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

Name of project which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

Programme Gestion des Ressources Naturelles, Mauretanie (ProGRN)

Name of project which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

Book project: Guidelines to Rangeland Management in Sub-Saharan Africa (Rangeland Management)

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

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (GIZ) - Germany

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

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

Yes

1.4 Declaration on sustainability of the described Technology

Is the Technology described here problematic with regard to land degradation, so that it cannot be declared a sustainable land management technology?

No

1.5 Reference to Questionnaire(s) on SLM Approaches (documented using WOCAT)

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

A system for ecological monitoring provides accurate observations on the development of sylvo-pastoral resources, the management of which is handed over to land users who are organized in a local association. In order to monitor the ecological status of the land, a method to record the Vegetation Cover Index (VCI) was developed to register changes compared with an initial survey.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Ecological monitoring, based on the index of vegetation cover, is a suitable technology for the following purposes: (a) to check to which degree the objective to mitigate land degradation is achieved; (b) to provide authorities with a tool to assess sustainable land management; (c) to increase the transparency of the procedure to assess efforts from land users to protect the environment; (d) to implement corrective measures through specific management regimes (for instance prohibition on grazing); (e) to assess changes in income at the level of individual households, at the level of areas which are managed collectively, or at the level of the entire intervention zone; (f) to monitor the carbon stocks of woody vegetation.

The vegetation cover is therefore the target variable of the technology. The main components of the vegetation cover are described, which are the cover of woody and herbaceous vegetation. The woody vegetation cover consists of three sub-strata: the tree cover, the cover of regenerating trees and the shrub cover. Each of these strata is assessed in square meters (m2) below the top of the woody plants. The total of the three strata of woody vegetation provides the indicator of the woody vegetation cover. The herbaceous cover is indirectly assessed through the extent of soil surfaces which are clearly without vegetation (crusts, hard pans or glacis slopes). Furthermore, the diversity of woody species is considered through an indicator. The three indicators are weighted to obtain the Vegetation Cover Index (VCI).

The vegetation cover varies in space. The following major zones are distinguished: savannah with vegetation ranging from shrubs to woody vegetation (C), forested savannah (S), wooded mountainous savannah (M), forest galleries or wet zones (G). As part of the ecological monitoring, the development of the Vegetation Cover Index (VCI), calculated for the four zones (C, S, M and G) of an area, is compared with the development of the VCI in a control area. The control area represents the ecological state of a shrubland to which the rules for the management of natural resources, which are adopted in the Local Convention or in special arrangements, are not applied. The control area consists of equal parts of the four ecological zones (C, G, M and S).

Fixed plots for observation are selected once, in such a way that all zones in the target area are represented. The first surveys are done after the area managed by a Collective Local Management Organisation (AGLC) has been demarcated. The monitoring is carried out annually or every two years by teams consisting of three parties: a State agent (a forester), a member of the AGLC and a technician of ProGLN. The surveys in the control area are carried out simultaneously with the surveys in the areas of the AGLC. The data are processed manually in the survey forms. The baseline of the Vegetation Cover Index (VCI) is 100. This value represents the ecological status of the control area. The comparison of the development of the VCI in an area of an AGLC to the VCI of the control area refers to the same period of monitoring. The average change of the Vegetation Cover Index (VCI) in the area of Guidimakha amounted to 2,24 (from 100 to 102,24) in the period from 2004 to 2011. This indicates that the condition of the natural resources has improved overall in the areas which are managed by the local organizations through a local convention. The average increase of the VCI is in the order of magnitude of 0.55 units per year.

2.3 Photos of the Technology

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Technology has been applied and which are covered by this assessment

2.6 Date of implementation

Indicate year of implementation:

2004

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through projects/ external interventions

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• assessment of the restoration of natural resources

3.2 Current land use type(s) where the Technology is applied

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

Yes

Specify mixed land use (crops/ grazing/ trees):

• Silvo-pastoralism

Comments:

Number of growing seasons per year: 1
Livestock density: Changing between the seasons due to transhumance. On average, 2.9 hectares per tropical livestock unit (TLU).

3.3 Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

• No (Continue with question 3.4)

3.4 Water supply

Water supply for the land on which the Technology is applied:

• rainfed

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• natural and semi-natural forest management
• pastoralism and grazing land management
• improved ground/ vegetation cover

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

Specify the goal of the Technology with regard to land degradation:

• not applicable

Comments:

The technology enables to assess the prevention and reduction of land degradation.

