Cameroon - Biodiversity Conservation and Management Project

Ij Republic of Cameroon Biodiversily Conservation and Management Project Document March 1995 THE WORLD BANK  GEF Documentation The Global Environment Facility (GEF) assists developing countries to protect the global environment in four areas: global warming, pollution of international waters. destruction of biodiversity. and depletion of the ozone layer. The GEF is jointly implemented bythe United Nations Development Programme,the United Nations EnvironmentProgramme. and the World Bank. GEF Project Documents - identified by a green band - provide extended project- specific information. The implementing agency responsible for each project is identifi,ed by its logo on the cover of the document. Global Environment Coordination Division Environment Department World Bank 1818 H Street. NW Washington. DC 20433 Telephone: (202) 473-1816 Fax: (202) 522-3256  Report No. 13083-CM Republic of Cameroon Biodiversity Conservation and Management Project Document March 1995  i  CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS Currency Unit = CFA franc (CFAF) US $1.00 = 572 CFA francs (as of May 1994) WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Metric System ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS CFAF CFA franc CNH Cameroon National Herbarium DWPA Department of Wildlife and Protected Areas EA Environmental Analysis EU European Union GEF Global Environment Facility GET Global Environment Trust Fund IVZR Institute for Veterinary and Zoological Research MINEF Ministry of Environment and Forestry MINREST Ministry of Scientific and Technical Research NEMP National Environmental Management Plan PPA Project Preparation Advance SDR Special Drawing Rights SPS Studies and Planning Service TSC Technical Steering Committee UNDP United Nations Development Program WCS Wildlife Conservation Society GOVERNMENT FISCAL YEAR July I - June 30   Part I: Project Summary  I  REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT PROJECT GRANT AND PROJECT SUMMARY Recipient: Republic of Cameroon Grantee: Global Environment Trust Fund Beneficiary: Not applicable Amount: SDR 4.1 million (US$6.0 million equivalent) Terms: Grant Relending Terms: Not applicable Financing Plan: ources of Financing Local | Foreign Total Percentage (USS '000) overnment of Cameroon 1,000 - 1,000 8 overnment of the Netherlands 1,050 830 1,880 15 overnment of Germany 290 1,210 1,500 12 Government of France 730 510 1,240 10 European Union 10 30 40 1 Government of the United 470 300 770 6 Kingdom _ I Global Environment Trust Fund 3,900 2,060 5,960 48 |otal 7,450 4,940 12,390 100 Economic Rate of Return: Not applicable Map: IBRD No. 24829R2 IBRD No. 26638 IBRD No. 26639 IBRD No. 26640  m I I  CAMEROON BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT Background 1. Biological Significance. The Republic of Cameroon encompasses nearly 0.5 million square kilometers spanning 10 degrees of latitude just north of the equator. Almost a third of its territory is covered by tropical moist forests. Among African countries, Cameroon ranks second only to Zaire in diversity of forest-dwelling primates, and among the top five in diversity of plant species. Cameroon is home to the only remaining population of black rhinoceroses in west central Africa. The humid forests of the littoral zone and the mountains of Southwestern Province rank among the world's top 100 areas for endemic bird species and exhibit high endemism for amphibians, reptiles and plants. 2. The lowland forests of southeastern Cameroon, although altered by accelerated harvesting practices over the past two decades, support some of the most concentrated and diverse populations of large mammals (elephants, forest ungulates, great apes) recorded in west or central Africa. Elephant and bovid migrations provide ecological links between the forest and savanna mosaics of southeastern Cameroon and adjacent regions of the Central African Republic and the Congo. These migrations, still poorly understood, may be critical to maintaining populations of the keystone species that determine the ecological character of this vast region. 3. Sectoral Policy and Legislation. A detailed review of forestry legislation was made as part of the Tropical Forestry Action Plan in 1987, as a result of which the Government began drafting a new forest law. Adoption of a new forest law was included as part of the conditionality for the Structural Adjustment Loan (Loan 3089-CM) made by the Bank to Cameroon in 1989. However, progress in drafting the new law was hindered by the lack of a clearly defined national forest policy. Accordingly, the Forestry Department initiated the preparation of a new forest policy, which was reviewed at a workshop in Cameroon in May 1992. The Forestry Department also commissioned studies of forest concessions and related fiscal revenue to provide specific recommendations. Both studies were completed in late 1992 and their recommendations were incorporated into the draft forest policy and revised draft forest law. The forest law was passed by the Cameroon legislature in December 1993 and promulgated by presidential signature in January 1994. An implementation decree (Regime des Forets, No. 94/436) was issued on August 23, 1994. A decree, Regime de la Faune, regulating the establishment of protected areas has been drafted. The official adoption of this decree will be a condition of effectiveness of the proposed Grant. 4. Cameroon's new forest policy represents an important step towards addressing sustainable renewable resources management in the context of an overall national development strategy. The new forest law defines the regulatory basis for management of the forest estate. The law provides for participation of local communities in the management of certain categories of gazetted forests, and requires the preparation and implementation of government-approved management plans for forests to be regazetted under the law and as a prerequisite for granting future timber concessions. Effectiveness of the law will depend on Government's capacity to develop management plans for sustainable forest exploitation on a participatory basis and to monitor and enforce their implementation. 5. The Government, with technical support from the United Nations Development Program, has initiated a national environmental management planning process which will lead to a National  2 Environmental Management Plan (NEMP) within the next two years.' In going forward with the proposed project in parallel with the NEMP process, the Government seeks to gain experience with locally integrated resource management. The innovative features of this project, with regard to community participation in protected area management, should enhance the NEMP process with examples of "best practice" based on Cameroonian models and help expand grassroot participation in formulation of the NEMP. Policy studies carried out under the project will contribute to the overall NEMP process as well. Data and analysis derived from baseline biological surveys will strengthen the scientific rigor and quality of the biodiversity conservation strategy to be developed within the framework of the NEMP. The Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MINEF), as the lead agency for this project and the NEMP process, will ensure coordination among these parallel activities. Sector Institutions 6. MINEF was created in April 1992. In addition to its other responsibilities, it is mandated through its Department of Wildlife and Protected Areas (DWPA)2 to supervise nature conservation activities and is the governmental agency responsible for the organization of protected areas and management of the country's natural heritage. MINEF has a staff of about 2,300, of which two-thirds are in the field. MINEF is still in the process of growth and is also underfunded. Nevertheless, it is vigorously acting to implement governmental policies concerning the protection of biodiversity, extending protected areas and giving top priority to this proposed GEF project. 7. The Ministry of Scientific and Technical Research (MINREST), through the Cameroon National Herbarium (CNH), is responsible for implementation and overall coordination for botanical surveys and inventories under a cooperative agreement with Kew Botanic Gardens and the National Herbarium of France. Furthermore, MINREST, through the Institute of Zoological and Veterinary Research (IZVR) and under a cooperative agreement with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), is currently executing faunal surveys and inventories. Project Objectives 8. The project will be the first four-year phase of a long-term program and, as such, is modest and, to some extent, pilot in nature. The project's main objective is to consolidate and upgrade the management of protected areas in Cameroon by: (a) providing support to the Government in its efforts to conserve and manage its biological resources; (b) promoting involvement of rural populations in biodiversity conservation; and (c) encouraging sustainable utilization of renewable natural resources and promoting sustainable and environmentally compatible development in regions surrounding the Protected Areas. 9. Institutional strengthening would focus on improving capabilities of MINEF in policy development and information management; protected area planning, establishment and management; buffer zone management; and community liaison activities. The project would also strengthen key national institutions concerned with biodiversity-oriented research, including CNH, IVZR, the Garoua Wildlife School and The University of Yaounde I. The NEMP is the equivalent of the National Environmental Action Plan (NEAP). One Directorate, including three Sub-directorates for Fauna, Protected Areas and Administration, with services at Provincial, Department and District levels.  3 Project Description 10. The project would enhance biodiversity conservation and management at six Priority Project Sites. These areas include the coastal Guinea-Congolean refugium (Campo-Ma'an, about 5,000 kM2); and the western highlands (Mount KilumrIjim, 120 kM2; Mount Koupe, about 300 kM2; and Mount Cameroon/Etinde, 350 kM2). The project would underwrite studies necessary to identify priority protection zones within the Congo Basin lowlands of eastern Cameroon (Lobeke, about 4,500 kin Boumba Bek, about 2,300 k2; and Nki faunal reserves, about 2,000 km2) and produce management plans for critical core areas integrated within a network of multiple-use management zones. The project would also finance conservation of savanna ecosystems including implementation of a recovery plan for the endangered black rhinoceros. The improvement of infrastructure and MINEF management capability for three national parks within the Savannah zone (Faro, 3,300 kM2; Bouba-Ndjidda, 2,200 kmi2; and Benou6, 1,800 km2) would also be financed under the project. 11. The project would strengthen key institutions concerned with biodiversity research and provide resources, training and technical assistance to improve their ability to fulfill their mandate. This would include support to the CNH to extend its program for botanical inventories, surveys and publication of results under a cooperative agreement with the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in the United Kingdom, and the National Herbarium in France. The project would support a zoological survey program developed by IVZR in cooperation with WCS and several local universities and colleges. Basic population and ecological studies of threatened fauna and important game species financed under the project will improve the biological knowledge base in the area of wildlife management. 12. The project will also strengthen the Studies and Planning Service (SPS) of DWPA. The SPS will maintain information derived from faunal and floral inventories, legal and policy studies, and baseline biological and sociological studies undertaken in the course of developing management plans for the project sites. It will also serve as an information resource for MINEF and other sectoral ministries on the current status of biodiversity conservation programs nationwide. 13. Multiple use management of biological reserves and local community involvement in program planning and execution will require a well integrated monitoring and evaluation program, based upon criteria developed from socio-economic studies and baseline surveys, so that it can provide feedback on the process. Socio-economic studies will employ rapid appraisal techniques to document existing conditions and include periodic follow-up reviews throughout the course of the project. Ecological baseline and monitoring studies undertaken under the project will provide a rigorous basis for evaluating project results with regard to biodiversity conservation. Progress in the development of local bylaws to regulate hunting and exploitation of non-timber forest products will be tracked through annual reviews. The impact of these regulations will be reviewed at the end of the third year of project implementation. 14. The proposed GET grant of SDR 4.1 million (equivalent of US$6.0 million), would finance 48 percent of total project costs, estimated at US$12.4 million and would be disbursed over a four and a half year period. The Government would contribute approximately US$1.0 million in operating expenses. Bilateral grants totaling US$5.4 million would finance 44 percent of total project costs. Project Implementation 15. Project Management. Principal responsibility for implementation of the proposed project will be vested in DWPA. Interagency coordination during project implementation and participation in periodic project monitoring and evaluation will be facilitated by an interministerial Technical Steering  4 Committee (TSC) chaired by the Secretary General of MINEF. The DWPA will be responsible for contracting with other agencies and conservation-oriented Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to help execute site-based activities of the project (e.g. management plan development and the baseline studies, surveys and inventories) and for supervision of the work. The project will build and augment DWPA capacity for financial management under a contract with an independent local management firm for training and financial supervision of contracts. At the individual project sites, the management structure will include Site Management Committees with representatives from local government, traditional leaders and local and international NGOs. 16. National Capacity Building. Detailed and costed proposals have been developed for strengthening the capacity of the Government in the areas of botanical and zoological research, surveys, inventories and conservation priority assessment. Execution of these project components will be done within the framework of existing bilateral or multilateral agreements between the executing agencies (IVZR and CNH, respectively) and their international partner institutions. Institutional strengthening of MINEF will focus on capacity building to undertake management of protected areas under DWPA and to provide policy support through the Division of Legal Affairs on issues such as drafting of legislation and other legal instruments necessary for gazettment of protected areas. Project Sustainability 17. Long-term sustainability of the programs developed under the project will ultimately depend on Government's ability and commitment to appropriate the required budgetary resources. Management plans for the protected areas to be developed under the project will provide a realistic and accurate basis for planning and estimating recurrent cost requirements beyond the initial four-year project phase. As recommended by the project Technical Review Panel, the Bank and Government will explore mechanisms such as the establishment of a trust fund and/or the application of a second phase GET grant to meet recurrent costs of core zone management beyond the end of this first phase once the cost implications are more accurately known. Moreover, buffer zone management plans prepared under the project would include a framework for the sustainable harvest of timber and other forest products and identify future private investment opportunities for environmentally sustainable development. Lessons from Previous Bank/IDA Involvement 18. Recent project experience in the renewable natural resources sector has confirmed the strategy of strengthening implementation capacity of existing units within sectoral ministries rather than creating ephemeral project management units. The implementation schedule of the project reflects experience of Bank projects in the forestry and agricultural sectors. Moreover, experience to date with GEF-funded biodiversity projects in Africa indicates that these projects are slow to start up, due to limited implementation capacity of local institutions. The twinning of conservation-oriented international NGOs with Government agencies under this project is meant to enhance short-term implementation capacity, while building local institutional capability for implementation over the medium term. The selection of sites where there is strong bilateral interest and, in most cases, financing for long-term technical assistance already in place should also accelerate the rate of project implementation. GEF financing of Government counterpart training, equipment and operating costs is meant to complement bilateral investments by strengthening the capability of local institutions to undertake, over time, an expanding role in project management and execution.  5 Rationale for GEF Funding 19. The protection and conservation of natural forest and savanna ecosystems in Cameroon is of high international importance. The protected areas, which have been selected by the project, represent not only ecologically sensitive areas but also key habitats for globally threatened species. These protected areas also feature samples of intact forest habitats that are quickly disappearing throughout western and central Africa. Moreover, the Cameroonian forest ecosystems are under increasing pressure from a rapidly growing population, commercial exploitation and increasing international demands for timber. If the pace of the current forest degradation and destruction continues and efforts to conserve biological diversity lag, many high priority areas will be severely impacted before viable conservation measures are established. 20. Due to severe resource constraints and other development priorities, Government funding is insufficient for the operation and maintenance of the entire network of protected areas and insufficient funds are available from other non-concessional sources to implement country-wide protection and conservation programs. The GEF is uniquely placed to provide funding for the establishment of a national framework for biodiversity conservation and be instrumental in bridging the gap between bilateral grant and international NGO funding for selected activities and funding needs for national long- term capacity building for biodiversity conservation. 