FSPV &FSPI

COWRIE FINAL PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION REPORT

Sign board designed by Tousai Tiwok Environment officer Report Complied by Zaidy Khan 9/10/2010. FSPI Coast and Commuites Programme

Project Overview The COWRIE Project: Towards Coastal and Watershed Restoration for the Integrity of Island Environment Review and field demonstration of coastal watershed restoration activities in support to the Integrated Coastal Watershed Management (ICWM) component to the Coral Reef Initiative for the Pacific (CRISP). CRISP Component: Integrated Coastal Watershed Management (ICWM): Goal: Individual communities across Fiji and Vanuatu are empowered and enabled to undertake management interventions towards integrated Watershed and Coastal Management (IWCM) General Objectives: is to provide geographic information and tools on watersheds and coastal areas, to strengthen the stakeholders' capacity to efficiently manage coral reef ecosystems and marine protected areas (MPAs), taking into account human and natural factors. Specific Objective: To develop best-practice tool kits for IWCM practices relevant to Pacific Islands based on lessons learned from demonstration projects and trialing appropriate approaches whilst building capacity and resources In- field Project Implementing Partners: The Foundation for the People of the South Pacific International (FSPI) with its affiliate FSP Vanuatu. FSPI & FSPV then developed project cooperation with SHEFA provincial council / Department of Conservation and Environment and Department of Forest as local partners in order to complete the project. The project was also assisted by Reef Check Vanuatu Ltd and Village Based Resource Management Area Network. About this report: This report is the final COWRIE project implementation report as per the contract requirement to the Institute of applied science, University of the South Pacific International. It summaries FSPI’s assignment as per the project cooperation agreement between Institute if Applied Science, University of the South Pacific and The Foundation of the People of the South Pacific International. This is a collective report of actual activities conducted and implemented by partners during the project phase aligned to the workplan.

FSPI assigned roles as per the agreement 1. Participate in the project workshops ( Regional Participation providing technical resource and support)

Deliverables as per the assigned role Active engagement in facilitation of Cowrie introduction Community workshop Epau Feb 25th – 26th Technical support to : Buffer Zone establishment and restoration Mar 3rd – 5th Active facilitation role in Community based resource management over view workshop which aimed to engaged Epau community to VBRMA network : exchange and learning workshop from MPA management ): Sep 15th – 16th Providing regional support in implementation of follow up community workshop. Sep 23rd to 25th. Providing regional support to Community Nursery establishment and development training workshop. Oct 4th – 8th Active regional facilitation role in Final community project establishment in Epau community. Nov 2nd – 9th

2. Set up and convene a project steering Committee in Vanuatu in March and August 2010.

Formulated steering committee in April and revised the committee in October : Revised steering committee was established with representative officials of Department of Forestry , Department of Environment , SHEFA Provincial Office ( new coordinator),and FSPV partners. A lead co-ordination role was assigned to department of Environment official.

FSPI assigned roles as per the agreement 3. Assume full responsibility of activities on the project ofa. Epau, Vanuatu a. Translate IWM materials supplied by the project to vernacular. b. Carry out awareness campaigns on IWM in using materials supplied by the project. c. Develop and document participatory community action plans and carry out demonstration protocols including reforestation. d. Develop and document demonstration protocols. ( are pilot site management intervention protocols and plans available

e.

Secure re-vegetation stock ( or establish nurseries )

f.

Establish demonstration parcels and monitor progress

g .Provide materials based on lessons learnt at demonstration site for inclusion manual to be complied by USP/ Land care / FSPI

Deliverables as per the assigned role a. Translation of 5 posters accomplished and had been send to printing and distribution. : Posters : “Land management Hemi Reguatem Flo Blong Wata , soel Erosion Mo Lus Blong Agricaljarol productivity, Coral RIF I Nidim Healty watersheds,Degraded waters olie gat frequent mo wos flading. Helti wata-shed, Helti fisheries.”

b. Awareness conducted using some existing awareness material within the departments while in the process of COWRIE project materials get printed. Project team used the above posters (mention in a) in their training sessions. c. Participation process through various consultation / information sharing / meetings / awareness rising was conducted. Stakeholder community establishment with identification of role and involvement has been accomplished. Community steps were indentified and planned through historical profile/ resource mapping/vegetation cleaning and seedling planting plan. Community action plan and monitoring plan established. (see infield reports ). d. The community’s commitment to the project, resource governance, community chiefly project management in the village is a developing role model for other community based resource projects. The resource governance of Epau village is a demonstration to other communities for effective community based resource management project. Epau Nursery project action plan and activities on ground is planned to used as a model pilot site e. Nurseries established f. There had been 4 plots set. Buffer zone, sandal wood plot, Mixed vegetation plot and food security plot. Each Plot is 1 hectare and planting of seedlings have been accomplished in 3 plots. The Mixed vegetation seedlings are not grown enough for ground planting. g. Training awareness posters has been delivered in local bislama language.

