Conservation Growth Poles

A landscape level development pathway

Conservation Growth Poles

• CGPs are landscape-level initiatives linking protected areas and agricultural zones in mutually dependent ecological and economic relationships, that provide growth opportunities for local people

Conservation Growth Pole context

• Forest in hotspots is fragmented, and protected areas often separated by a matrix of varying land-use including forest in different states of degradation

• These areas are often remote, where the poorest people live, and where dependency on ecosystem services (water, protection from erosion, NTFPs) is often marked

• These areas are often poorly served by infrastructure and other development initiatives

Valley bottom rice

Protected area

Community Forest

Plantation forest

Administrativeboundary

Natural Assets

Carbon Water NTFPs …… Total

PA

Community Forest

Plantation forest

……

Valley bottom riceProtected area

Community Forest

Plantation forestAdministrativeboundary

Why a CGP?

• The natural assets have value to different people- some global value, some local

• To access global value, NAs need to be “bundled”, so agreement for their management across administrative boundaries is often needed

Valley bottom riceProtected area

Community Forest

Plantation forestAdministrativeboundary

Development

• NAs contribute to each county development plan- but how much?

• How much more could they contribute if they were managed jointly between counties?

• How much more could they contribute if each NA was the subject of national PRS policy?

Valley bottom riceProtected area

Community Forest

Plantation forestAdministrativeboundary

What NAs are there?

• There are many NAs with no current realised value

• Carbon had no realisable value until recently

• The value of many NAs will change with time

Valley bottom riceProtected area

Community Forest

Plantation forestAdministrativeboundary

Diversification

• Reliance on one or a few sectors is risky• Upfront investment from one sector will

create conditions for others• Investment will come with stability and

good governance• Many investors are looking to contribute

to social and biodiversity benefits

Valley bottom riceProtected area

Community Forest

Plantation forestAdministrativeboundary

Potential Benefits

Summary

• Increased volume and efficiency of NA markets- more economic activity, more diversified

• Improved agriculture- sustained water flows and protection against erosion, also extended market for products

• Improved conservation- more NAs, larger and better habitat for threatened species

• Increased participation in natural resource economy promotes equity and governance leading to social stability

• Increased resilience and climate adaptation capacity

Valley bottom riceProtected area

Community Forest

Plantation forestAdministrativeboundary

Steps

• Evaluate NA values and markets• Map to local and national PRS• Develop common management

agreements• Increase volume and efficiency of NA

markets• Weave into national plans –

infrastructure, resettlement, agriculture

Valley bottom riceProtected area

Community Forest

Plantation forestAdministrativeboundary

Potential Participant Roles• Local and National Government: lead on consultation and

governance structures; management of protected areas; frameworks for community management; infrastructure

• Local civil society: zoning plan; establishment of resource management structures and rules; implementation of local economic growth activities; monitoring of equity and compliance;

• CI/ partners: identification NAs; identification of biodiversity, carbon and agricultural investors; market value chain studies; support to consultation and policy

• Development agencies: support to agriculture, agroforestry and NTFP management plans; land tenure (or management transfer) issues; support to community forestry

• Private sector: purchase of upgraded agricultural products; ecotourism investment; carbon credit purchase;