21. The GEF will help reconcile global benefits in long-term maintenance of biodiversity with national and local interests in increasing sustainable revenues from protected areas. The need to preserve genetic resources and thereby maintain the future development options that these represent (such as pharmaceuticals and other untapped markets for forest products) is acknowledged at all levels. At the local level, however, the desires to maintain traditional access to forest resources and to realize economic benefits from activities financed under the proposed GET grant through increased tourism revenue or local employment in project-related activities are paramount. The project will therefore focus on establishing protected areas to maintain biodiversity that are also integrated into the local economies, thereby ensuring that the local population can become a potent ally in biodiversity preservation. Agreed Actions 22. At negotiations, the Bank obtained assurances that, prior to project effectiveness, the Government will: (a) prepare and negotiate implementation contracts that are acceptable to the Bank with selected NGOs for assisting in the execution of the project components for the Southeastern Region, Campo-Ma'an, Mount Koupe and Mount Kilum/Ijim, the Savannah Ecosystem, zoological surveys, and botanical surveys; (b) issue the decree on Regime de la Faune. The three decrees providing, in a manner acceptable to the Bank, the necessary legal framework for project implementation and including definition of the core conservation zones and external boundaries of the six Priority Project Sites, were issued on February 8, 1995; (c) prepare and transmit to the Bank, the first year's training program, annual work plan and budget for each component of the project, as well as a schedule for first year deployment schedule of staff at headquarters and within the Priority Project Sites; (d) open a project account and deposit thereinto an amount of CFA franc 10.0 million equivalent; and (e) establish the TSC with a mandate and membership acceptable to the Bank. 23. During negotiations, the Bank also obtained assurances that during project implementation, the Government will: (a) maintain a working group within the DWPA with full time responsibility for project administration and coordination under the supervision of a Project Coordinator at the rank of Deputy Director under terms of reference and with qualifications and experience acceptable to the Bank; I  6 (b) submit by December of each year an annual work plan and budget including a training program and a field staff deployment schedule for each component of the project for the following year; (c) not later than December 31, 1996, carry out jointly with the Bank a mid-term review of the project progress and implement the recommendations of said review agreed upon with the Bank; (d) prohibit the extension of current or the issuance of new logging or hunting concessions in the core conservation zones within the Priority Project Sites until the completion of the project; (e) within six months of approval of management plans for protected areas within the Priority Project Sites by MINEF, prepare and issue necessary texts to gazette or regazette the protected areas in conformity with the plans; (f) not later than December 31, 1996, establish one community managed game/hunting zone within the Priority Project Sites of the Savannah Ecosystem and Campo-Ma'an; and (g) take the environmental mitigation measures as outlined in the Environmental Analysis prepared for the project. Environmental Aspects 24 The project has been assigned environmental analysis category "B". An environmental analysis (EA) was prepared by the Government to assess potential project impact and concluded that it would have overall positive environmental effects. Recommendations from the EA with regard to monitoring of biological and sociological impacts have been incorporated in the overall project design for monitoring and evaluation. An environmental mitigation plan has been prepared by the Government and was reviewed by the Bank. Financing for monitoring the application of the mitigation plan is included in the project. The design of appropriate mitigations for potential negative impacts of site specific developments will be addressed in the course of management plan preparation for each of the six Priority Project Sites. 25. During the course of project preparation, reconnaissance surveys were undertaken to identify the presence of traditional forest dwelling people within the proposed project zones of the southeastern region (Lobeke and Boumba Bek), and Campo-Ma'an. As part of the EA for the project, potential impacts on indigenous people were evaluated and a plan was developed to address potentially adverse impacts and aid in monitoring project implementation. The project would involve no involuntary resettlement. The process of community consultation, in the course of management plan development, is designed to incorporate the views of local communities in establishing the rules for use of areas gazetted under the project. Regulations for management of such areas will be designed to protect the rights of indigenous people to maintain traditional harvest and usage rights within the project zones. Project Benefits 26. The project would lead to global, national and local benefits. Global and national benefits under the project would result from the maintenance of ecosystem functions, such as watershed protection as well as conservation of unique flora and fauna and the genetic resources and future development options these represent. National benefits would derive from the strengthened capacity in both the Government and non-government sectors for conservation and renewable resource management and progress toward establishing a sustainable harvest regime for forest products. Local benefits would result from the establishment of multiple-use zones that would reinforce the rights of local people to maintain traditional patterns and practices of harvesting natural forest products. In addition, project interventions aimed at sustainable management of game and other non-timber forest products would seek to augment the income of local communities that depend on the forest for their livelihood and provide a basis for increasing the share of economic returns from harvest of forest products that local communities retain.  7 Project Risks 27. The project faces four main risks. First, the Government may be tempted to generate additional revenue through logging. This could weaken its resolve to establish core protection zones of sufficient size to maintain ecosystem processes, or to grant usufruct rights to local communities at the expense of lost revenues to the national treasury. Reforms under the new forest law which address increasing stumpage fees for timber concessions should increase revenues from production forests which would partially offset the loss of revenue of excluding core conservation areas from logging. However, the proposed core protection zones: (a) are remote, with difficult logistics that limit their exploitation potential; (b) have cultural values recognized by local communities which contribute to their protection; or, (c) have potential for other forms of use which are compatible with conservation goals (e.g. tourism and sport hunting). Second, a delay in issuance of necessary decrees and regulatory instruments could delay effectiveness of the Grant. An implementation decree for the forestry section of the new law was issued in August 1994. Prior to Grant Effectiveness, the Government will issue a decree covering the wildlife and protected areas sections of the law. A series of three arretes defining the boundaries of the Priority Project Sites were issued on February 8, 1995. Third, the preparation of management plans for the reserves and buffer zones may proceed slowly because of the importance of involving local people in the planning process. A strong project emphasis on community consultation using techniques such as participatory rural appraisal and on raising community awareness of environmental/conservation issues through education is intended to build a sense of project ownership in local communities. Significant progress in negotiating boundaries and locally endorsed management regulations has already been made at several sites where conservation-oriented NGOs have been involved. Finally, Government may not be able to provide adequate counterpart funding on a timely basis. The project has been designed in such a way to minimize the demands on the Government's budget and the impact of such a delay on project implementation (Government funding is to pay primarily for local staff salaries). Moreover, Government is to provide up-front financing in the amount of CFAF 10.0 million. Attachments Washington, D.C. March 17, 1995  8 Schedule A REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT PROJECT Estimated Project Costs and Financing Plan A. Project Cost Estimates Local Foreign I Total Foreign l I Exchange l _____________________________________ (U S$ '000) % National Components l 1. MINEF Institutional Support 600 250 850 29 2. Botanical Survey & Inventory 313 137 450 30 3. Zoological Survey & Inventory 235 231 466 50 Subtotal 1,148 618 1,766 l Local Components 1. Mt. Kilum-Ijim 624 397 1,021 39 2. Mt. Koupe 306 250 556 45 3. Mt. Cameroon/Etinde 300 119 419 28 4. Campo-Ma'an 1,027 796 1,823 44 5. Savannah Ecosystem 1,418 996 2,414 41 6. Southeastern Region 1,240 1,439 2,679 54 Subtotal 4,915 3,397 8,912 ll Total Baseline Costs 6,063 4,615 10,678 43 1. Physical Contingencies 101 110 211 52 2. Price Contingencies 1,254 256 1,510 17 Total Project Costs 7,418 4,981 12,399 40 B. Financing Plan Sources of Financing Local Foreign Total Percentage (US$ milions) Government of Cameroon 1.00 0.00 1.00 8.1 Governmept of the Netherlands 1.05 0.83 1.88 15.2 Government of Germany 0.29 1.21 1.50 12.1 Government of France 0.73 0.51 1.24 10.0 European Union 0.01 0.03 0.04 0.3 Government of the United Kingdom 0.47 0.30 0.77 6.2 Global Environment Trust 3.90 2.06 5.96 48.1 Total 7.45 4.94 12.39 100.0  9 Schedule B Page 1 REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT PROJECT Proposed Procurement Arrangements 3 (US$ '000) Procurement Method4 Total Project Element ICB LCB Other NBF 1. Civil Works 530 133 237 900 (530) (133) - - (663) 2. Goods 586 40 40 710 1,376 (586) (40) (40) - (666) 3. Consultancies 3.1 Technical Assistance - - 1,220 2,175 3,395 - - (1,220) - (1,220) 3.2 Studies, Research, Surveys - - 1,287 1,483 2,770 - - (1,287) - (1,287) 3.3 Training - - 404 162 566 - - (404) - (404) 4. Miscellaneous 4.1 Community Development - - 162 216 378 - - (162) - (162) 4.2 Operating Costs - - 1,558 1,456 3,014 - - (1,558) - (1,558) TOTAL 1116 173 4,671 6,439 12,399 (1116) (173) (4,671) (5,960) 3 Amounts in parentheses indicate GEF financing and are net of taxes and duties. 4 ICB=International Competitive Bidding; LCB=Local Competitive Bidding; and NBF=Not Bank Financed (parallel financing by other donors would follow their own procedures).  10 Schedule B Page 2 REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT PROJECT Disbursement of GET Grant5 A. Disbursement Categories (US$ '000) Category Total Amount Financed by GEF 1. Civil Works 550 2. Vehicles, Goods and Equipment 570 3. Technical Assistance, Studies, Consultancies 2,100 4. Training 320 5. Operating Costs 1,630 6. Unallocated 830 Total 6,000 B. Disbursement Schedule (US$ million) Bank Fiscal Year 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 | Annual 1.00 1.60 1.10 1.10 1.16 Cumulative % 17 43 63 81 100 All disbursements relating to Parts D.4 and D.5 Campo-Ma'an and Savannah are subject to the effectiveness of the Netherlands Grant and the execution of a contract with an NGO to assist in project implementation of these two components.  11 Schedule C Page 1 REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT PROJECT Timetable of Key Project Processing Events (a) Time taken to prepare: 24 months (b) Prepared by the Government of Cameroon with Bank assistance a/ (c) First Bank Mission: March 1993 (d) Appraisal Mission Departure: December 1993 (e) Negotiations: November 1994 (f) Planned Date of Effectiveness: July 1995 (g) List of relevant PCRs and PPARs: None a/ Key staff for project preparation and appraisal were: Ken Creighton, (Environmental Specialist, Task Manager, AFTES), Edward Quicke, (Senior Economist, AFIAG), Luciano Mosele (Agricultural Economist, AFlAG), Cynthia C. Cook (Environment and Social Policy Advisor, AFI DR), Ame Dalfelt (Environmental Specialist, AFTES). Substantial inputs into the report were provided by Claude Heimo (Senior Forestry Specialist, AF3AE) and Dirk Prevoo (Operations Analyst, AF3AE). Danielle Favreau Santos provided editorial support. Mr. Michael N. Sarris (AF3DR) is the Acting Department Director and Mr. Nils 0. Tcheyan (AF3AE) is the managing Division Chief.  12 Schedule C Page 2 REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT PROJECT Implementation Schedule Fiscal Year Project year ActivitylTask Responsibilty Execution period FY 95 #0 * Negotiations WB/GOC Dec 1994 Jul 1994/ Jan/Jun 1995 * Signature of the grant agreement WB/GOC March 1995 Jun 1995 * Training of key personnel DWPA AprilJune 1995 * Preparation of management contracts DWPA April/June 1995 * Preparation of bidding documents DWPA ApriUJune 1995 * Opening project account and depositing of CFAF 10 million GOC June 1995 * Grant effectiveness WB/GOC June 1995 * Work plan PY I DWPA/PA June 1995 FY 96 #1 * Launch DWPA/PA July 1995 Jul 1995/ JulDec 1995 * Opening Special Account CAA/DWPA Jul/Aug 1995 Jun 1996 * Service contracts GOCIPA JuUDec 1995 * Organization and management DWPA/DPEF/PA Sept/Dec 1995 * Accounting system DWPAIPA Nov/Dec 1995 * Procurement of goods services and works DWPA/PA JuUDec 1995 * Steering Committee GOCIDWPA Nov/Dec 1995 * Semi-Annual Report No. I DWPAIPA Dec 1995 #1 * Follow-up of field activities, training and mitigation plan DWPA/PA Jan/Jun 1996 Jan/Jun 1996 * Work program PY2 DWPA/PA May/Jun 1996 * Semi-annual report No. 2 DWPA June 1996 FY 97 #2 * Follow-up of annual activities, training, procurement, Jul 1996/ July/Dec 1996 financial performance, mitigation plan DWPAIPA Jul/Dec 1996 June 1997 * Audit PY I DWPA/PA July 1996 * Semi-annual report No. 3 DWPA Dec 1996 * Mid-term review DWPA/PAIWB Dec 1996 #2 * Follow-up of activities, training, mitigation plan DWPA/PA Jan/Jun 1997 Jan/Jun 1997 * Semi-annual report No. 4 DWPA Jun/Jul 1997 * Work program PY3 DWPA/PA May/Jun 1997 FY 98 #3 * Follow-up of activities DWPA/PA Jul/Dec 1997 Jul 1997/ JuUDec 1997 * Semi-annual report No. 5 DWPA Nov/Dec 1997 June 1998 * Audit PY2 DWPA/PA July 1997 #3 * Follow- up of activities, training, mitigation plan DWPAIPA Jan/Jun 1998 Jan/Jun 1998 * Semi-annual report No. 6 DWPA May/Jun 1998 * Work program PY4 DWPAIPA May/Jun 1998 FY 99 #4 * Follow-up of activities DWPA/PA JuUDec 1998 Jul 1998/ JuUDec 1999 * Semi-annual report No. 7 DWPA Nov/Dec 1998 June 1999 * Audit PY3 DWPAIPA Dec 1998 #4 * Follow-up of activities, disbursements DWPA Jan/Jun 1999 JuUDec 1998 * Semi-annual report No. 8 DWPA May/Jun 1999 FY 2000 #5 * Follow-up disbursements DWPA Jul/Dec 1999 Jul 1999/ Jul/Dec 1999 * Audit PY4 DWPA Dec 1999 Jun 2000 * Grant Closing WB/GOC Dec 1999 #5 * Implementation Completion Report WB/GOC June 2000 June 2000 Note: WB = World Bank; CAA = Caisse Autonome d'Amortissement; DPEF = Provincial Environment and Forestry Service; PA = Participating Agencies (WWF, WCS. Birdlife, GTZ, etc.); and GOC = Government of Cameroon.  13 Schedule C Page 3 REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT PROJECT Supervision Schedule Fiscal Project Mission Activity Skill Requirement SW Year Year FY 95 PYl #1 * Review of legal and institutional framework, organization * Task manager 4 Jul/Dec JuUAug 1995 and management. establishment of accounting system, * Financial analyst/Disbursement 1995 procurement arrangements and plan, establishment of specialist 2 service contracts, Review of PYI work program. Project * Conservation specialist 2 launch. I FY 96 #2 * Procurement, accounting, establishment of M & E system. * Task Manager 3 Sept/Oct 1995 * M & E specialist 3 * Procurement specialist * Disbursement specialist I * Conservation specialist 2 PY2 #3 * Review of field activities, training, procurement, * Task manager 3 Jan/Dec Jan/Feb 1996 disbursements and mitigation plan * Conservation specialist 3 1996 * PYI performance * Sociologist 3 #4 * Review of activities, training, mitigation plan, * Task manager 3 Apr-Jun 1996 procurement, disbursements * Conservation specialist 3 * Review of PY2 work program * Sociologist 3 FY 97 #5 * Mid-term review December a. Impact on biodiversity * Task manager 6 1996 b. Impact on community development and participation * Conservation specialist 6 c. Evaluation of economic impact of wildlife conservation * Sociologist 3 d. Lessons to be leamed from the project: * Financial analyst 3 * Design * Resources economist 3 * Institutions * Training * Monitoring * Procurement * Accounting * Audit * Disbursements * Mitigation * Others FY 98 PY3 #6 * Review of activities, procurement, disbursements, * Task manager 3 Jan/Dec July 1997 mitigation plan, financial performance, Review of PY3 * Conservation specialist 3 1997 work plan. l PY4 #7 * Review of annual activities, training, procurement, * Task manager 3 Jan/Dec Jan/Feb 1998 financial performance, mitigation plan. * Conservation specialist 3 1998 * Sociologist 3 FY 99 #8 * Review of activities, mitigation plan. disbursements, * Task manager 3 July 1998 Review of PY4 work plan. * Conservation specialist 3_ | PY5 #10 * Review of activities, disbursements. training, procurement, * Task manager 3 Jan/Dec Jan/Feb 1999 financial performance, mitigation plan * Financial analyst 2 1999 I FY 2000 #11 * Review of activities, disbursements, training, procurement. * Task Manager 2 Nov/Dec 1999 financial performance, and grant closing. * Financial Analyst 3 FY6 #12 * Submission of implementation completion report * Task Manager 3 Jan/Jun June 2000 * Financial Analyst 2 2000 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _   PART II: Technical Annexes  CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS Currency unit = CFA franc (CFAF) US $1.00 = CFAF 572 (as of May 1994) WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Metric System ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS CFAF CFA franc CNH Cameroon National Herbarium DWPA Department of Wildlife and Protected Areas EA Environmental Analysis EU European Union GEF Global Environment Facility GET Global Environment Trust Fund GOC Govermnent of Cameroon GTZ German Agency for Technical Cooperation (Deutsch Gesellschaft fir Technische Zusammenarbeit) GWS Garoua Wildlife School IBRD International Bank for Reconstruction and Development ICB International Competitive Bidding IVZR Institute for Veterinary and Zoological Research LCB Local Competitive Bidding MINEF Ministry of Environment and Forestry MIREST Ministry of Scientific and Technical Research MNNI French National Museum of Natural History (Musee National de Histoire Naturelle, France) NEMP National Environmental Management Plan ODA Overseas Development Administration, (United Kingdom) ORSTOM French Office for Overseas Scientific Research (Office de la Recherche Scientifique et Technique Outre-Mer) PPA Project Preparation Advance SDR Special Drawing Rights SPS Studies and Planning Service SOE Statement of Expenditure TSC Technical Steering Committee UNDP United Nations Development Program USAID United States Agency for International Development WCS Wildlife Conservation Society WWF World Wide Fund for Nature GOVERNMENT FISCAL YEAR July 1 - June 30  REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT PROJECT CONTENTS 1. BACKGROUND .......................................................... I A. General ......................................................1 B. Biological Diversity .....................................................1I C. Forest Policy and Law .....................................................2 D. Govermnent Institutions ......................................................4 E. Linkage with the National Enviromnental Management Planning Process ......................................................4 F. Selection of Project Sites, NGOs and Donor Involvement ......................................................5 G. Local Population Involvement in Biodiversity Conservation ......................................................7 H. Rationale for GEF Involvement ...................................................... 