Out puts as per contract

Means on Verification

Report on awareness campaign

Already provided to USP

Report on Community workshop including the action plan

Action plan is included in this report.

Report on Demonstration protocols

Plots development , see photo gallery validation

Technical nursery set – up techniques

Nursery set up . see photo gallery Validation

Report on lesson learnt on establishment of demonstration parcels. ( scaling up efforts and communicating to other communities

Training materials developed

Minutes of meeting from project steering committee.

Provided earlier. Final project activities meeting agreements and deliverable have been reported in this report as project results.

(already provided to USP)

Results Epau Community Action Plan Plan Map of location in the country: The community of Epao is a community that is situated on the south east of Efate. ( see annex 1). Population: The community consists of 60 households approximately 400 – 600 people Community strength: The community was chosen as the site to undertake the project due to its strong governance within the community. This governance mechanism within the community is the key factor to which enables the community to cooperate in many activities making the community people very proud and strong. Threats indentified by the community during participatory consultation :Epao water catchment area serves the Epau village as well as the surrounding communities of Epulu, Pangpang, Lamine and Maturisu. The community has been facing great water catchment problems, such as muddy water runoff during heavy rain falls affecting their main water source. Community action in conjunction with Cowrie project Community Aim : Increase the communities knowledge and understanding on impact of some of the land based activities such as logging on watersheds and coastal ecosystems. Restore their forest land which had long history of logging and invasive species invasion Community Action plan: Work together with stakeholders and steering committee in conducting buffer Restoration, Nursery Rehabilitation, Sandalwood Plantation, Mixed Plantation and Food security patch. This establishment will provide nursery seedling outlet in future for other committees to develop such plantation in order to protect and manage water shed areas. The restoration of buffer zone and other plantation patch will provide a model and example for other committees in restoring degraded land and forest zones to prevent damage to their watershed areas. Participation and commitment: The lead role of the village governance chiefly system will provide community project coordination role. Active participation of village groups will provide man- power to undertake the activity and in restoration activities. Monitoring Plan: Engage the Peace –Corp volunteer who has the experience of forestry management and business skills in developing future

monitoring and business plan. The improvement of nursery aims to establish future seedling stock for the community in more restoration activities and for selling to other committees. The objective of establishing sandalwood plots is to bring economic gains to the community in future.

Cowrie Final activities

Nursery Seedlings

Nursery Equipments for Nursery rehabilitation

Nursery Management

Community Activities

Steering committee project wrap up : Shefa Province , department of forestry and Environment

Details of Activities in field

Key indicators / results / report on accomplishment

Seedlings for sandalwood, mixed plot ( maghony /whitewood), enough for 1 hectare plot size for each plots was purchased

Seedling were purchased from Agriculture department, private community nurseries and delivered to community. Buffer Zone seedling planting was done in March. The

Cowrie project to provide technical and financial support for water tank. Assist with material for rehabilitating the old village nursery

Water tank was purchased and installed in the community. All materials for Nursery rehabilitation was purchased , delivered and build together with restoration of nursery tool shed

The three chiefs of the village make the project community managers. The role is to organize the community groups for Cowrie project related activities, engage man- power for field work when- ever needed to undertake activity.

With various challenges of the project the community worked with the national and regional stakeholders in delivering the project activities planned in the little time frame for final activities. The community fulfilled their promise of accomplishing the establishment of 4 plots, each I hectare in size, establishment of the nursery and has shown proven signs of managing and monitoring this project from know own wards.

To set do Nursery Rehabilitation. To clean bush and develop Buffer restoration zone, Sandalwood Plantation, Mixed Plantation and Food security plots. Each plot size is 1 hectare. A total of 4 hectare land rehabilitation and restoration.

Completion of Nursery Rehabilitation. Establishment of all 4 plots. Planting in buffer zone, sandalwood and food security completed. Mixed vegetation is on the way as maghony seedlings are too small at this stage

The officials engaged in the projects, their time on the project was contracted. Shefa province was under project cooperative agreement

All contractual payments had been made with the local partners. The project was officially closed in field by FSPI on 9th of November. The Cowrie account has been officially closed. All partners were greatly thanked for their cooperation in the project delivery. The Shefa province has taken a lead role to monitor the project in future with the community from here own-wards.

Means of Verification

In field validation by FSPI ; See Photo Gallery

In field validation by FSPI ; See Photo Gallery

In field validation by FSPI ; See Photo Gallery

In field validation by FSPI ; See Photo Gallery

Contracts / MOUs/ staff time payment. Completion and warp of project done by FSPI on ground.