieve-ments in fulfilling the ENA-FLEG Declaration commitments at national and regional levels were reviewed Recommendations for future action were also developed focusing in particular on opportunities for regional and international cooperation
Participants recognized that the is-sues and challenges identified in the ENA-FLEG Declaration are still relevant At the same time the en-vironment we work in has changed Issues such as climate change higher demand for wood energy wood products and forest services inter-sectoral linkages and recog-nition of the green economy have modified the landscape Initiatives such as the EU Timber regulation (EUTR) the Lacey Act the Russian Roundwood Act Forest Europe and a number of revised forest codes in signatory countries have signif-icantly changed institutional and legal frameworks at international and national levels
For futher details (photos presentations) see FLEG II Program website wwwenpi-flegorg
17
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia
In the framework of celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia on September 26 Ilia Osepashvili FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for WWF in Georgia presented existing perspectives challenges and solutions on the way towards forest certification
WWF-Caucasus Programme Office in Tbilisi organized the meeting aiming to highlight the importance of FSC-based voluntary for-est certification and relevant perspectives in Georgia The meeting was attended by representatives of WWF offices in Georgia Armenia Azerbaijan Germany and Russia
More information about FSC Friday can be found here wwwfscfridayorg
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an in-ternational non-profit organization dedicated to promoting responsible forestry FSC certi-fies forests all over the world to ensure they meet the highest environmental and social standards FSC Friday is a global celebration of the worlds forests and aims to highlight the importance of responsible forest man-agement Every year schools businesses individuals forest ownersmanagers and other organizations around the world get involved in spreading the word about FSC and responsible forestry
18
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
On July 3 the Telekritika a popular Ukranian website about media announced the results of the competition sponsored by FLEG II
Olena Sereda journalist of the newspaper Business won the highest award in the competition for her article that focused on issues that affect the development of the Ukrainian forest industry It also covered the roundtables conducted by the FLEG II program with the new leadership of the state forest agency Olena Sereda
Mykhail Popkov Yulia Zelinska Iryna Fedoriv
Iryna Fedoriv who was a winner in 2011 for a series of stories on protection of the forest on the border of the town of Kotsyubynske and Kyiv was given a special award mdash for five years of social work directed to returning the forest to the community and for her important contribution to the creation of the branch of Holosyivsky National Park Bilychansky Forest
Other winners included an article about financial irregularities in the State Forestry Agency and two journalistic investigations into corruption schemes concerning communal and state forests in Mykolayiv Oblast and near Kyiv (the journalists are still investigating)
The competition lasted from February to May 2014 Each judge of the competition all well-known journalists and foresters allotted the marks on their own Ratings of participants were then determined based on the total score Those rated first received top prizes
Yuri Rybachuk Inna Kuznetsova
Ukraine Journalists win prizes in Forestry Media Competition
19
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
The jury received some 100 materials aired or published between July 1 2013 and May 31 2014 in Ukrainian media The 25 most exciting works were posted on the Telekritika website with the payment of fees to the authors and all works without exception were posted for general access on the site of FLEG II program
Foresters gain insight and confidence on Round Timber Regulations
FLEG II organized a training on the implementation of Wood Tracking System through Supply Chain
The first training on the Round Timber Reg-ulations and Manual was organized on 4 and 5 October in Goris Armenia with participants from Vayots Dzor Sisian Kapan and Goris Forest Enterprises
Mykhail Popkov
As envisaged in the FLEG II Program Arme-nia Country Workplan the training covered the theory and practical implementation of the new timber regulations
Competition judges Inna Kuznetsova editor of the Kyiv office of Ra-dio Liberty and Yuri Rybachuk editor of the weekly Comments said We are journalists and therefore our prime interest is journalistic investigations as the most dangerous genre so we opted for them
Mykhailo Popkov an expert of program FLEG II (EІSPSkhid 2) and editor of Ukranian For-ester website suggested that next year the contest should include a special nomination for foresters who alongside with journalists communicate and explain forest issues to the public
20
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
They were drafted in 2011 and recently ap-proved by the state authorities and made mandatory for application The regulations cover using wood marking hammers per-sonal stamps numbered labels and staplers with needles and tapes in order to monitor wood movement in the supply chain
The training was delivered over two days in three groups each comprising of up to 20 participants The first day of the training was dedicated exploring and explaining the Regulation and the Manual through Power Point Presentations lively discussions and QA sessions At the end of the day the par-ticipants completed a test on the obtained knowledge
The second day of the training was a prac-tical hands on implementation of the re-quirements of the Regulation in the forest The trainer demonstrated the technique ex-plained the procedures and asked each of the participants to perform different elements of the process
The foresters involved were given the op-portunity to raise all kinds of questions of concern during the practical application and received guidance on further steps
Itrsquos always better to see rather than read and try to make your own assumptions Now that both the theoretical and practical parts of the process are learned we are more confident with the new system one of the participants said after the training
21
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Day of Forester in Georgia This year Georgia revived the tradition of celebrating annual Day of Forester FLEG II Program took part in the event
The Day of Forester was established in Georgia in 1999 Foresters from all over the country used to gather on 10th of October to celebrate their professional day However it has not been observed for many years
This fall the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia (MENRP) together with National Forest Agency (NFA) revived the tradition and organized a special event for marking the professional day of Georgian foresters It was touching not only for the foresters but for everybody who cares for the environment MENRP hosted a reception and an award ceremony About hundred participants attended the event including donors NGOs academia media and foresters from all over the country
Elguja Khokrishvili Minister of Environment made opening re-marks followed by a brief presentation on key achievement in forestry sector Levan Tabutsidze Head of NFA expressed special gratitude to the international donor community and civil society for valuable support provided for forestry sector develop-ment in Georgia He delivered an overview of ongoing projects and programs including FLEG II
Fourteen foresters from various regions of Georgia were awarded for their valuable con-tribution to the development of forestry sector The Minister handed over certificates and souvenirs crafted for the occasion A special prize for the Best Forester of the Year was awarded to Marine Sujashvili Deputy Head Department of Forest Maintenance of and Restoration NFA
October 10 2014 was a remarkable day encouraging foresters supporting their professional growth and raising public awareness
22
What is FLEG II
How did FLEG come about
wwwenpi-flegorg
FLEG II is the regional European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II Program Its objective is to promote sustainable forest governance management and protection of forests in Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The programrsquos work helps to promote the contribution of the regionrsquos forests to climate change adaptation and mitiga-tion to ecosystems and biodiversity protection and to sustainable livelihoods and income sources for local populations and national economies
In 2005 representatives of 44 governments signed the St Petersburg Declaration com-mitting themselves to address illegal logging and improve forest governance Momentum towards strengthening forest law enforcement and governance in the ENPI region grew when in 2008 the EC the World Bank WWF and IUCN teamed up to implement the first ENPI FLEG Program (2008ndash2012 6 million EUR)
The ENPI Forest Law Enforcement and Governance II (FLEG II) Program (2012ndash2016 9 million EUR) builds on the first ENPI FLEG I Program to support good forest governance sustainable forest management and forest protection in the ENPI East region
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
23
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Which Organisations are the FLEG II Programrsquos Donors and Implementers
FLEG II is funded by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
What are the Specific Objectives of the FLEG II Project
The FLEG II Program has three specific Program Development Objectives
bull make progress implementing the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration in the participating countries and support the participating countries commit to a time-bound action plan to ensure its implementation and follow-up activities (regional level)
bull review or revise (or establish a time-bound action plan to review or revise) forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance (including the impact of related EU regulations) in the participating countries (national level) and
bull test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis in all partici-pating countries (sub-national level)
How FLEG II Program is implementedWithin the FLEG II Program there is an overall Program Management Team (PMT) consist-ing of one member from each of the three Implementing Organizations (IOs) The PMT is responsible for the overall planning guidance and implementation of the Program
The Steering Committee (SC) includes a representative from each Participating Country the World Bank (WB) IUCN WWF and the European Commission The SC meets at least annually to discuss the Programrsquos progress and approve country workplans and it is re-sponsible for providing advice on policy and strategic directions of the Program The World Bank and EC co- chair the SC and decisions are taken by consensus
24
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
At the country level each country has a Country Program Coordination Team (PCT) which is made up of one member from each of the three IOs
Also each country has a National Program Advisory Committee (NPAC) which provides guidance to the PCT The NPACs generally consist of eight members (1 FLEG National Focal Point 2 representatives from key government institutions 3 representatives from key NGOs 1 representative from the European Commission and 1 representative of the country PCT) The NPACrsquos role is to provide guidance to the IOrsquos on the development planning implementation monitoring and evaluation of the Program activities at the national and sub-national levels in each participating country
If you would like any more information or have any comments on any aspect of the FLEG II Program please send them by e-mail to the Communication Team
Feedback
Mark Gnadt markgnadtiucnorg Gera Voskanyan gvoskanyanwwfcaucasusorg Carol Howard carolhowardenpi-flegorg
25
EUROPEAN COMMISSION The European Union is the worldrsquos largest donor of official development assistance EuropeAid Development and Cooperation a Directorate General of the European Commission is responsible for designing European development policy and delivering aid throughout the world EuropeAid delivers aid through a set of financial instruments with a focus on ensuring the quality of EU aid and its effectiveness An active and proactive player in the development field EuropeAid promotes good governance human and economic development and tackle universal issues such as fighting hunger and preserving natural resourceshttpeceuropaeuindex_enhtm
WORLD BANKThe World Bank Group is one of the worldrsquos largest sources of knowledge and funding for its 188 member-countries The organizations that make up the World Bank Group are owned by the governments of member nations which have the ultimate decision-making power within the organizations on all matters including policy financial or membership issues The World Bank Group comprises five closely associated institutions the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) which together form the World Bank the International Finance Corporation (IFC) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Each institution plays a distinct role in the World Bank Grouprsquos mission to end extreme poverty by decreasing the percentage of people living on less than $125 a day to no more than 3 percent and promote shared prosperity by fostering the income growth of the bottom 40 percent for every country For additional information please visithttpwwwworldbankorg httpwwwifcorg httpwwwmigaorg
IUCNIUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges IUCNrsquos work focuses on valuing and conserving nature ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate food and development IUCN supports scientific research manages field projects all over the world and brings governments NGOs the UN and companies together to develop policy laws and best practice IUCN is the worldrsquos oldest and largest global environmental organisation with more than 1200 government and NGO members and almost 11000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries IUCNrsquos work is supported by over 1000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public NGO and private sectors around the worldwwwiucnorg
WWFWWF is one of the worldrsquos largest and most respected independent conservation organizations with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries WWFrsquos mission is to stop the degradation of the planetrsquos natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by conserving the worldrsquos biological diversity ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumptionwwwpandaorg
About ENPI FLEG Program
Project Partners
The Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Program supports participating countriesrsquo forest governance At the regional level the Program aims to implement the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration and support countries to commit to a time-bound action plan at the national level the Program will review or revise forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures and improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance in the participating countries and at the sub-national (local) level the Program will test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis Participating countries include Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The Program is funded by the European Union httpwwwenpi-flegorg
wwwenpi-flegorg 26
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Stakeholders discussed progress of TEEB Scoping Study and FSCrsquos potential in Azerbaijan
TEEB Scoping Study Meeting
At a recent meeting Rovshan Abbasov FLEG II Programrsquos WWF Consultant on TEEB scoping study presented preliminary outcomes of his study to the stakeholders to obtain their feedback
Forests of Azerbaijan have significant ecosystem services and it is very important to evaluate their economic social and cultural services said Mr Abbasov Experts concluded that the major threats of sustainable forests are illegal timber production non-sustainable tourism and overgrazing which could be solved by improving forest governance
The second part of the meeting was dedicated to the Voluntary Forest Certification and the Principles and Criteria of FSC potential in Azerbaijan which were presented by an FSC expert Mr Vasili Gerasimov Participants finalized the discussions with the FSC-certification prospective for Azerbaijani forestry sector
The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) is a worldwide initiative aimed to draw attention to the economic benefits of biodiversity including the growing cost of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation TEEB presents an approach that can help decision-makers recognize demonstrate and capture the values of ecosystem services and biodiversity
The meeting brought together governmen-tal officials leading ecological NGOs and scholars as well as international organiza-tions The comments and suggestions of the participants will be incorporated into the final report of the TEEB study
11
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Round tables in pilot regions helped outline forest rehabilitation techniques
Allahverdi Dolkhanov FLEG II Program IUCN Tugay forest rehabilitation Consultant in Azerbaijan held meetings and roundtables in the 8 districts located in Kura-Araz lowland and Ganja-Gazakh regions in August 2014
These districts used to have vast areas of valuable riparian Tugay forests These forests are highly sensitive to changes in water supply and rapidly decline under anthropogenic pressure
In the past exactly this zone was a home to the large Tugay forestland in the country The aim of the meetings was to assess the current status of Tugay forests and discuss with the participants existing and possible Tugay forest rehabilitation techniques
Participants representing local foresters forestry enterprises authorities local communities and media elaborated on the effectiveness of past and present methods and approaches applied for restoration of former Tugay forests Out of various ideas proposed by the stakeholders the most popular one was to plant mixed forests which would meet economic and social demands of local population in collection of wild fruits and berries as well as medicinal plants
Tugay Forest Rehabilitation Meeting
12
Home at Last Tusheti Protected Landscape Officially Under Local Control
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
For the first time since before the Soviet era local officials can manage and protect the forest based on local needs
GOOD GOVERNANCE COLUMN
In September of 2014 the Georgian Gov-ernment officially transferred control of the Tusheti Protected Landscape to the Akhmeta municipality It is the first case of decentral-izing forest management in Georgia and the first time forests in Tusheti have been under local control since the beginning of the So-viet period in Georgia in 1921
13
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Tusheti Protected Landscape is an ecological wonder located on the Northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains in Georgia It is classified as a category V pro-tected area by IUCN which means it is a unique place where the in-teraction of people and nature over time has produced an area of dis-tinct character with significant eco-logical biological cultural and sce-nic value and where safeguarding the integrity of this interaction is vital to protecting and sustaining the area and its associated nature conservation and other values
With the centralized and uncertain authority over the forest during much of the last 100 years the forests in the Tusheti Protected Landscape were not receiving the management or sil-vicultural attention they needed Local people were unable to get clear direction on how to legally and sustainably meet their local forest needs especially with regard to obtaining legal firewood and timber
Local control in Tusheti forests is a way to sustainably meet local forest needs and provide employment for local people in forest management tourism and recreation said Merab Matchavariani National Forestry Consultant for FLEG II program in Georgia who is develop-ing the methodology for forest management in the Tusheti Protected Landscape The local administration is working hard to undertake all the necessary measures to establish proper forest management so it will be able to meet the primary objectives of ensuring the integrity of forest ecosystems and their ecological stability over the long run
14
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
With the legal transfer of authority now in place the Tusheti Protected Landscape Admin-istration can enhance forestry personnel undertake forest inventory elaborate a forest management plan and establish a transparent and sustainable system of harvesting and supply of forest products to meet local needs The Administration will also be responsible for undertaking all the necessary measures in consideration of its Protected Area status including forest fire control and proper management of pests and diseases
This year in Georgia FLEG II is working across three main pillars of work assessing forest management in protected areas supporting locally controlled forestry and assessing the extent of human dependency on nature (HDN) in forested landscapes For more information please contact Marika Kavtarishvili from IUCN Caucasus Cooperation Center at marikakavtarishviliiucnorg
Tusheti is both a beautiful place with tremen-dous natural value and a place where peo-ple depend on the land for their livelihoods said Marika Kavtarishvili FLEG II country program coordinator for IUCN Georgia and a native of the Tusheti region This transition to local control can help both the forest and the people living there and a lot of work has gone into it from both the national and local levels to make sure it does
The FLEG II Program has been working with all parties to provide the technical expertise required at various stages of the process Until recently the goal was to register the Tusheti Protected Landscape as a lsquoForest of Local Significancersquo to complete the transi-tion to local control (see Preparing the final mile in historic handover of Georgian for-est protection to local control on the FLEG website) but over the summer authorities identified a more direct way The Georgian Government amended two forest laws al-lowing the Tusheti Protected Landscape to remain within the government controlled forest system called the State Forest Fund but under the management of the Akhmeta municipality through its Tusheti Protected Landscape Administration
15
ENPI East and Central Asian Countries Regional Conference
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
EVENTS
Senior-level participants from the ENPI East and Central Asian regions met in Tbilisi Georgia on 9 July 2014 to discuss progress in implementing the Saint Petersburg Declaration on Forest Law Enforcement and Governance in Europe and North Asia (ENA-FLEG Declaration November 25 2005)
Ten of the forty-four signatories to the Declaration were present The meeting was organized by the FLEG II Program which is funded by the EU and implemented by the World Bank WWF and IUCN The meeting was co-chaired by Mathieu Bousquet from the European Commission and Tuukka Castreacuten from the World Bank
16
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
During the meeting nine years of progress and substantive achieve-ments in fulfilling the ENA-FLEG Declaration commitments at national and regional levels were reviewed Recommendations for future action were also developed focusing in particular on opportunities for regional and international cooperation
Participants recognized that the is-sues and challenges identified in the ENA-FLEG Declaration are still relevant At the same time the en-vironment we work in has changed Issues such as climate change higher demand for wood energy wood products and forest services inter-sectoral linkages and recog-nition of the green economy have modified the landscape Initiatives such as the EU Timber regulation (EUTR) the Lacey Act the Russian Roundwood Act Forest Europe and a number of revised forest codes in signatory countries have signif-icantly changed institutional and legal frameworks at international and national levels
For futher details (photos presentations) see FLEG II Program website wwwenpi-flegorg
17
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia
In the framework of celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia on September 26 Ilia Osepashvili FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for WWF in Georgia presented existing perspectives challenges and solutions on the way towards forest certification
WWF-Caucasus Programme Office in Tbilisi organized the meeting aiming to highlight the importance of FSC-based voluntary for-est certification and relevant perspectives in Georgia The meeting was attended by representatives of WWF offices in Georgia Armenia Azerbaijan Germany and Russia
More information about FSC Friday can be found here wwwfscfridayorg
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an in-ternational non-profit organization dedicated to promoting responsible forestry FSC certi-fies forests all over the world to ensure they meet the highest environmental and social standards FSC Friday is a global celebration of the worlds forests and aims to highlight the importance of responsible forest man-agement Every year schools businesses individuals forest ownersmanagers and other organizations around the world get involved in spreading the word about FSC and responsible forestry
18
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
On July 3 the Telekritika a popular Ukranian website about media announced the results of the competition sponsored by FLEG II
Olena Sereda journalist of the newspaper Business won the highest award in the competition for her article that focused on issues that affect the development of the Ukrainian forest industry It also covered the roundtables conducted by the FLEG II program with the new leadership of the state forest agency Olena Sereda
Mykhail Popkov Yulia Zelinska Iryna Fedoriv
Iryna Fedoriv who was a winner in 2011 for a series of stories on protection of the forest on the border of the town of Kotsyubynske and Kyiv was given a special award mdash for five years of social work directed to returning the forest to the community and for her important contribution to the creation of the branch of Holosyivsky National Park Bilychansky Forest
Other winners included an article about financial irregularities in the State Forestry Agency and two journalistic investigations into corruption schemes concerning communal and state forests in Mykolayiv Oblast and near Kyiv (the journalists are still investigating)
The competition lasted from February to May 2014 Each judge of the competition all well-known journalists and foresters allotted the marks on their own Ratings of participants were then determined based on the total score Those rated first received top prizes
Yuri Rybachuk Inna Kuznetsova
Ukraine Journalists win prizes in Forestry Media Competition
19
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
The jury received some 100 materials aired or published between July 1 2013 and May 31 2014 in Ukrainian media The 25 most exciting works were posted on the Telekritika website with the payment of fees to the authors and all works without exception were posted for general access on the site of FLEG II program
Foresters gain insight and confidence on Round Timber Regulations
FLEG II organized a training on the implementation of Wood Tracking System through Supply Chain
The first training on the Round Timber Reg-ulations and Manual was organized on 4 and 5 October in Goris Armenia with participants from Vayots Dzor Sisian Kapan and Goris Forest Enterprises
Mykhail Popkov
As envisaged in the FLEG II Program Arme-nia Country Workplan the training covered the theory and practical implementation of the new timber regulations
Competition judges Inna Kuznetsova editor of the Kyiv office of Ra-dio Liberty and Yuri Rybachuk editor of the weekly Comments said We are journalists and therefore our prime interest is journalistic investigations as the most dangerous genre so we opted for them
Mykhailo Popkov an expert of program FLEG II (EІSPSkhid 2) and editor of Ukranian For-ester website suggested that next year the contest should include a special nomination for foresters who alongside with journalists communicate and explain forest issues to the public
20
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
They were drafted in 2011 and recently ap-proved by the state authorities and made mandatory for application The regulations cover using wood marking hammers per-sonal stamps numbered labels and staplers with needles and tapes in order to monitor wood movement in the supply chain
The training was delivered over two days in three groups each comprising of up to 20 participants The first day of the training was dedicated exploring and explaining the Regulation and the Manual through Power Point Presentations lively discussions and QA sessions At the end of the day the par-ticipants completed a test on the obtained knowledge