2. TIIE PROJECT ........................................................... 10 A. Pro ject Objectives ..................................................... 10 B. Project Description ...................................................... 10 C. Project Components ......................................................11 D. Project Costs and Financing ..................................................... 20 3. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION ..................................................... 28 4. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS, BENEFITS AND RISKS ..................................................... 32 A. Environmental Impact ..................................................... 32 B. Project Benefits ..................................................... 32 C. Project Risks ..................................................... 33 5. ASSURANCES, CONDITIONS AND RECOMMENDATION ..................................................... _.34 A. Assurances Obtained at Negotiations ..................................................... 34 B. Conditions of Grant Effectiveness ...................................................... 35 C. Conditions of Disbursement ..................................................... 33 ANNEXES 1. Projet de Decret portant Regime de la Faune 2. Procurement Schedule 3. Implementation Schedule 4. Consultancies Schedule 5. Supervision Schedule 6. Environmental Mitigation Plan 7. Maps of Project Sites  I  REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT PROJECT 1. BACKGROUND A. General 1.1 The Republic of Cameroon encompasses nearly 0.5 million square kilometers (47.5 million hectares) of land area spanning 10 degrees of latitude just north of the equator. In 1990, the population was estimated at 11.1 million with an annual growth rate of 2.6 percent. The population density of 23 persons per square kilometer is the highest among the countries which share the West-Central African rainforest zone. Forest and woodlands were estimated to cover 53 percent of the national territory with more than half of this figure representing tropical moist forests. In 1990-91, 6.36 million hectares, or 25 percent, was under license for timber exploitation (down from a high of 8.1 million hectares in 1980-81). B. Biological Diversity 1.2 Among African countries, Cameroon ranks second only to Zaire in diversity of forest-dwelling primates, and among the top five in diversity of plant species. Several geological, historical, and climatic factors contribute to the exceptional diversity of Cameroon's biota and to its potential endangerment. The botanical richness of the southern littoral forests of Cameroon and Mount Cameroon is thought to result from the isolation of these areas as Pleistocene "refugia." Remnants of the rich Guinea-Congolean forest biota survived here during periods of dry climate when the range of tropical moist forests contracted elsewhere. Mount Cameroon and the Mount Kilum and Mount Koupe regions of the westem highlands retain montane relict species (particularly forest birds, bamboo and other vascular plants) that are endemic to this region but show ancient affinities to afro-montane elements of eastem Africa. These may reflect links to cooler and more mesic (wetter) conditions than those occurring in the region today. 1.3 The lowland forests of southeastem Cameroon, although altered by accelerated harvesting practices over the past two decades, nonetheless support some of the most concentrated and diverse populations of large mammals (elephant, gorilla, bongo and other forest ungulates) recorded in west or central Africa. Historical elephant migration corridors once provided ecological links between the fbrest and savanna mosaics of southeastem Cameroon and adjacent regions of the Central African Republic and the Congo. These migrations, now reduced due to poaching, are still poorly understood. Nevertheless, elephants clearly function as keystone species through their role as seed dispersers and disturbance agents. The loss of this species would likely result in changes to the ecological character of this vast region. The dry sub-Sahelian forests and savannas of northem Cameroon in the region of Faro, Benoue and Bouba Ndjidda National Parks contain the last viable remnants of the westem black rhinoceros. Emergency interventions under the project will seek to preserve and augment this endangered population. 1.4 Both the humid forests of the Cameroon littoral (Campo-Ma'an) and the montane forests (including Mount Cameroon, Mount Kilum and Mount Koup6) rank among the world's 100 most important areas of endemic bird species (the Cameroon mountain region is among the top 30 and second only to the Albertine Rift and Eastem Arc montane forests in Africa). Both areas are documented centers of endemism for primates, plants, small mammals, amphibians, and reptiles as well. Increased cutting and buming of forests as well as ongoing timber harvest in Campo-Ma'an are devastating these areas.  2 Chapter 1 1.5 Establishment of National Parks and Reserves has been a major Government priority. So far, about 13 percent of the land area is under some form of protection. Cameroon includes seven National Parks, nine Faunal Reserves and three biosphere reserves totaling over three million ha as well as ten Protection and Recreation Forests and twenty-seven Hunting Reserves. Government policy is to increase this proportion to 20 percent of the national territory. To date however, as a result of encroachment by slash and bum agriculture - the single greatest danger accounting for most of the estimated 100,000 ha annual deforestation - illegal poaching and bushfires, Cameroon's forests and woodlands are declining both in size and quality. In the absence of land registration or of a national cadastral survey, occupancy of land is an important indicator of ownership, and has encouraged encroachment and haphazard low density planting of cocoa and coffee. However, revision of the land tenure law is not considered possible at present. Therefore the major issue is how to efficiently protect the great richness of plant and animal species that exist in Cameroon and that are not naturally found anywhere else in the world. 1.6 So far, the management of reserved areas has been inadequate. Boundaries are rarely demarcated. Patrolling of the reserves is uncommon, thus encouraging incursions by people who tend to equate lack of patrolling with lack of interest or ownership. Vehicles, budgets, infrastructure for the efficient policing of the protected areas is rarely available. There are deficiencies in levels of staffing and training, a lack of infrastructure and inadequate operating and investment budgets. This situation needs to be redressed urgently. Moreover, the quality of ecological inforrnation available about protected areas is often inaccurate and/or out of date. A realistic reassessment of the status of the national parks and faunal reserves is needed with ecological inventory management and operation plans. C. Forest Policy and Law 1.7 Legislative Background. A detailed review of forestry legislation was made as part of the Tropical Forestry Action Plan in 1987, as a result of which the Government decided to prepare a new Forest Law. Adoption of this Law was included as part of the conditionality for the Structural Adjustment Loan (Loan 3089-CM) made by the World Bank to Cameroon in 1989. However, progress in drafting the new law was hindered by the lack of a clearly defined national forest policy. It therefore became necessary to prepare such a policy to provide the basis for the new Law. The Forestry Department commissioned studies of forest concessions and forest fiscality to provide specific recommendations for incorporation into the forest policy. 1.8 The main weakness of the previous forest legislation (1981) was the lack of a legal framework for planning land use and integrating forest protection and production activities, as well as agriculture. Under the previous system in the humid forest zone, logging concessions were given for a period of five to fifteen years on the basis of requests submitted by the forest industry. This resulted in a piecemeal exploitive "mining" approach to forest management, with loggers constructing roads deep into the forest to exploit the richest tirnber resources, opening up these areas to individual settlers. A further weakness of the previous legislation was that under the land tenure law, usufruct rights permitted anybody to clear and cultivate land in "public domain" forests, which make up most of the moist forest. Thus, in practice there was no effective legal protection for the public domain forests, since by planting cocoa or coffee bushes, a settler obtained the right to remain on the land for the 30 years or so of the life of his crop, and as such gained de facto possession of the land. 1.9 The new Forest Law (Law 94-01) was passed by the National Assembly in December, 1993 and promulgated in January, 1994. This law is based on the premise that Cameroon's forest resources represent a unique natural resource that has been exploited in a non-sustainable way in the past. The  Background 3 policy explicitly recognizes the unique richness and importance of Cameroon's biodiversity, and assigns a high priority to protection of this heritage. It includes categories of permanent and non-permanent forests and provides for establishment of two classes of community or local government managed forests, one within the state-owned (gazetted) "forets domaniales" and the other within the non-gazetted "forets du domaine national". Both categories of forests are considered part of the permanent forest estate. In the case of "forets domaniales" the State retains title to the lands so classified. Under the new Law, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MINEF) is obliged to provide technical assistance to communities for the development of management plans for both types of forests and to monitor their implementation. 1.10 The System of Protected and Managed Areas. Forest Law 94-01 also provides for the establishment of 6 categories of protected areas including national parks and faunal/floral sanctuaries, protection forests, recreational forests, hunting zones, etc. for which title and management responsibility rests primarily with MINEF. Usage rights within these areas (principally for game, fish and non-timber forest products) are defined by decree or acte de classement. The law provides latitude for development of local bylaws and definition of local regulatory/enforcement procedures within the framework of locally developed management plans. 1.11 A second major thrust to complement the new Forest Law is related to reclassifying and gazetting forest land and thereby increase the area of the gazetted forests. The new Forest Law seeks to separate so- called permanent forest from non-permanent forest. Permanent forest will comprise both the gazetted forests of the State, including parks and reserves, and some forests managed by communities or local government. In contrast, non-permanent forest will be made up of forests in the public domain and some local community or village forests, as well. It is envisaged that the permanent forest would include much of the humid forest zone in the south of Cameroon and therefore would necessitate gazetting large areas of forest that are currently classified as Public Domain forests. The Government has demonstrated a commitment towards protecting large areas of the permanent forest and established a three-year moratorium in November 1991 on new forest exploitation licenses on three million ha of primary forest in southern Cameroon. The Government has agreed to continue the moratorium. 1.12 Under the zoning plan prepared by MINEF (January 1993) as part of the Tropical Forest Action Plan, most of the southern forest zone (approximately three million hectares) is to be classified as permanent forest, which will include both protection forest and production forest as well as community forests. The recently prepared five-year Action Program of MINEF for 1994-1999 calls for a strong initiative toward gazettment of core conservation areas within the southeastern region (Lobeke and Boumba Bek unprotected faunal reserves) and beginning of community consultations leading toward eventual gazettment as permanent forest of approximately 2.6 million hectares. 1.13 Preparation and approval of management plans for the protection or sustainable production use of the permanent forest would be an essential feature of all land use in the permanent forest. Under the new Forest Law, Government is responsible for preparing these plans for protected areas and providing assistance to local people in the case of community forests. For concession areas the private sector is required to prepare management plans to be approved, and their implementation monitored, by MINEF. 1.14 The task of gazetting a large part of the moist forest zone of Cameroon will involve considerable work. A start has been made with the preparation by MINEF's Forestry Department of a first draft of a national land use plan with Canadian technical assistance. The "Zoning Plan for the Southem Forest of Cameroon" (MINEF, January 1993) has been prepared on the basis of photo interpretation and forest inventory work carried out for most of the southem forest zone of Cameroon. This draft zoning plan will  4 Chapter I now have to be refined at the field level and an effective dialogue established with the local people before preparation of the detailed zoning decrees. Technical assistance for this work is being provided through Canadian and Japanese bilateral assistance. D. Government Institutions 1.15 MINEF was created in April 1992. It is mandated through its Department of Wildlife and Protected Areas (DWPA)l to supervise nature conservation activities and is the governmental agency responsible for the organization of protected areas and management of the count.-y natural heritage. MINEF is regionalized, has departmental representation, and has a staff of about 2,300, of which two- thirds are in the field. MINEF staff is increasing and its operating budget is underfunded. Nevertheless, it is vigorously acting to implement governmental policies concerning the protection of biodiversity, extending protected areas and giving top priority to this Global Environment Facility (GEF) project. 1.16 Even if the number and the training of staff at the medium and upper level are acceptable, the performance is weak as management capacities are insufficient. Technical equipment is also insufficient and not adapted to needs. Communication, documentation and cartography are particularly insufficient. Furthermore, integrated multiple-use planning is non existent at the national, provincial and, for most parts of Cameroon, even at the local level. As the planning and management capacity of the decentralized services are very limited, the need exists to benefit from the expertise of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) as local partners for development. However, local NGOs have only been recognized recently and their development remains incipient. 1.17 The Ministry of Scientific and Technical Research (MINREST), through the Cameroon National Herbarium (CNH), is responsible for implementation and overall coordination for botanical surveys and inventories under a cooperative agreement with Kew Botanic Gardens and the National Herbarium of France. Furthermore, MINREST, through the Institute of Veterinary and Zoological Research (IVZR) and under a cooperative agreement with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is currently also executing faunal surveys and inventories. The Garoua Wildlife School has two types of courses: (i) two-year post baccalaureate course in wildlife management for francophone African countries; and (ii) short courses in wildlife management with inputs from the Agricultural University of Dschang and the Mbalmayo Forestry School. E. Linkage with the National Environmental Management Planning Process 1.18 In October 1992, a multidisciplinary mission of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) visited Cameroon and prepared a report entitled "Environment and Sustainable Development in Cameroon." This report contained five recommendations, one of which was that the country should prepare a National Environmental Management Plan (NEMP)2. DWPA has three Sub-directorates for Fauna, Protected Areas and Administration and has services at Provincial, Department and District levels. 2 The National Environment Plan is the United Nations Development Program's equivalent to a National Environment Action Plan.  Background 5 Following on this recommendation, MINEF, with the assistance of UNDP, has prepared a "Program of Priority Actions for Environmental Management." 1.19 The NEMP process of national seminars, regional workshops and interministenral planning and coordination is expected to result in preparation of a NEMP by June of 1995 which will outline the priority agenda of the country with regard to environmental affairs. One component of this plan will be a National Biodiversity Strategy to be prepared by MINEF with UNDP assistance and financial support from the Government of Germany through the Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ). F. Selection of Project Sites, NGOs and Donor Involvement 1.20 Aside from the internationally and nationally designated protected areas as project sites, six priority regions representing a range of environments have been selected because of their importance for global biodiversity conservation. These sites also form a continuum which spans the range of Cameroonian experience with local community involvement in the conservation planning process. 