Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
been easy for them to be criticized - most cannot provide data to answer
what their conservation achievements have been. In this regard we would
endorse exploring ways to measure the pressure/threat to an area and
how it has changed, the state of the system (both biodiversity/habitat and
socioeconomic) and what responses occur (reserves declaration, attitude
changes, activity changes, degradation changes, governance changes and
so forth). If logical frameworks could be used to develop and help main-
tain monitoring programmes that capture information on these broad
areas, this would be a signii cant step forward. If a sui ciently large sample
of ICDPs were operating similar monitoring schemes then some statisti-
cally analysed conclusions about the success or failure of the ICDP model
might be developed.
Sustainability
Long-term sustainability has rarely been achieved by ICDPs, even those
that have operated for a decade or more. It may be that this model of
project cannot achieve a sustainable end point, especially when working in
developing countries where the economic situation is stagnant and there
are few funds from government or local leaders to support conservation
activities. Solving the macroeconomic problems of many African nations
would enhance the chances of long-term sustainability for projects operat-
ing in poor rural areas. In the absence of economic improvements, working
to establish mechanisms that ensure the supply of modest funding over the
long term, and the availability of reliable and trained staf , may of er the
best chances to reach a sustainable end point. If there are no funds then
good staf will move to other areas, or will start to engage in other activ-
ities to support themselves. If there is too much funding for a known short
period, then people may seek to capitalize on it while it is there.
Neither of our two example ICDPs are close to being economically
sustainable. The models used by these projects have involved signii cant
sums of money, expatriate support, purchase of transport and fuel, inter-
national travel and some foreign management costs. The local economy
of these areas involves small amounts of money, local decision-making, a
lack of mechanized transport, few income-generating opportunities and
traditional beliefs and norms. In order for the ICDP approach to become
more sustainable it has to become i nancially, technically and operation-
ally closer to the normality for the areas concerned, which is a serious
challenge using current project implementation models.
Protection components
We endorse the criticism that ICDPs do not expend as much ef ort as
required on natural resource conservation. Our experience with ICDPs