The second day of the training was a prac-tical hands on implementation of the re-quirements of the Regulation in the forest The trainer demonstrated the technique ex-plained the procedures and asked each of the participants to perform different elements of the process
The foresters involved were given the op-portunity to raise all kinds of questions of concern during the practical application and received guidance on further steps
Itrsquos always better to see rather than read and try to make your own assumptions Now that both the theoretical and practical parts of the process are learned we are more confident with the new system one of the participants said after the training
21
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Day of Forester in Georgia This year Georgia revived the tradition of celebrating annual Day of Forester FLEG II Program took part in the event
The Day of Forester was established in Georgia in 1999 Foresters from all over the country used to gather on 10th of October to celebrate their professional day However it has not been observed for many years
This fall the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia (MENRP) together with National Forest Agency (NFA) revived the tradition and organized a special event for marking the professional day of Georgian foresters It was touching not only for the foresters but for everybody who cares for the environment MENRP hosted a reception and an award ceremony About hundred participants attended the event including donors NGOs academia media and foresters from all over the country
Elguja Khokrishvili Minister of Environment made opening re-marks followed by a brief presentation on key achievement in forestry sector Levan Tabutsidze Head of NFA expressed special gratitude to the international donor community and civil society for valuable support provided for forestry sector develop-ment in Georgia He delivered an overview of ongoing projects and programs including FLEG II
Fourteen foresters from various regions of Georgia were awarded for their valuable con-tribution to the development of forestry sector The Minister handed over certificates and souvenirs crafted for the occasion A special prize for the Best Forester of the Year was awarded to Marine Sujashvili Deputy Head Department of Forest Maintenance of and Restoration NFA
October 10 2014 was a remarkable day encouraging foresters supporting their professional growth and raising public awareness
22
What is FLEG II
How did FLEG come about
wwwenpi-flegorg
FLEG II is the regional European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II Program Its objective is to promote sustainable forest governance management and protection of forests in Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The programrsquos work helps to promote the contribution of the regionrsquos forests to climate change adaptation and mitiga-tion to ecosystems and biodiversity protection and to sustainable livelihoods and income sources for local populations and national economies
In 2005 representatives of 44 governments signed the St Petersburg Declaration com-mitting themselves to address illegal logging and improve forest governance Momentum towards strengthening forest law enforcement and governance in the ENPI region grew when in 2008 the EC the World Bank WWF and IUCN teamed up to implement the first ENPI FLEG Program (2008ndash2012 6 million EUR)
The ENPI Forest Law Enforcement and Governance II (FLEG II) Program (2012ndash2016 9 million EUR) builds on the first ENPI FLEG I Program to support good forest governance sustainable forest management and forest protection in the ENPI East region
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
23
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Which Organisations are the FLEG II Programrsquos Donors and Implementers
FLEG II is funded by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
What are the Specific Objectives of the FLEG II Project
The FLEG II Program has three specific Program Development Objectives
bull make progress implementing the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration in the participating countries and support the participating countries commit to a time-bound action plan to ensure its implementation and follow-up activities (regional level)
bull review or revise (or establish a time-bound action plan to review or revise) forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance (including the impact of related EU regulations) in the participating countries (national level) and
bull test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis in all partici-pating countries (sub-national level)
How FLEG II Program is implementedWithin the FLEG II Program there is an overall Program Management Team (PMT) consist-ing of one member from each of the three Implementing Organizations (IOs) The PMT is responsible for the overall planning guidance and implementation of the Program
The Steering Committee (SC) includes a representative from each Participating Country the World Bank (WB) IUCN WWF and the European Commission The SC meets at least annually to discuss the Programrsquos progress and approve country workplans and it is re-sponsible for providing advice on policy and strategic directions of the Program The World Bank and EC co- chair the SC and decisions are taken by consensus
24
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
At the country level each country has a Country Program Coordination Team (PCT) which is made up of one member from each of the three IOs
Also each country has a National Program Advisory Committee (NPAC) which provides guidance to the PCT The NPACs generally consist of eight members (1 FLEG National Focal Point 2 representatives from key government institutions 3 representatives from key NGOs 1 representative from the European Commission and 1 representative of the country PCT) The NPACrsquos role is to provide guidance to the IOrsquos on the development planning implementation monitoring and evaluation of the Program activities at the national and sub-national levels in each participating country
If you would like any more information or have any comments on any aspect of the FLEG II Program please send them by e-mail to the Communication Team
Feedback
Mark Gnadt markgnadtiucnorg Gera Voskanyan gvoskanyanwwfcaucasusorg Carol Howard carolhowardenpi-flegorg
25
EUROPEAN COMMISSION The European Union is the worldrsquos largest donor of official development assistance EuropeAid Development and Cooperation a Directorate General of the European Commission is responsible for designing European development policy and delivering aid throughout the world EuropeAid delivers aid through a set of financial instruments with a focus on ensuring the quality of EU aid and its effectiveness An active and proactive player in the development field EuropeAid promotes good governance human and economic development and tackle universal issues such as fighting hunger and preserving natural resourceshttpeceuropaeuindex_enhtm
WORLD BANKThe World Bank Group is one of the worldrsquos largest sources of knowledge and funding for its 188 member-countries The organizations that make up the World Bank Group are owned by the governments of member nations which have the ultimate decision-making power within the organizations on all matters including policy financial or membership issues The World Bank Group comprises five closely associated institutions the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) which together form the World Bank the International Finance Corporation (IFC) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Each institution plays a distinct role in the World Bank Grouprsquos mission to end extreme poverty by decreasing the percentage of people living on less than $125 a day to no more than 3 percent and promote shared prosperity by fostering the income growth of the bottom 40 percent for every country For additional information please visithttpwwwworldbankorg httpwwwifcorg httpwwwmigaorg
IUCNIUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges IUCNrsquos work focuses on valuing and conserving nature ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate food and development IUCN supports scientific research manages field projects all over the world and brings governments NGOs the UN and companies together to develop policy laws and best practice IUCN is the worldrsquos oldest and largest global environmental organisation with more than 1200 government and NGO members and almost 11000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries IUCNrsquos work is supported by over 1000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public NGO and private sectors around the worldwwwiucnorg
WWFWWF is one of the worldrsquos largest and most respected independent conservation organizations with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries WWFrsquos mission is to stop the degradation of the planetrsquos natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by conserving the worldrsquos biological diversity ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumptionwwwpandaorg
About ENPI FLEG Program
Project Partners
The Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Program supports participating countriesrsquo forest governance At the regional level the Program aims to implement the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration and support countries to commit to a time-bound action plan at the national level the Program will review or revise forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures and improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance in the participating countries and at the sub-national (local) level the Program will test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis Participating countries include Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The Program is funded by the European Union httpwwwenpi-flegorg
wwwenpi-flegorg 26
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Round tables in pilot regions helped outline forest rehabilitation techniques
Allahverdi Dolkhanov FLEG II Program IUCN Tugay forest rehabilitation Consultant in Azerbaijan held meetings and roundtables in the 8 districts located in Kura-Araz lowland and Ganja-Gazakh regions in August 2014
These districts used to have vast areas of valuable riparian Tugay forests These forests are highly sensitive to changes in water supply and rapidly decline under anthropogenic pressure
In the past exactly this zone was a home to the large Tugay forestland in the country The aim of the meetings was to assess the current status of Tugay forests and discuss with the participants existing and possible Tugay forest rehabilitation techniques
Participants representing local foresters forestry enterprises authorities local communities and media elaborated on the effectiveness of past and present methods and approaches applied for restoration of former Tugay forests Out of various ideas proposed by the stakeholders the most popular one was to plant mixed forests which would meet economic and social demands of local population in collection of wild fruits and berries as well as medicinal plants
Tugay Forest Rehabilitation Meeting
12
Home at Last Tusheti Protected Landscape Officially Under Local Control
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
For the first time since before the Soviet era local officials can manage and protect the forest based on local needs
GOOD GOVERNANCE COLUMN
In September of 2014 the Georgian Gov-ernment officially transferred control of the Tusheti Protected Landscape to the Akhmeta municipality It is the first case of decentral-izing forest management in Georgia and the first time forests in Tusheti have been under local control since the beginning of the So-viet period in Georgia in 1921
13
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Tusheti Protected Landscape is an ecological wonder located on the Northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains in Georgia It is classified as a category V pro-tected area by IUCN which means it is a unique place where the in-teraction of people and nature over time has produced an area of dis-tinct character with significant eco-logical biological cultural and sce-nic value and where safeguarding the integrity of this interaction is vital to protecting and sustaining the area and its associated nature conservation and other values
With the centralized and uncertain authority over the forest during much of the last 100 years the forests in the Tusheti Protected Landscape were not receiving the management or sil-vicultural attention they needed Local people were unable to get clear direction on how to legally and sustainably meet their local forest needs especially with regard to obtaining legal firewood and timber
Local control in Tusheti forests is a way to sustainably meet local forest needs and provide employment for local people in forest management tourism and recreation said Merab Matchavariani National Forestry Consultant for FLEG II program in Georgia who is develop-ing the methodology for forest management in the Tusheti Protected Landscape The local administration is working hard to undertake all the necessary measures to establish proper forest management so it will be able to meet the primary objectives of ensuring the integrity of forest ecosystems and their ecological stability over the long run
14
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
With the legal transfer of authority now in place the Tusheti Protected Landscape Admin-istration can enhance forestry personnel undertake forest inventory elaborate a forest management plan and establish a transparent and sustainable system of harvesting and supply of forest products to meet local needs The Administration will also be responsible for undertaking all the necessary measures in consideration of its Protected Area status including forest fire control and proper management of pests and diseases
This year in Georgia FLEG II is working across three main pillars of work assessing forest management in protected areas supporting locally controlled forestry and assessing the extent of human dependency on nature (HDN) in forested landscapes For more information please contact Marika Kavtarishvili from IUCN Caucasus Cooperation Center at marikakavtarishviliiucnorg
Tusheti is both a beautiful place with tremen-dous natural value and a place where peo-ple depend on the land for their livelihoods said Marika Kavtarishvili FLEG II country program coordinator for IUCN Georgia and a native of the Tusheti region This transition to local control can help both the forest and the people living there and a lot of work has gone into it from both the national and local levels to make sure it does
The FLEG II Program has been working with all parties to provide the technical expertise required at various stages of the process Until recently the goal was to register the Tusheti Protected Landscape as a lsquoForest of Local Significancersquo to complete the transi-tion to local control (see Preparing the final mile in historic handover of Georgian for-est protection to local control on the FLEG website) but over the summer authorities identified a more direct way The Georgian Government amended two forest laws al-lowing the Tusheti Protected Landscape to remain within the government controlled forest system called the State Forest Fund but under the management of the Akhmeta municipality through its Tusheti Protected Landscape Administration
15
ENPI East and Central Asian Countries Regional Conference
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
EVENTS
Senior-level participants from the ENPI East and Central Asian regions met in Tbilisi Georgia on 9 July 2014 to discuss progress in implementing the Saint Petersburg Declaration on Forest Law Enforcement and Governance in Europe and North Asia (ENA-FLEG Declaration November 25 2005)
Ten of the forty-four signatories to the Declaration were present The meeting was organized by the FLEG II Program which is funded by the EU and implemented by the World Bank WWF and IUCN The meeting was co-chaired by Mathieu Bousquet from the European Commission and Tuukka Castreacuten from the World Bank
16
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
During the meeting nine years of progress and substantive achieve-ments in fulfilling the ENA-FLEG Declaration commitments at national and regional levels were reviewed Recommendations for future action were also developed focusing in particular on opportunities for regional and international cooperation
Participants recognized that the is-sues and challenges identified in the ENA-FLEG Declaration are still relevant At the same time the en-vironment we work in has changed Issues such as climate change higher demand for wood energy wood products and forest services inter-sectoral linkages and recog-nition of the green economy have modified the landscape Initiatives such as the EU Timber regulation (EUTR) the Lacey Act the Russian Roundwood Act Forest Europe and a number of revised forest codes in signatory countries have signif-icantly changed institutional and legal frameworks at international and national levels
For futher details (photos presentations) see FLEG II Program website wwwenpi-flegorg
17
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia
In the framework of celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia on September 26 Ilia Osepashvili FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for WWF in Georgia presented existing perspectives challenges and solutions on the way towards forest certification
WWF-Caucasus Programme Office in Tbilisi organized the meeting aiming to highlight the importance of FSC-based voluntary for-est certification and relevant perspectives in Georgia The meeting was attended by representatives of WWF offices in Georgia Armenia Azerbaijan Germany and Russia
More information about FSC Friday can be found here wwwfscfridayorg
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an in-ternational non-profit organization dedicated to promoting responsible forestry FSC certi-fies forests all over the world to ensure they meet the highest environmental and social standards FSC Friday is a global celebration of the worlds forests and aims to highlight the importance of responsible forest man-agement Every year schools businesses individuals forest ownersmanagers and other organizations around the world get involved in spreading the word about FSC and responsible forestry
18
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
On July 3 the Telekritika a popular Ukranian website about media announced the results of the competition sponsored by FLEG II
Olena Sereda journalist of the newspaper Business won the highest award in the competition for her article that focused on issues that affect the development of the Ukrainian forest industry It also covered the roundtables conducted by the FLEG II program with the new leadership of the state forest agency Olena Sereda
Mykhail Popkov Yulia Zelinska Iryna Fedoriv
Iryna Fedoriv who was a winner in 2011 for a series of stories on protection of the forest on the border of the town of Kotsyubynske and Kyiv was given a special award mdash for five years of social work directed to returning the forest to the community and for her important contribution to the creation of the branch of Holosyivsky National Park Bilychansky Forest
Other winners included an article about financial irregularities in the State Forestry Agency and two journalistic investigations into corruption schemes concerning communal and state forests in Mykolayiv Oblast and near Kyiv (the journalists are still investigating)
The competition lasted from February to May 2014 Each judge of the competition all well-known journalists and foresters allotted the marks on their own Ratings of participants were then determined based on the total score Those rated first received top prizes
Yuri Rybachuk Inna Kuznetsova
Ukraine Journalists win prizes in Forestry Media Competition
19
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
The jury received some 100 materials aired or published between July 1 2013 and May 31 2014 in Ukrainian media The 25 most exciting works were posted on the Telekritika website with the payment of fees to the authors and all works without exception were posted for general access on the site of FLEG II program
Foresters gain insight and confidence on Round Timber Regulations
FLEG II organized a training on the implementation of Wood Tracking System through Supply Chain
The first training on the Round Timber Reg-ulations and Manual was organized on 4 and 5 October in Goris Armenia with participants from Vayots Dzor Sisian Kapan and Goris Forest Enterprises
Mykhail Popkov
As envisaged in the FLEG II Program Arme-nia Country Workplan the training covered the theory and practical implementation of the new timber regulations
Competition judges Inna Kuznetsova editor of the Kyiv office of Ra-dio Liberty and Yuri Rybachuk editor of the weekly Comments said We are journalists and therefore our prime interest is journalistic investigations as the most dangerous genre so we opted for them
Mykhailo Popkov an expert of program FLEG II (EІSPSkhid 2) and editor of Ukranian For-ester website suggested that next year the contest should include a special nomination for foresters who alongside with journalists communicate and explain forest issues to the public
20
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
They were drafted in 2011 and recently ap-proved by the state authorities and made mandatory for application The regulations cover using wood marking hammers per-sonal stamps numbered labels and staplers with needles and tapes in order to monitor wood movement in the supply chain
The training was delivered over two days in three groups each comprising of up to 20 participants The first day of the training was dedicated exploring and explaining the Regulation and the Manual through Power Point Presentations lively discussions and QA sessions At the end of the day the par-ticipants completed a test on the obtained knowledge
The second day of the training was a prac-tical hands on implementation of the re-quirements of the Regulation in the forest The trainer demonstrated the technique ex-plained the procedures and asked each of the participants to perform different elements of the process
The foresters involved were given the op-portunity to raise all kinds of questions of concern during the practical application and received guidance on further steps
Itrsquos always better to see rather than read and try to make your own assumptions Now that both the theoretical and practical parts of the process are learned we are more confident with the new system one of the participants said after the training
21
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Day of Forester in Georgia This year Georgia revived the tradition of celebrating annual Day of Forester FLEG II Program took part in the event
The Day of Forester was established in Georgia in 1999 Foresters from all over the country used to gather on 10th of October to celebrate their professional day However it has not been observed for many years
This fall the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia (MENRP) together with National Forest Agency (NFA) revived the tradition and organized a special event for marking the professional day of Georgian foresters It was touching not only for the foresters but for everybody who cares for the environment MENRP hosted a reception and an award ceremony About hundred participants attended the event including donors NGOs academia media and foresters from all over the country
Elguja Khokrishvili Minister of Environment made opening re-marks followed by a brief presentation on key achievement in forestry sector Levan Tabutsidze Head of NFA expressed special gratitude to the international donor community and civil society for valuable support provided for forestry sector develop-ment in Georgia He delivered an overview of ongoing projects and programs including FLEG II
Fourteen foresters from various regions of Georgia were awarded for their valuable con-tribution to the development of forestry sector The Minister handed over certificates and souvenirs crafted for the occasion A special prize for the Best Forester of the Year was awarded to Marine Sujashvili Deputy Head Department of Forest Maintenance of and Restoration NFA
October 10 2014 was a remarkable day encouraging foresters supporting their professional growth and raising public awareness
22
What is FLEG II
How did FLEG come about
wwwenpi-flegorg
FLEG II is the regional European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II Program Its objective is to promote sustainable forest governance management and protection of forests in Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The programrsquos work helps to promote the contribution of the regionrsquos forests to climate change adaptation and mitiga-tion to ecosystems and biodiversity protection and to sustainable livelihoods and income sources for local populations and national economies
In 2005 representatives of 44 governments signed the St Petersburg Declaration com-mitting themselves to address illegal logging and improve forest governance Momentum towards strengthening forest law enforcement and governance in the ENPI region grew when in 2008 the EC the World Bank WWF and IUCN teamed up to implement the first ENPI FLEG Program (2008ndash2012 6 million EUR)
The ENPI Forest Law Enforcement and Governance II (FLEG II) Program (2012ndash2016 9 million EUR) builds on the first ENPI FLEG I Program to support good forest governance sustainable forest management and forest protection in the ENPI East region
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
23
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Which Organisations are the FLEG II Programrsquos Donors and Implementers
FLEG II is funded by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
What are the Specific Objectives of the FLEG II Project
The FLEG II Program has three specific Program Development Objectives
bull make progress implementing the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration in the participating countries and support the participating countries commit to a time-bound action plan to ensure its implementation and follow-up activities (regional level)
bull review or revise (or establish a time-bound action plan to review or revise) forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance (including the impact of related EU regulations) in the participating countries (national level) and
bull test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis in all partici-pating countries (sub-national level)
How FLEG II Program is implementedWithin the FLEG II Program there is an overall Program Management Team (PMT) consist-ing of one member from each of the three Implementing Organizations (IOs) The PMT is responsible for the overall planning guidance and implementation of the Program
The Steering Committee (SC) includes a representative from each Participating Country the World Bank (WB) IUCN WWF and the European Commission The SC meets at least annually to discuss the Programrsquos progress and approve country workplans and it is re-sponsible for providing advice on policy and strategic directions of the Program The World Bank and EC co- chair the SC and decisions are taken by consensus
24
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
At the country level each country has a Country Program Coordination Team (PCT) which is made up of one member from each of the three IOs
Also each country has a National Program Advisory Committee (NPAC) which provides guidance to the PCT The NPACs generally consist of eight members (1 FLEG National Focal Point 2 representatives from key government institutions 3 representatives from key NGOs 1 representative from the European Commission and 1 representative of the country PCT) The NPACrsquos role is to provide guidance to the IOrsquos on the development planning implementation monitoring and evaluation of the Program activities at the national and sub-national levels in each participating country
If you would like any more information or have any comments on any aspect of the FLEG II Program please send them by e-mail to the Communication Team
Feedback
Mark Gnadt markgnadtiucnorg Gera Voskanyan gvoskanyanwwfcaucasusorg Carol Howard carolhowardenpi-flegorg
25
EUROPEAN COMMISSION The European Union is the worldrsquos largest donor of official development assistance EuropeAid Development and Cooperation a Directorate General of the European Commission is responsible for designing European development policy and delivering aid throughout the world EuropeAid delivers aid through a set of financial instruments with a focus on ensuring the quality of EU aid and its effectiveness An active and proactive player in the development field EuropeAid promotes good governance human and economic development and tackle universal issues such as fighting hunger and preserving natural resourceshttpeceuropaeuindex_enhtm