1.21 They include 3: - Mount Kilum/Ijium Reserve. Established in 1983, this forest reserve covers 11,200 ha in the north of the Bamenda Highlands. It includes the areas above Verkovi and Wvem (Ngongba High Forest), the forest above Simonkov and Tadu, and forests to the south-west and north- west of Lake Bambili. This is the second highest mountain in West Africa, with deep dissected valleys, grassy plateaus and a shallow caldera lake. Open forest occurs from about 2,100 m to the summit at 3,011 m, but burning, and grazing by stock are degrading many areas. It supports 6,900 ha of the finest example of Podocarpus and Arundinaria bamboo forest in West Africa. Fauna includes Bannerman's turaco and the banded wattle-eye (endemic to the Bamenda Highlands), the rare Preuss's guenon and several very rare amphibians. It is a vital catchment area, with a high surrounding human population. Uncontrolled fires are a major problem, as are roads, livestock and soil erosion. The reserve is presently supported financially by the Overseas Development Administration of the United Kingdom (ODA) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), with technical assistance from Birdlife International. ODA support is principally directed at programs for soil conservation and livestock management that are carried out in collaboration with the regional development authority. WWF provides support for environmental education and general project management. * Mount Koupe Reserve. Situated in south-west Cameroon, this is the first major peak (2,064 m) inland from Mount Cameroon. A small area is marked as a forest reserve on the official maps of the region. Its flanks are forested from elevations between 900 m to the summit, covering an area of 2,000 ha and including transitional lowland-montane forest, with montane forest near the peak. Tree species include Carapa grandiflora, Cephaelis manni, Dicranolepis vestita and Ficus mucuso, with Podocarpus latifolius and Philippia mannii on the summit. It is the principal (and perhaps only) locality for at least 15 species of plant. Over 190 bird species occur, including the endemic Mount Koup6 bush shrike; three threatened and three near-threatened bird species also occur. The mountain also supports an endemic skink. 3 Reference: Ecologicallv Sensitive Sites in Africa: Volume 1: Occidental and Central Africa; compiled by the World Conservation Monitoring Center for the World Bank; 1993.  6 Chapter I Primates include the rare red-eared guenon Cercopithecus erythrotis and drill. Threats to the area include clearance for agriculture and cutting of trees, as the surrounding area is densely populated; a local taboo which, until now, helped preserve the forest, is diminishing in importance. The Mount Koupe Reserve currently receives support from the European Union (EU) for environmental education and general program management with technical assistance provided by Birdlife International. * Mount Cameroon. Situated near the coast 45 km west of Douala, this is the highest mountain and only active volcano in West Africa. It is particularly important as one of the few sites in tropical Africa supporting a full continuum between lowland and montane forest. Forest occurs at elevations from close to sea-level to about 2,000 m covering about 175,000 ha. Montane grassland occurs at higher elevations. The mountain is a major center of endemism, and an important locality for Preuss's guenon, red-eared nose-spotted monkeys, chimpanzees, and elephants. The endemic Mount Cameroon francolin, three species of threatened and four near-threatened bird species occur. The skink Panaspis gemmiventris, the toads Didynamipus sjoestedti and Werneria preussi, and the very rare tree-frog Hyperolius krebsi occur. Fire is thought to be partly responsible for maintaining the forest-grassland boundary. Illegal cutting of timber and hunting also occur. Only the Bambuko Forest Reserve on the north-west side is somewhat protected. The Mount Cameroon Rainforest is currently managed by MINEF under the supervision of the Conservator of the Limbe Botanic Gardens with technical assistance provided by Kew Botanic Gardens with financing from ODA. ODA financing covers foreign currency costs of carrying out botanical inventories, boundary surveys and village consultations as well as general support to the Limbe Botanic Garden's research programs and administration. The Government of Germany, under a recently initiated project (implemented by GTZ), is financing technical assistance and other foreign currency costs for the preparation of the management plan for the proposed forest reserves within a subregional land use planning framework. * Campo-Ma'an Faunal Reserve. This reserve of 500,000 ha includes coastal plains and low hills covered prinarily with dense tropical forest. The fauna is varied. It includes several threatened species such as elephant and gorilla. A twenty-seven year old logging concession has resulted in considerable environmental degradation. Heavy poaching of larger mammals occurs, and the human population within the reserve is increasing. The reserve is presently managed by DWPA. The Government of the Netherlands has expressed interest to provide funding for research in sustainable forest management and development of management plans for the proposed community forest zone through the Tropenbos Foundation. * Three faunal reserves in the South-Eastern Region, including: (i) Boumba-Bek Faunal Reserve (2,300 kin2). Consisting prinarily of mixed evergreen and semi-deciduous transitional forests, supporting a full complement of forest fauna including elephant, buffalo, bongo, bushbuck, giant forest hog, bushpig and leopard, as well as gorilla, collared mangabey and chimpanzee; (ii) Lac Lobeke Faunal Reserve (1,500 km2). Primarily supporting a mixed transitional evergreen and semi-deciduous forest, and a wide variety of forest fauna including elephant, buffalo, sitatunga, six duiker species, chevrotain, giant  Background 7 forest hog, bushpig, leopard, antbear, giant pangolin, nine diurnal primate species and particularly high densities of bongo and pygmy antelope; and (iii) Nki Faunal Reserve (2,000 kM2). Consisting of about 195,000 ha of evergreen and transitional rainforest, it includes the spectacular Nki waterfall. Elephant, buffalo, bongo, collared mangabey, gorilla, chimpanzee and leopard are present, as do long-snouted crocodile and the giant frog Conrauana goliath. The area has been little disturbed. * The Savannah Ecosystem, which includes three national parks (Faro, 3,300 kM2; Bouda- Ndjidda, 2,300 km2; and Benoue National Parks, 1,800 km2), is located at the bio- geographical transition area between the Soudanian and Guinean savannas and supports a rich wildlife typical of the area, including threatened species such as elephant, leopard, giant eland, Nile crocodile, cheetah, primates, and, in particular of major interest for the project, black rhinoceros. The major threats are poaching (particularly from neighboring Chad) and bush fires. G. Local Population Involvement in Biodiversity Conservation 1.22 Importance of Baseline Social Data. A major issue with biodiversity conservation programs is that the local resident populations have only been sporadically incorporated into the protected area planning and management process. Adequate information about the people and communities affected by protected area plan are generally missing. The Government strategy explicitly recognizes that demographic, socio- economic and ethnographic surveys should be conducted as an integral component of the process of establishing protected areas. These surveys should proceed from a dialogue developed with local residents using a participatory rural appraisal approach and addressing such issues as: who are the resident (and recent imnigrant) populations; where are they located; how do they depend on the natural environment for their livelihoods or incomes; and how will they be affected by the proposed protected areas. Consultations and surveys need to elicit from local people their views on land and natural resource use and ownership and seek to avert potential conflicts that may arise over the establishment of protected areas. The present state of inforrnation concerning populations potentially affected by the project is summarized in the Project Environment Assessment Report. 1.23 NGO Involvement. NGOs represent, to varying degrees, the local resident populations. Their legislative and policy status is also undergoing change in the present political environment. In a recent report on NGO involvement in natural resources management, four categories of NGOs were identified: (a) International conservation-oriented NGOs, of which there are about a dozen active in Cameroon at present; (b) Indigenous NGOs, defined as organizations with a near 100 percent Cameroonian membership, of which there are nearly 100; (c) Rural Associations, defined as inter-village associations having as their main objective the provision of organizational structures and leadership which promotes viable socioeconomic activities among villages sharing common values, traditions and goals;  8 Chapter I (d) Village Organizations, the most numerous category, which are truly grassroot level organizations concemed with social and economic development. 1.24 In view of the past experience of intemational conservation-oriented NGOs in Cameroon, their involvement in strengthening indigenous and rural/village associations is fundamental to biological resources and natural resources management. The Govermment has sanctioned their pioneering work on involvement of local populations in the conservation of biodiversity in the cases of Korup National Park, Mount Kilum-Ijim, Mount Koupd and Mount Cameroon. Therefore, participation of local NGOs, such as rural cooperatives, should be emphasized, building on past experiences. H. Rationale for GEF Involvement 1.25 The protection and conservation of natural forest and savanna ecosystems in Cameroon is of high intemational importance. The protected areas, selected by the project, represent not only ecologically sensitive areas but also key habitats for globally threatened species. These protected areas also feature samples of intact forest habitats that are quickly disappearing throughout westem and central Africa. Moreover, the Cameroonian forest ecosystems are under increasing pressure from a rapidly growing population, commercial exploitation and increasing intemational demands for timber. If the pace of the current forest degradation and destruction continues and efforts to conserve biological diversity lag, many high priority areas will be severely impacted before viable conservation measures are established. 1.26 Due to severe resource constraints and other development priorities, Govemment funding is insufficient for the operation and maintenance of the entire network of protected areas and insufficient funds are available from non-concessional sources to implement country-wide protection and conservation programs. The availability of GEF funds will therefore enable the Government to pursue conservation and related support actions. GEF financing will be limited to areas whose conservation has global importance and which receive no or insufficient assistance. 1.27 The GEF will help reconcile global benefits in long term maintenance of biodiversity with national and local interests in increasing sustainable revenues from protected areas. The need to preserve genetic resources and thereby maintain the future development options that these represent (such as pharmaceuticals and other untapped markets for forest products) is acknowledged at all levels. At the local level, however, the desires to maintain traditional access to forest resources and to realize economic benefits from activities financed under the proposed GEF grant through increased tourism revenue or local employment in project related activities are paramount. The project will therefore focus on establishing protected areas to maintain biodiversity that are also integrated into the local economies, thereby ensuring that local population can become a potent ally in biodiversity preservation. 1.28 The GEF is uniquely placed to provide funding for the establishment of a national framework for biodiversity conservation and be instrumental in bridging the gap between bilateral grant and intemational NGO funding for selected activities and funding needs for national long term capacity building for biodiversity conservation. First, the GEF project will be instrumental in creating an adequate knowledge base conceming the biota and ecosystems, develop management plans, and achieve gazettement of the biologically important core areas in collaboration with the surrounding communities. Second, it would strengthen ongoing experiments in conservation and community land management supported by intemational NGOs such as the programs developed at Mount Kilum and Mount Koupe and the more recently initiated program in the area surrounding Mount Cameroon. And third, it would enhance - in  Background 9 collaboration with bilateral donors - Government's capacity for participative protected area planning and management.  2. THE PROJECT A. Project Objectives 2.1 The project will be the first phase of a long-term program and, as such, is modest and to some extent pilot in nature. Its first objective is to help Government to protect a significant amount of Caineroon's biological diversity through careful management of selected reserves, including the development of alternative activities for the local population in the buffer zones. The project will also pursue a long-term strategy which will begin to build the necessary framework for effective management of national parks and nature reserves in Cameroon and will act as a catalyst for complementary biodiversity protection projects supported by the international NGOs and the international donor community. In this respect, the project will strengthen key national institutions concerned with research, planning and coordination of biodiversity conservation activities as well as local communities. The project will focus on six sensitive ecological regions including ten national parks, faunal reserves and ungazetted sites representative of the country's biological diversity: Mount Kilum/Ijim Reserve; Mount Koupe; Mount Cameroon rain forest; the Campo-Ma'an Faunal Reserve; the Southeastern Region including the Boumba- Bek, Lac Lobeke and Nki Faunal Reserves; and the Savannah Ecosystem region including three national parks (Faro, Bouda-Ndjidda and Benoue). The experience gained in these protected areas will form the basis for developing participatory management systems to be replicated over time in other reserves. B. Project Description 2.2 The project would principally support activities to be undertaken within and around the six project areas leading to gazettment and subsequent establishment of an effective management regime for core conservation zones within each project area. Activities financed by the project will include: (a) completion of baseline biological and sociological studies; (b) survey and demarcation of reserve boundaries and development of intemal zoning plans; (c) establishment of basic infrastructure for reserve management and training of local personnel; (d) development or enhancement of community participation, public awareness and environmental awareness programs; (e) development of management plans for core areas; (f) preparation of legal documents for gazettment; (g) definition of long term ecological and sociological monitoring programs; (h) support to communities for local land management planning; assistance in developing marketing programs for non-timber forest products; and (i) technical support for microenterprise development for ecologically compatible industries (e.g. beekeeping, animal husbandry, wood carving, paper making, etc.)  The Project 11 2.3 At the national level, the project would strengthen key institutions concemed with biodiversity research and provide resources to improve their ability to fulfill their mandate. This would include support to the CNH to extend their program for botanical inventories, surveys and publication of results. The project would also support a zoological survey program developed by the IVZR and WCS to undertake surveys and basic population studies of threatened fauna as well as important game species to lead toward development of biologically based harvest regulations. 2.4 The project would also provide modest support to strengthen the existing conservation infomiation management unit within DWPA and improve its capacity to maintain and disseminate information derived from faunal and floristic inventories, legal and policy studies, baseline biological and sociological studies, and management planning exercises undertaken in the course of the project. This unit would serve as an information resource for MINEF and other sectoral ministries on the status of biodiversity conservation programs nationwide. Activities would include monitoring the status of threatened animal and plant species, tracking the development and promulgation of local regulations conceming use and harvest of forest resources and tracking progress on the preparation and implementation of management plans for the project sites and other conservation areas in Cameroon. Under the coordination of the DWPA, the MINEF Department of Legal Affairs will participate in development of local bylaws and regulations for forest use and the MINEF Department of Environment will monitor application of the environmental mitigation plan. Issuance of the decree on Regime de la Faune (Annex 1) will be a condition of Grant effectiveness (para. 5.2 (a)). C. Project Components 1. Site-Specific Interventions 1.1 Mount Kilum-Ijim Forest (120 kln2) 2.5 The project goals are to ensure sustainable management of natural resources in the area of Mount Kilum (Oku) and Ijim ridge and the conservation and restoration of the remaining montane forest ecosystem. This project enters its second five-year phase with technical assistance provided by Birdlife International and financial support from WWF and ODA. Principal activities proposed under the project will include: (a) Establishment of the Mount Kilum-Ijim Forest as a Protected Area (Zone a Ecologie Fragile) managed with local community participation and development of a management strategy for the conservation of the forest ecosystem and watershed. This will include completion of boundary demarcation, gazetting of the reserve and the establishment of mechanisms for the management of the reserve by the local communities. (b) Promotion of sustainable use of forest lands in the project area through the development of soil conservation, land management and agroforestry programs, improved livestock management and husbandry, as well as the development of small scale industries such as wood crafts, honey production, paper making, and eco-tourism. (c) Ecological research on the flora and fauna of the forest ecosystem to provide the scientific data base required for management policies and activities. Special attention will be given to taxa endemic to the area including Tauraco bannermani, Platysteira laticincta, the  12 Chapter 2 Preuss' and Greater White-Nosed Monkeys as well as economic plant species such as Gnidia glauca and Prunus africana. (d) Conservation awareness and training programs aimed at sensitizing communities within the project area of the values of forests and the need for sustainable utilization of forest resources. Training opportunities, including on the job training, workshops and external training will be provided to develop the local expertise required to sustain the project. The project will also provide opportunities for the demonstration of community involvement and participatory approaches to protected area management which can be adopted in other parts of the country. 