1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Approach

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Approach (if relevant)

Central Asian Countries Initiative for Sustainable Land Management - Multicountry Capacity Building (CACILM - MCB) - Kyrgyzstan

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Approach (if relevant)

CDE Centre for Development and Environment (CDE Centre for Development and Environment) - Switzerland

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Approach (if relevant)

United Nations Development Program (United Nations Development Program) - Tajikistan

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

13/04/2011

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Yes

2.1 Short description of the Approach

The described approach facilitates the establishment of contracts between village committees and local authorities for decentralised management of Tugai forest areas on State Reserve Land.

2.2 Detailed description of the Approach

Detailed description of the Approach:

Aims / objectives: Tugai forests are riparian forest ecosystems situated in the continental, winter-cold deserts of Central Asia. These flood plain forests are severely threatened by overexploitation for fire wood and by overgrazing. The 253 ha of Tugai forest in Nuri Vakhsh Jamoat along the Vakhsh river in southern Tajikstan were suffering due to their de facto status as open access resources. The district environmental department that was supposed to monitor the forest was unable to effectively carry out this work. Therefore the UNDP project on “Demonstrating Local Responses to Combating Land Degradation and Improving Sustainable Land Management in SW Tajikistan” saw the protection of this Tugai forest as a priority and engaged with local land users to help protect the forest.

Methods: UNDP project representatives held discussions with forest users living in villages next to to the Tugai forests, regarding the establishment of community-based forest management institutions. UNDP proposed that these institutions enter into agreement with the Hukumat (local district-level government) to protect and exclusively use well defined forest areas on nearby State Reserve Land.

Stages of implementation: As a first step, UNDP obtained permission from the Hukumat to conduct sanitary felling of dry and infected trees, to help improve the forest structure under supervision of the Jamoat (local municipality-level government). The removed tree material was distributed to schools and hospitals as fire wood. Next, a leasehold agreement was formed between a representative of each of the three village committees and the Hukumat. These leasehold agreements covered a total of 126 ha out of 253 ha of Tugai forest existing in the area and they are valid for five years. The remaining forest area, which is not under an agreement, is not threatened as it is situated on an island in the middle of a strong stream that cannot be crossed. The committee has to pay about or 1.73 USD / ha of leased forest land as a tax to the district. The tax paid is collected from contributions by members of the villages who pay for each head of cattle that they send for grazing at a cost of 1 USD / head of cattle.

Role of stakeholders: The village committees are headed by one representative who is responsible for regulating access to the forest plots. The local Jamoat supervises the activities carried out by the village committees on their respective plots. UNDP provides consulting services for the process of establishing contracts between village committees and the local authorities and is carrying out regular monitoring of the forest management activities.

2.3 Photos of the Approach

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Approach has been applied

2.6 Dates of initiation and termination of the Approach

2.7 Type of Approach

• project/ programme based

2.8 Main aims/ objectives of the Approach

The Approach focused mainly on SLM with other activities (regulation of access for herders)

The main aim of the approach is to help prevent the degradation of Tugai forest, and the disappeareance of this threatened ecosystem, while giving the local population the chance to manage and use it in a sustainable way.

The SLM Approach addressed the following problems: uncontrolled access and degradation of Tugai forest, overgrazing, cutting of trees, no firewood resources available

2.9 Conditions enabling or hindering implementation of the Technology/ Technologies applied under the Approach

3.1 Stakeholders involved in the Approach and their roles

3.2 Involvement of local land users/ local communities in the different phases of the Approach

	Involvement of local land users/ local communities	Specify who was involved and describe activities
initiation/ motivation	none	Consultants from UNDP initiated the approach and started discussions with villages next to the forest
planning	none
implementation	interactive	establishment of village committees, managing access for livestock herders
monitoring/ evaluation	none	monthly monitoring through UNDP consultant
Research	none

3.3 Flow chart (if available)

3.4 Decision-making on the selection of SLM Technology/ Technologies

Specify who decided on the selection of the Technology/ Technologies to be implemented:

• mainly land users, supported by SLM specialists

Explain:

As technology in this case we understand the implementation of the forest leasehold agreements.

Decisions on the method of implementing the SLM Technology were made by mainly by SLM specialists with consultation of land users. As technology in this case we understand the implementation of the forest leasehold agreements.

4.1 Capacity building/ training

Was training provided to land users/ other stakeholders?

Yes

Specify who was trained:

• land users

Form of training:

• public meetings

Subjects covered:

forest conservation, sustainable grazing management, sanitary cutting

4.2 Advisory service

Do land users have access to an advisory service?

Yes

Describe/ comments:

Advisory service is quite adequate to ensure the continuation of land conservation activities; The forest leasehold agreements were established for a duration of 5 years. After this, the Hukumat should be in an adequate position to renew or adjust those agreements if necessary.

4.3 Institution strengthening (organizational development)

Have institutions been established or strengthened through the Approach?

• yes, moderately

Specify the level(s) at which institutions have been strengthened or established:

• local

Specify type of support:

• capacity building/ training

Give further details:

Jamoat

4.4 Monitoring and evaluation

Is monitoring and evaluation part of the Approach?

Yes

Comments:

bio-physical aspects were regular monitored by project staff through measurements; indicators: plant and bird species, number of cases connected with illegal cutting of trees

bio-physical aspects were regular monitored by project staff through observations; indicators: visual assessment of rehabilitation of grass, bushes and trees, number of wild animals and birds

There were no changes in the Approach as a result of monitoring and evaluation: None

There were no changes in the Technology as a result of monitoring and evaluation: None

4.5 Research

Was research part of the Approach?

Yes

Specify topics:

• ecology

Give further details and indicate who did the research:

Studies about presence of plant and bird species

5.1 Annual budget for the SLM component of the Approach

Comments (e.g. main sources of funding/ major donors):

Approach costs were met by the following donors: international (UNDP): 100.0%

5.2 Financial/ material support provided to land users

Did land users receive financial/ material support for implementing the Technology/ Technologies?

No

5.3 Subsidies for specific inputs (including labour)

• agricultural

• other

If labour by land users was a substantial input, was it:

• voluntary

5.4 Credit

Was credit provided under the Approach for SLM activities?

No

5.5 Other incentives or instruments

Were other incentives or instruments used to promote implementation of SLM Technologies?

Yes

If yes, specify:

Jamoat

6.1 Impacts of the Approach

6.2 Main motivation of land users to implement SLM

6.3 Sustainability of Approach activities

Can the land users sustain what has been implemented through the Approach (without external support)?

• yes

If yes, describe how:

The land users should now be in a position to renew contracts with the Hukumat.

6.4 Strengths/ advantages of the Approach

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Protection of plant and animal diversity
Increasing the capacity of the community on legal issues
Aesthetic value of the beauty of this landscape - quote from land user responsible for a 41 ha forest plot 'Every morning when I open the window and I see the beautiful landscape of the Tugai forest I feel happy'

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Protection of a highly endangered ecosystem, while allowing for improvement of grazing for local herders

6.5 Weaknesses/ disadvantages of the Approach and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the land user’s view	How can they be overcome?
no tenure security as the government could sell off the land at any time	issue land user certificates

7.1 Methods/ sources of information