WORLD BANKThe World Bank Group is one of the worldrsquos largest sources of knowledge and funding for its 188 member-countries The organizations that make up the World Bank Group are owned by the governments of member nations which have the ultimate decision-making power within the organizations on all matters including policy financial or membership issues The World Bank Group comprises five closely associated institutions the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) which together form the World Bank the International Finance Corporation (IFC) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Each institution plays a distinct role in the World Bank Grouprsquos mission to end extreme poverty by decreasing the percentage of people living on less than $125 a day to no more than 3 percent and promote shared prosperity by fostering the income growth of the bottom 40 percent for every country For additional information please visithttpwwwworldbankorg httpwwwifcorg httpwwwmigaorg
IUCNIUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges IUCNrsquos work focuses on valuing and conserving nature ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate food and development IUCN supports scientific research manages field projects all over the world and brings governments NGOs the UN and companies together to develop policy laws and best practice IUCN is the worldrsquos oldest and largest global environmental organisation with more than 1200 government and NGO members and almost 11000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries IUCNrsquos work is supported by over 1000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public NGO and private sectors around the worldwwwiucnorg
WWFWWF is one of the worldrsquos largest and most respected independent conservation organizations with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries WWFrsquos mission is to stop the degradation of the planetrsquos natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by conserving the worldrsquos biological diversity ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumptionwwwpandaorg
About ENPI FLEG Program
Project Partners
The Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Program supports participating countriesrsquo forest governance At the regional level the Program aims to implement the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration and support countries to commit to a time-bound action plan at the national level the Program will review or revise forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures and improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance in the participating countries and at the sub-national (local) level the Program will test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis Participating countries include Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The Program is funded by the European Union httpwwwenpi-flegorg
wwwenpi-flegorg 26
Home at Last Tusheti Protected Landscape Officially Under Local Control
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
For the first time since before the Soviet era local officials can manage and protect the forest based on local needs
GOOD GOVERNANCE COLUMN
In September of 2014 the Georgian Gov-ernment officially transferred control of the Tusheti Protected Landscape to the Akhmeta municipality It is the first case of decentral-izing forest management in Georgia and the first time forests in Tusheti have been under local control since the beginning of the So-viet period in Georgia in 1921
13
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Tusheti Protected Landscape is an ecological wonder located on the Northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains in Georgia It is classified as a category V pro-tected area by IUCN which means it is a unique place where the in-teraction of people and nature over time has produced an area of dis-tinct character with significant eco-logical biological cultural and sce-nic value and where safeguarding the integrity of this interaction is vital to protecting and sustaining the area and its associated nature conservation and other values
With the centralized and uncertain authority over the forest during much of the last 100 years the forests in the Tusheti Protected Landscape were not receiving the management or sil-vicultural attention they needed Local people were unable to get clear direction on how to legally and sustainably meet their local forest needs especially with regard to obtaining legal firewood and timber
Local control in Tusheti forests is a way to sustainably meet local forest needs and provide employment for local people in forest management tourism and recreation said Merab Matchavariani National Forestry Consultant for FLEG II program in Georgia who is develop-ing the methodology for forest management in the Tusheti Protected Landscape The local administration is working hard to undertake all the necessary measures to establish proper forest management so it will be able to meet the primary objectives of ensuring the integrity of forest ecosystems and their ecological stability over the long run
14
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
With the legal transfer of authority now in place the Tusheti Protected Landscape Admin-istration can enhance forestry personnel undertake forest inventory elaborate a forest management plan and establish a transparent and sustainable system of harvesting and supply of forest products to meet local needs The Administration will also be responsible for undertaking all the necessary measures in consideration of its Protected Area status including forest fire control and proper management of pests and diseases
This year in Georgia FLEG II is working across three main pillars of work assessing forest management in protected areas supporting locally controlled forestry and assessing the extent of human dependency on nature (HDN) in forested landscapes For more information please contact Marika Kavtarishvili from IUCN Caucasus Cooperation Center at marikakavtarishviliiucnorg
Tusheti is both a beautiful place with tremen-dous natural value and a place where peo-ple depend on the land for their livelihoods said Marika Kavtarishvili FLEG II country program coordinator for IUCN Georgia and a native of the Tusheti region This transition to local control can help both the forest and the people living there and a lot of work has gone into it from both the national and local levels to make sure it does
The FLEG II Program has been working with all parties to provide the technical expertise required at various stages of the process Until recently the goal was to register the Tusheti Protected Landscape as a lsquoForest of Local Significancersquo to complete the transi-tion to local control (see Preparing the final mile in historic handover of Georgian for-est protection to local control on the FLEG website) but over the summer authorities identified a more direct way The Georgian Government amended two forest laws al-lowing the Tusheti Protected Landscape to remain within the government controlled forest system called the State Forest Fund but under the management of the Akhmeta municipality through its Tusheti Protected Landscape Administration
15
ENPI East and Central Asian Countries Regional Conference
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
EVENTS
Senior-level participants from the ENPI East and Central Asian regions met in Tbilisi Georgia on 9 July 2014 to discuss progress in implementing the Saint Petersburg Declaration on Forest Law Enforcement and Governance in Europe and North Asia (ENA-FLEG Declaration November 25 2005)
Ten of the forty-four signatories to the Declaration were present The meeting was organized by the FLEG II Program which is funded by the EU and implemented by the World Bank WWF and IUCN The meeting was co-chaired by Mathieu Bousquet from the European Commission and Tuukka Castreacuten from the World Bank
16
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
During the meeting nine years of progress and substantive achieve-ments in fulfilling the ENA-FLEG Declaration commitments at national and regional levels were reviewed Recommendations for future action were also developed focusing in particular on opportunities for regional and international cooperation
Participants recognized that the is-sues and challenges identified in the ENA-FLEG Declaration are still relevant At the same time the en-vironment we work in has changed Issues such as climate change higher demand for wood energy wood products and forest services inter-sectoral linkages and recog-nition of the green economy have modified the landscape Initiatives such as the EU Timber regulation (EUTR) the Lacey Act the Russian Roundwood Act Forest Europe and a number of revised forest codes in signatory countries have signif-icantly changed institutional and legal frameworks at international and national levels
For futher details (photos presentations) see FLEG II Program website wwwenpi-flegorg
17
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia
In the framework of celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia on September 26 Ilia Osepashvili FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for WWF in Georgia presented existing perspectives challenges and solutions on the way towards forest certification
WWF-Caucasus Programme Office in Tbilisi organized the meeting aiming to highlight the importance of FSC-based voluntary for-est certification and relevant perspectives in Georgia The meeting was attended by representatives of WWF offices in Georgia Armenia Azerbaijan Germany and Russia
More information about FSC Friday can be found here wwwfscfridayorg
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an in-ternational non-profit organization dedicated to promoting responsible forestry FSC certi-fies forests all over the world to ensure they meet the highest environmental and social standards FSC Friday is a global celebration of the worlds forests and aims to highlight the importance of responsible forest man-agement Every year schools businesses individuals forest ownersmanagers and other organizations around the world get involved in spreading the word about FSC and responsible forestry
18
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
On July 3 the Telekritika a popular Ukranian website about media announced the results of the competition sponsored by FLEG II
Olena Sereda journalist of the newspaper Business won the highest award in the competition for her article that focused on issues that affect the development of the Ukrainian forest industry It also covered the roundtables conducted by the FLEG II program with the new leadership of the state forest agency Olena Sereda
Mykhail Popkov Yulia Zelinska Iryna Fedoriv
Iryna Fedoriv who was a winner in 2011 for a series of stories on protection of the forest on the border of the town of Kotsyubynske and Kyiv was given a special award mdash for five years of social work directed to returning the forest to the community and for her important contribution to the creation of the branch of Holosyivsky National Park Bilychansky Forest
Other winners included an article about financial irregularities in the State Forestry Agency and two journalistic investigations into corruption schemes concerning communal and state forests in Mykolayiv Oblast and near Kyiv (the journalists are still investigating)
The competition lasted from February to May 2014 Each judge of the competition all well-known journalists and foresters allotted the marks on their own Ratings of participants were then determined based on the total score Those rated first received top prizes
Yuri Rybachuk Inna Kuznetsova
Ukraine Journalists win prizes in Forestry Media Competition
19
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
The jury received some 100 materials aired or published between July 1 2013 and May 31 2014 in Ukrainian media The 25 most exciting works were posted on the Telekritika website with the payment of fees to the authors and all works without exception were posted for general access on the site of FLEG II program
Foresters gain insight and confidence on Round Timber Regulations
FLEG II organized a training on the implementation of Wood Tracking System through Supply Chain
The first training on the Round Timber Reg-ulations and Manual was organized on 4 and 5 October in Goris Armenia with participants from Vayots Dzor Sisian Kapan and Goris Forest Enterprises
Mykhail Popkov
As envisaged in the FLEG II Program Arme-nia Country Workplan the training covered the theory and practical implementation of the new timber regulations
Competition judges Inna Kuznetsova editor of the Kyiv office of Ra-dio Liberty and Yuri Rybachuk editor of the weekly Comments said We are journalists and therefore our prime interest is journalistic investigations as the most dangerous genre so we opted for them
Mykhailo Popkov an expert of program FLEG II (EІSPSkhid 2) and editor of Ukranian For-ester website suggested that next year the contest should include a special nomination for foresters who alongside with journalists communicate and explain forest issues to the public
20
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
They were drafted in 2011 and recently ap-proved by the state authorities and made mandatory for application The regulations cover using wood marking hammers per-sonal stamps numbered labels and staplers with needles and tapes in order to monitor wood movement in the supply chain
The training was delivered over two days in three groups each comprising of up to 20 participants The first day of the training was dedicated exploring and explaining the Regulation and the Manual through Power Point Presentations lively discussions and QA sessions At the end of the day the par-ticipants completed a test on the obtained knowledge
The second day of the training was a prac-tical hands on implementation of the re-quirements of the Regulation in the forest The trainer demonstrated the technique ex-plained the procedures and asked each of the participants to perform different elements of the process
The foresters involved were given the op-portunity to raise all kinds of questions of concern during the practical application and received guidance on further steps
Itrsquos always better to see rather than read and try to make your own assumptions Now that both the theoretical and practical parts of the process are learned we are more confident with the new system one of the participants said after the training
21
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Day of Forester in Georgia This year Georgia revived the tradition of celebrating annual Day of Forester FLEG II Program took part in the event
The Day of Forester was established in Georgia in 1999 Foresters from all over the country used to gather on 10th of October to celebrate their professional day However it has not been observed for many years
This fall the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia (MENRP) together with National Forest Agency (NFA) revived the tradition and organized a special event for marking the professional day of Georgian foresters It was touching not only for the foresters but for everybody who cares for the environment MENRP hosted a reception and an award ceremony About hundred participants attended the event including donors NGOs academia media and foresters from all over the country
Elguja Khokrishvili Minister of Environment made opening re-marks followed by a brief presentation on key achievement in forestry sector Levan Tabutsidze Head of NFA expressed special gratitude to the international donor community and civil society for valuable support provided for forestry sector develop-ment in Georgia He delivered an overview of ongoing projects and programs including FLEG II
Fourteen foresters from various regions of Georgia were awarded for their valuable con-tribution to the development of forestry sector The Minister handed over certificates and souvenirs crafted for the occasion A special prize for the Best Forester of the Year was awarded to Marine Sujashvili Deputy Head Department of Forest Maintenance of and Restoration NFA
October 10 2014 was a remarkable day encouraging foresters supporting their professional growth and raising public awareness
22
What is FLEG II
How did FLEG come about
wwwenpi-flegorg
FLEG II is the regional European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II Program Its objective is to promote sustainable forest governance management and protection of forests in Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The programrsquos work helps to promote the contribution of the regionrsquos forests to climate change adaptation and mitiga-tion to ecosystems and biodiversity protection and to sustainable livelihoods and income sources for local populations and national economies
In 2005 representatives of 44 governments signed the St Petersburg Declaration com-mitting themselves to address illegal logging and improve forest governance Momentum towards strengthening forest law enforcement and governance in the ENPI region grew when in 2008 the EC the World Bank WWF and IUCN teamed up to implement the first ENPI FLEG Program (2008ndash2012 6 million EUR)
The ENPI Forest Law Enforcement and Governance II (FLEG II) Program (2012ndash2016 9 million EUR) builds on the first ENPI FLEG I Program to support good forest governance sustainable forest management and forest protection in the ENPI East region
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
23
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Which Organisations are the FLEG II Programrsquos Donors and Implementers
FLEG II is funded by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
What are the Specific Objectives of the FLEG II Project
The FLEG II Program has three specific Program Development Objectives
bull make progress implementing the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration in the participating countries and support the participating countries commit to a time-bound action plan to ensure its implementation and follow-up activities (regional level)
bull review or revise (or establish a time-bound action plan to review or revise) forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance (including the impact of related EU regulations) in the participating countries (national level) and
bull test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis in all partici-pating countries (sub-national level)
How FLEG II Program is implementedWithin the FLEG II Program there is an overall Program Management Team (PMT) consist-ing of one member from each of the three Implementing Organizations (IOs) The PMT is responsible for the overall planning guidance and implementation of the Program
The Steering Committee (SC) includes a representative from each Participating Country the World Bank (WB) IUCN WWF and the European Commission The SC meets at least annually to discuss the Programrsquos progress and approve country workplans and it is re-sponsible for providing advice on policy and strategic directions of the Program The World Bank and EC co- chair the SC and decisions are taken by consensus
24
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
At the country level each country has a Country Program Coordination Team (PCT) which is made up of one member from each of the three IOs
Also each country has a National Program Advisory Committee (NPAC) which provides guidance to the PCT The NPACs generally consist of eight members (1 FLEG National Focal Point 2 representatives from key government institutions 3 representatives from key NGOs 1 representative from the European Commission and 1 representative of the country PCT) The NPACrsquos role is to provide guidance to the IOrsquos on the development planning implementation monitoring and evaluation of the Program activities at the national and sub-national levels in each participating country
If you would like any more information or have any comments on any aspect of the FLEG II Program please send them by e-mail to the Communication Team
Feedback
Mark Gnadt markgnadtiucnorg Gera Voskanyan gvoskanyanwwfcaucasusorg Carol Howard carolhowardenpi-flegorg
25
EUROPEAN COMMISSION The European Union is the worldrsquos largest donor of official development assistance EuropeAid Development and Cooperation a Directorate General of the European Commission is responsible for designing European development policy and delivering aid throughout the world EuropeAid delivers aid through a set of financial instruments with a focus on ensuring the quality of EU aid and its effectiveness An active and proactive player in the development field EuropeAid promotes good governance human and economic development and tackle universal issues such as fighting hunger and preserving natural resourceshttpeceuropaeuindex_enhtm
WORLD BANKThe World Bank Group is one of the worldrsquos largest sources of knowledge and funding for its 188 member-countries The organizations that make up the World Bank Group are owned by the governments of member nations which have the ultimate decision-making power within the organizations on all matters including policy financial or membership issues The World Bank Group comprises five closely associated institutions the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) which together form the World Bank the International Finance Corporation (IFC) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Each institution plays a distinct role in the World Bank Grouprsquos mission to end extreme poverty by decreasing the percentage of people living on less than $125 a day to no more than 3 percent and promote shared prosperity by fostering the income growth of the bottom 40 percent for every country For additional information please visithttpwwwworldbankorg httpwwwifcorg httpwwwmigaorg
IUCNIUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges IUCNrsquos work focuses on valuing and conserving nature ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate food and development IUCN supports scientific research manages field projects all over the world and brings governments NGOs the UN and companies together to develop policy laws and best practice IUCN is the worldrsquos oldest and largest global environmental organisation with more than 1200 government and NGO members and almost 11000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries IUCNrsquos work is supported by over 1000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public NGO and private sectors around the worldwwwiucnorg
WWFWWF is one of the worldrsquos largest and most respected independent conservation organizations with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries WWFrsquos mission is to stop the degradation of the planetrsquos natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by conserving the worldrsquos biological diversity ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumptionwwwpandaorg
About ENPI FLEG Program
Project Partners
The Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Program supports participating countriesrsquo forest governance At the regional level the Program aims to implement the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration and support countries to commit to a time-bound action plan at the national level the Program will review or revise forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures and improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance in the participating countries and at the sub-national (local) level the Program will test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis Participating countries include Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The Program is funded by the European Union httpwwwenpi-flegorg
wwwenpi-flegorg 26
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Tusheti Protected Landscape is an ecological wonder located on the Northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains in Georgia It is classified as a category V pro-tected area by IUCN which means it is a unique place where the in-teraction of people and nature over time has produced an area of dis-tinct character with significant eco-logical biological cultural and sce-nic value and where safeguarding the integrity of this interaction is vital to protecting and sustaining the area and its associated nature conservation and other values
With the centralized and uncertain authority over the forest during much of the last 100 years the forests in the Tusheti Protected Landscape were not receiving the management or sil-vicultural attention they needed Local people were unable to get clear direction on how to legally and sustainably meet their local forest needs especially with regard to obtaining legal firewood and timber
Local control in Tusheti forests is a way to sustainably meet local forest needs and provide employment for local people in forest management tourism and recreation said Merab Matchavariani National Forestry Consultant for FLEG II program in Georgia who is develop-ing the methodology for forest management in the Tusheti Protected Landscape The local administration is working hard to undertake all the necessary measures to establish proper forest management so it will be able to meet the primary objectives of ensuring the integrity of forest ecosystems and their ecological stability over the long run
14
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
With the legal transfer of authority now in place the Tusheti Protected Landscape Admin-istration can enhance forestry personnel undertake forest inventory elaborate a forest management plan and establish a transparent and sustainable system of harvesting and supply of forest products to meet local needs The Administration will also be responsible for undertaking all the necessary measures in consideration of its Protected Area status including forest fire control and proper management of pests and diseases
This year in Georgia FLEG II is working across three main pillars of work assessing forest management in protected areas supporting locally controlled forestry and assessing the extent of human dependency on nature (HDN) in forested landscapes For more information please contact Marika Kavtarishvili from IUCN Caucasus Cooperation Center at marikakavtarishviliiucnorg
Tusheti is both a beautiful place with tremen-dous natural value and a place where peo-ple depend on the land for their livelihoods said Marika Kavtarishvili FLEG II country program coordinator for IUCN Georgia and a native of the Tusheti region This transition to local control can help both the forest and the people living there and a lot of work has gone into it from both the national and local levels to make sure it does
The FLEG II Program has been working with all parties to provide the technical expertise required at various stages of the process Until recently the goal was to register the Tusheti Protected Landscape as a lsquoForest of Local Significancersquo to complete the transi-tion to local control (see Preparing the final mile in historic handover of Georgian for-est protection to local control on the FLEG website) but over the summer authorities identified a more direct way The Georgian Government amended two forest laws al-lowing the Tusheti Protected Landscape to remain within the government controlled forest system called the State Forest Fund but under the management of the Akhmeta municipality through its Tusheti Protected Landscape Administration
15
ENPI East and Central Asian Countries Regional Conference
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
EVENTS
Senior-level participants from the ENPI East and Central Asian regions met in Tbilisi Georgia on 9 July 2014 to discuss progress in implementing the Saint Petersburg Declaration on Forest Law Enforcement and Governance in Europe and North Asia (ENA-FLEG Declaration November 25 2005)
Ten of the forty-four signatories to the Declaration were present The meeting was organized by the FLEG II Program which is funded by the EU and implemented by the World Bank WWF and IUCN The meeting was co-chaired by Mathieu Bousquet from the European Commission and Tuukka Castreacuten from the World Bank
16
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
During the meeting nine years of progress and substantive achieve-ments in fulfilling the ENA-FLEG Declaration commitments at national and regional levels were reviewed Recommendations for future action were also developed focusing in particular on opportunities for regional and international cooperation
Participants recognized that the is-sues and challenges identified in the ENA-FLEG Declaration are still relevant At the same time the en-vironment we work in has changed Issues such as climate change higher demand for wood energy wood products and forest services inter-sectoral linkages and recog-nition of the green economy have modified the landscape Initiatives such as the EU Timber regulation (EUTR) the Lacey Act the Russian Roundwood Act Forest Europe and a number of revised forest codes in signatory countries have signif-icantly changed institutional and legal frameworks at international and national levels
For futher details (photos presentations) see FLEG II Program website wwwenpi-flegorg
17
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia
In the framework of celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia on September 26 Ilia Osepashvili FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for WWF in Georgia presented existing perspectives challenges and solutions on the way towards forest certification
WWF-Caucasus Programme Office in Tbilisi organized the meeting aiming to highlight the importance of FSC-based voluntary for-est certification and relevant perspectives in Georgia The meeting was attended by representatives of WWF offices in Georgia Armenia Azerbaijan Germany and Russia
More information about FSC Friday can be found here wwwfscfridayorg