2.6 GEF Financed Activities. The GEF would finance the completion of baseline studies concerning the current ecological status of the forest as well as the population dynamics of endangered species found there. The project would also support the establishment of study plots and development of a detailed plan for long term ecological monitoring to track key indicators of change in the forest ecosystem. GEF financing would further support the regional Land Management Commissions in the development of local land management plans by financing formal training, underwriting workshops and providing technical assistance such as undertaking studies to identify options for meeting local fuelwood and timber needs. The GEF would finance local costs of boundary establishment, demarcation and maintenance for the core forest zones in addition to the technical and legal work required for gazettment (e.g. boundary surveys, preparation of legal decrees). GEF would cofinance activities such as establishment of fuelwood plantations, agroforestry and soil conservation programs, improved livestock management and ongoing development of local micro-enterprises and environmental awareness programs. 1.2 Mount Koupe Forest (300 kM2) 2.7 The Mount Koupe project is entering its third year of operation with technical assistance provided by Birdlife International and financial support from WWF and the European Community. The activities supported by the Project will include: (a) Establishment of the Mount Koupe Forest as a Protected Area (Zone a Ecologie Fragile) managed with local community participation and development of a management strategy for conservation of the forest ecosystem and watershed. This will involve negotiations with the local communities for agreement on the boundaries and usage of the resources within the reserve and development of local regulations to govern use and enforcement. (b) Development and promotion of appropriate agricultural practices, including agroforestry, to optimize use of current fannlands; sustainable utilization of forest resources through development of alternatives for bushmeat hunting (e.g. livestock and mushroom farming) and promotion of controlled eco-tourism. (c) Ecological studies on the flora and fauna of the Mount Koupe forest with particular emphasis on avian and mammalian indicator species. Researchers from both local and foreign research institutions will be encouraged to undertake the required studies and will also be used to train and develop local expertise.  The Project 13 (d) Continuation of the ongoing conservation education program to raise local perception and appreciation of the benefits of forests. Particular attention will focus on women as a target group in view of their special role as users and conservators of biological resources. 2.8 GEF Financed Activities. The GEF would finance completion of the baseline floristic and faunal surveys as well as baseline studies necessary to define a long tenn ecological monitoring plan. GEF financing would cover local costs of boundary establishment and demarcation and other activities related to gazettment of the forest protection zone under a decree based on locally adopted bylaws. GEF financed activities would include preparation of a regional eco-tourism development plan and identification of needed investments in infrastructure and local enterprise development for its implementation. GEF would cofinance ongoing activities in environmental education, soil and water conservation, agroforestry and livestock management. 1.3 Mount Carneroon/Etinde Rainforest (350 kn2) 2.9 The Mount Cameroon/Etinde Rainforest Conservation Project, managed by MINEF through the Limbe Botanic Gardens with technical assistance from Kew Botanic Gardens (under financing from ODA), and GTZ (under financing from the Government of Germany) is, after six years of operations, entering a new three-year project cycle (1994 - 1997). Its expanded agenda and priorities include: (a) completion of baseline floral and faunal inventories of the Etinde and Mokoko forests and the Onge River area and establishment of a baseline ecological monitoring program concerning forest dynamics for these areas; (b) expansion of the current program for community consultation and establishment of a council of community representatives to participate in program planning and review; (c) completion of boundary negotiations with villages adjacent to the Etinde, Mokoko and Onge forests and establishment of a zoning system for forest use that includes the definition of core protected zones; (d) preparation of management plans for the forest based on covenants for forest access and use negotiated with the local communities. This will lead to gazettment of biologically important core areas and corridors under the new Forest Law; (e) delineation and demarcation of core conservation zones and other boundaries and organization of a community based program to enforce locally defined regulations on hunting and harvesting of forest products; and (f) expansion of environmental awareness and education programs to communities living in the areas adjacent to the Etinde and Mokoko forests. 2.10 GEF Financed Activities. The GEF would finance local costs associated with completion of floristic and faunal inventories, development of a long range ecological monitoring program, and institutional strengthening of the regional MINEF unit to improve capabilities for conservation and management of the forest reserves. GEF financing would partially underwrite local costs of boundary demarcation and maintenance for the reserves and preparation of management plans leading to their gazettinent. GEF would cofinance the ongoing program of village consultation, negotiation and  14 Chapter 2 environmental awareness building in the community. GEF financed studies would include game surveys necessary to develop biologically sound hunting regulations. The project would also support training and equipping of forest wardens recruited from the local population to monitor hunting and harvesting regulations, maintain boundaries and assist in data collection for ecological monitoring studies. 1.4 Campo-Ma'an (5,000 kIn2) 2.11 Campo-Ma'an and adjacent forests comprise an area of lowland forest habitat that is broadly acknowledged to be of exceptional global importance for the conservation of botanical diversity. Of special significance are the few remaining unlogged areas of lowland rainforest in the region east of the Mvini and Bongola rivers and north of the Ntem river. The area is presently under the responsibility of MINEF, effective protection efforts are difficult because of funding constraints. Under the project, the area will be managed by MINEF in partnership with one or two conservation-oriented NGOs with expertise in forestry related research and rural development. The Tropenbos Foundation is a potential implementing partner if cofinancing for long term technical assistance is available from the Government of the Netherlands. The Government has prepared legal descriptions and maps of the project zones of the Campo-Ma'an Reserve which indicate clearly: (i) the external boundaries of the project zone; (ii) within the project zone, areas within which no new timber or hunting concessions will be licensed or existing concessions extended or "gre a gre" agreements made for hunting or timber extraction, for the duration of the project, and; (iii) the boundaries and expiration dates of existing concessions within the core conservation areas of the project. Principal actions of the component include: (a) improved surveillance and control of hunting within the core conservation zones including the establishment of guard posts on Dipikar Island and the mountainous region east of Mvini river; (b) completion of necessary biological surveys including specific studies on threatened species including sea tortoises and manatees; (c) socio-economic studies to assess present use pattems and sustainable harvest potential for game and other non-timber forest products, identify options to improve agricultural practices and living standards of local residents, and identify appropriate boundaries between areas zoned for different uses; (d) extensive baseline forestry research to provide a basis for management of multiple-use areas for sustainable timber production; (e) initiation of small scale, ecologically compatible community development activities to enhance revenues from use of land and forest resources; (f) development and implementation of a monitoring and evaluation program based on relevant biological, forest management and socioeconomic parameters identified by initial baseline studies; and (g) development of a land-use plan for the Campo-Ma'an project area, in consultation with the local population, as a basis for regazettment of specific zones for biodiversity conservation and reparation of management plans after identification of long term requirements for management and options for sustainable development.  The Project 15 2.12 GEF Financed Activities. The GEF will cofinance the overall program in partnership with the Govenmment of the Netherlands. Specific activities to be financed will include the necessary biological and sociological studies to identify areas of special importance for biodiversity conservation and determine current usage pattems of the forest by local communities of sedentary and itinerant forest dwellers. Baseline studies would also be carried out to define long term needs for ecological monitoring within the protected area. The project will finance boundary surveys and underwrite the costs of consultation with local populations and preparation of management plans for core conservation zones, multiple use and production forest zones including studies that focus on sustainable timber, non-timber forest products and game management from the multiple-use zones. The project will also finance specialized sectoral studies (e.g. tourism, sport hunting) that would identify investment needs to help local communities realize increased revenue from compatible development options. Assurances have been given during negotiations that the Government will ensure that no permanent private dwellings will be established within the corridor area and within the core conservation zones of Campo-Ma'an (para. 5.1 (b)). Furthermore, the Government will, not later than December 31, 1996, establish a community game management zone within Campo-Ma'an (para. 5.1 (c)). 1.5 Savannah Ecosystem (7,300 kM2) 2.13 This component will address priority conservation objectives within the Soudanian savanna zone of northem Cameroon at both the species and ecosystem level. Priority consideration sites include three National Parks: the Faro, Bouda-Ndjidda and Benoue National parks. Faced with increasing population pressure around the sites and poaching, the establishment of long-term management plans for the areas with the participation of local populations is to be undertaken as a priority. The program, to be executed by MINEF in participation with the Garoua Wildlife School (GWS) and technical assistance from WWF and the French Office for Overseas Scientific Research (ORSTOM) includes three principal activities: (a) preparation of original development plan, within the framework of Schema d'amenagement de la zone soudano-sahelienne, based in an integrated management approach for the Priority Project Site, including Faro, Benoue and Bouba Ndjidda National Parks; (b) design and development of a pilot program to involve communities in conservation activities and in the management of one or more game hunting zones within the Priority Project Sites. This would include involvement of traditional authorities in mobilizing communities, and preparation of a management plan for the community managed hunting zone, to be undertaken in consultation with the communities and with the involvement of GWS; (c) reinforcement of the park infrastructure for the three parks within the rhinoceros range. This will include improved communications (e.g. radios and walkie-talkies) and mobility for park personnel (e.g. vehicles, motorbikes and bicycles) to enhance enforcement against poaching and monitoring of wildlife, in particular endangered species including the black rhinoceros. This component would also involve development of management plans for the parks and a recovery plan for the rhinoceros population as well as training to upgrade management skills of park personnel; and  16 Chapter 2 (d) research on the distribution, ecology and status of the population of westem black rhinoceros in northem Cameroon including tracking, capture and radio collaring individuals, monitoring their movements and possible relocation of part of the herd. 2.14 GEF Financed Activities. The component would be cofinanced by the GEF and Govenmment of France with potential participation by the Government of the Netherlands. The project would finance necessary research to accurately detennine the present status and distribution of the rhinoceros population and develop a recovery plan. The project would upgrade enforcement of anti-poaching actions within the rhinoceros range and initiate a program to enlist hunting zone concessionaires and local residents in monitoring rhinoceros populations. The project would finance training and equipping of wardens or rangers for effective patrols, with the collaboration of GWS. On a pilot basis, the project would underwrite baseline socioeconomic studies and community consultation to develop one or more community managed game hunting zones. During negotiations, assurances were given by the Government that a community game management zone will be established no later than December 31, 1996 within the Savannah Ecosystem Priority Project Site (para. 5.1 (d)). 1.6 Southeastern Region (8,800 kM2) 2.15 The southeastern region contains three areas of high conservation importance which remained so far unprotected: Lobeke, Boumba-Bek and Nki Faunal Reserves. Their integration into a larger protected area, including the Dzanga-Ndoki National Park in the Central African Republic has been recommended. The program will be implemented by MINEF in partnership with GTZ, which will provide logistical support and coordinate overall program planning and implementation of individual program components. GTZ would provide technical assistance to MINEF to refine the existing zoning plan into a regional land use plan and execute required studies to identify compatible rural development options. Baseline biological studies, reconnaissance studies and socioeconomic studies of villages adjacent to the conservation zones will be executed by the WCS, in coordination with GTZ, and with MINEF and MINREST counterparts. WWF, in coordination with GTZ, will provide technical assistance to MINEF to conduct boundary surveys and demarcate the core conservation zones, train MINEF personnel in protected area management, and deploy enforcement units. MINEF will develop management plans for the core conservation zones of Lobeke, Boumba Bek and Nki with input from the three NGOs associated with the project (GTZ, WWF and WCS). The program will include: (a) establishment of a project management and institutional framework, and provision of basic infrastructure for execution of biological and socio-econonic baseline studies and improved enforcement regulations and control of hunting; (b) implementation of basic and applied biological studies, boundary reconnaissance, sociological studies, and consultation with the local people, leading to the preparation of management plans for the three core conservation zones; (c) execution of studies to identify sustainable development options, including game management and timber harvesting within the project that are compatible with the management goals of the core conservation zones (such as tourism, sport hunting, collection of non-timber forest products); (d) (i) development of a management plan for one or more community managed forest/hunting zones and a modest investment plan for improvement of community infrastructure; and (ii)  The Project 17 identification and delineation of hunting zones to be managed by DWPA and preparation of management plans for the said zones 2.16 GEF Financed Activities. The GEF would cofinance this component with the Government of Germany and France, with GEF funds specifically targeted at strengthening MINEF management capacity within the region and underwriting baseline studies necessary for establishment of the three reserves. Other studies financed under the project would include identification of compatible development options including tourism, sport hunting, and improved management of timber resources. The project would also underwrite necessary social, economic and land use studies to permit refinement of the existing "Plan de Zonage" and preparation of a regional land use plan and analysis of long term regional development options. The project will finance basic infrastructure, equipment and vehicles needed for project management, improved enforcement of hunting regulations and establishing a management presence within each of the proposed reserves. Management plans developed under the project would indicate future infrastructure investment needs and identify recurrent cost requirements for the three proposed reserves. 2.17 For all six site-specific areas, assurances have been obtained at negotiations that within six months of MINEF approval of management plans developed under the project, the Government will prepare and issue necessary regulatory texts to gazette or regazette the Protected Areas in the Priority Project Sites in conformity with such management plans (para. 5.1 (f)). Also, the extension of current or the issuance of new logging or hunting concessions in the core conservation zone within the Priority Project Sites will be prohibited until the project has been completed (para. 5.1 (e)). 2. Actions at the National Level 2.1 Botanical Surveys and Inventories. 2.18 The CNH, in collaboration with Kew Botanic Gardens and the French National Museum of Natural History (Musee National d'Histoire Naturelle, MNHN) would undertake research needed to document botanical diversity within the project zones and elsewhere in Cameroon through field surveys and inventories, preparation and identification of reference specimens and publication of scientific results through the Flore du Cameroun series. In addition to the assessment of botanical diversity within the project areas, the collaborating institutions would also undertake reconnaissance surveys in other areas identified as being of high potential importance for global and national biodiversity conservation. These would include areas of the Takamanda highlands, the Rumpi Hills, the Bakossi Mountains, the coastal zones of Douala-Edea and the Rio del Rey estuary. The purpose is to identify gaps in the existing protected area network and to progress toward a systematic understanding of the distribution and status of botanical diversity on a national scale. 2.19 GEF Financed Activities. The GEF would finance modest renovation of facilities, essential equipment and materials for botanical specimen collection, preparation, identification and curation as well as information management and dissemination. It would also finance vehicles, equipment and local operating costs associated with carrying out the program of field surveys, inventories and ecological assessments. It would furthermore finance technical assistance for the design and execution of field surveys and upgrading of professional skills of herbarium taxonomists and technicians through an academic exchange program with Kew Botanic Gardens and the MNHN. The GEF would support part of the ongoing publication costs for the Flore du Cameroun under an existing agreement between CNE, MNHM and Kew Botanic Gardens.  