Morocco - Protected Areas Management Project

Report No. PID5610 Project Name Morocco-Protected Area Management Project Region Middle East and North Africa Sector Environment Project ID MAPA48314 Borrower Kingdom of Morocco Implementing Agency Forests and Water Administration (AEFCS) within the Ministry of Agriculture, Civil Works and Environment Administration des Eaux, des Forets et de la Conservation des Sols Dr. Hanan Abderrhmane Director General Ministere de l'Agriculture et de la Mise en Valeur Agricole (MAMVA) Phone: 212 7 76 26 63 Fax: 212 7 76 44 46 Date of This PID September 17th, 1997 Projected Board Date July 1998 1. Background: Morocco, with a land area of 711,000km2, is the second most biologically diverse country in the Mediterranean basin. Because of its location and topography, there are extremes in climate, with negligible rainfall in the arid areas of the Sahara, and precipitation of 2,000 mms in the northern mountains with altitudes up to 4,000 m and permanent snow-cover. There are an estimated 4,000 species of vascular plants of which 209 are endemic, and 550 vertebrates including 101 mammals. 30 species of birds are endangered, while of Morocco's endangered plants 405 are endemic. There are 39 ecosystem types, ranging form various forms of mountain and lowland forests, grasslands and wetlands to coastal lagoons, beaches and marine environments. The principal threats to biodiversity are habitat transformation, fragmentation and degradation, due to increasing population pressures and poor management of natural resources. 49% of Morocco's population are rural, but they account for 70% of the country's poor. 85% of household energy consumption is from fuelwood. Urbanization, industrialization and tourism in coastal areas have also transformed habitats. Less than 1% of the land area currently comes under some form of protection. In recent years, awareness of linkages between development activities and biodiversity degradation has grown in Morocco, supported by a number of participatory assessments and studies undertaken during formulation of the National Environmental Action Plan. A legal framework to carry out systematic environmental impact assessments is being established. A comprehensive study of  Morocco's biodiversity and protected areas was completed in 1996 with the support of the African Development Bank. It proposes a comprehensive strategy and investment plan for extending Morocco's protected area network and conserving its biodiversity, and is the basis of the present project proposal. Institutional responsibilities for protected area management are well-established in Morocco. The agency with direct responsibility for protected area management is the AEFCS (Administration des Eaux et Forets et Conservation des Sols) within the Ministry of Agriculture. It has a well-established administration at regional and local level. The National Council for the Environment within the Ministry of the Environment provides overall policy guidance. 2. Project Objectives: The overall project objectives are: -- To establish a system of protected areas in Morocco; and -- to promote sustainable conservation management, with the participation of local populations, of the ecosystems in the areas supported by the project. Progress toward the first objective would be measured and monitored according to the size of protected areas designated and with management plans under implementation, numbers of skilled staff, appropriate legal status, and establishment of essential park equipment and infrastructure. Progress towards the second would be measured by monitoring changes in key ecosystem indicators over the 1995 baseline, and implementing the participation plans. 3. Project Components: -- Implementation of conservation management plans in selected protected areas, including restoration of fragile ecosystems, compensating interventions for the local populations, participatory workshops, improvement of park infrastructure and establishment of GIS for local park management; the component would support up to six national parks, including Ifrane, Tazekka, Toubkal, the Eastern High Atlas, Talassemtane and Al-Hoceima; (US$9.1 millions); -- preparation and implementation of conservation management plans at selected Sites of Biological and Ecological Interest (SIBEs), and pilot programs for re-introduction of selected mammals and raptors (US$1.4 millions); -- Training of park management staff and rangers, training of AEFCS staff, establishment of a GIS at central level to facilities ME, and establishment of multi-year plans for resource mobilization for selected raptors and mammals (US$1.7 millions); -- public awareness activities, in cooperation with NGOs, schools and local organizations, to promote understanding -2 -  about nature conservation (US$1.1 millions). 4. Project Costs and Financing: Total project costs are estimated at US$13.3 millions, including the GEF grant of US$9.8 millions and government contribution of US$3.5 millions. 5. Project Implementation: The project would be implemented by the AEFCS in the Ministry of Agriculture. At the central level the Department of Wildlife, Hunting and Fishing would have overall responsibility for project implementation including the budget, execution of TA and training, strengthening park management; organization for monitoring, disbursement and audit with the Ministry of Finance. At the field level the Direction Regionale des Eaux et Forets (DREFS) in each province involved in the project would be in charge of local execution, co-ordination and participation with the local population and other local authorities. At national level, the national Council for the Environment would provide overall policy guidance. 