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an in-ternational non-profit organization dedicated to promoting responsible forestry FSC certi-fies forests all over the world to ensure they meet the highest environmental and social standards FSC Friday is a global celebration of the worlds forests and aims to highlight the importance of responsible forest man-agement Every year schools businesses individuals forest ownersmanagers and other organizations around the world get involved in spreading the word about FSC and responsible forestry
18
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
On July 3 the Telekritika a popular Ukranian website about media announced the results of the competition sponsored by FLEG II
Olena Sereda journalist of the newspaper Business won the highest award in the competition for her article that focused on issues that affect the development of the Ukrainian forest industry It also covered the roundtables conducted by the FLEG II program with the new leadership of the state forest agency Olena Sereda
Mykhail Popkov Yulia Zelinska Iryna Fedoriv
Iryna Fedoriv who was a winner in 2011 for a series of stories on protection of the forest on the border of the town of Kotsyubynske and Kyiv was given a special award mdash for five years of social work directed to returning the forest to the community and for her important contribution to the creation of the branch of Holosyivsky National Park Bilychansky Forest
Other winners included an article about financial irregularities in the State Forestry Agency and two journalistic investigations into corruption schemes concerning communal and state forests in Mykolayiv Oblast and near Kyiv (the journalists are still investigating)
The competition lasted from February to May 2014 Each judge of the competition all well-known journalists and foresters allotted the marks on their own Ratings of participants were then determined based on the total score Those rated first received top prizes
Yuri Rybachuk Inna Kuznetsova
Ukraine Journalists win prizes in Forestry Media Competition
19
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
The jury received some 100 materials aired or published between July 1 2013 and May 31 2014 in Ukrainian media The 25 most exciting works were posted on the Telekritika website with the payment of fees to the authors and all works without exception were posted for general access on the site of FLEG II program
Foresters gain insight and confidence on Round Timber Regulations
FLEG II organized a training on the implementation of Wood Tracking System through Supply Chain
The first training on the Round Timber Reg-ulations and Manual was organized on 4 and 5 October in Goris Armenia with participants from Vayots Dzor Sisian Kapan and Goris Forest Enterprises
Mykhail Popkov
As envisaged in the FLEG II Program Arme-nia Country Workplan the training covered the theory and practical implementation of the new timber regulations
Competition judges Inna Kuznetsova editor of the Kyiv office of Ra-dio Liberty and Yuri Rybachuk editor of the weekly Comments said We are journalists and therefore our prime interest is journalistic investigations as the most dangerous genre so we opted for them
Mykhailo Popkov an expert of program FLEG II (EІSPSkhid 2) and editor of Ukranian For-ester website suggested that next year the contest should include a special nomination for foresters who alongside with journalists communicate and explain forest issues to the public
20
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
They were drafted in 2011 and recently ap-proved by the state authorities and made mandatory for application The regulations cover using wood marking hammers per-sonal stamps numbered labels and staplers with needles and tapes in order to monitor wood movement in the supply chain
The training was delivered over two days in three groups each comprising of up to 20 participants The first day of the training was dedicated exploring and explaining the Regulation and the Manual through Power Point Presentations lively discussions and QA sessions At the end of the day the par-ticipants completed a test on the obtained knowledge
The second day of the training was a prac-tical hands on implementation of the re-quirements of the Regulation in the forest The trainer demonstrated the technique ex-plained the procedures and asked each of the participants to perform different elements of the process
The foresters involved were given the op-portunity to raise all kinds of questions of concern during the practical application and received guidance on further steps
Itrsquos always better to see rather than read and try to make your own assumptions Now that both the theoretical and practical parts of the process are learned we are more confident with the new system one of the participants said after the training
21
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Day of Forester in Georgia This year Georgia revived the tradition of celebrating annual Day of Forester FLEG II Program took part in the event
The Day of Forester was established in Georgia in 1999 Foresters from all over the country used to gather on 10th of October to celebrate their professional day However it has not been observed for many years
This fall the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia (MENRP) together with National Forest Agency (NFA) revived the tradition and organized a special event for marking the professional day of Georgian foresters It was touching not only for the foresters but for everybody who cares for the environment MENRP hosted a reception and an award ceremony About hundred participants attended the event including donors NGOs academia media and foresters from all over the country
Elguja Khokrishvili Minister of Environment made opening re-marks followed by a brief presentation on key achievement in forestry sector Levan Tabutsidze Head of NFA expressed special gratitude to the international donor community and civil society for valuable support provided for forestry sector develop-ment in Georgia He delivered an overview of ongoing projects and programs including FLEG II
Fourteen foresters from various regions of Georgia were awarded for their valuable con-tribution to the development of forestry sector The Minister handed over certificates and souvenirs crafted for the occasion A special prize for the Best Forester of the Year was awarded to Marine Sujashvili Deputy Head Department of Forest Maintenance of and Restoration NFA
October 10 2014 was a remarkable day encouraging foresters supporting their professional growth and raising public awareness
22
What is FLEG II
How did FLEG come about
wwwenpi-flegorg
FLEG II is the regional European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II Program Its objective is to promote sustainable forest governance management and protection of forests in Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The programrsquos work helps to promote the contribution of the regionrsquos forests to climate change adaptation and mitiga-tion to ecosystems and biodiversity protection and to sustainable livelihoods and income sources for local populations and national economies
In 2005 representatives of 44 governments signed the St Petersburg Declaration com-mitting themselves to address illegal logging and improve forest governance Momentum towards strengthening forest law enforcement and governance in the ENPI region grew when in 2008 the EC the World Bank WWF and IUCN teamed up to implement the first ENPI FLEG Program (2008ndash2012 6 million EUR)
The ENPI Forest Law Enforcement and Governance II (FLEG II) Program (2012ndash2016 9 million EUR) builds on the first ENPI FLEG I Program to support good forest governance sustainable forest management and forest protection in the ENPI East region
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
23
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Which Organisations are the FLEG II Programrsquos Donors and Implementers
FLEG II is funded by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
What are the Specific Objectives of the FLEG II Project
The FLEG II Program has three specific Program Development Objectives
bull make progress implementing the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration in the participating countries and support the participating countries commit to a time-bound action plan to ensure its implementation and follow-up activities (regional level)
bull review or revise (or establish a time-bound action plan to review or revise) forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance (including the impact of related EU regulations) in the participating countries (national level) and
bull test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis in all partici-pating countries (sub-national level)
How FLEG II Program is implementedWithin the FLEG II Program there is an overall Program Management Team (PMT) consist-ing of one member from each of the three Implementing Organizations (IOs) The PMT is responsible for the overall planning guidance and implementation of the Program
The Steering Committee (SC) includes a representative from each Participating Country the World Bank (WB) IUCN WWF and the European Commission The SC meets at least annually to discuss the Programrsquos progress and approve country workplans and it is re-sponsible for providing advice on policy and strategic directions of the Program The World Bank and EC co- chair the SC and decisions are taken by consensus
24
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
At the country level each country has a Country Program Coordination Team (PCT) which is made up of one member from each of the three IOs
Also each country has a National Program Advisory Committee (NPAC) which provides guidance to the PCT The NPACs generally consist of eight members (1 FLEG National Focal Point 2 representatives from key government institutions 3 representatives from key NGOs 1 representative from the European Commission and 1 representative of the country PCT) The NPACrsquos role is to provide guidance to the IOrsquos on the development planning implementation monitoring and evaluation of the Program activities at the national and sub-national levels in each participating country
If you would like any more information or have any comments on any aspect of the FLEG II Program please send them by e-mail to the Communication Team
Feedback
Mark Gnadt markgnadtiucnorg Gera Voskanyan gvoskanyanwwfcaucasusorg Carol Howard carolhowardenpi-flegorg
25
EUROPEAN COMMISSION The European Union is the worldrsquos largest donor of official development assistance EuropeAid Development and Cooperation a Directorate General of the European Commission is responsible for designing European development policy and delivering aid throughout the world EuropeAid delivers aid through a set of financial instruments with a focus on ensuring the quality of EU aid and its effectiveness An active and proactive player in the development field EuropeAid promotes good governance human and economic development and tackle universal issues such as fighting hunger and preserving natural resourceshttpeceuropaeuindex_enhtm
WORLD BANKThe World Bank Group is one of the worldrsquos largest sources of knowledge and funding for its 188 member-countries The organizations that make up the World Bank Group are owned by the governments of member nations which have the ultimate decision-making power within the organizations on all matters including policy financial or membership issues The World Bank Group comprises five closely associated institutions the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) which together form the World Bank the International Finance Corporation (IFC) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Each institution plays a distinct role in the World Bank Grouprsquos mission to end extreme poverty by decreasing the percentage of people living on less than $125 a day to no more than 3 percent and promote shared prosperity by fostering the income growth of the bottom 40 percent for every country For additional information please visithttpwwwworldbankorg httpwwwifcorg httpwwwmigaorg
IUCNIUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges IUCNrsquos work focuses on valuing and conserving nature ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate food and development IUCN supports scientific research manages field projects all over the world and brings governments NGOs the UN and companies together to develop policy laws and best practice IUCN is the worldrsquos oldest and largest global environmental organisation with more than 1200 government and NGO members and almost 11000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries IUCNrsquos work is supported by over 1000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public NGO and private sectors around the worldwwwiucnorg
WWFWWF is one of the worldrsquos largest and most respected independent conservation organizations with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries WWFrsquos mission is to stop the degradation of the planetrsquos natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by conserving the worldrsquos biological diversity ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumptionwwwpandaorg
About ENPI FLEG Program
Project Partners
The Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Program supports participating countriesrsquo forest governance At the regional level the Program aims to implement the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration and support countries to commit to a time-bound action plan at the national level the Program will review or revise forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures and improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance in the participating countries and at the sub-national (local) level the Program will test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis Participating countries include Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The Program is funded by the European Union httpwwwenpi-flegorg
wwwenpi-flegorg 26
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
With the legal transfer of authority now in place the Tusheti Protected Landscape Admin-istration can enhance forestry personnel undertake forest inventory elaborate a forest management plan and establish a transparent and sustainable system of harvesting and supply of forest products to meet local needs The Administration will also be responsible for undertaking all the necessary measures in consideration of its Protected Area status including forest fire control and proper management of pests and diseases
This year in Georgia FLEG II is working across three main pillars of work assessing forest management in protected areas supporting locally controlled forestry and assessing the extent of human dependency on nature (HDN) in forested landscapes For more information please contact Marika Kavtarishvili from IUCN Caucasus Cooperation Center at marikakavtarishviliiucnorg
Tusheti is both a beautiful place with tremen-dous natural value and a place where peo-ple depend on the land for their livelihoods said Marika Kavtarishvili FLEG II country program coordinator for IUCN Georgia and a native of the Tusheti region This transition to local control can help both the forest and the people living there and a lot of work has gone into it from both the national and local levels to make sure it does
The FLEG II Program has been working with all parties to provide the technical expertise required at various stages of the process Until recently the goal was to register the Tusheti Protected Landscape as a lsquoForest of Local Significancersquo to complete the transi-tion to local control (see Preparing the final mile in historic handover of Georgian for-est protection to local control on the FLEG website) but over the summer authorities identified a more direct way The Georgian Government amended two forest laws al-lowing the Tusheti Protected Landscape to remain within the government controlled forest system called the State Forest Fund but under the management of the Akhmeta municipality through its Tusheti Protected Landscape Administration
15
ENPI East and Central Asian Countries Regional Conference
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
EVENTS
Senior-level participants from the ENPI East and Central Asian regions met in Tbilisi Georgia on 9 July 2014 to discuss progress in implementing the Saint Petersburg Declaration on Forest Law Enforcement and Governance in Europe and North Asia (ENA-FLEG Declaration November 25 2005)
Ten of the forty-four signatories to the Declaration were present The meeting was organized by the FLEG II Program which is funded by the EU and implemented by the World Bank WWF and IUCN The meeting was co-chaired by Mathieu Bousquet from the European Commission and Tuukka Castreacuten from the World Bank
16
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
During the meeting nine years of progress and substantive achieve-ments in fulfilling the ENA-FLEG Declaration commitments at national and regional levels were reviewed Recommendations for future action were also developed focusing in particular on opportunities for regional and international cooperation
Participants recognized that the is-sues and challenges identified in the ENA-FLEG Declaration are still relevant At the same time the en-vironment we work in has changed Issues such as climate change higher demand for wood energy wood products and forest services inter-sectoral linkages and recog-nition of the green economy have modified the landscape Initiatives such as the EU Timber regulation (EUTR) the Lacey Act the Russian Roundwood Act Forest Europe and a number of revised forest codes in signatory countries have signif-icantly changed institutional and legal frameworks at international and national levels
For futher details (photos presentations) see FLEG II Program website wwwenpi-flegorg
17
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia
In the framework of celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia on September 26 Ilia Osepashvili FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for WWF in Georgia presented existing perspectives challenges and solutions on the way towards forest certification
WWF-Caucasus Programme Office in Tbilisi organized the meeting aiming to highlight the importance of FSC-based voluntary for-est certification and relevant perspectives in Georgia The meeting was attended by representatives of WWF offices in Georgia Armenia Azerbaijan Germany and Russia
More information about FSC Friday can be found here wwwfscfridayorg
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an in-ternational non-profit organization dedicated to promoting responsible forestry FSC certi-fies forests all over the world to ensure they meet the highest environmental and social standards FSC Friday is a global celebration of the worlds forests and aims to highlight the importance of responsible forest man-agement Every year schools businesses individuals forest ownersmanagers and other organizations around the world get involved in spreading the word about FSC and responsible forestry
18
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
On July 3 the Telekritika a popular Ukranian website about media announced the results of the competition sponsored by FLEG II
Olena Sereda journalist of the newspaper Business won the highest award in the competition for her article that focused on issues that affect the development of the Ukrainian forest industry It also covered the roundtables conducted by the FLEG II program with the new leadership of the state forest agency Olena Sereda
Mykhail Popkov Yulia Zelinska Iryna Fedoriv
Iryna Fedoriv who was a winner in 2011 for a series of stories on protection of the forest on the border of the town of Kotsyubynske and Kyiv was given a special award mdash for five years of social work directed to returning the forest to the community and for her important contribution to the creation of the branch of Holosyivsky National Park Bilychansky Forest
Other winners included an article about financial irregularities in the State Forestry Agency and two journalistic investigations into corruption schemes concerning communal and state forests in Mykolayiv Oblast and near Kyiv (the journalists are still investigating)
The competition lasted from February to May 2014 Each judge of the competition all well-known journalists and foresters allotted the marks on their own Ratings of participants were then determined based on the total score Those rated first received top prizes
Yuri Rybachuk Inna Kuznetsova
Ukraine Journalists win prizes in Forestry Media Competition
19
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
The jury received some 100 materials aired or published between July 1 2013 and May 31 2014 in Ukrainian media The 25 most exciting works were posted on the Telekritika website with the payment of fees to the authors and all works without exception were posted for general access on the site of FLEG II program
Foresters gain insight and confidence on Round Timber Regulations
FLEG II organized a training on the implementation of Wood Tracking System through Supply Chain
The first training on the Round Timber Reg-ulations and Manual was organized on 4 and 5 October in Goris Armenia with participants from Vayots Dzor Sisian Kapan and Goris Forest Enterprises
Mykhail Popkov
As envisaged in the FLEG II Program Arme-nia Country Workplan the training covered the theory and practical implementation of the new timber regulations
Competition judges Inna Kuznetsova editor of the Kyiv office of Ra-dio Liberty and Yuri Rybachuk editor of the weekly Comments said We are journalists and therefore our prime interest is journalistic investigations as the most dangerous genre so we opted for them
Mykhailo Popkov an expert of program FLEG II (EІSPSkhid 2) and editor of Ukranian For-ester website suggested that next year the contest should include a special nomination for foresters who alongside with journalists communicate and explain forest issues to the public
20
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
They were drafted in 2011 and recently ap-proved by the state authorities and made mandatory for application The regulations cover using wood marking hammers per-sonal stamps numbered labels and staplers with needles and tapes in order to monitor wood movement in the supply chain
The training was delivered over two days in three groups each comprising of up to 20 participants The first day of the training was dedicated exploring and explaining the Regulation and the Manual through Power Point Presentations lively discussions and QA sessions At the end of the day the par-ticipants completed a test on the obtained knowledge
The second day of the training was a prac-tical hands on implementation of the re-quirements of the Regulation in the forest The trainer demonstrated the technique ex-plained the procedures and asked each of the participants to perform different elements of the process
The foresters involved were given the op-portunity to raise all kinds of questions of concern during the practical application and received guidance on further steps
Itrsquos always better to see rather than read and try to make your own assumptions Now that both the theoretical and practical parts of the process are learned we are more confident with the new system one of the participants said after the training
21
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Day of Forester in Georgia This year Georgia revived the tradition of celebrating annual Day of Forester FLEG II Program took part in the event
The Day of Forester was established in Georgia in 1999 Foresters from all over the country used to gather on 10th of October to celebrate their professional day However it has not been observed for many years
This fall the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia (MENRP) together with National Forest Agency (NFA) revived the tradition and organized a special event for marking the professional day of Georgian foresters It was touching not only for the foresters but for everybody who cares for the environment MENRP hosted a reception and an award ceremony About hundred participants attended the event including donors NGOs academia media and foresters from all over the country
Elguja Khokrishvili Minister of Environment made opening re-marks followed by a brief presentation on key achievement in forestry sector Levan Tabutsidze Head of NFA expressed special gratitude to the international donor community and civil society for valuable support provided for forestry sector develop-ment in Georgia He delivered an overview of ongoing projects and programs including FLEG II
Fourteen foresters from various regions of Georgia were awarded for their valuable con-tribution to the development of forestry sector The Minister handed over certificates and souvenirs crafted for the occasion A special prize for the Best Forester of the Year was awarded to Marine Sujashvili Deputy Head Department of Forest Maintenance of and Restoration NFA
October 10 2014 was a remarkable day encouraging foresters supporting their professional growth and raising public awareness
22
What is FLEG II
How did FLEG come about
wwwenpi-flegorg
FLEG II is the regional European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II Program Its objective is to promote sustainable forest governance management and protection of forests in Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The programrsquos work helps to promote the contribution of the regionrsquos forests to climate change adaptation and mitiga-tion to ecosystems and biodiversity protection and to sustainable livelihoods and income sources for local populations and national economies
In 2005 representatives of 44 governments signed the St Petersburg Declaration com-mitting themselves to address illegal logging and improve forest governance Momentum towards strengthening forest law enforcement and governance in the ENPI region grew when in 2008 the EC the World Bank WWF and IUCN teamed up to implement the first ENPI FLEG Program (2008ndash2012 6 million EUR)
The ENPI Forest Law Enforcement and Governance II (FLEG II) Program (2012ndash2016 9 million EUR) builds on the first ENPI FLEG I Program to support good forest governance sustainable forest management and forest protection in the ENPI East region
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
23
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Which Organisations are the FLEG II Programrsquos Donors and Implementers
FLEG II is funded by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
What are the Specific Objectives of the FLEG II Project
The FLEG II Program has three specific Program Development Objectives
bull make progress implementing the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration in the participating countries and support the participating countries commit to a time-bound action plan to ensure its implementation and follow-up activities (regional level)
bull review or revise (or establish a time-bound action plan to review or revise) forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance (including the impact of related EU regulations) in the participating countries (national level) and
bull test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis in all partici-pating countries (sub-national level)
How FLEG II Program is implementedWithin the FLEG II Program there is an overall Program Management Team (PMT) consist-ing of one member from each of the three Implementing Organizations (IOs) The PMT is responsible for the overall planning guidance and implementation of the Program
The Steering Committee (SC) includes a representative from each Participating Country the World Bank (WB) IUCN WWF and the European Commission The SC meets at least annually to discuss the Programrsquos progress and approve country workplans and it is re-sponsible for providing advice on policy and strategic directions of the Program The World Bank and EC co- chair the SC and decisions are taken by consensus
24
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
At the country level each country has a Country Program Coordination Team (PCT) which is made up of one member from each of the three IOs
Also each country has a National Program Advisory Committee (NPAC) which provides guidance to the PCT The NPACs generally consist of eight members (1 FLEG National Focal Point 2 representatives from key government institutions 3 representatives from key NGOs 1 representative from the European Commission and 1 representative of the country PCT) The NPACrsquos role is to provide guidance to the IOrsquos on the development planning implementation monitoring and evaluation of the Program activities at the national and sub-national levels in each participating country
If you would like any more information or have any comments on any aspect of the FLEG II Program please send them by e-mail to the Communication Team
Feedback
Mark Gnadt markgnadtiucnorg Gera Voskanyan gvoskanyanwwfcaucasusorg Carol Howard carolhowardenpi-flegorg
25
EUROPEAN COMMISSION The European Union is the worldrsquos largest donor of official development assistance EuropeAid Development and Cooperation a Directorate General of the European Commission is responsible for designing European development policy and delivering aid throughout the world EuropeAid delivers aid through a set of financial instruments with a focus on ensuring the quality of EU aid and its effectiveness An active and proactive player in the development field EuropeAid promotes good governance human and economic development and tackle universal issues such as fighting hunger and preserving natural resourceshttpeceuropaeuindex_enhtm