18 Chapter 2 2.2 Zoological Surveys and Inventories 2.20 There is an acute need for information concerning the status and distribution of faunal diversity in Cameroon. Under the project, the national zoological survey program recently established with USAID funding for one year, will be extended to undertake reconnaissance surveys of project sites and other priority areas for documenting faunal diversity. Studies on the population dynamics of important game species occurring within the proposed reserves and within the areas designated as multiple use zones will be initiated. The overriding goal is to build knowledge that can ensure a rational biological basis for regulation of game harvesting within the project areas. This programn will be carried out under a cooperative agreement between the IRZV, WCS and the DWPA. Specific goals of the program over the first three years would be: (i) to develop credible species lists for project sites and define long term studies aimed at understanding population dynamics of target species; (ii) to complete reconnaissance surveys of five additional areas of potential biological importance; (iii) to initiate population studies and an analysis of hunting pressure for selected game species in order to establish a biological basis for hunting regulations. 2.21 GEF Financed Activities. The GEF would finance the purchase of vehicles and equipment, and necessary field costs to carry out the surveys. Funds would also be provided for hiring a program coordinator with experience in conducting faunal inventories as well as with the design and execution of population studies of forest dwelling mammals. The GEF will also finance training of IRZV and DWPA staff in collection and analysis of zoological survey data and geographic information management system applications, and provide funding for building renovation and purchase of equipment and supplies to establish and maintain a research reference collection of Cameroonian fauna. 2.3 Baseline Surveys and Monitoring 2.22 The overall project goal is to ensure the continuing ecological integrity of the areas established for biodiversity conservation. To accomplish this goal, the long term survival of the plant and animal species which comprise this diversity must be assured. Biological monitoring and evaluation are, therefore, integral components of project design and execution. A second aspect of program perfomiance which is crucial to achieving the overall goal concems the success of establishing the conservation programs within the local physical, cultural, and socioeconomic milieu in which they are embedded. The need to monitor both the biological and sociological dimensions of project implementation is clear. Because of the short (four year) time frame for implementation of the first phase of the project, the emphasis during this phase is on the completion of crucial baseline studies to ascertain the status of biodiversity within the project areas. Given the novel approach taken by the project in developing participatory management regimes that are legally based on local bylaws and covenants, there is a special need to monitor the process of community participation throughout the development and implementation of the management plans. Key objectives of the baseline studies are to: (i) identify and collect background biological and socio-economic information allowing for the development of predictive monitoring and trends analysis and the evaluation of management scenarios; (ii) identify specific indicators to be monitored and; (iii) develop a monitoring plan for each of the project areas that can be maintained by local project management authorities. 2.23 In the course of carrying out biological surveys and inventories, project personnel will identify both the key elements (species, ecological associations, community types) of the conservation program and the monitorable indicators which can be used to track their status. The actual parameters measured and sampling protocols that are instituted will be highly site specific and can only emerge from baseline studies.  The Project 19 Definition of a long term monitoring and evaluation plan is a key element of the work program for each of the local site management authorities during the first phase of the project. 2.24 The focus of the monitoring and evaluation program for social issues during the initial phase will be to carefully document the process of community consultation and to track progress in developing community involvement in the management of reserve areas. Particular attention will be given to: (i) documenting the process of negotiations with local communities to establish reserve boundaries and develop bylaws governing use and access to community forests, (ii) the establishment and functioning of local steering committees and community councils and the role they play in reserve management, and (iii) monitoring progress in local land management planning achieved under the pilot programs for the regions surrounding Mount Kilum/Ijim, Mount Koupe, Mount Cameroon, and the Campo-Ma'an Reserve. Further, the project will track participation of various community segments such as women, artisans, hunters and traditional authorities in the project. Special sectoral studies financed under the project such as analyses of tourism development potential for the Campo-Ma'an and Mount Koupe regions and the analysis of options to increase wood production in the Mount Kilum/Ijjim region will include assessment of possible impacts on various comnmunity segments (e.g. women, craftsman, hunters) and their social and economic implications. 2.25 GEF Financed Activities. The GEF would finance: (i) biological inventories and studies on the physical characteristics of the reserves; (ii) socio-economic surveys and consultation with local populations with the goals of involving individuals and groups more closely with conservation activities and identifying alternative economic projects; (iii) detailed management plans integrating the needs of the local communities with the sustainable management of natural resources; and (iv) local educational and sensitization activities on conservation and natural resource management. The baseline survey program would principally be carried out by the local site authorities with support from the Working Group and the collaborating conservation-related NGOs. The role of NGOs would be to work with the local site authorities and the Working Groups to define requirements for baseline studies, identify key indicators to be monitored and agree on an appropriate fornat and intervals for reporting of results. 2.4 Capacity Building 2.26 Training. A major task for the Project Working Group (para. 3.1) will be planning and managing the training of MINEF staff to participate in the project. The project coordinator and other key staff nominated by MINEF will participate in an initial training program on project management, including Bank policies and procedures, prior to project effectiveness, financed through the Project Preparation Advance (PPA). Under a local consulting contract, financed by the PPA, Government is currently evaluating the long-term training needs of the DWPA and other relevant Departments within the Ministry in relation to project implementation, and propose a three-year training program for approval by MINEF and the World Bank. While a thorough training needs assessment has not yet been done, it is expected that this training program would include: (i) continuing training and support to MINEF staff on administrative and financial management; (ii) training for field officers (Forestry and Wildlife) to familiarize them with the new Forest Law and policy on community participation in protected area management; (iii) specialized training for a Conservation Education Officer; and (iv) specialized training for a Conservation Information Officer. One of the key responsibilities of the NGOs will be to transfer knowledge to central and local levels to enable them to take over site management in the long-termn. 2.27 Conservation Information Management. The project would also strengthen capacity of the Studies and Planning Service (SPS) within the DWPA to manage information derived from faunal and  20 Chapter 2 floristic inventories and surveys, legal and policy studies, information on gazettment status and boundaries of reserves nationwide and the status of development and implementation of management plans for the project sites. Before the end of this four year project phase, the Working Group will, in conjunction with the botanical and zoological survey units, prepare an overview of the status of conservation of biodiversity in Carneroon and a prioritization of future needs. Equipment, operating, training and associated travel costs, in addition to short term technical assistance for the SPS, will be provided under the project. D. Project Costs and Financing 1. Cost Estimates 2.28 Total project costs over four years, including all incremental capital and operating expenditures are estimated at US$12.4 million of which US$4.98 million, or 40.2 percent, is foreign exchange. Estimates are based on prices prevailing in March 1994 and exclude taxes and duties. They include US$1.72 million equivalent in physical and price contingencies. Physical contingencies have been included at the rate of 10 percent on all base costs, excluding technical assistance, studies, training and incremental operating costs. Price contingencies are based on the Bank's projected increase of international and local prices. Total physical and price contingencies amount to about 16.0 percent of the base costs. Project costs are summarized below. Local I Foreign Total Lcal I Foreign Total Foreign Base l_____ l____ Exchange Costs _________________________ (CFAF Million) (USS '000) % National Components _ r 1. MNNEF Institutional Support 343 143 486 600 250 850 29 8 2. Botanical Survey & Inventory 179 78 257 313 137 450 30 4 3. Zoological Survey & Inventory 134 132 266 235 231 466 50 5 Subtotal 656 353 1,009 1,148 618 1,766 Local Components 1. Mount Kilum-Ijim 357 227 584 624 397 1,020 39 10 2. Mount Koupe 175 143 318 306 250 556 45 5 3. Mount CameroonfEtinde 172 68 240 300 119 419 28 4 4. Campo-Ma'an Reserve 587 456 1 043 1 027 796 1,823 44 17 5. Savannah Ecosystem 811 570 1,381 1,418 996 2,414 41 23 6. Southeastern Region 710 823 1,533 1,240 1,439 2,679 54 25 Subtotal 2,812 2,287 5,099 4,915 3,397 8, __91 __2 _ Total Baseline Costs 3,468 2,640 6,108 6,063 4,615 10,678 43 100 1. Physical Contingencies 58 63 121 101 110 211 52 2 2. Price Contingencies 966 304 1,270 1,254 256 1,510 17 14 Total Project Costs 4,492 3,007 7,499 7,418 4,981 12,399 40 116  The Project 21 2. Financing 2.29 The project costs will be borne by the co-financiers in the following manner: Sources of Financing Local Foreign Total Percentage (US$ '000) Government of Cameroon 1,000 - 1,000 8 Govermment of the Netherlands 1,050 830 1,880 15 Government of Germany 290 1,210 1,500 12 Government of France 730 510 1,240 10 European Union 10 30 40 1 Government of the United Kingdom 470 300 770 6 (ODA) Global Environment Trust 3,900 2,060 5,960 48 Total 7,450 4,940 12,390 100 2.30 The proposed GET grant equivalent to US$6.0 million will finance approximately 48 percent of total costs, including US$3.90 million equivalent of local costs. It will bear most of the costs incurred to promote institutional strengthening at national level (74 percent) and the following portions at local site/component level: (a) Savannah Ecosystem, 25 percent; (b) Kilum/Ijim Mountain Forest, 46 percent; (c) Mount Koupe forest, 58 percent; (d) Mount Cameroon/Etinde, 78 percent; (e) Campo-Ma'an Reserve, 44 percent; (f) Southeastern Region, 46 percent; (g) Botanical surveys, 78 percent; and, (h) Zoological surveys, 80 percent. 2.31 For each component co-financed either with other donors or the Government, financing is partitioned by disbursement categories. The different financiers, including GEF and the Government, will finance 100 percent of the categories in which they intervene. The purpose is to enable procurement and disbursements to proceed efficiently and swiftly rather than risk potential delays from the need to conform to different sets of rules within the same disbursement category. 2.32 Several donors will participate in the co-financing. The Government of France and the Government of the Netherlands will co-finance activities in the Savannah Ecosystem component representing 41 percent and 28 percent, respectively, of the total costs of the component. The Govermment of Germany will co-finance the activities in the Southeastem region (50 percent of the total costs), The Govemment of the Netherlands will co-finance the activities in the Campo-Ma'an Reserve (51 percent of total) and the Govemment of Great Britain, through ODA and Birdlife Intemational, will cofinance activities for the Mount Kilum/Ijim and Mount Koupe components representing 49 percent and 29 percent, respectively, of the total costs. The Govermnent of Cameroon (GOC) will finance 30 percent of the incremental recurrent costs, representing 8 percent of the total costs. 2.33 Project Preparation Advance. An SDR 100,000 PPA, US$140,000 equivalent, was granted to the Govemnent of Cameroon to assist in project preparation. The PPA financed preliminary field studies, consultations with local communities, environmental impact assessment studies as well as preliminary training of key project personnel.  22 Chapter 2 3. Project Impact on Government Budget 2.34 The Government's Public Investment Program will earmark an amount of CFA franc (CFAF) 100 million (US$ 140,000 equivalent) per year for the duration of the project. However, this amount will mostly come from MINEF's re-deployment of personnel and re-allocation of expenditures without any net increase of the overall investment and recurrent budget. 4. Procurement 2.35 Proposed procurement arrangements are as follows: Proposed Procurement Arrangements 4 (US$ '000) Procurement Method 5 Total Project Element ICB LCB Other NBF 1. Civil Works 530 133 237 900 (530) (133) - - (663) 2. Goods 586 40 40 710 1376 (586) (40) (40) - (666) 3. Consultancies 3.1 Technical Assistance - - 1,220 2,175 3,395 - - (1,220) - (1,220) 3.2 Studies, Research, Surveys - - 1,287 1,483 2,770 - - (1,287) - (1,287) 3.3 Training - - 404 162 566 - - (404) - (404) 4. Miscellaneous 4.1 Community Development - - 162 216 378 - - (162) - (162) 4.2 Operating Costs - - 1,558 1,456 3,014 l - (1,558) (1,558) | TOTAL 1116 173 4,671 6,439 12,399 _______-(1116) - (173) (4,671) - (5,960) 2.36 All goods and civil works financed under the GET grant will be procured in accordance with procedures consistent with those set forth in the " Guidelines for procurement under IBRD loans and IDA credits" (May 1992). All consultancy services will be procured in accordance with procedures consistent with those set forth in the " Guidelines for the use of consultants by World Bank borrowers and by the World Bank as executing agency" (August, 1981). A Country Procurement Assessment Report has just 4 Amount in parentheses indicate GEF financing. 5 ICB: International Competitive Bidding; LCB: Local Competitive Bidding; other Bank procurement procedures; and NBF: Not Bank financed, parallel financing by other donors would follow their own procedures.  The Project 23 been completed, which notes the problem of a fragmented and overly regulated procureinent process in Cameroon. 2.37 Civil Works. The infrastructure to be constructed and/or renovated under the project consists of small buildings, shelters, tracks, etc. To the extent possible infrastructure will be bulked to amounts above US$50,000 equivalent up to an aggregate amount of US$530,000 equivalent and procured using ICB procedures consistent with those set forth in sections I and II of the Guidelines of May 1992. Small civil works costing between US$25,000 and US$50,000 equivalent up to an aggregate amount of US$133,000, will be procured using LCB procedures. These contracts will be procured under bidding advertised locally in accordance with procedures satisfactory to the Bank, provided that: (i) 45 days minimum shall be allowed between the availability of bid documents and the bid submission deadline; (ii) all bids are opened in public and bidders' representatives shall be allowed to be present; (iii) precise bid evaluation and post- qualification criteria shall be defined in the bid documents; (iv) foreign companies shall not be requested to obtain registration, income tax and social security clearances to participate in the bidding process; (v) award shall be made to the lowest evaluated bid; (vi) before rejection of any low bid the Bank will be consulted, and (vii) standard bidding documents will be cleared with the Bank before application of this procedure. 2.38 Goods. Vehicles, equipment and supply contracts exceeding US$50,000 equivalent, up to an aggregate amnount of US$586,000 will be procured through ICB in accordance with procedures consistent with those set forth in Sections I and JI of the Guidelines of May 1992, and will be bulked annually above US $50,000 equivalent. Under ICB procurement of goods, goods manufactured in Cameroon will be allowed a preference margin of 15 percent or an amount equivalent to customs duties which ever is less, as per Bank guidelines. For contracts between US$25,000 and US$50,000, up to an aggregate amount of US$40,000, LCB procurement procedures acceptable to the Bank and consistent with those described for civil works in paragraph 2.29 above, will be used. Procurement of goods for less than US$25,000 per contract and up to an aggregate amount of US$40,000 will be procured through prudent shopping (international or local), on the basis of comparison of price quotations of at least three suppliers eligible under the Guidelines and in accordance with procedures acceptable to the Bank. A standard letter for seeking price quotations and applicable conditions shall be agreed with the Bank, prior to any procurement action. 2.39 Consultancies and Training. The strengthening of MINEF and MINREST and the establishment and upgrading of protected areas will be supported by twinning arrangements with specialized international NGO institutions. Birdlife International, with six years of program development experience in the Bamenda Highlands has built a rapport with traditional leaders and villagers which is the basis for project success in the realm of community involvement. WWF with fifteen years of continuous involvement in the conservation sector in Cameroon is locally acknowledged for its leadership in program planning and design. WCS has an ongoing partnership with MINREST in building national capacity for faunal research with the involvement of individual researchers with years of experience in studying the Cameroonian fauna. GTZ has long experience of collaboration with the Government in institution building. Technical and management support from these institutions will be procured through sole source procedures, up to an aggregate amount of US$1,624,000 equivalent, because of their unique capabilities which could not be duplicated by externally recruited consultants within the short, three year time horizon of the project. At central level, GTZ will assist DWPA in establishing, maintaining and operating a unit responsible for accounting and procurement, through a time based contract, up to an amount not exceeding US$40,000. At the same time and with similar procedures, WWF will provide general guidance and counseling on biodiversity conservation objectives, strategies and methods up to an amount not exceeding US$40,000.  