Using EoH tools to identify values and threats to those values

(tools 1 and 2)

Context Tools

• Tool 1: Identifying Site Values and Management Objectives

• Background: Developed from TNC methodology for identifying priority conservation targets

• Concept: Define ‘key’ values, including OUV and associated objectives which drive management and the assessment process

• Methodology and datasheet: guides sites through the process of identifying range of values for biodiversity cultural, economic, educational and social values

Worksheet 1a• Values = what is important within the site• Objectives = concrete management aims• It is not usually possible to manage all values

present at a site – tool can help managers group major site values that can help focus management

• Document the major site values and to relate these to the principal management objectives

• Understanding values helps inform the entire management effectiveness assessment process

• And is the basis for the development of monitoring programmes (i.e. Tool 11)

Review information sources Site nomination report

Statements of Outstanding Universal Value or Significance Management and/or other planning documents

Other reports Interviews

Identify major values

List principal management objectives and relate these to values where appropriate

Identify major values and their relationship to World Heritage status

Identify values and objectives

BwindiManagement Objectives

World Heritage values reflected in objective

Additional values reflected in objective

Biodiversity Values

Mountain gorillas Endangered species Population and health

Habitat Afro-montane, continuous forest

Lowland-medium to High altitude forest and high altitude wetlands.

Other endemic species

Species endemic and endangered that exist in BINP

Numbers, home-ranges

Other Natural values

Climate modification

Rainfall Humidity and temperature

Water catchments

Source of rivers for both domestic and wildlife use

Water quality and quantity

Carbon sink Forest absorption of excess CO2

Vegetation

Scenery Landscape

Cultural/Social values

Revenue generation from tourism activities

Gorilla tracking, Bird watching, Nature walks

Non-timber forest Products

Resource off takes (Medicinal, weaving materials, honey)

Education and Research

Research Institutions, School study tours, and independent researchers

Using the worksheet in the management planning process

• Tool 1 is used to set the context for the EoH process – can highlight problems in management context

• In Sangay National Park in Ecuador, the initial management assessment undertaken using this tool identified the need to revise the management plan to ensure the objectives better reflected the site’s values and management challenges

• Ensuring that values match objectives can be a time consuming process

• Tool 2: Identifying Threats • Background: Developed from work

carried out by TNC• Concept: Understanding the causes

and impacts of threats and the urgency of action

• Methodology and datasheet: Guidance on characteristics of current and potential threats for each value identified in tool 1 and summarise its impacts (extents and intensity) and the urgency of management responses (actions)

Context Tools

Understanding threats• Threats are major problems facing a site: i.e. forest loss or

degradation of a coral reef• Causes of threats are the reasons why, to use the sample

examples, the forest is disappearing (e.g. illegal logging and agricultural encroachment) or coral is degrading (e.g. tourist over-use, global warming)

• Impacts of threats are the problems that result: e.g. for forests, an impact could be soil erosion; for coral reefs, loss of fish species

• Also considers current and potential threats

Uses of the assessment• It allows managers to develop strategies

for threat abatement by tackling the actual causes of the threat

• If the causes cannot be eliminated, helps develop interventions can reduce their impacts

• As threats can create more than one impact, management activities can be prioritized according to the causes responsible for the gravest and most numerous impacts

• Worksheet concentrates on direct causes, those within the managers power, rather than underlying causes, such as poverty, global trade balance, etc

Assessment• Identifies threats• Identified the values impacted by the threat – and

whether they are current or potential• Identifies causes• Assess impact of threat by extent (%) of value

threatened and severity using a 4-point rating scale• Management response: identifies actions to be taken and

assess urgency of that action

Threats and management planning• The threat context of the site should have a major impact

on management planning priorities and actions• Tool can help focus on direct causes and decide urgency of

action following assessment of extent and severity of threat