WORLD BANKThe World Bank Group is one of the worldrsquos largest sources of knowledge and funding for its 188 member-countries The organizations that make up the World Bank Group are owned by the governments of member nations which have the ultimate decision-making power within the organizations on all matters including policy financial or membership issues The World Bank Group comprises five closely associated institutions the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) which together form the World Bank the International Finance Corporation (IFC) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Each institution plays a distinct role in the World Bank Grouprsquos mission to end extreme poverty by decreasing the percentage of people living on less than $125 a day to no more than 3 percent and promote shared prosperity by fostering the income growth of the bottom 40 percent for every country For additional information please visithttpwwwworldbankorg httpwwwifcorg httpwwwmigaorg
IUCNIUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges IUCNrsquos work focuses on valuing and conserving nature ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate food and development IUCN supports scientific research manages field projects all over the world and brings governments NGOs the UN and companies together to develop policy laws and best practice IUCN is the worldrsquos oldest and largest global environmental organisation with more than 1200 government and NGO members and almost 11000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries IUCNrsquos work is supported by over 1000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public NGO and private sectors around the worldwwwiucnorg
WWFWWF is one of the worldrsquos largest and most respected independent conservation organizations with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries WWFrsquos mission is to stop the degradation of the planetrsquos natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by conserving the worldrsquos biological diversity ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumptionwwwpandaorg
About ENPI FLEG Program
Project Partners
The Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Program supports participating countriesrsquo forest governance At the regional level the Program aims to implement the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration and support countries to commit to a time-bound action plan at the national level the Program will review or revise forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures and improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance in the participating countries and at the sub-national (local) level the Program will test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis Participating countries include Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The Program is funded by the European Union httpwwwenpi-flegorg
wwwenpi-flegorg 26
ENPI East and Central Asian Countries Regional Conference
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
EVENTS
Senior-level participants from the ENPI East and Central Asian regions met in Tbilisi Georgia on 9 July 2014 to discuss progress in implementing the Saint Petersburg Declaration on Forest Law Enforcement and Governance in Europe and North Asia (ENA-FLEG Declaration November 25 2005)
Ten of the forty-four signatories to the Declaration were present The meeting was organized by the FLEG II Program which is funded by the EU and implemented by the World Bank WWF and IUCN The meeting was co-chaired by Mathieu Bousquet from the European Commission and Tuukka Castreacuten from the World Bank
16
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
During the meeting nine years of progress and substantive achieve-ments in fulfilling the ENA-FLEG Declaration commitments at national and regional levels were reviewed Recommendations for future action were also developed focusing in particular on opportunities for regional and international cooperation
Participants recognized that the is-sues and challenges identified in the ENA-FLEG Declaration are still relevant At the same time the en-vironment we work in has changed Issues such as climate change higher demand for wood energy wood products and forest services inter-sectoral linkages and recog-nition of the green economy have modified the landscape Initiatives such as the EU Timber regulation (EUTR) the Lacey Act the Russian Roundwood Act Forest Europe and a number of revised forest codes in signatory countries have signif-icantly changed institutional and legal frameworks at international and national levels
For futher details (photos presentations) see FLEG II Program website wwwenpi-flegorg
17
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia
In the framework of celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia on September 26 Ilia Osepashvili FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for WWF in Georgia presented existing perspectives challenges and solutions on the way towards forest certification
WWF-Caucasus Programme Office in Tbilisi organized the meeting aiming to highlight the importance of FSC-based voluntary for-est certification and relevant perspectives in Georgia The meeting was attended by representatives of WWF offices in Georgia Armenia Azerbaijan Germany and Russia
More information about FSC Friday can be found here wwwfscfridayorg
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an in-ternational non-profit organization dedicated to promoting responsible forestry FSC certi-fies forests all over the world to ensure they meet the highest environmental and social standards FSC Friday is a global celebration of the worlds forests and aims to highlight the importance of responsible forest man-agement Every year schools businesses individuals forest ownersmanagers and other organizations around the world get involved in spreading the word about FSC and responsible forestry
18
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
On July 3 the Telekritika a popular Ukranian website about media announced the results of the competition sponsored by FLEG II
Olena Sereda journalist of the newspaper Business won the highest award in the competition for her article that focused on issues that affect the development of the Ukrainian forest industry It also covered the roundtables conducted by the FLEG II program with the new leadership of the state forest agency Olena Sereda
Mykhail Popkov Yulia Zelinska Iryna Fedoriv
Iryna Fedoriv who was a winner in 2011 for a series of stories on protection of the forest on the border of the town of Kotsyubynske and Kyiv was given a special award mdash for five years of social work directed to returning the forest to the community and for her important contribution to the creation of the branch of Holosyivsky National Park Bilychansky Forest
Other winners included an article about financial irregularities in the State Forestry Agency and two journalistic investigations into corruption schemes concerning communal and state forests in Mykolayiv Oblast and near Kyiv (the journalists are still investigating)
The competition lasted from February to May 2014 Each judge of the competition all well-known journalists and foresters allotted the marks on their own Ratings of participants were then determined based on the total score Those rated first received top prizes
Yuri Rybachuk Inna Kuznetsova
Ukraine Journalists win prizes in Forestry Media Competition
19
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
The jury received some 100 materials aired or published between July 1 2013 and May 31 2014 in Ukrainian media The 25 most exciting works were posted on the Telekritika website with the payment of fees to the authors and all works without exception were posted for general access on the site of FLEG II program
Foresters gain insight and confidence on Round Timber Regulations
FLEG II organized a training on the implementation of Wood Tracking System through Supply Chain
The first training on the Round Timber Reg-ulations and Manual was organized on 4 and 5 October in Goris Armenia with participants from Vayots Dzor Sisian Kapan and Goris Forest Enterprises
Mykhail Popkov
As envisaged in the FLEG II Program Arme-nia Country Workplan the training covered the theory and practical implementation of the new timber regulations
Competition judges Inna Kuznetsova editor of the Kyiv office of Ra-dio Liberty and Yuri Rybachuk editor of the weekly Comments said We are journalists and therefore our prime interest is journalistic investigations as the most dangerous genre so we opted for them
Mykhailo Popkov an expert of program FLEG II (EІSPSkhid 2) and editor of Ukranian For-ester website suggested that next year the contest should include a special nomination for foresters who alongside with journalists communicate and explain forest issues to the public
20
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
They were drafted in 2011 and recently ap-proved by the state authorities and made mandatory for application The regulations cover using wood marking hammers per-sonal stamps numbered labels and staplers with needles and tapes in order to monitor wood movement in the supply chain
The training was delivered over two days in three groups each comprising of up to 20 participants The first day of the training was dedicated exploring and explaining the Regulation and the Manual through Power Point Presentations lively discussions and QA sessions At the end of the day the par-ticipants completed a test on the obtained knowledge
The second day of the training was a prac-tical hands on implementation of the re-quirements of the Regulation in the forest The trainer demonstrated the technique ex-plained the procedures and asked each of the participants to perform different elements of the process
The foresters involved were given the op-portunity to raise all kinds of questions of concern during the practical application and received guidance on further steps
Itrsquos always better to see rather than read and try to make your own assumptions Now that both the theoretical and practical parts of the process are learned we are more confident with the new system one of the participants said after the training
21
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Day of Forester in Georgia This year Georgia revived the tradition of celebrating annual Day of Forester FLEG II Program took part in the event
The Day of Forester was established in Georgia in 1999 Foresters from all over the country used to gather on 10th of October to celebrate their professional day However it has not been observed for many years
This fall the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia (MENRP) together with National Forest Agency (NFA) revived the tradition and organized a special event for marking the professional day of Georgian foresters It was touching not only for the foresters but for everybody who cares for the environment MENRP hosted a reception and an award ceremony About hundred participants attended the event including donors NGOs academia media and foresters from all over the country
Elguja Khokrishvili Minister of Environment made opening re-marks followed by a brief presentation on key achievement in forestry sector Levan Tabutsidze Head of NFA expressed special gratitude to the international donor community and civil society for valuable support provided for forestry sector develop-ment in Georgia He delivered an overview of ongoing projects and programs including FLEG II
Fourteen foresters from various regions of Georgia were awarded for their valuable con-tribution to the development of forestry sector The Minister handed over certificates and souvenirs crafted for the occasion A special prize for the Best Forester of the Year was awarded to Marine Sujashvili Deputy Head Department of Forest Maintenance of and Restoration NFA
October 10 2014 was a remarkable day encouraging foresters supporting their professional growth and raising public awareness
22
What is FLEG II
How did FLEG come about
wwwenpi-flegorg
FLEG II is the regional European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II Program Its objective is to promote sustainable forest governance management and protection of forests in Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The programrsquos work helps to promote the contribution of the regionrsquos forests to climate change adaptation and mitiga-tion to ecosystems and biodiversity protection and to sustainable livelihoods and income sources for local populations and national economies
In 2005 representatives of 44 governments signed the St Petersburg Declaration com-mitting themselves to address illegal logging and improve forest governance Momentum towards strengthening forest law enforcement and governance in the ENPI region grew when in 2008 the EC the World Bank WWF and IUCN teamed up to implement the first ENPI FLEG Program (2008ndash2012 6 million EUR)
The ENPI Forest Law Enforcement and Governance II (FLEG II) Program (2012ndash2016 9 million EUR) builds on the first ENPI FLEG I Program to support good forest governance sustainable forest management and forest protection in the ENPI East region
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
23
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Which Organisations are the FLEG II Programrsquos Donors and Implementers
FLEG II is funded by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
What are the Specific Objectives of the FLEG II Project
The FLEG II Program has three specific Program Development Objectives
bull make progress implementing the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration in the participating countries and support the participating countries commit to a time-bound action plan to ensure its implementation and follow-up activities (regional level)
bull review or revise (or establish a time-bound action plan to review or revise) forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance (including the impact of related EU regulations) in the participating countries (national level) and
bull test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis in all partici-pating countries (sub-national level)
How FLEG II Program is implementedWithin the FLEG II Program there is an overall Program Management Team (PMT) consist-ing of one member from each of the three Implementing Organizations (IOs) The PMT is responsible for the overall planning guidance and implementation of the Program
The Steering Committee (SC) includes a representative from each Participating Country the World Bank (WB) IUCN WWF and the European Commission The SC meets at least annually to discuss the Programrsquos progress and approve country workplans and it is re-sponsible for providing advice on policy and strategic directions of the Program The World Bank and EC co- chair the SC and decisions are taken by consensus
24
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
At the country level each country has a Country Program Coordination Team (PCT) which is made up of one member from each of the three IOs
Also each country has a National Program Advisory Committee (NPAC) which provides guidance to the PCT The NPACs generally consist of eight members (1 FLEG National Focal Point 2 representatives from key government institutions 3 representatives from key NGOs 1 representative from the European Commission and 1 representative of the country PCT) The NPACrsquos role is to provide guidance to the IOrsquos on the development planning implementation monitoring and evaluation of the Program activities at the national and sub-national levels in each participating country
If you would like any more information or have any comments on any aspect of the FLEG II Program please send them by e-mail to the Communication Team
Feedback
Mark Gnadt markgnadtiucnorg Gera Voskanyan gvoskanyanwwfcaucasusorg Carol Howard carolhowardenpi-flegorg
25
EUROPEAN COMMISSION The European Union is the worldrsquos largest donor of official development assistance EuropeAid Development and Cooperation a Directorate General of the European Commission is responsible for designing European development policy and delivering aid throughout the world EuropeAid delivers aid through a set of financial instruments with a focus on ensuring the quality of EU aid and its effectiveness An active and proactive player in the development field EuropeAid promotes good governance human and economic development and tackle universal issues such as fighting hunger and preserving natural resourceshttpeceuropaeuindex_enhtm
WORLD BANKThe World Bank Group is one of the worldrsquos largest sources of knowledge and funding for its 188 member-countries The organizations that make up the World Bank Group are owned by the governments of member nations which have the ultimate decision-making power within the organizations on all matters including policy financial or membership issues The World Bank Group comprises five closely associated institutions the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) which together form the World Bank the International Finance Corporation (IFC) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Each institution plays a distinct role in the World Bank Grouprsquos mission to end extreme poverty by decreasing the percentage of people living on less than $125 a day to no more than 3 percent and promote shared prosperity by fostering the income growth of the bottom 40 percent for every country For additional information please visithttpwwwworldbankorg httpwwwifcorg httpwwwmigaorg
IUCNIUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges IUCNrsquos work focuses on valuing and conserving nature ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate food and development IUCN supports scientific research manages field projects all over the world and brings governments NGOs the UN and companies together to develop policy laws and best practice IUCN is the worldrsquos oldest and largest global environmental organisation with more than 1200 government and NGO members and almost 11000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries IUCNrsquos work is supported by over 1000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public NGO and private sectors around the worldwwwiucnorg
WWFWWF is one of the worldrsquos largest and most respected independent conservation organizations with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries WWFrsquos mission is to stop the degradation of the planetrsquos natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by conserving the worldrsquos biological diversity ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumptionwwwpandaorg
About ENPI FLEG Program
Project Partners
The Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Program supports participating countriesrsquo forest governance At the regional level the Program aims to implement the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration and support countries to commit to a time-bound action plan at the national level the Program will review or revise forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures and improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance in the participating countries and at the sub-national (local) level the Program will test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis Participating countries include Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The Program is funded by the European Union httpwwwenpi-flegorg
wwwenpi-flegorg 26
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
During the meeting nine years of progress and substantive achieve-ments in fulfilling the ENA-FLEG Declaration commitments at national and regional levels were reviewed Recommendations for future action were also developed focusing in particular on opportunities for regional and international cooperation
Participants recognized that the is-sues and challenges identified in the ENA-FLEG Declaration are still relevant At the same time the en-vironment we work in has changed Issues such as climate change higher demand for wood energy wood products and forest services inter-sectoral linkages and recog-nition of the green economy have modified the landscape Initiatives such as the EU Timber regulation (EUTR) the Lacey Act the Russian Roundwood Act Forest Europe and a number of revised forest codes in signatory countries have signif-icantly changed institutional and legal frameworks at international and national levels
For futher details (photos presentations) see FLEG II Program website wwwenpi-flegorg
17
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia
In the framework of celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia on September 26 Ilia Osepashvili FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for WWF in Georgia presented existing perspectives challenges and solutions on the way towards forest certification
WWF-Caucasus Programme Office in Tbilisi organized the meeting aiming to highlight the importance of FSC-based voluntary for-est certification and relevant perspectives in Georgia The meeting was attended by representatives of WWF offices in Georgia Armenia Azerbaijan Germany and Russia
More information about FSC Friday can be found here wwwfscfridayorg
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an in-ternational non-profit organization dedicated to promoting responsible forestry FSC certi-fies forests all over the world to ensure they meet the highest environmental and social standards FSC Friday is a global celebration of the worlds forests and aims to highlight the importance of responsible forest man-agement Every year schools businesses individuals forest ownersmanagers and other organizations around the world get involved in spreading the word about FSC and responsible forestry
18
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
On July 3 the Telekritika a popular Ukranian website about media announced the results of the competition sponsored by FLEG II
Olena Sereda journalist of the newspaper Business won the highest award in the competition for her article that focused on issues that affect the development of the Ukrainian forest industry It also covered the roundtables conducted by the FLEG II program with the new leadership of the state forest agency Olena Sereda
Mykhail Popkov Yulia Zelinska Iryna Fedoriv
Iryna Fedoriv who was a winner in 2011 for a series of stories on protection of the forest on the border of the town of Kotsyubynske and Kyiv was given a special award mdash for five years of social work directed to returning the forest to the community and for her important contribution to the creation of the branch of Holosyivsky National Park Bilychansky Forest
Other winners included an article about financial irregularities in the State Forestry Agency and two journalistic investigations into corruption schemes concerning communal and state forests in Mykolayiv Oblast and near Kyiv (the journalists are still investigating)
The competition lasted from February to May 2014 Each judge of the competition all well-known journalists and foresters allotted the marks on their own Ratings of participants were then determined based on the total score Those rated first received top prizes
Yuri Rybachuk Inna Kuznetsova
Ukraine Journalists win prizes in Forestry Media Competition
19
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
The jury received some 100 materials aired or published between July 1 2013 and May 31 2014 in Ukrainian media The 25 most exciting works were posted on the Telekritika website with the payment of fees to the authors and all works without exception were posted for general access on the site of FLEG II program
Foresters gain insight and confidence on Round Timber Regulations
FLEG II organized a training on the implementation of Wood Tracking System through Supply Chain
The first training on the Round Timber Reg-ulations and Manual was organized on 4 and 5 October in Goris Armenia with participants from Vayots Dzor Sisian Kapan and Goris Forest Enterprises
Mykhail Popkov
As envisaged in the FLEG II Program Arme-nia Country Workplan the training covered the theory and practical implementation of the new timber regulations
Competition judges Inna Kuznetsova editor of the Kyiv office of Ra-dio Liberty and Yuri Rybachuk editor of the weekly Comments said We are journalists and therefore our prime interest is journalistic investigations as the most dangerous genre so we opted for them
Mykhailo Popkov an expert of program FLEG II (EІSPSkhid 2) and editor of Ukranian For-ester website suggested that next year the contest should include a special nomination for foresters who alongside with journalists communicate and explain forest issues to the public
20
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
They were drafted in 2011 and recently ap-proved by the state authorities and made mandatory for application The regulations cover using wood marking hammers per-sonal stamps numbered labels and staplers with needles and tapes in order to monitor wood movement in the supply chain
The training was delivered over two days in three groups each comprising of up to 20 participants The first day of the training was dedicated exploring and explaining the Regulation and the Manual through Power Point Presentations lively discussions and QA sessions At the end of the day the par-ticipants completed a test on the obtained knowledge
The second day of the training was a prac-tical hands on implementation of the re-quirements of the Regulation in the forest The trainer demonstrated the technique ex-plained the procedures and asked each of the participants to perform different elements of the process
The foresters involved were given the op-portunity to raise all kinds of questions of concern during the practical application and received guidance on further steps
Itrsquos always better to see rather than read and try to make your own assumptions Now that both the theoretical and practical parts of the process are learned we are more confident with the new system one of the participants said after the training
21
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Day of Forester in Georgia This year Georgia revived the tradition of celebrating annual Day of Forester FLEG II Program took part in the event
The Day of Forester was established in Georgia in 1999 Foresters from all over the country used to gather on 10th of October to celebrate their professional day However it has not been observed for many years
This fall the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia (MENRP) together with National Forest Agency (NFA) revived the tradition and organized a special event for marking the professional day of Georgian foresters It was touching not only for the foresters but for everybody who cares for the environment MENRP hosted a reception and an award ceremony About hundred participants attended the event including donors NGOs academia media and foresters from all over the country
Elguja Khokrishvili Minister of Environment made opening re-marks followed by a brief presentation on key achievement in forestry sector Levan Tabutsidze Head of NFA expressed special gratitude to the international donor community and civil society for valuable support provided for forestry sector develop-ment in Georgia He delivered an overview of ongoing projects and programs including FLEG II
Fourteen foresters from various regions of Georgia were awarded for their valuable con-tribution to the development of forestry sector The Minister handed over certificates and souvenirs crafted for the occasion A special prize for the Best Forester of the Year was awarded to Marine Sujashvili Deputy Head Department of Forest Maintenance of and Restoration NFA
October 10 2014 was a remarkable day encouraging foresters supporting their professional growth and raising public awareness
22
What is FLEG II
How did FLEG come about
wwwenpi-flegorg
FLEG II is the regional European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II Program Its objective is to promote sustainable forest governance management and protection of forests in Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The programrsquos work helps to promote the contribution of the regionrsquos forests to climate change adaptation and mitiga-tion to ecosystems and biodiversity protection and to sustainable livelihoods and income sources for local populations and national economies
In 2005 representatives of 44 governments signed the St Petersburg Declaration com-mitting themselves to address illegal logging and improve forest governance Momentum towards strengthening forest law enforcement and governance in the ENPI region grew when in 2008 the EC the World Bank WWF and IUCN teamed up to implement the first ENPI FLEG Program (2008ndash2012 6 million EUR)
The ENPI Forest Law Enforcement and Governance II (FLEG II) Program (2012ndash2016 9 million EUR) builds on the first ENPI FLEG I Program to support good forest governance sustainable forest management and forest protection in the ENPI East region
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
23
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Which Organisations are the FLEG II Programrsquos Donors and Implementers
FLEG II is funded by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
What are the Specific Objectives of the FLEG II Project