24 Chapter 2 WWF will also support the Savannah Ecosystem conservation component, execute reconnaissance studies and provide input to management plan development in the Lobeke, Boumba Bek and Nki areas for an amount not exceeding US$72,000 and US$324,000, respectively. WCS will execute baseline biodiversitv and socioeconomic studies, provide input for management plan development for the three core zones, and assist IVZR in design and execution of the zoological surveys program for amounts not exceeding US$298,000 and US$215,000, respectively. Birdlife International will be responsible for the management of the Mount Kilum-Ijim and Mount Koup6 components up to amounts not exceeding, respectively, US$340,000 and US$200,000. Botanical surveys will be executed under a long-standing trilateral agreement among the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, and the Mus6e National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris and CNH under a contract administered by the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew for an amount not exceeding US$90,000. Execution of contracts satisfactory to the Bank with selected non-governmental organizations (NGOs) responsible for project implementation will be a condition of Grant effectiveness (para. 5.2 (b)). 2.40 Additional short term consultants and studies as well as training services, encompassing a wide range of expertise not included in the previous management contracts, up to an aggregate of respectively US$904,000 and US$364,000 will be procured in accordance with principles and procedures described in the Bank's guidelines of August 1981 on the basis of a short list of qualified firms/consultants/institutions. 2.41 Miscellaneous. An amount equivalent to US$162,000 has been earmarked for the financing of small economic and social activities in the multipurpose zones surrounding the protected areas. Because of the limited value of the activities (less than US$25,000 equivalent) procurement will be done through shopping or government procedures, acceptable to the Bank. These funds will be managed by the conservation-related NGOs associated with the project and disbursements will be made only for agreed expenditures included in the Bank-approved annual work programns. 2.42 Incremental operating and maintenance costs corresponding to incremental casual labor, travel costs and allowances, utilities, annual office supplies, communications, vehicles and equipment operation and maintenance up to an aggregate amount of US$1,558,000, will be procured through shopping or government procedures, acceptable to the Bank. However, annual budgetary limits will be set and agreed with the Bank before such expenditures are allowed. Criteria for travel costs and allowances will be set forth in the implementation manual. 2.43 The project Procurement and Implementation Schedules as well as the Consultancies Plan are indicated in Annexes 2, 3 and 4 respectively. The use of the Bank's standard bidding documents and standard forms for all contracts has been agreed during negotiations (para. 5.1 (g)) 2.44 Review of Procurement Decisions. Bank prior review will be needed for all contracts of civil works and goods estimated to cost more than US$25,000 equivalent. The Bank's prior review will cover advertising, draft bidding documents, bid evaluation, award proposals and draft contracts. Bank prior review will cover about 95 percent of contracts. Other forrns of procurement of goods and works will be subject to random review by the Bank after contract award. All management, consulting services and training contracts estimated to cost the equivalent of more than US$25,000 each with firms and US$15,000 with individuals will be subject to prior review by the Bank of the short list (if the case), letter of invitation, terms of reference, evaluation of technical and price proposals submitted by consultants, award proposal, draft contract and final contract. Assurances have been given at negotiations that the Government will employ procedures for review of procurement decisions and provide procurement information acceptable to the Bank.  7The Project 25 2.45 Procurement Information. Procurement infornation will be collected and recorded as follows: (a) prompt reporting of contract awards and supply of two certified copies of the signed contract to the Bank; and (b) comprehensive quarterly reports for each component will be submitted to DWPA who will consolidate the information into semi-annual reports to be sent to the Bank. Quarterly and semi-annual reports will indicate: (i) revised cost estimates for individual contracts and the total project including estimates for physical and price contingencies; (ii) revised timing of procurement actions, including advertising, bidding, contract awards and completion time for individual contracts; and (iii) compliance with aggregate limits on specified methods of procurement; and, 5. Disbursement 2.46 The GET grant of US$6.0 million will be disbursed over a 4.5 year period starting July 1995. The schedule of disbursements is based on the standard Cameroonian disbursement profile for agricultural/environment projects (August 1993), adjusted to take into account the expected four year life of the project. 2.47 The proceeds of the GET grant will be disbursed as follows: Disbursement Categories (US$ thousand) Category Total Amount _________ ________ ________ ________Financed by GEF6 . 1. Civil Works 550 2. Vehicles, Goods and Equipment 570 3. Technical Assistance, Studies, Consultancies 2,100 4. Trafining 320 I5. Operating Costs 1,630 6. Unallocated 830 Total 6,000 6 Total excluding the SDR 100,000 PPA.  26 Chapter 2 Disbursement Schedule (US$ million) Bank Fiscal Year 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 Annual 1.00 1.60 1.10 1.10 1.16 Cumulative % 17 43 63 81 100 2.48 Disbursements will be fully documented. All expenditures above US$25,000 equivalent and all foreign expenditures whatever their amount, will be eligible for direct payment by the Bank. All categories of expenditures below US$25,000 equivalent will be eligible for reimbursement from a Special Account on the basis of Statements of Expenditures (SOE). Provision has been made under the project for the design and operation, within MINEF and within each component, of an efficient and effective accounting system. Adequate provision for annual audit of the accounts has also been made to be paid by the Grant. Documentation of SOEs will be made available for review by Bank supervision missions and auditors. No withdrawals for the Campo-Ma'an and Savannah Ecosystem Components will be made until the Grant Agreement between the Government of Cameroon and the Government of the Netherlands for those components has become effective and a satisfactory contract with a NGO responsible for their implementation has been signed (para. 5.3). 2.49 To expedite disbursements, a Special Account equivalent to US$200,000 and representing about four months of eligible expenditures, will be opened in a commercial bank in Yaounde on terms and conditions acceptable to the Bank and managed by the Caisse Autonome d'Amortissement. An amount of US$200,000 will be withdrawn from the GET Grant Account at the time of effectiveness to constitute the initial deposit. The Special Account will be replenished on a quarterly basis or when it is reduced to one third of its original amount, whichever comes first, upon receipt of satisfactory evidence of disbursements for eligible expenditures. Should any disbursements be made for items not eligible, the Government will be required to reimburse the corresponding amount. 2.50 A project account in local currency, operated by DWPA, will also be established in a commercial bank acceptable to the Bank, with an initial deposit by Government of CFAF 10 million to cover the Government's contribution to project expenditures. This account will be replenished by Government on a quarterly basis or when it is reduced to one third of its original amount, whichever comes first. Establishment of a Project Account and evidence that the Government has deposited thereinto an amount of CFAF 10 million will be a condition of Grant effectiveness (para. 5.2 (c)). 6. Financial Management, Accounting, Audit and Reporting 2.51 Financial Management and Accounting. For each component of the project, and for the project as a whole, separate accounts will be maintained consistent with sound accounting practices, which will reflect, in accordance with international accounting standards, the situation of the component/project. The DWPA will be responsible for consolidating the accounts and preparing financial statements, disbursement applications and records, and withdrawal applications, on the basis of information supplied by all components. Because of the relative inexperience of DWPA with Bank procedures, provision has been made under the project for strengthening DWPA capacity for financial management by secondment of adequate personnel from other services of MINEF, design of a computerized accounting and budgetary system, training of personnel, and support from GTZ for the operation of the system. MINEF has  The Project 27 seconded an accountant and a procurement officer with profile and qualifications acceptable to the Bank to this unit. The project coordinator will be authorized to approve expenditure from the Special Account up to a limit of CFAF 5 million. 2.52 Audit. Accounts of DWPA and other executing agencies will be audited by qualified independent audit firms under procedures satisfactory to the Bank. Audited accounts and reports (short form report, special report on the utilization of the GEF grant and the management letter) will be submitted to the Bank for review within six months after the end of each fiscal year. The audit will include specific verification of the legitimacy of all expenditures and an opinion on the reliability of the SOE procedures and the utilization of goods and services financed under the project. The auditors will also provide a long form report including detailed comments on the accounting and financial system and an assessment of the operational efficiency of the project and its components. Assurances that the Government will have accounts of the executing agencies audited each fiscal year by independent auditors acceptable to the Bank and an audit report prepared, in a form acceptable to the Bank, and sent to the Bank within six months after the end of each project year were obtained at negotiations (para. 5.1 (h)).  3. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION 3.1 Project Management. The lead implementing agency for the project will be MINEF. MINEF will be responsible for overall project coordination, supervision and administration. Direct project management will rest primarily with a Working Group attached to DWPA. This unit will be responsible for preparing annual work plans and budgets, managing the GEF grant, monitoring and evaluating project implementation, along with the agreed schedule (see Annex 3) and liaising with the NEMP. Its work program will also include legal and policy work relating to the establishment of protected areas under community management, establishment and operation of a documentation center and environmental information system relating to biodiversity and wildlife management issues in Cameroon, planning and implementing a program of conservation awareness at the national level, monitoring the ecological, social and economic impacts of the project, and monitoring the implementation of the project environmental mitigation plan. A staff member at the Deputy Director level has been assigned as the full-time project coordinator and will report to the Director of DWPA. 3.2 The project coordinator will be responsible for overall program planning, management and supervision. In addition, he/she will be responsible for being a liaison with NGOs, other government agencies and the NEMP Secretariat on issues related to biodiversity conservation. Other staff will include: (i) an Accountant and a Procurement Officer responsible for financial and administrative, budget preparation and execution, and procurement; and; (ii) a senior technical officer responsible for monitoring and evaluation, and technical review of work programs developed by the Site Management Units (SMUs) for each project site (para. 3.6). In addition, two staff within the DWPA will also be assigned to the Working Group, one to work on conservation education and one on information management. Other staff from DWPA, the Forestry Department, the Division of Legal Affairs, and the Environment Department may be assigned to the Working Group on a part-time basis. In addition, DPWA will provide the services of a secretary and three drivers to meet the logistical needs of the Working Group. It will also provide the necessary office space, and share in the cost of fumishings and utilities. During negotiations, it was agreed that the Government will maintain a full-time working group for Project administration and coordination under the supervision of the Project Coordinator as described above with qualifications and experience acceptable to the Bank (para. 5.1 (a)). Assurances have also been obtained that, as a condition of Grant effectiveness, the Government will provide an annual work plan and budget, including a training program and a field staff deployment schedule for each part of the Project, for the calendar year 1995, acceptable to the Bank (para. 5.2 (d)). 3.3 Technical assistance from the participating NGOs will provide support to MINEF for conservation planning, program design and project monitoring and evaluation. In addition, short-term technical consultancies will assist the Working Group with specialized input on: (i) legal and policy aspects of protected areas establishment; (ii) local community participation in protected area planning and management; (iii) ecological and sociological dimensions of project monitoring and evaluation. Training will be provided to improve skills of senior MINEF staff in areas relevant to project planning and administration. The Working Group will organize workshops and ad hoc workshops for the SMUs on management plan development; community participation; environmental education and public awareness; ecological monitoring; and local land use planning and land management. 3.4 Reporting. The Working Group will submit each year, no later than December, for the Bank's review and approval, the annual work program and budget, including a training program and staff deployment schedule for the forthcoming year. The Working Group will also prepare semi-annual progress reports to be submitted to the Government and to the Bank, following review by the Technical Steering Committee. The reports, based on mandatory quarterly reports for the components and on regular field  Project Implementation 29 visits, will assess progress of operations against the agreed program and include a review of procurement activities. Progress reports will be sent to the Bank within three months after the end of the period reported. They will serve as a basis for Bank supervision mission (see supervision schedule, Annex 5). The DWPA will furthermore be responsible for the preparation of a mid-term review report not later than December 1996 (PY2) and a project completion report within six months of the project closing date. At negotiations, assurances were obtained on the above reporting procedures (para. 5.2 (d)). 3.5 Workshops. The Working Group is also expected to conduct four annual workshops (including a project launch workshop) involving staff from all the project sites and participating institutions. These workshops, to be planned and managed by the project team, will provide an opportunity for experiences to be shared among staff from different sites and for mutual support to be planned among different components. The final workshop, towards the end of Project Year 4, will provide a basis for evaluating the achievements of the GEF pilot project and determining the areas, if any, in which subsequent support may be needed to ensure sustainable management of globally significant biodiversity resources in Cameroon. In addition, the Working Group will organize workshops at the provincial level in the four provinces participating in the project. These workshops will allow for a closer coordination of project activities within the same ecological and socio-cultural framework, and will permit provincial and local field staff of MINEF to follow project activities more closely. These workshops will be planned by the Working Group in close collaboration with the Provincial Delegates of MINEF and the local authorities. 3.6 Monitoring. The Working Group will be responsible for monitoring project implementation progress as well as project ecological, social, and economic impacts, along the agreed schedule (Annex 3). Project implementation will be monitored through regular (quarterly) reports from the project sites. The Working Group will prepare a consolidated report on a semi-annual (six month) basis, which will serve as the basis for GEF project supervision. These reports will also include a review of procurement activities. Progress reports will be sent to the Bank within three months after the end of the period reported. Assurances were obtained at negotiations that a mid-term review will be carried out jointly with the Bank before December 31, 1996 to assess progress made in the execution of the project, and promptly thereafter, implement their recommendations (para. 5.1 (k)). The Working Group will be responsible for preparing the mid-term review and prepare an implementation completion report within six months of the grant closing date. The mid-term review shall cover, inter alia: (i) legal, regulatory and institutional changes executed and planned; (ii) management of the Priority Project Sites and quality and adequacy of staff; (iii) kind and quality of local participation in management of Protected Areas and the execution of altemative activities; (iv) definition of the share of the Recipient's contribution to cover the operating expenses of the Project; (v) review of adequacy of indicators for monitoring and evaluating the Project's progress in relation to the achievement of its objectives with particular emphasis on changes in biodiversity and socio-economic behavior of the population concemed, and definition of a program for the application of said indicators during the remaining completion period of the Project; and (vi) review of the results of the NEMP relating to biodiversity conservation and modalities of their implementation. 3.7 The Botanical Studies Program. This component will be managed and administered by CNH with technical assistance provided under an inter-institutional agreement between CNH, Kew Botanic Gardens and the National Museum of Natural History in Paris. A Project Operations Committee will be established with representative of the three collaborating institutions. 