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify currency used for cost calculations:

• USD

other/ national currency (specify):

UM

If relevant, indicate exchange rate from USD to local currency (e.g. 1 USD = 79.9 Brazilian Real): 1 USD =:

365.0

4.3 Establishment activities

Comments:

The time required for the field surveys, including the manual processing of the data, for a team of three persons varies between 3 and 5 days per area of an AGLC, depending on the distance from the area and the extent of the vegetation cover, particularly of the forest galleries. When the data are processed and analysed by computer, an extra half day is needed for an AGLC area. The costs of implementing the ecological monitoring are between 200 and 310 US$ per area and per annual survey. For the total extent of the areas managed by AGLCs in Guidimakha and Hodh el Gharbi (37 organisations), over a period of ten years and with three surveys per area, the costs are estimated at 25.000 to 30.000 US$.

4.4 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour		hommes/jours
Labour		homme/jours
Labour		hommes/jours

If you are unable to break down the costs in the table above, give an estimation of the total costs of establishing the Technology:

250.0

If land user bore less than 100% of costs, indicate who covered the remaining costs:

Regional service of the Ministry of Environment and GIZ

Comments:

The implementation costs of the ecological monitoring are between 200 and 310 US$ per area and per survey. For the total extent of the areas managed by AGLCs in Guidimakha and Hodh el Gharbi (37 organisations), over a period of ten years and with three surveys per area, the costs are estimated at 25.000 to 30.000 US$.

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Timing/ frequency
1.	field surveys
2.	manual data processing
3.	computer analysis

Comments:

The survey of the Vegetation Cover Index (VCI) is done once a year or once in two years.

4.6 Costs and inputs needed for maintenance/ recurrent activities (per year)

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	field surveys	person-days	6.0	20.0	120.0	30.0
Labour	manual data processing	person-days	3.0	30.0	90.0	15.0
Labour	computer analysis	person-days	1.0	40.0	40.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					250.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD					0.68

If land user bore less than 100% of costs, indicate who covered the remaining costs:

Regional service of the Ministry of Environment and GIZ

Comments:

The implementation costs of the ecological monitoring are between 200 and 310 US$ per area and per annual survey. For the total extent of the areas managed by AGLCs in Guidimakha and Hodh el Gharbi (37 organisations), over a period of ten years and with three surveys per area, the costs are estimated at 25.000 to 30.000 US$.

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

labour costs

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• not relevant

5.3 Soils

5.4 Water availability and quality

Is water salinity a problem?

No

Is flooding of the area occurring?

No

5.5 Biodiversity

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

5.7 Average area of land used by land users applying the Technology

5.8 Land ownership, land use rights, and water use rights

Land ownership:

• state

Land use rights:

• communal (organized)

Water use rights:

• communal (organized)

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Other socio-economic impacts

Socio-cultural impacts

6.4 Cost-benefit analysis

How do the benefits compare with the establishment costs (from land users’ perspective)?

How do the benefits compare with the maintenance/ recurrent costs (from land users' perspective)?

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

• 11-50%

If available, quantify (no. of households and/ or area covered):

All the areas managed by the Collective Local Management Organisations in the two provinces apply the monitoring.

Of all those who have adopted the Technology, how many did so spontaneously, i.e. without receiving any material incentives/ payments?

• 0-10%

Comments:

The ecological monitoring is a sovereign task, and therefore is a service of the State.

6.6 Adaptation

Has the Technology been modified recently to adapt to changing conditions?

No

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
To improve the transparency for land users of the procedure to assess their efforts to manage sylvo-pastoral resources sustainably through their compliance with the rules of the local convention.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Enabling supporting organisations to check to what extent the objective to mitigate land degradation is achieved, based on indicators of impact.
Provides information to apply and refine the rules for land management and specific arrangements (for instance the prohibition on grazing).

6.8 Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks of the Technology and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the land user’s view	How can they be overcome?
Dependency of local organisations on the technical services due to the sovereign nature of these.	not possible

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
The resources of the technical services for an annual survey are limited.	A frequency of once in five years could be justified, given that the impact of the sustainable land management will only be visible after that period.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Mise en place d'un suivi écologique de la gestion locale des ressources sylvopastorales - Indice du couvert végétal, ProGRN, 2011

Available from where? Costs?

https://wocatpedia.net/wiki/Indice_du_couvert_v%C3%A9g%C3%A9tal_-_Suivi_%C3%A9cologique_de_la_gestion_d%C3%A9centralis%C3%A9e_des_ressources_sylvo-pastorales_en_Mauritanie

7.3 Links to relevant online information

Title/ description:

Indice du couvert végétal, Fiche thématique N° 1, ProGRN, 2011

URL:

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