The FLEG II Program has three specific Program Development Objectives
bull make progress implementing the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration in the participating countries and support the participating countries commit to a time-bound action plan to ensure its implementation and follow-up activities (regional level)
bull review or revise (or establish a time-bound action plan to review or revise) forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance (including the impact of related EU regulations) in the participating countries (national level) and
bull test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis in all partici-pating countries (sub-national level)
How FLEG II Program is implementedWithin the FLEG II Program there is an overall Program Management Team (PMT) consist-ing of one member from each of the three Implementing Organizations (IOs) The PMT is responsible for the overall planning guidance and implementation of the Program
The Steering Committee (SC) includes a representative from each Participating Country the World Bank (WB) IUCN WWF and the European Commission The SC meets at least annually to discuss the Programrsquos progress and approve country workplans and it is re-sponsible for providing advice on policy and strategic directions of the Program The World Bank and EC co- chair the SC and decisions are taken by consensus
24
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
At the country level each country has a Country Program Coordination Team (PCT) which is made up of one member from each of the three IOs
Also each country has a National Program Advisory Committee (NPAC) which provides guidance to the PCT The NPACs generally consist of eight members (1 FLEG National Focal Point 2 representatives from key government institutions 3 representatives from key NGOs 1 representative from the European Commission and 1 representative of the country PCT) The NPACrsquos role is to provide guidance to the IOrsquos on the development planning implementation monitoring and evaluation of the Program activities at the national and sub-national levels in each participating country
If you would like any more information or have any comments on any aspect of the FLEG II Program please send them by e-mail to the Communication Team
Feedback
Mark Gnadt markgnadtiucnorg Gera Voskanyan gvoskanyanwwfcaucasusorg Carol Howard carolhowardenpi-flegorg
25
EUROPEAN COMMISSION The European Union is the worldrsquos largest donor of official development assistance EuropeAid Development and Cooperation a Directorate General of the European Commission is responsible for designing European development policy and delivering aid throughout the world EuropeAid delivers aid through a set of financial instruments with a focus on ensuring the quality of EU aid and its effectiveness An active and proactive player in the development field EuropeAid promotes good governance human and economic development and tackle universal issues such as fighting hunger and preserving natural resourceshttpeceuropaeuindex_enhtm
WORLD BANKThe World Bank Group is one of the worldrsquos largest sources of knowledge and funding for its 188 member-countries The organizations that make up the World Bank Group are owned by the governments of member nations which have the ultimate decision-making power within the organizations on all matters including policy financial or membership issues The World Bank Group comprises five closely associated institutions the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) which together form the World Bank the International Finance Corporation (IFC) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Each institution plays a distinct role in the World Bank Grouprsquos mission to end extreme poverty by decreasing the percentage of people living on less than $125 a day to no more than 3 percent and promote shared prosperity by fostering the income growth of the bottom 40 percent for every country For additional information please visithttpwwwworldbankorg httpwwwifcorg httpwwwmigaorg
IUCNIUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges IUCNrsquos work focuses on valuing and conserving nature ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate food and development IUCN supports scientific research manages field projects all over the world and brings governments NGOs the UN and companies together to develop policy laws and best practice IUCN is the worldrsquos oldest and largest global environmental organisation with more than 1200 government and NGO members and almost 11000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries IUCNrsquos work is supported by over 1000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public NGO and private sectors around the worldwwwiucnorg
WWFWWF is one of the worldrsquos largest and most respected independent conservation organizations with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries WWFrsquos mission is to stop the degradation of the planetrsquos natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by conserving the worldrsquos biological diversity ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumptionwwwpandaorg
About ENPI FLEG Program
Project Partners
The Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Program supports participating countriesrsquo forest governance At the regional level the Program aims to implement the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration and support countries to commit to a time-bound action plan at the national level the Program will review or revise forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures and improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance in the participating countries and at the sub-national (local) level the Program will test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis Participating countries include Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The Program is funded by the European Union httpwwwenpi-flegorg
wwwenpi-flegorg 26
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia
In the framework of celebrating FSC Friday in Georgia on September 26 Ilia Osepashvili FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for WWF in Georgia presented existing perspectives challenges and solutions on the way towards forest certification
WWF-Caucasus Programme Office in Tbilisi organized the meeting aiming to highlight the importance of FSC-based voluntary for-est certification and relevant perspectives in Georgia The meeting was attended by representatives of WWF offices in Georgia Armenia Azerbaijan Germany and Russia
More information about FSC Friday can be found here wwwfscfridayorg
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an in-ternational non-profit organization dedicated to promoting responsible forestry FSC certi-fies forests all over the world to ensure they meet the highest environmental and social standards FSC Friday is a global celebration of the worlds forests and aims to highlight the importance of responsible forest man-agement Every year schools businesses individuals forest ownersmanagers and other organizations around the world get involved in spreading the word about FSC and responsible forestry
18
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
On July 3 the Telekritika a popular Ukranian website about media announced the results of the competition sponsored by FLEG II
Olena Sereda journalist of the newspaper Business won the highest award in the competition for her article that focused on issues that affect the development of the Ukrainian forest industry It also covered the roundtables conducted by the FLEG II program with the new leadership of the state forest agency Olena Sereda
Mykhail Popkov Yulia Zelinska Iryna Fedoriv
Iryna Fedoriv who was a winner in 2011 for a series of stories on protection of the forest on the border of the town of Kotsyubynske and Kyiv was given a special award mdash for five years of social work directed to returning the forest to the community and for her important contribution to the creation of the branch of Holosyivsky National Park Bilychansky Forest
Other winners included an article about financial irregularities in the State Forestry Agency and two journalistic investigations into corruption schemes concerning communal and state forests in Mykolayiv Oblast and near Kyiv (the journalists are still investigating)
The competition lasted from February to May 2014 Each judge of the competition all well-known journalists and foresters allotted the marks on their own Ratings of participants were then determined based on the total score Those rated first received top prizes
Yuri Rybachuk Inna Kuznetsova
Ukraine Journalists win prizes in Forestry Media Competition
19
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
The jury received some 100 materials aired or published between July 1 2013 and May 31 2014 in Ukrainian media The 25 most exciting works were posted on the Telekritika website with the payment of fees to the authors and all works without exception were posted for general access on the site of FLEG II program
Foresters gain insight and confidence on Round Timber Regulations
FLEG II organized a training on the implementation of Wood Tracking System through Supply Chain
The first training on the Round Timber Reg-ulations and Manual was organized on 4 and 5 October in Goris Armenia with participants from Vayots Dzor Sisian Kapan and Goris Forest Enterprises
Mykhail Popkov
As envisaged in the FLEG II Program Arme-nia Country Workplan the training covered the theory and practical implementation of the new timber regulations
Competition judges Inna Kuznetsova editor of the Kyiv office of Ra-dio Liberty and Yuri Rybachuk editor of the weekly Comments said We are journalists and therefore our prime interest is journalistic investigations as the most dangerous genre so we opted for them
Mykhailo Popkov an expert of program FLEG II (EІSPSkhid 2) and editor of Ukranian For-ester website suggested that next year the contest should include a special nomination for foresters who alongside with journalists communicate and explain forest issues to the public
20
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
They were drafted in 2011 and recently ap-proved by the state authorities and made mandatory for application The regulations cover using wood marking hammers per-sonal stamps numbered labels and staplers with needles and tapes in order to monitor wood movement in the supply chain
The training was delivered over two days in three groups each comprising of up to 20 participants The first day of the training was dedicated exploring and explaining the Regulation and the Manual through Power Point Presentations lively discussions and QA sessions At the end of the day the par-ticipants completed a test on the obtained knowledge
The second day of the training was a prac-tical hands on implementation of the re-quirements of the Regulation in the forest The trainer demonstrated the technique ex-plained the procedures and asked each of the participants to perform different elements of the process
The foresters involved were given the op-portunity to raise all kinds of questions of concern during the practical application and received guidance on further steps
Itrsquos always better to see rather than read and try to make your own assumptions Now that both the theoretical and practical parts of the process are learned we are more confident with the new system one of the participants said after the training
21
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Day of Forester in Georgia This year Georgia revived the tradition of celebrating annual Day of Forester FLEG II Program took part in the event
The Day of Forester was established in Georgia in 1999 Foresters from all over the country used to gather on 10th of October to celebrate their professional day However it has not been observed for many years
This fall the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia (MENRP) together with National Forest Agency (NFA) revived the tradition and organized a special event for marking the professional day of Georgian foresters It was touching not only for the foresters but for everybody who cares for the environment MENRP hosted a reception and an award ceremony About hundred participants attended the event including donors NGOs academia media and foresters from all over the country
Elguja Khokrishvili Minister of Environment made opening re-marks followed by a brief presentation on key achievement in forestry sector Levan Tabutsidze Head of NFA expressed special gratitude to the international donor community and civil society for valuable support provided for forestry sector develop-ment in Georgia He delivered an overview of ongoing projects and programs including FLEG II
Fourteen foresters from various regions of Georgia were awarded for their valuable con-tribution to the development of forestry sector The Minister handed over certificates and souvenirs crafted for the occasion A special prize for the Best Forester of the Year was awarded to Marine Sujashvili Deputy Head Department of Forest Maintenance of and Restoration NFA
October 10 2014 was a remarkable day encouraging foresters supporting their professional growth and raising public awareness
22
What is FLEG II
How did FLEG come about
wwwenpi-flegorg
FLEG II is the regional European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II Program Its objective is to promote sustainable forest governance management and protection of forests in Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The programrsquos work helps to promote the contribution of the regionrsquos forests to climate change adaptation and mitiga-tion to ecosystems and biodiversity protection and to sustainable livelihoods and income sources for local populations and national economies
In 2005 representatives of 44 governments signed the St Petersburg Declaration com-mitting themselves to address illegal logging and improve forest governance Momentum towards strengthening forest law enforcement and governance in the ENPI region grew when in 2008 the EC the World Bank WWF and IUCN teamed up to implement the first ENPI FLEG Program (2008ndash2012 6 million EUR)
The ENPI Forest Law Enforcement and Governance II (FLEG II) Program (2012ndash2016 9 million EUR) builds on the first ENPI FLEG I Program to support good forest governance sustainable forest management and forest protection in the ENPI East region
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
23
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Which Organisations are the FLEG II Programrsquos Donors and Implementers
FLEG II is funded by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
What are the Specific Objectives of the FLEG II Project
The FLEG II Program has three specific Program Development Objectives
bull make progress implementing the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration in the participating countries and support the participating countries commit to a time-bound action plan to ensure its implementation and follow-up activities (regional level)
bull review or revise (or establish a time-bound action plan to review or revise) forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance (including the impact of related EU regulations) in the participating countries (national level) and
bull test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis in all partici-pating countries (sub-national level)
How FLEG II Program is implementedWithin the FLEG II Program there is an overall Program Management Team (PMT) consist-ing of one member from each of the three Implementing Organizations (IOs) The PMT is responsible for the overall planning guidance and implementation of the Program
The Steering Committee (SC) includes a representative from each Participating Country the World Bank (WB) IUCN WWF and the European Commission The SC meets at least annually to discuss the Programrsquos progress and approve country workplans and it is re-sponsible for providing advice on policy and strategic directions of the Program The World Bank and EC co- chair the SC and decisions are taken by consensus
24
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
At the country level each country has a Country Program Coordination Team (PCT) which is made up of one member from each of the three IOs
Also each country has a National Program Advisory Committee (NPAC) which provides guidance to the PCT The NPACs generally consist of eight members (1 FLEG National Focal Point 2 representatives from key government institutions 3 representatives from key NGOs 1 representative from the European Commission and 1 representative of the country PCT) The NPACrsquos role is to provide guidance to the IOrsquos on the development planning implementation monitoring and evaluation of the Program activities at the national and sub-national levels in each participating country
If you would like any more information or have any comments on any aspect of the FLEG II Program please send them by e-mail to the Communication Team
Feedback
Mark Gnadt markgnadtiucnorg Gera Voskanyan gvoskanyanwwfcaucasusorg Carol Howard carolhowardenpi-flegorg
25
EUROPEAN COMMISSION The European Union is the worldrsquos largest donor of official development assistance EuropeAid Development and Cooperation a Directorate General of the European Commission is responsible for designing European development policy and delivering aid throughout the world EuropeAid delivers aid through a set of financial instruments with a focus on ensuring the quality of EU aid and its effectiveness An active and proactive player in the development field EuropeAid promotes good governance human and economic development and tackle universal issues such as fighting hunger and preserving natural resourceshttpeceuropaeuindex_enhtm
WORLD BANKThe World Bank Group is one of the worldrsquos largest sources of knowledge and funding for its 188 member-countries The organizations that make up the World Bank Group are owned by the governments of member nations which have the ultimate decision-making power within the organizations on all matters including policy financial or membership issues The World Bank Group comprises five closely associated institutions the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) which together form the World Bank the International Finance Corporation (IFC) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Each institution plays a distinct role in the World Bank Grouprsquos mission to end extreme poverty by decreasing the percentage of people living on less than $125 a day to no more than 3 percent and promote shared prosperity by fostering the income growth of the bottom 40 percent for every country For additional information please visithttpwwwworldbankorg httpwwwifcorg httpwwwmigaorg
IUCNIUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges IUCNrsquos work focuses on valuing and conserving nature ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate food and development IUCN supports scientific research manages field projects all over the world and brings governments NGOs the UN and companies together to develop policy laws and best practice IUCN is the worldrsquos oldest and largest global environmental organisation with more than 1200 government and NGO members and almost 11000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries IUCNrsquos work is supported by over 1000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public NGO and private sectors around the worldwwwiucnorg
WWFWWF is one of the worldrsquos largest and most respected independent conservation organizations with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries WWFrsquos mission is to stop the degradation of the planetrsquos natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by conserving the worldrsquos biological diversity ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumptionwwwpandaorg
About ENPI FLEG Program
Project Partners
The Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Program supports participating countriesrsquo forest governance At the regional level the Program aims to implement the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration and support countries to commit to a time-bound action plan at the national level the Program will review or revise forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures and improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance in the participating countries and at the sub-national (local) level the Program will test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis Participating countries include Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The Program is funded by the European Union httpwwwenpi-flegorg
wwwenpi-flegorg 26
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
On July 3 the Telekritika a popular Ukranian website about media announced the results of the competition sponsored by FLEG II
Olena Sereda journalist of the newspaper Business won the highest award in the competition for her article that focused on issues that affect the development of the Ukrainian forest industry It also covered the roundtables conducted by the FLEG II program with the new leadership of the state forest agency Olena Sereda
Mykhail Popkov Yulia Zelinska Iryna Fedoriv
Iryna Fedoriv who was a winner in 2011 for a series of stories on protection of the forest on the border of the town of Kotsyubynske and Kyiv was given a special award mdash for five years of social work directed to returning the forest to the community and for her important contribution to the creation of the branch of Holosyivsky National Park Bilychansky Forest
Other winners included an article about financial irregularities in the State Forestry Agency and two journalistic investigations into corruption schemes concerning communal and state forests in Mykolayiv Oblast and near Kyiv (the journalists are still investigating)
The competition lasted from February to May 2014 Each judge of the competition all well-known journalists and foresters allotted the marks on their own Ratings of participants were then determined based on the total score Those rated first received top prizes
Yuri Rybachuk Inna Kuznetsova
Ukraine Journalists win prizes in Forestry Media Competition
19
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
The jury received some 100 materials aired or published between July 1 2013 and May 31 2014 in Ukrainian media The 25 most exciting works were posted on the Telekritika website with the payment of fees to the authors and all works without exception were posted for general access on the site of FLEG II program
Foresters gain insight and confidence on Round Timber Regulations
FLEG II organized a training on the implementation of Wood Tracking System through Supply Chain
The first training on the Round Timber Reg-ulations and Manual was organized on 4 and 5 October in Goris Armenia with participants from Vayots Dzor Sisian Kapan and Goris Forest Enterprises
Mykhail Popkov
As envisaged in the FLEG II Program Arme-nia Country Workplan the training covered the theory and practical implementation of the new timber regulations
Competition judges Inna Kuznetsova editor of the Kyiv office of Ra-dio Liberty and Yuri Rybachuk editor of the weekly Comments said We are journalists and therefore our prime interest is journalistic investigations as the most dangerous genre so we opted for them
Mykhailo Popkov an expert of program FLEG II (EІSPSkhid 2) and editor of Ukranian For-ester website suggested that next year the contest should include a special nomination for foresters who alongside with journalists communicate and explain forest issues to the public
20
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
They were drafted in 2011 and recently ap-proved by the state authorities and made mandatory for application The regulations cover using wood marking hammers per-sonal stamps numbered labels and staplers with needles and tapes in order to monitor wood movement in the supply chain
The training was delivered over two days in three groups each comprising of up to 20 participants The first day of the training was dedicated exploring and explaining the Regulation and the Manual through Power Point Presentations lively discussions and QA sessions At the end of the day the par-ticipants completed a test on the obtained knowledge
The second day of the training was a prac-tical hands on implementation of the re-quirements of the Regulation in the forest The trainer demonstrated the technique ex-plained the procedures and asked each of the participants to perform different elements of the process
The foresters involved were given the op-portunity to raise all kinds of questions of concern during the practical application and received guidance on further steps
Itrsquos always better to see rather than read and try to make your own assumptions Now that both the theoretical and practical parts of the process are learned we are more confident with the new system one of the participants said after the training
21
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Day of Forester in Georgia This year Georgia revived the tradition of celebrating annual Day of Forester FLEG II Program took part in the event
The Day of Forester was established in Georgia in 1999 Foresters from all over the country used to gather on 10th of October to celebrate their professional day However it has not been observed for many years
This fall the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia (MENRP) together with National Forest Agency (NFA) revived the tradition and organized a special event for marking the professional day of Georgian foresters It was touching not only for the foresters but for everybody who cares for the environment MENRP hosted a reception and an award ceremony About hundred participants attended the event including donors NGOs academia media and foresters from all over the country
Elguja Khokrishvili Minister of Environment made opening re-marks followed by a brief presentation on key achievement in forestry sector Levan Tabutsidze Head of NFA expressed special gratitude to the international donor community and civil society for valuable support provided for forestry sector develop-ment in Georgia He delivered an overview of ongoing projects and programs including FLEG II
Fourteen foresters from various regions of Georgia were awarded for their valuable con-tribution to the development of forestry sector The Minister handed over certificates and souvenirs crafted for the occasion A special prize for the Best Forester of the Year was awarded to Marine Sujashvili Deputy Head Department of Forest Maintenance of and Restoration NFA
October 10 2014 was a remarkable day encouraging foresters supporting their professional growth and raising public awareness
22
What is FLEG II
How did FLEG come about
wwwenpi-flegorg
FLEG II is the regional European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II Program Its objective is to promote sustainable forest governance management and protection of forests in Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The programrsquos work helps to promote the contribution of the regionrsquos forests to climate change adaptation and mitiga-tion to ecosystems and biodiversity protection and to sustainable livelihoods and income sources for local populations and national economies
In 2005 representatives of 44 governments signed the St Petersburg Declaration com-mitting themselves to address illegal logging and improve forest governance Momentum towards strengthening forest law enforcement and governance in the ENPI region grew when in 2008 the EC the World Bank WWF and IUCN teamed up to implement the first ENPI FLEG Program (2008ndash2012 6 million EUR)
The ENPI Forest Law Enforcement and Governance II (FLEG II) Program (2012ndash2016 9 million EUR) builds on the first ENPI FLEG I Program to support good forest governance sustainable forest management and forest protection in the ENPI East region
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
23
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Which Organisations are the FLEG II Programrsquos Donors and Implementers
FLEG II is funded by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
What are the Specific Objectives of the FLEG II Project
The FLEG II Program has three specific Program Development Objectives
bull make progress implementing the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration in the participating countries and support the participating countries commit to a time-bound action plan to ensure its implementation and follow-up activities (regional level)
bull review or revise (or establish a time-bound action plan to review or revise) forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance (including the impact of related EU regulations) in the participating countries (national level) and
bull test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis in all partici-pating countries (sub-national level)
How FLEG II Program is implementedWithin the FLEG II Program there is an overall Program Management Team (PMT) consist-ing of one member from each of the three Implementing Organizations (IOs) The PMT is responsible for the overall planning guidance and implementation of the Program
The Steering Committee (SC) includes a representative from each Participating Country the World Bank (WB) IUCN WWF and the European Commission The SC meets at least annually to discuss the Programrsquos progress and approve country workplans and it is re-sponsible for providing advice on policy and strategic directions of the Program The World Bank and EC co- chair the SC and decisions are taken by consensus