3.8 The Zoological Studies Program. This component will be carried out under the existing agreement between IRZV and WCS. A Project Operations Committee will be established with membership drawn from DWPA, IRZV, GWS, WCS and WWF.  30 Chapter 3 3.9 Site Management. Each of the six Priority Project Sites is to be managed by an SMU under the administrative supervision of MINEF but with considerable autonomy with regards to program management and execution. Local site steering committees will be established to ensure meaningful participation of all relevant stakeholders in site specific project design and periodic review. Each SMU is comprised of a MINEF representative (conservator or regional officer) and management advisor(s) sponsored by donor agencies or NGOs. The Working Group will liaise with the SMUs through the respective provincial services of DPWA. MINEF will ensure that adequate numbers of suitably qualified field staff are assigned to each of the project sites for the duration of the project. 3.10 The two-year old Mount Koupe Project is, at present, jointly financed by the EU, WWF and Birdlife International. Under the project, the reserve will be managed by Birdlife International staff in collaboration with regional personnel of MINEF and MINAG. In the case of the Kilum-Ijim Mountain Forest Project, presently entering its sixth year of operation, community participation in project design and implementation will be effected through the Regional Land Management Commissions established by the Fons of Oku (Kilum) and Kom (Ijim) with representation of the appropriate sectoral agencies (Agriculture, Forestry, Social Affairs) by the appropriate regional or district officers. The Kilum/Ijim Mountain Forest Project staff, presently financed by Birdlife International, WWF, and ODA would continue to coordinate part of project activities such as research and soil conservation programs. The local Land Commissions would assume a larger role in land management planning, and development and enforcement of local bylaws regulating use of the forest estate. The Mount Cameroon Rainforest Conservation Project has been underway for three years, managed by the Limbe Botanic Gardens under the administration of the regional office of MINEF with technical assistance and partial financing provided by ODA and GTZ. The management of the component will be based on already established local steering committee with representation of the Department of Forestry, local government, Kew Botanic Gardens and Limbe Botanic Gardens. It will also include other government sectoral agencies as well as traditional leaders and other representatives of local communities. The Campo-Ma'an Reserve is currently under the management of MINEF. Under the project, it will be managed with technical and financial assistance provided by the Government of the Netherlands. The model developed in the Mount Cameroon Project for consultation with local villages and establishment of village committees and a council representing these communities will be followed at Campo-Ma'an. The proposed reserves of Lobeke, Boumba Bek and Nki in the Southeastem Region exist only on maps. During preparation, consultation with local residents began within the Lobeke region. The program will initially be managed by regional management units established within MINEF, in partnership with WCS and WWF. This unit will establish a local steering committee and define a community participation process. 3.11 Specialized technical assistance for design of research needed to develop a black rhinoceros recovery plan will be sought from an appropriately qualified international NGO. The research program will be carried out in cooperation with MINREST and GWS. Preparation or updating of management plans for the three parks (Faro, Bouba Njidda, Benoue) included in this component will be done by MINEF with technical assistance provided by WWF. Baseline studies and design of a pilot project for local community participation in management of one or more hunting zones within the project region will be undertaken jointly by MINEF and the GWS with specialized technical input from ORSTOM or another appropriately qualified institution. 3.12 Environmental Mitigation Plan. The environmental analysis carried out for this project has identified a number of mitigating measures that have been incorporated in the plans for each site-specific  Project Implementation 31 component. The Environment Department within MINEF has the responsibility to monitor the implementation of this mitigation plan. A training workshop will be organized during Project Year 1 for Environment Department staff and colleagues who may be associated with this monitoring exercise. Regular field visits will be conducted and annual reports prepared on the implementation of the environmental mitigation plan (Annex 6). Agreement on the execution of the environmental mitigation agreed measures outlined in the Project Environmental Assessment was reached at negotiations (para. 5.1 (m)). 3.13 National Coordination. Intenninisterial coordination will be assured through a Technical Steering Committee (TSC), chaired by the Secretary General of MINEF and comprised of membership at Department Director or Division Chief rank from the Departments of Forestry, DWPA, Environment and the Division of Legal Affairs within MINEF and include appropriate representatives from the Ministries of Finance and Scientific Research such as the Director of IVZR and the Director of CNH. The TSC will also include representatives of NGO partner organizations, academic and research institutions involved in implementation of project components. The TSC will meet not less frequently than every six months to review and approve annual work plans and to monitor progress in project implementation. Assurances were obtained at negotiations that prior to Grant effectiveness, the Government will establish a TSC to be chaired by the Secretary General of MINEF with membership, functions and responsibilities satisfactory to the Bank (para. 5.2 (e)). 3.14 Legal and Institutional Issues. The principal actions undertaken by the project will involve the preparation of management plans and decrees for gazettment of conservation areas and community or council forests. Through the SPS, the project will track inputs (including specially commissioned studies), costs and outputs (e.g. decrees) to document the process of legal establishment of the reserves. The project will document both the process and the products of the dialogues with local communities conceming the development, enactment and enforcement of local bylaws and covenants. This is recognized as one of the more innovative aspects of the project; documenting the lessons leamed in the process is seen as a priority for GEF. Conceming institutional development, the performance goals for the botanical and zoological research components are built into the work plans for these units. Including an extemal review of their performance will be part of the mid-term project review. Performance of the SPS will principally be reflected in the quality of the overview of national priorities for biodiversity conservation to be produced during year three of the project. This document would be produced under guidelines approved by the TSC and submitted to formal peer review in advance of public release. 3.15 Contractual Arrangements. In addition to management and technical contracts designed to support the Working Group, the following contracts/conventions will be established as a means to help DWPA execute certain project components: (i) contract with Birdlife Intemational for activities in the Mount Kilum-Ijimn and the Mount Koupe components; (ii) convention with WWF for activities in the Savannah Ecosystem component; (iii) contract with the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) in establishing and operating the DWPA unit responsible for accounting and procurements; (iv) contracts with WCS and WWF for activities in the three core zones of the Southeastem Region component and to strengthen the IVZR research program; (v) separate contracts with Tropenbos and the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV) for activities in the Campo-Ma'an component; and (vi) contract with WWF for providing general guidance and counseling to DWPA on conservation activities country-wide.  4. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS, BENEFITS AND RISKS A. Environmental Impact 4.1 The project has been assigned environmental analysis category "B". An environmental analysis (EA) prepared by the Government evaluated potential biological and sociological impacts and concluded that the project would have strongly positive environmental effects. Recommendations from the EA with regard to monitoring of biological and sociological impacts have been incorporated in the overall project design. An environmental mitigation plan (Annex 6) was prepared which indicates key actions to be monitored for each project component. The project includes financing to enable the MINEF Department of the Environment to monitor implementation of the plan. The design of appropriate mitigation for potential negative impacts of site specific developments such as construction of buildings or improvements in road infrastructure will be addressed in the course of management plan preparation for each of the project sites. B. Project Benefits 4.2 The project aims to ensure protection of globally important biodiversity through the conservation of forest, woodland and savanna ecosystems. The project will strengthen Government's capacity for protected area planning and management and build on successful local experience with community based conservation. The implementation of scientific studies for biodiversity conservation and management through national institutions will enhance national capacity for relevant research and monitoring of biological resources. 4.3 The project will help guarantee Cameroon and the world community perpetual access to genetic stock, use of biota for basic research and medicinal purposes. In addition, conservation of these unique ecosystems will have a beneficial impact on the protection and conservation of soils and maintenance of watersheds and cultural values (conservation of the way of life of indigenous populations). Such ecosystems have, however, a non-negligible immediate and long term economic value with respect to promoting tourism and ensuring the livelihood of an important part of the rural population. The importance of bush meat and forest products (fuelwood, medicinal plants, fruits, etc.) in the economy of rural populations is well known even if existing data do not permit a quantitative assessment. On the other hand, it is tentatively estimated that about 5 percent of the annual flow of about 100,000 foreign visitors, are attracted to Cameroon mainly by its wildlife, traditional cultures and natural landscapes, contributing CFAF 1 billion/year to the national economy. Annual proceeds from park visits and hunting pernits, however, range from CFAF 100 to 150 million. Tourism represents an underdeveloped potential source of income for Cameroon and biodiversity conservation and management is instrumental to the maintenance and expansion of the tourism sector. 4.4 The project will promote conservation of biodiversity while seeking to encourage sustainable harvest of renewable resources (bushmeat, fruits, fuelwood, medicines, etc.). Although economic benefits are substantial and potentially quantifiable, reliable data on the value of these non-timber forest products are non-existent. Therefore the effective contribution of renewable natural resources to the rural and national economy is severely underrated. Accordingly, as a part of the monitoring activities, the project will collect and analyze data on wildlife related tourism and other uses and on their contribution to the economy and will promote systematic and periodical surveys to assess the importance of wildlife and other non-timber forest products for rural populations whose livelihood is increasingly threatened by unregulated over-exploitation of game and other renewable resources.  Environmental Analysis, Benefits and Risks 33 C. Project Risks 4.5 The project faces four main risks. First, the principal risk concerns the government's temptation to generate revenue through logging. This could weaken Government's resolve to establish core protection zones of sufficient size to maintain ecosystem processes, to enforce implementation of management plans for sustainable logging within major forest concessions, or to grant usufruct rights to local communities at the expense of lost revenues to the national treasury. Reforms under the new Forest Law which address increasing stumpage fees for timber concessions should increase revenues from production forests which would partially offset the costs of excluding core conservation areas from logging. Moreover, areas being proposed as core protection zones are either: (i) remote, with difficult logistics which limit their exploitation potential; (ii) have cultural values recognized by local communities which contribute to their protection; or, (iii) have potential for other financially rewarding forms of use which are compatible with conservation goals (e.g. tourism, subsistence and sport hunting, harvest of non-timber forest products). 4.6 Second, a delay in issuance of an implementation decree for the recently promulgated forest law could delay effectiveness of the GEF grant. An implementation decree has been drafted and the sections relevant to gazettment of protected areas and other categories of state or community managed forests have been reviewed by Bank staff with specialization in forestry and social policy. Those aspects of the draft decree which relate to gazettment of protected areas, management plan requirements for gazetted forests and major forest concessions, and community participation in the planning and management of biodiversity protection zones would, if implemented, provide an effective legal basis for project implementation. 4.7 Third, the preparation and adoption of zoning plans for the reserves may proceed slowly because involving local people in the planning process will require time. A strong project emphasis on community consultation using techniques such as participatory rural appraisal and on raising community awareness of environmental/conservation issues through NGO implemented public education is intended to build a sense of project "ownership" in local communities. Significant progress in negotiating boundaries and locally endorsed management regulations has already been made at several sites where conservation NGOs have been involved. 4.8 Finally, the last risk concerns the inability of Government to provide sufficient counterpart funds. The project has been designed in such a way that delays in the provision of counterpart funds will only have a minimal impact on project implementation. Most of Government funds relate to staff salaries for which a regular mechanism of payment exists. Moreover, Government will as a condition of effectiveness deposit an amount of CFAF 10 million in a project account to cover its share of operating costs for the first three months of the project and assurances have been obtained that the project would be regularly replenished. Also, the level of counterpart funding allocated to the project will be reviewed each year as part of the Public Investment Program.  5. ASSURANCES, CONDITIONS AND RECOMMENDATION A. Assurances Obtained at Negotiations 5.1 During negotiations, the following assurances were obtained: (a) the maintenance of a full-time working group with full responsibility for Project administration and coordination under the supervision of a Project Coordinator with qualifications and experience acceptable to the Bank (para. 3.2); (b) assurance that no permanent private dwellings will be established within the corridor area or within the core conservation zones of Campo-Ma'an Reserve (para. 2.12); (c) that, not later than December 31, 1996, the Government will establish a community game management zone within the Priority Project Sites of Campo-Ma'an (para. 2.12); (d) that, not later than December 31, 1996, the Government will establish a community game management zone within the Priority Project Sites of the Savannah Ecosystem (para. 2.14); (e) prohibition of the extension of current or the issuance of new logging or hunting concessions in the core conservation zones within the Priority Project Sites until project completion (para. 2.17); (f) within six months of MINEF's approval of management plans developed under the project, the Government will prepare and issue necessary regulatory texts to gazette or regazette the Protected Areas in the Priority Project Sites in conformity with such management plans (para. 2.17); (g) the use of the Bank's standard bidding documents and standard forms for all contracts (para. 2.43); (h) the auditing of the accounts of the executing agencies each fiscal year by independent auditors acceptable to the Bank and the preparation of an audit report, in a form acceptable to the Bank, that would be sent to the Bank within six months after the end of each fiscal year (para. 2.52); (i) to prepare and provide to the Bank for approval, by December of each year, an annual work plan and budget including a training program and schedule for staff deployment for each part of the Project, for the following year. (para. 3.2); (j) the preparation of a semi-annual progress report on project implementation prepared by DWPA to be sent to the Bank for review within three months after the end of the period reported (para. 3.4); (k) a mid-term review to be carried out jointly with the Bank before December 31, 1996 to assess progress made in the execution of the project and promptly thereafter implement the recommendations of said mid-term review as they shall have been agreed upon with the Bank (para. 3.6); and  Assurances, Conditions and Recommendation 35 (1) the implementation of the environmental mitigation measures, as outlined in the EA carried out for the preparation of the project (para. 3.12). B. Conditions of Grant Effectiveness 5.2 Prior to Grant effectiveness, the Government will: (a) issue the decree Portant Regime de la Faune (para. 2.4); (b) execute contracts satisfactory to the Bank, with selected NGOs responsible for Project implementation (para. 2.39); (c) open a Project Account in the name of the Project, and deposit thereinto an amount of CFAF 10 million (para. 2.50); (d) provide an annual work plan and budget including a training program and a field staff deployment schedule for each part of the Project, for the calendar year 1995, acceptable to the Bank (para. 3.2); and (e) establish a Technical Steering Committee to be chaired by the Secretary General of MINEF with membership and mandate satisfactory to the Bank (para. 3.13). C. Conditions of Disbursement 5.3 No withdrawals for the Campo-Ma'an and Savannah Ecosystem Components will be made until the grant agreement between the Government of Cameroon and the Government of the Netherlands for those components has become effective and a satisfactory contract with a NGO responsible for implementation has been signed (para. 2.48). 5.4 Recommendation. With the above agreements, the project will be eligible for a grant from the GET in the amount of US$6.0 million equivalent to the Republic of Cameroon.  36 Amex I MINISTEREl. DE U,ENVIRONNEMENT REPlUBLIQLIE DLI CAMEROUN E-F D)ES FORETS Paix-Travail-Patrie MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTRY DIRECTION Of LA FAUNF FT DES AIRES PIorEGEES PROJET DE DECRET PORTANT REGIME DE LA FAUNE  37 Annex 1 DEC RE T N _ DU PORTANT REGIME DE LA FAUNE LE PRESIDENT DE LA REPUBLIQUE; Vu la Constitution; Vu la loi n