6. Project Sustainability: AEFCS has coordinated preparation of a comprehensive strategy and investment plan for Morocco's protected areas and biodiversity with African Development Bank funding, which was completed in 1996 and forms the basis for the project. AEFCS is undertaking the administrative steps necessary to establish the legal status of the new areas proposed as National Parks in the strategy, and has incorporated in its planning for the parks the principle of working together with the local communities. It has established at central level a nature Conservation Unit which would coordinate implementation of the project. The project would build on ongoing programs to ensure that the best use is made of relevant experience. Experience from an ongoing Bank-financed Forest Development Project has indicated that counterpart funds are generally made available. The project will use existing staff of the AEFCS and additional staff required should be minimal. Existing staff, however, will need to be re- deployed and trained. Project interventions will be designed to minimize incremental recurrent costs. For each park resource mobilization plans will be prepared, with the participation of local communities. 7. Lessons learned from Previous Bank/IDA Involvement: The main relevant lessons are: -- prospects for sustainable improvements in natural resource management require a decentralized approach to implementation, ownership and participation by local communities; and detailed planning at field level; - 3 -  -- implementation experience is better where project objectives and design are simple and well-focused. These lessons will be incorporated into project design. The proposed project is the first GEF-financed Biodiversity Project for Morocco. 8. Rationale for GEF Involvement: The Government has formally requested Bank assistance in GEF grant funding to implement its protected area management strategy. The project would support Morocco in strengthening natural resource and environmental management, one of the four priority objectives of the Country Assistance Strategy. The project would build on the experience gained with other Bank-administered GEF financed protected area management projects in the region, including those in Algeria, Jordan, Turkey and Romania. GEF funding may also help to analyze additional support for implementation for the protected area strategy. More broadly, the Bank has a substantial experience in participatory approaches and is engaging in close dialogue with the Moroccan authorities on decentralization. It also has a long involvement and close working relationship with the principal implementing agency. 9. Poverty Category: While poverty alleviation is not the principal objective of the project, preparation and implementation of conservation management plans in the protected areas will help assure a sustained livelihood for the people living in and around the parks, many of who are among the poorest of Morocco's rural population. 10. Environmental Aspects: The project would have a positive impact on the environment, helping to conserve key coastal, mountain, forest , arid and semi- arid ecosystems in Morocco, increasing public awareness about biodiversity conservation, and supporting participatory approaches to sustainable resource management in key protected areas. Ecosystems restoration and pilot species reintroduction programs would carefully monitored and any interventions with unintended negative consequences would be redesigned. The local population would be closely involved in the planning and implementation of conservation management plans. Park infrastructure would be modest, including paths and appropriately designed recreation areas. The project has been assigned category C. Given the importance of the participatory approaches site-specific participation plans, with implementation monitoring systems, will be established during project preparation. 11. Participatory Approach: -4-  As mentioned above, participation of local communities in planning and implementation of conservation management plans would be a key element of project design. The project would build on experience already gained in participatory approaches under a GTZ-supported community development program in three National parks, implemented together with the AEFCS. The community-based natural resource management project supported by the EU in the Northern Rif would also provide useful lessons. Local government and NGO leaders would also be involved. The academic community would also be involved in the ecosystems monitoring programs. 12. Project Benefits: Project objectives would include establishment of a system of protected areas in Morocco, together with a system of sustainable ecosystem management, with local populations, of the ecosystems of these areas. Progress towards the first objective would be measured and monitored according to the size of protected areas designated and with management plans under implementation, numbers of skilled staff, appropriate legal status, and establishment of essential park equipment and infrastructure. Progress towards the second would be measured by monitoring changes in key ecosystem and species indicators over the 1995 baseline. Benefits would comprise, in addition to ecosystem restoration, increased awareness by the Moroccan community of the importance of sustainable conservation management in Morocco, and increased understanding by the regional and global community of the importance of Moroccan ecosystems and their linkages with those of other countries. Contact Point: Task Managers Mrs Yoko Eguchi Mrs Marjory-Anne Bromhead The World Bank The World Bank 1818 H Street N.W. 1818 H Street N.W. Washington, D.C. 20433 Washington, D.C. 20433 Tel No.: 202-473-6744 Tel No.: 202-473-2270 Fax No.: 202-477-1609 Fax No.: 202-473-1609 Note: This is information on an evolving project. Certain components may not necessarily be included in the final project. Processed by the Public Information Center week ending September 26, 1997. - 5 -