24
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
At the country level each country has a Country Program Coordination Team (PCT) which is made up of one member from each of the three IOs
Also each country has a National Program Advisory Committee (NPAC) which provides guidance to the PCT The NPACs generally consist of eight members (1 FLEG National Focal Point 2 representatives from key government institutions 3 representatives from key NGOs 1 representative from the European Commission and 1 representative of the country PCT) The NPACrsquos role is to provide guidance to the IOrsquos on the development planning implementation monitoring and evaluation of the Program activities at the national and sub-national levels in each participating country
If you would like any more information or have any comments on any aspect of the FLEG II Program please send them by e-mail to the Communication Team
Feedback
Mark Gnadt markgnadtiucnorg Gera Voskanyan gvoskanyanwwfcaucasusorg Carol Howard carolhowardenpi-flegorg
25
EUROPEAN COMMISSION The European Union is the worldrsquos largest donor of official development assistance EuropeAid Development and Cooperation a Directorate General of the European Commission is responsible for designing European development policy and delivering aid throughout the world EuropeAid delivers aid through a set of financial instruments with a focus on ensuring the quality of EU aid and its effectiveness An active and proactive player in the development field EuropeAid promotes good governance human and economic development and tackle universal issues such as fighting hunger and preserving natural resourceshttpeceuropaeuindex_enhtm
WORLD BANKThe World Bank Group is one of the worldrsquos largest sources of knowledge and funding for its 188 member-countries The organizations that make up the World Bank Group are owned by the governments of member nations which have the ultimate decision-making power within the organizations on all matters including policy financial or membership issues The World Bank Group comprises five closely associated institutions the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) which together form the World Bank the International Finance Corporation (IFC) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Each institution plays a distinct role in the World Bank Grouprsquos mission to end extreme poverty by decreasing the percentage of people living on less than $125 a day to no more than 3 percent and promote shared prosperity by fostering the income growth of the bottom 40 percent for every country For additional information please visithttpwwwworldbankorg httpwwwifcorg httpwwwmigaorg
IUCNIUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges IUCNrsquos work focuses on valuing and conserving nature ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate food and development IUCN supports scientific research manages field projects all over the world and brings governments NGOs the UN and companies together to develop policy laws and best practice IUCN is the worldrsquos oldest and largest global environmental organisation with more than 1200 government and NGO members and almost 11000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries IUCNrsquos work is supported by over 1000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public NGO and private sectors around the worldwwwiucnorg
WWFWWF is one of the worldrsquos largest and most respected independent conservation organizations with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries WWFrsquos mission is to stop the degradation of the planetrsquos natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by conserving the worldrsquos biological diversity ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumptionwwwpandaorg
About ENPI FLEG Program
Project Partners
The Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Program supports participating countriesrsquo forest governance At the regional level the Program aims to implement the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration and support countries to commit to a time-bound action plan at the national level the Program will review or revise forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures and improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance in the participating countries and at the sub-national (local) level the Program will test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis Participating countries include Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The Program is funded by the European Union httpwwwenpi-flegorg
wwwenpi-flegorg 26
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
The jury received some 100 materials aired or published between July 1 2013 and May 31 2014 in Ukrainian media The 25 most exciting works were posted on the Telekritika website with the payment of fees to the authors and all works without exception were posted for general access on the site of FLEG II program
Foresters gain insight and confidence on Round Timber Regulations
FLEG II organized a training on the implementation of Wood Tracking System through Supply Chain
The first training on the Round Timber Reg-ulations and Manual was organized on 4 and 5 October in Goris Armenia with participants from Vayots Dzor Sisian Kapan and Goris Forest Enterprises
Mykhail Popkov
As envisaged in the FLEG II Program Arme-nia Country Workplan the training covered the theory and practical implementation of the new timber regulations
Competition judges Inna Kuznetsova editor of the Kyiv office of Ra-dio Liberty and Yuri Rybachuk editor of the weekly Comments said We are journalists and therefore our prime interest is journalistic investigations as the most dangerous genre so we opted for them
Mykhailo Popkov an expert of program FLEG II (EІSPSkhid 2) and editor of Ukranian For-ester website suggested that next year the contest should include a special nomination for foresters who alongside with journalists communicate and explain forest issues to the public
20
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
They were drafted in 2011 and recently ap-proved by the state authorities and made mandatory for application The regulations cover using wood marking hammers per-sonal stamps numbered labels and staplers with needles and tapes in order to monitor wood movement in the supply chain
The training was delivered over two days in three groups each comprising of up to 20 participants The first day of the training was dedicated exploring and explaining the Regulation and the Manual through Power Point Presentations lively discussions and QA sessions At the end of the day the par-ticipants completed a test on the obtained knowledge
The second day of the training was a prac-tical hands on implementation of the re-quirements of the Regulation in the forest The trainer demonstrated the technique ex-plained the procedures and asked each of the participants to perform different elements of the process
The foresters involved were given the op-portunity to raise all kinds of questions of concern during the practical application and received guidance on further steps
Itrsquos always better to see rather than read and try to make your own assumptions Now that both the theoretical and practical parts of the process are learned we are more confident with the new system one of the participants said after the training
21
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Day of Forester in Georgia This year Georgia revived the tradition of celebrating annual Day of Forester FLEG II Program took part in the event
The Day of Forester was established in Georgia in 1999 Foresters from all over the country used to gather on 10th of October to celebrate their professional day However it has not been observed for many years
This fall the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia (MENRP) together with National Forest Agency (NFA) revived the tradition and organized a special event for marking the professional day of Georgian foresters It was touching not only for the foresters but for everybody who cares for the environment MENRP hosted a reception and an award ceremony About hundred participants attended the event including donors NGOs academia media and foresters from all over the country
Elguja Khokrishvili Minister of Environment made opening re-marks followed by a brief presentation on key achievement in forestry sector Levan Tabutsidze Head of NFA expressed special gratitude to the international donor community and civil society for valuable support provided for forestry sector develop-ment in Georgia He delivered an overview of ongoing projects and programs including FLEG II
Fourteen foresters from various regions of Georgia were awarded for their valuable con-tribution to the development of forestry sector The Minister handed over certificates and souvenirs crafted for the occasion A special prize for the Best Forester of the Year was awarded to Marine Sujashvili Deputy Head Department of Forest Maintenance of and Restoration NFA
October 10 2014 was a remarkable day encouraging foresters supporting their professional growth and raising public awareness
22
What is FLEG II
How did FLEG come about
wwwenpi-flegorg
FLEG II is the regional European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II Program Its objective is to promote sustainable forest governance management and protection of forests in Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The programrsquos work helps to promote the contribution of the regionrsquos forests to climate change adaptation and mitiga-tion to ecosystems and biodiversity protection and to sustainable livelihoods and income sources for local populations and national economies
In 2005 representatives of 44 governments signed the St Petersburg Declaration com-mitting themselves to address illegal logging and improve forest governance Momentum towards strengthening forest law enforcement and governance in the ENPI region grew when in 2008 the EC the World Bank WWF and IUCN teamed up to implement the first ENPI FLEG Program (2008ndash2012 6 million EUR)
The ENPI Forest Law Enforcement and Governance II (FLEG II) Program (2012ndash2016 9 million EUR) builds on the first ENPI FLEG I Program to support good forest governance sustainable forest management and forest protection in the ENPI East region
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
23
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Which Organisations are the FLEG II Programrsquos Donors and Implementers
FLEG II is funded by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
What are the Specific Objectives of the FLEG II Project
The FLEG II Program has three specific Program Development Objectives
bull make progress implementing the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration in the participating countries and support the participating countries commit to a time-bound action plan to ensure its implementation and follow-up activities (regional level)
bull review or revise (or establish a time-bound action plan to review or revise) forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance (including the impact of related EU regulations) in the participating countries (national level) and
bull test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis in all partici-pating countries (sub-national level)
How FLEG II Program is implementedWithin the FLEG II Program there is an overall Program Management Team (PMT) consist-ing of one member from each of the three Implementing Organizations (IOs) The PMT is responsible for the overall planning guidance and implementation of the Program
The Steering Committee (SC) includes a representative from each Participating Country the World Bank (WB) IUCN WWF and the European Commission The SC meets at least annually to discuss the Programrsquos progress and approve country workplans and it is re-sponsible for providing advice on policy and strategic directions of the Program The World Bank and EC co- chair the SC and decisions are taken by consensus
24
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
At the country level each country has a Country Program Coordination Team (PCT) which is made up of one member from each of the three IOs
Also each country has a National Program Advisory Committee (NPAC) which provides guidance to the PCT The NPACs generally consist of eight members (1 FLEG National Focal Point 2 representatives from key government institutions 3 representatives from key NGOs 1 representative from the European Commission and 1 representative of the country PCT) The NPACrsquos role is to provide guidance to the IOrsquos on the development planning implementation monitoring and evaluation of the Program activities at the national and sub-national levels in each participating country
If you would like any more information or have any comments on any aspect of the FLEG II Program please send them by e-mail to the Communication Team
Feedback
Mark Gnadt markgnadtiucnorg Gera Voskanyan gvoskanyanwwfcaucasusorg Carol Howard carolhowardenpi-flegorg
25
EUROPEAN COMMISSION The European Union is the worldrsquos largest donor of official development assistance EuropeAid Development and Cooperation a Directorate General of the European Commission is responsible for designing European development policy and delivering aid throughout the world EuropeAid delivers aid through a set of financial instruments with a focus on ensuring the quality of EU aid and its effectiveness An active and proactive player in the development field EuropeAid promotes good governance human and economic development and tackle universal issues such as fighting hunger and preserving natural resourceshttpeceuropaeuindex_enhtm
WORLD BANKThe World Bank Group is one of the worldrsquos largest sources of knowledge and funding for its 188 member-countries The organizations that make up the World Bank Group are owned by the governments of member nations which have the ultimate decision-making power within the organizations on all matters including policy financial or membership issues The World Bank Group comprises five closely associated institutions the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) which together form the World Bank the International Finance Corporation (IFC) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Each institution plays a distinct role in the World Bank Grouprsquos mission to end extreme poverty by decreasing the percentage of people living on less than $125 a day to no more than 3 percent and promote shared prosperity by fostering the income growth of the bottom 40 percent for every country For additional information please visithttpwwwworldbankorg httpwwwifcorg httpwwwmigaorg
IUCNIUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges IUCNrsquos work focuses on valuing and conserving nature ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate food and development IUCN supports scientific research manages field projects all over the world and brings governments NGOs the UN and companies together to develop policy laws and best practice IUCN is the worldrsquos oldest and largest global environmental organisation with more than 1200 government and NGO members and almost 11000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries IUCNrsquos work is supported by over 1000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public NGO and private sectors around the worldwwwiucnorg
WWFWWF is one of the worldrsquos largest and most respected independent conservation organizations with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries WWFrsquos mission is to stop the degradation of the planetrsquos natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by conserving the worldrsquos biological diversity ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumptionwwwpandaorg
About ENPI FLEG Program
Project Partners
The Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Program supports participating countriesrsquo forest governance At the regional level the Program aims to implement the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration and support countries to commit to a time-bound action plan at the national level the Program will review or revise forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures and improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance in the participating countries and at the sub-national (local) level the Program will test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis Participating countries include Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The Program is funded by the European Union httpwwwenpi-flegorg
wwwenpi-flegorg 26
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
They were drafted in 2011 and recently ap-proved by the state authorities and made mandatory for application The regulations cover using wood marking hammers per-sonal stamps numbered labels and staplers with needles and tapes in order to monitor wood movement in the supply chain
The training was delivered over two days in three groups each comprising of up to 20 participants The first day of the training was dedicated exploring and explaining the Regulation and the Manual through Power Point Presentations lively discussions and QA sessions At the end of the day the par-ticipants completed a test on the obtained knowledge
The second day of the training was a prac-tical hands on implementation of the re-quirements of the Regulation in the forest The trainer demonstrated the technique ex-plained the procedures and asked each of the participants to perform different elements of the process
The foresters involved were given the op-portunity to raise all kinds of questions of concern during the practical application and received guidance on further steps
Itrsquos always better to see rather than read and try to make your own assumptions Now that both the theoretical and practical parts of the process are learned we are more confident with the new system one of the participants said after the training
21
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Day of Forester in Georgia This year Georgia revived the tradition of celebrating annual Day of Forester FLEG II Program took part in the event
The Day of Forester was established in Georgia in 1999 Foresters from all over the country used to gather on 10th of October to celebrate their professional day However it has not been observed for many years
This fall the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia (MENRP) together with National Forest Agency (NFA) revived the tradition and organized a special event for marking the professional day of Georgian foresters It was touching not only for the foresters but for everybody who cares for the environment MENRP hosted a reception and an award ceremony About hundred participants attended the event including donors NGOs academia media and foresters from all over the country
Elguja Khokrishvili Minister of Environment made opening re-marks followed by a brief presentation on key achievement in forestry sector Levan Tabutsidze Head of NFA expressed special gratitude to the international donor community and civil society for valuable support provided for forestry sector develop-ment in Georgia He delivered an overview of ongoing projects and programs including FLEG II
Fourteen foresters from various regions of Georgia were awarded for their valuable con-tribution to the development of forestry sector The Minister handed over certificates and souvenirs crafted for the occasion A special prize for the Best Forester of the Year was awarded to Marine Sujashvili Deputy Head Department of Forest Maintenance of and Restoration NFA
October 10 2014 was a remarkable day encouraging foresters supporting their professional growth and raising public awareness
22
What is FLEG II
How did FLEG come about
wwwenpi-flegorg
FLEG II is the regional European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II Program Its objective is to promote sustainable forest governance management and protection of forests in Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The programrsquos work helps to promote the contribution of the regionrsquos forests to climate change adaptation and mitiga-tion to ecosystems and biodiversity protection and to sustainable livelihoods and income sources for local populations and national economies
In 2005 representatives of 44 governments signed the St Petersburg Declaration com-mitting themselves to address illegal logging and improve forest governance Momentum towards strengthening forest law enforcement and governance in the ENPI region grew when in 2008 the EC the World Bank WWF and IUCN teamed up to implement the first ENPI FLEG Program (2008ndash2012 6 million EUR)
The ENPI Forest Law Enforcement and Governance II (FLEG II) Program (2012ndash2016 9 million EUR) builds on the first ENPI FLEG I Program to support good forest governance sustainable forest management and forest protection in the ENPI East region
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
23
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Which Organisations are the FLEG II Programrsquos Donors and Implementers
FLEG II is funded by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
What are the Specific Objectives of the FLEG II Project
The FLEG II Program has three specific Program Development Objectives
bull make progress implementing the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration in the participating countries and support the participating countries commit to a time-bound action plan to ensure its implementation and follow-up activities (regional level)
bull review or revise (or establish a time-bound action plan to review or revise) forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance (including the impact of related EU regulations) in the participating countries (national level) and
bull test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis in all partici-pating countries (sub-national level)
How FLEG II Program is implementedWithin the FLEG II Program there is an overall Program Management Team (PMT) consist-ing of one member from each of the three Implementing Organizations (IOs) The PMT is responsible for the overall planning guidance and implementation of the Program
The Steering Committee (SC) includes a representative from each Participating Country the World Bank (WB) IUCN WWF and the European Commission The SC meets at least annually to discuss the Programrsquos progress and approve country workplans and it is re-sponsible for providing advice on policy and strategic directions of the Program The World Bank and EC co- chair the SC and decisions are taken by consensus
24
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
At the country level each country has a Country Program Coordination Team (PCT) which is made up of one member from each of the three IOs
Also each country has a National Program Advisory Committee (NPAC) which provides guidance to the PCT The NPACs generally consist of eight members (1 FLEG National Focal Point 2 representatives from key government institutions 3 representatives from key NGOs 1 representative from the European Commission and 1 representative of the country PCT) The NPACrsquos role is to provide guidance to the IOrsquos on the development planning implementation monitoring and evaluation of the Program activities at the national and sub-national levels in each participating country
If you would like any more information or have any comments on any aspect of the FLEG II Program please send them by e-mail to the Communication Team
Feedback
Mark Gnadt markgnadtiucnorg Gera Voskanyan gvoskanyanwwfcaucasusorg Carol Howard carolhowardenpi-flegorg
25
EUROPEAN COMMISSION The European Union is the worldrsquos largest donor of official development assistance EuropeAid Development and Cooperation a Directorate General of the European Commission is responsible for designing European development policy and delivering aid throughout the world EuropeAid delivers aid through a set of financial instruments with a focus on ensuring the quality of EU aid and its effectiveness An active and proactive player in the development field EuropeAid promotes good governance human and economic development and tackle universal issues such as fighting hunger and preserving natural resourceshttpeceuropaeuindex_enhtm
WORLD BANKThe World Bank Group is one of the worldrsquos largest sources of knowledge and funding for its 188 member-countries The organizations that make up the World Bank Group are owned by the governments of member nations which have the ultimate decision-making power within the organizations on all matters including policy financial or membership issues The World Bank Group comprises five closely associated institutions the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) which together form the World Bank the International Finance Corporation (IFC) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Each institution plays a distinct role in the World Bank Grouprsquos mission to end extreme poverty by decreasing the percentage of people living on less than $125 a day to no more than 3 percent and promote shared prosperity by fostering the income growth of the bottom 40 percent for every country For additional information please visithttpwwwworldbankorg httpwwwifcorg httpwwwmigaorg
IUCNIUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges IUCNrsquos work focuses on valuing and conserving nature ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate food and development IUCN supports scientific research manages field projects all over the world and brings governments NGOs the UN and companies together to develop policy laws and best practice IUCN is the worldrsquos oldest and largest global environmental organisation with more than 1200 government and NGO members and almost 11000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries IUCNrsquos work is supported by over 1000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public NGO and private sectors around the worldwwwiucnorg
WWFWWF is one of the worldrsquos largest and most respected independent conservation organizations with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries WWFrsquos mission is to stop the degradation of the planetrsquos natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by conserving the worldrsquos biological diversity ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumptionwwwpandaorg
About ENPI FLEG Program
Project Partners
The Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Program supports participating countriesrsquo forest governance At the regional level the Program aims to implement the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration and support countries to commit to a time-bound action plan at the national level the Program will review or revise forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures and improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance in the participating countries and at the sub-national (local) level the Program will test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis Participating countries include Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The Program is funded by the European Union httpwwwenpi-flegorg
wwwenpi-flegorg 26
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Day of Forester in Georgia This year Georgia revived the tradition of celebrating annual Day of Forester FLEG II Program took part in the event
The Day of Forester was established in Georgia in 1999 Foresters from all over the country used to gather on 10th of October to celebrate their professional day However it has not been observed for many years
This fall the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia (MENRP) together with National Forest Agency (NFA) revived the tradition and organized a special event for marking the professional day of Georgian foresters It was touching not only for the foresters but for everybody who cares for the environment MENRP hosted a reception and an award ceremony About hundred participants attended the event including donors NGOs academia media and foresters from all over the country
Elguja Khokrishvili Minister of Environment made opening re-marks followed by a brief presentation on key achievement in forestry sector Levan Tabutsidze Head of NFA expressed special gratitude to the international donor community and civil society for valuable support provided for forestry sector develop-ment in Georgia He delivered an overview of ongoing projects and programs including FLEG II
Fourteen foresters from various regions of Georgia were awarded for their valuable con-tribution to the development of forestry sector The Minister handed over certificates and souvenirs crafted for the occasion A special prize for the Best Forester of the Year was awarded to Marine Sujashvili Deputy Head Department of Forest Maintenance of and Restoration NFA
October 10 2014 was a remarkable day encouraging foresters supporting their professional growth and raising public awareness
22
What is FLEG II
How did FLEG come about
wwwenpi-flegorg
FLEG II is the regional European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II Program Its objective is to promote sustainable forest governance management and protection of forests in Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The programrsquos work helps to promote the contribution of the regionrsquos forests to climate change adaptation and mitiga-tion to ecosystems and biodiversity protection and to sustainable livelihoods and income sources for local populations and national economies
In 2005 representatives of 44 governments signed the St Petersburg Declaration com-mitting themselves to address illegal logging and improve forest governance Momentum towards strengthening forest law enforcement and governance in the ENPI region grew when in 2008 the EC the World Bank WWF and IUCN teamed up to implement the first ENPI FLEG Program (2008ndash2012 6 million EUR)
The ENPI Forest Law Enforcement and Governance II (FLEG II) Program (2012ndash2016 9 million EUR) builds on the first ENPI FLEG I Program to support good forest governance sustainable forest management and forest protection in the ENPI East region
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
23
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Which Organisations are the FLEG II Programrsquos Donors and Implementers
FLEG II is funded by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
What are the Specific Objectives of the FLEG II Project
The FLEG II Program has three specific Program Development Objectives
bull make progress implementing the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration in the participating countries and support the participating countries commit to a time-bound action plan to ensure its implementation and follow-up activities (regional level)
bull review or revise (or establish a time-bound action plan to review or revise) forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance (including the impact of related EU regulations) in the participating countries (national level) and
bull test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis in all partici-pating countries (sub-national level)
How FLEG II Program is implementedWithin the FLEG II Program there is an overall Program Management Team (PMT) consist-ing of one member from each of the three Implementing Organizations (IOs) The PMT is responsible for the overall planning guidance and implementation of the Program
The Steering Committee (SC) includes a representative from each Participating Country the World Bank (WB) IUCN WWF and the European Commission The SC meets at least annually to discuss the Programrsquos progress and approve country workplans and it is re-sponsible for providing advice on policy and strategic directions of the Program The World Bank and EC co- chair the SC and decisions are taken by consensus
24
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
At the country level each country has a Country Program Coordination Team (PCT) which is made up of one member from each of the three IOs
Also each country has a National Program Advisory Committee (NPAC) which provides guidance to the PCT The NPACs generally consist of eight members (1 FLEG National Focal Point 2 representatives from key government institutions 3 representatives from key NGOs 1 representative from the European Commission and 1 representative of the country PCT) The NPACrsquos role is to provide guidance to the IOrsquos on the development planning implementation monitoring and evaluation of the Program activities at the national and sub-national levels in each participating country
If you would like any more information or have any comments on any aspect of the FLEG II Program please send them by e-mail to the Communication Team
Feedback
Mark Gnadt markgnadtiucnorg Gera Voskanyan gvoskanyanwwfcaucasusorg Carol Howard carolhowardenpi-flegorg
25
EUROPEAN COMMISSION The European Union is the worldrsquos largest donor of official development assistance EuropeAid Development and Cooperation a Directorate General of the European Commission is responsible for designing European development policy and delivering aid throughout the world EuropeAid delivers aid through a set of financial instruments with a focus on ensuring the quality of EU aid and its effectiveness An active and proactive player in the development field EuropeAid promotes good governance human and economic development and tackle universal issues such as fighting hunger and preserving natural resourceshttpeceuropaeuindex_enhtm
WORLD BANKThe World Bank Group is one of the worldrsquos largest sources of knowledge and funding for its 188 member-countries The organizations that make up the World Bank Group are owned by the governments of member nations which have the ultimate decision-making power within the organizations on all matters including policy financial or membership issues The World Bank Group comprises five closely associated institutions the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) which together form the World Bank the International Finance Corporation (IFC) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Each institution plays a distinct role in the World Bank Grouprsquos mission to end extreme poverty by decreasing the percentage of people living on less than $125 a day to no more than 3 percent and promote shared prosperity by fostering the income growth of the bottom 40 percent for every country For additional information please visithttpwwwworldbankorg httpwwwifcorg httpwwwmigaorg
IUCNIUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges IUCNrsquos work focuses on valuing and conserving nature ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate food and development IUCN supports scientific research manages field projects all over the world and brings governments NGOs the UN and companies together to develop policy laws and best practice IUCN is the worldrsquos oldest and largest global environmental organisation with more than 1200 government and NGO members and almost 11000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries IUCNrsquos work is supported by over 1000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public NGO and private sectors around the worldwwwiucnorg
WWFWWF is one of the worldrsquos largest and most respected independent conservation organizations with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries WWFrsquos mission is to stop the degradation of the planetrsquos natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by conserving the worldrsquos biological diversity ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumptionwwwpandaorg
About ENPI FLEG Program
Project Partners
The Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Program supports participating countriesrsquo forest governance At the regional level the Program aims to implement the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration and support countries to commit to a time-bound action plan at the national level the Program will review or revise forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures and improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance in the participating countries and at the sub-national (local) level the Program will test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis Participating countries include Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The Program is funded by the European Union httpwwwenpi-flegorg
wwwenpi-flegorg 26
What is FLEG II
How did FLEG come about
wwwenpi-flegorg
FLEG II is the regional European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II Program Its objective is to promote sustainable forest governance management and protection of forests in Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The programrsquos work helps to promote the contribution of the regionrsquos forests to climate change adaptation and mitiga-tion to ecosystems and biodiversity protection and to sustainable livelihoods and income sources for local populations and national economies
In 2005 representatives of 44 governments signed the St Petersburg Declaration com-mitting themselves to address illegal logging and improve forest governance Momentum towards strengthening forest law enforcement and governance in the ENPI region grew when in 2008 the EC the World Bank WWF and IUCN teamed up to implement the first ENPI FLEG Program (2008ndash2012 6 million EUR)
The ENPI Forest Law Enforcement and Governance II (FLEG II) Program (2012ndash2016 9 million EUR) builds on the first ENPI FLEG I Program to support good forest governance sustainable forest management and forest protection in the ENPI East region
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
23
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Which Organisations are the FLEG II Programrsquos Donors and Implementers
FLEG II is funded by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
What are the Specific Objectives of the FLEG II Project
The FLEG II Program has three specific Program Development Objectives
bull make progress implementing the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration in the participating countries and support the participating countries commit to a time-bound action plan to ensure its implementation and follow-up activities (regional level)
bull review or revise (or establish a time-bound action plan to review or revise) forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance (including the impact of related EU regulations) in the participating countries (national level) and
bull test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis in all partici-pating countries (sub-national level)
How FLEG II Program is implementedWithin the FLEG II Program there is an overall Program Management Team (PMT) consist-ing of one member from each of the three Implementing Organizations (IOs) The PMT is responsible for the overall planning guidance and implementation of the Program
The Steering Committee (SC) includes a representative from each Participating Country the World Bank (WB) IUCN WWF and the European Commission The SC meets at least annually to discuss the Programrsquos progress and approve country workplans and it is re-sponsible for providing advice on policy and strategic directions of the Program The World Bank and EC co- chair the SC and decisions are taken by consensus
24
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
At the country level each country has a Country Program Coordination Team (PCT) which is made up of one member from each of the three IOs
Also each country has a National Program Advisory Committee (NPAC) which provides guidance to the PCT The NPACs generally consist of eight members (1 FLEG National Focal Point 2 representatives from key government institutions 3 representatives from key NGOs 1 representative from the European Commission and 1 representative of the country PCT) The NPACrsquos role is to provide guidance to the IOrsquos on the development planning implementation monitoring and evaluation of the Program activities at the national and sub-national levels in each participating country
If you would like any more information or have any comments on any aspect of the FLEG II Program please send them by e-mail to the Communication Team
Feedback
Mark Gnadt markgnadtiucnorg Gera Voskanyan gvoskanyanwwfcaucasusorg Carol Howard carolhowardenpi-flegorg
25
EUROPEAN COMMISSION The European Union is the worldrsquos largest donor of official development assistance EuropeAid Development and Cooperation a Directorate General of the European Commission is responsible for designing European development policy and delivering aid throughout the world EuropeAid delivers aid through a set of financial instruments with a focus on ensuring the quality of EU aid and its effectiveness An active and proactive player in the development field EuropeAid promotes good governance human and economic development and tackle universal issues such as fighting hunger and preserving natural resourceshttpeceuropaeuindex_enhtm
WORLD BANKThe World Bank Group is one of the worldrsquos largest sources of knowledge and funding for its 188 member-countries The organizations that make up the World Bank Group are owned by the governments of member nations which have the ultimate decision-making power within the organizations on all matters including policy financial or membership issues The World Bank Group comprises five closely associated institutions the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) which together form the World Bank the International Finance Corporation (IFC) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Each institution plays a distinct role in the World Bank Grouprsquos mission to end extreme poverty by decreasing the percentage of people living on less than $125 a day to no more than 3 percent and promote shared prosperity by fostering the income growth of the bottom 40 percent for every country For additional information please visithttpwwwworldbankorg httpwwwifcorg httpwwwmigaorg
IUCNIUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges IUCNrsquos work focuses on valuing and conserving nature ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate food and development IUCN supports scientific research manages field projects all over the world and brings governments NGOs the UN and companies together to develop policy laws and best practice IUCN is the worldrsquos oldest and largest global environmental organisation with more than 1200 government and NGO members and almost 11000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries IUCNrsquos work is supported by over 1000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public NGO and private sectors around the worldwwwiucnorg
WWFWWF is one of the worldrsquos largest and most respected independent conservation organizations with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries WWFrsquos mission is to stop the degradation of the planetrsquos natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by conserving the worldrsquos biological diversity ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumptionwwwpandaorg
About ENPI FLEG Program
Project Partners
The Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Program supports participating countriesrsquo forest governance At the regional level the Program aims to implement the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration and support countries to commit to a time-bound action plan at the national level the Program will review or revise forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures and improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance in the participating countries and at the sub-national (local) level the Program will test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis Participating countries include Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The Program is funded by the European Union httpwwwenpi-flegorg
wwwenpi-flegorg 26
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
Which Organisations are the FLEG II Programrsquos Donors and Implementers
FLEG II is funded by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
What are the Specific Objectives of the FLEG II Project
The FLEG II Program has three specific Program Development Objectives
bull make progress implementing the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration in the participating countries and support the participating countries commit to a time-bound action plan to ensure its implementation and follow-up activities (regional level)
bull review or revise (or establish a time-bound action plan to review or revise) forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance (including the impact of related EU regulations) in the participating countries (national level) and
bull test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis in all partici-pating countries (sub-national level)
How FLEG II Program is implementedWithin the FLEG II Program there is an overall Program Management Team (PMT) consist-ing of one member from each of the three Implementing Organizations (IOs) The PMT is responsible for the overall planning guidance and implementation of the Program
The Steering Committee (SC) includes a representative from each Participating Country the World Bank (WB) IUCN WWF and the European Commission The SC meets at least annually to discuss the Programrsquos progress and approve country workplans and it is re-sponsible for providing advice on policy and strategic directions of the Program The World Bank and EC co- chair the SC and decisions are taken by consensus
24
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
At the country level each country has a Country Program Coordination Team (PCT) which is made up of one member from each of the three IOs
Also each country has a National Program Advisory Committee (NPAC) which provides guidance to the PCT The NPACs generally consist of eight members (1 FLEG National Focal Point 2 representatives from key government institutions 3 representatives from key NGOs 1 representative from the European Commission and 1 representative of the country PCT) The NPACrsquos role is to provide guidance to the IOrsquos on the development planning implementation monitoring and evaluation of the Program activities at the national and sub-national levels in each participating country
If you would like any more information or have any comments on any aspect of the FLEG II Program please send them by e-mail to the Communication Team
Feedback
Mark Gnadt markgnadtiucnorg Gera Voskanyan gvoskanyanwwfcaucasusorg Carol Howard carolhowardenpi-flegorg
25
EUROPEAN COMMISSION The European Union is the worldrsquos largest donor of official development assistance EuropeAid Development and Cooperation a Directorate General of the European Commission is responsible for designing European development policy and delivering aid throughout the world EuropeAid delivers aid through a set of financial instruments with a focus on ensuring the quality of EU aid and its effectiveness An active and proactive player in the development field EuropeAid promotes good governance human and economic development and tackle universal issues such as fighting hunger and preserving natural resourceshttpeceuropaeuindex_enhtm
WORLD BANKThe World Bank Group is one of the worldrsquos largest sources of knowledge and funding for its 188 member-countries The organizations that make up the World Bank Group are owned by the governments of member nations which have the ultimate decision-making power within the organizations on all matters including policy financial or membership issues The World Bank Group comprises five closely associated institutions the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) which together form the World Bank the International Finance Corporation (IFC) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Each institution plays a distinct role in the World Bank Grouprsquos mission to end extreme poverty by decreasing the percentage of people living on less than $125 a day to no more than 3 percent and promote shared prosperity by fostering the income growth of the bottom 40 percent for every country For additional information please visithttpwwwworldbankorg httpwwwifcorg httpwwwmigaorg
IUCNIUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges IUCNrsquos work focuses on valuing and conserving nature ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate food and development IUCN supports scientific research manages field projects all over the world and brings governments NGOs the UN and companies together to develop policy laws and best practice IUCN is the worldrsquos oldest and largest global environmental organisation with more than 1200 government and NGO members and almost 11000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries IUCNrsquos work is supported by over 1000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public NGO and private sectors around the worldwwwiucnorg
WWFWWF is one of the worldrsquos largest and most respected independent conservation organizations with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries WWFrsquos mission is to stop the degradation of the planetrsquos natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by conserving the worldrsquos biological diversity ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumptionwwwpandaorg
About ENPI FLEG Program
Project Partners
The Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Program supports participating countriesrsquo forest governance At the regional level the Program aims to implement the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration and support countries to commit to a time-bound action plan at the national level the Program will review or revise forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures and improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance in the participating countries and at the sub-national (local) level the Program will test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis Participating countries include Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The Program is funded by the European Union httpwwwenpi-flegorg
wwwenpi-flegorg 26
wwwenpi-flegorg
E U R O P E A N N E I G H B O R H O O D A N D P A R T N E R S H I P I N S T R U M E N T E A S T C O U N T R I E S F O R E S T L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D G O V E R N A N C E I I P R O G R A M
T h e P r o g r a m i s f u n d e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t e d b y t h e W o r l d B a n k i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h W W F a n d I U C N
At the country level each country has a Country Program Coordination Team (PCT) which is made up of one member from each of the three IOs
Also each country has a National Program Advisory Committee (NPAC) which provides guidance to the PCT The NPACs generally consist of eight members (1 FLEG National Focal Point 2 representatives from key government institutions 3 representatives from key NGOs 1 representative from the European Commission and 1 representative of the country PCT) The NPACrsquos role is to provide guidance to the IOrsquos on the development planning implementation monitoring and evaluation of the Program activities at the national and sub-national levels in each participating country
If you would like any more information or have any comments on any aspect of the FLEG II Program please send them by e-mail to the Communication Team
Feedback
Mark Gnadt markgnadtiucnorg Gera Voskanyan gvoskanyanwwfcaucasusorg Carol Howard carolhowardenpi-flegorg
25
EUROPEAN COMMISSION The European Union is the worldrsquos largest donor of official development assistance EuropeAid Development and Cooperation a Directorate General of the European Commission is responsible for designing European development policy and delivering aid throughout the world EuropeAid delivers aid through a set of financial instruments with a focus on ensuring the quality of EU aid and its effectiveness An active and proactive player in the development field EuropeAid promotes good governance human and economic development and tackle universal issues such as fighting hunger and preserving natural resourceshttpeceuropaeuindex_enhtm
WORLD BANKThe World Bank Group is one of the worldrsquos largest sources of knowledge and funding for its 188 member-countries The organizations that make up the World Bank Group are owned by the governments of member nations which have the ultimate decision-making power within the organizations on all matters including policy financial or membership issues The World Bank Group comprises five closely associated institutions the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) which together form the World Bank the International Finance Corporation (IFC) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Each institution plays a distinct role in the World Bank Grouprsquos mission to end extreme poverty by decreasing the percentage of people living on less than $125 a day to no more than 3 percent and promote shared prosperity by fostering the income growth of the bottom 40 percent for every country For additional information please visithttpwwwworldbankorg httpwwwifcorg httpwwwmigaorg
IUCNIUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges IUCNrsquos work focuses on valuing and conserving nature ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate food and development IUCN supports scientific research manages field projects all over the world and brings governments NGOs the UN and companies together to develop policy laws and best practice IUCN is the worldrsquos oldest and largest global environmental organisation with more than 1200 government and NGO members and almost 11000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries IUCNrsquos work is supported by over 1000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public NGO and private sectors around the worldwwwiucnorg
WWFWWF is one of the worldrsquos largest and most respected independent conservation organizations with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries WWFrsquos mission is to stop the degradation of the planetrsquos natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by conserving the worldrsquos biological diversity ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumptionwwwpandaorg
About ENPI FLEG Program
Project Partners
The Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Program supports participating countriesrsquo forest governance At the regional level the Program aims to implement the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration and support countries to commit to a time-bound action plan at the national level the Program will review or revise forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures and improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance in the participating countries and at the sub-national (local) level the Program will test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis Participating countries include Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The Program is funded by the European Union httpwwwenpi-flegorg
wwwenpi-flegorg 26
EUROPEAN COMMISSION The European Union is the worldrsquos largest donor of official development assistance EuropeAid Development and Cooperation a Directorate General of the European Commission is responsible for designing European development policy and delivering aid throughout the world EuropeAid delivers aid through a set of financial instruments with a focus on ensuring the quality of EU aid and its effectiveness An active and proactive player in the development field EuropeAid promotes good governance human and economic development and tackle universal issues such as fighting hunger and preserving natural resourceshttpeceuropaeuindex_enhtm
WORLD BANKThe World Bank Group is one of the worldrsquos largest sources of knowledge and funding for its 188 member-countries The organizations that make up the World Bank Group are owned by the governments of member nations which have the ultimate decision-making power within the organizations on all matters including policy financial or membership issues The World Bank Group comprises five closely associated institutions the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) which together form the World Bank the International Finance Corporation (IFC) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Each institution plays a distinct role in the World Bank Grouprsquos mission to end extreme poverty by decreasing the percentage of people living on less than $125 a day to no more than 3 percent and promote shared prosperity by fostering the income growth of the bottom 40 percent for every country For additional information please visithttpwwwworldbankorg httpwwwifcorg httpwwwmigaorg
IUCNIUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges IUCNrsquos work focuses on valuing and conserving nature ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate food and development IUCN supports scientific research manages field projects all over the world and brings governments NGOs the UN and companies together to develop policy laws and best practice IUCN is the worldrsquos oldest and largest global environmental organisation with more than 1200 government and NGO members and almost 11000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries IUCNrsquos work is supported by over 1000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public NGO and private sectors around the worldwwwiucnorg
WWFWWF is one of the worldrsquos largest and most respected independent conservation organizations with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries WWFrsquos mission is to stop the degradation of the planetrsquos natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by conserving the worldrsquos biological diversity ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumptionwwwpandaorg
About ENPI FLEG Program
Project Partners
The Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Program supports participating countriesrsquo forest governance At the regional level the Program aims to implement the 2005 St Petersburg FLEG Ministerial Declaration and support countries to commit to a time-bound action plan at the national level the Program will review or revise forest sector policies and legal and administrative structures and improve knowledge of and support for sustainable forest management and good forest governance in the participating countries and at the sub-national (local) level the Program will test and demonstrate best practices for sustainable forest management and the feasibility of improved forest governance practices at the field-level on a pilot basis Participating countries include Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Moldova Russia and Ukraine The Program is funded by the European Union httpwwwenpi-flegorg
