Workshop
Forest Landscape Restoration initiative for the North African Forests
“Halting desertification, regaining ecological integrity and resilience, recreating landscape patterns where human development is in balance with nature conservation”
Ifrane, May 28–31, 2003
WWF, the Moroccan Department of Eaux et Forêts, Alakhawayn University (CEIRD) and UNDP/Morocco are inviting practitioners and decision-makers to a 4-day workshop on Forest Landscape Restoration in North Africa. The workshop is partly sponsored by the World Bank through the WWF/World Bank Alliance.
Background:
Mediterranean forests are important for biodiversity but also for soil conservation, watershed protection and irrigated agriculture, grazing, production of timber, fuel-wood and many non-timber products, scenery and recreation. Yet, the whole region loses 1% of its forests to fire each year and desertification is on the rise. A quarter of Morocco’s forests – a million hectares - vanished between 1940 and 1982. It is estimated that Morocco faces the loss of about 31,000 hectares of forests each year, an alarming deforestation rate which is provoking irreversible environmental degradation due to soil and water loss.
Many tree planting schemes have been undertaken but these have often failed to restore the structure, composition and functionality of the ecosystems, as well as the range of forest goods and services necessary to maintain the integrity of a healthy ecosystem and contribute to livelihood security. WWF together with partners from various sectors and organisations is implementing Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) which aims to rebuild forest assets for both people and nature. WWF and IUCN are promoting the concept of Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) under their joint forest strategy. WWF has also adopted a global target on restoration which this proposed programme for Morocco would contribute to. WWF's global target is to "undertake at least 20 Forest Landscape Restoration initiatives in the world's most threatened, degraded or deforested regions, by 2005".
Forest Landscape Restoration shifts the emphasis from purely re-establishing tree cover on a particular site to getting the right location and scale so that priority forest landscapes recover their functionality, natural pattern and species composition, and have the necessary mix of forest goods and services that can enhance livelihood options and secure biodiversity conservation. FLR is at the nexus between development and conservation as it seeks to address needs of people as well as environmental priorities.
WWF, through its ecoregional process, has identified two priority ecoregions in North Africa: the “SW Iberia & NW Moroccan lowlands” ecoregion, and the “Atlas mountains, coasts & Alboran Sea” ecoregion. The biodiversity values of these two ecoregions are represented by a number of priority conservation landscapes, designed to maintain the functionality of the natural systems and the viability of focal species populations. WWF and its ecoregional partners are currently developing conservation action plans in three to four functional conservation landscapes from the region:
 | The trans-boundary Kroumerie-Mogod-Mejerda Mountains (Tunisia/Algeria); |
| The Middle Atlas mountain range (Morocco); |
WWF has been working mainly on capacity building in Morocco for the last 7 years, identifying reliable partners, strengthening their capacities on conservation, and establishing solid partnership frameworks with national/local NGOs, research centres, Governmental institutions, and Intergovernmental organisations.
Other partners in France, particularly research institutes, have also developed a number of activities related to forests and forest restoration in Morocco.
The Workshop
The aim of this workshop is to bring together representatives of universities and research institutions, NGOs, government and private sector, from development, conservation and policy-making backgrounds to share experiences and identify opportunities to engage in Forest Landscape Restoration in the countries of Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria, and promote co-operation among them and other neighbouring Mediterranean countries (Portugal, Spain, France and Italy), directly or indirectly related to the referred ecoregions.
Workshop Objectives:
| To raise awareness regarding Forest Landscape Restoration and reach a common understanding of this approach among participants; |
| To facilitate the exchange of ideas and experiences; |
| To agree on a common vision and workplan to start FLR work as part of the ecoregion conservation initiatives implemented by WWF and its partners in the region. |
Expected Outcomes:
| Increased understanding of FLR and other related initiatives |
| Priority regions/landscapes agreed |
| Smaller groups set up to develop FLR programmes (and/or proposals for funding) |
| A clear set of next steps to take the above forward |
Agenda
|
Day 1: 28 May 03 |
||
|
Time |
What |
Who |
|
8.00-8.30 |
Registration |
|
|
8.30-9.00 |
Opening ceremony |
Department of Eaux et Forêts + Alakhawayn Univ. + WWF + UNDP representative |
|
Session I: The Context: Large scale conservation planning -> Expected Outcomes: 1. common understanding of the importance of large scale planning for forest conservation, and the role of FLR in restoring forest values and functions in North Africa 2. Identification of gaps that need to be addressed in restoration in the Maghreb |
||
|
9.00-9.30 |
Outline of objectives and expected outcomes of workshop |
Facilitator |
|
9.30-10.15 |
Presentation 1: "Conservation at larger scales: WWF's ecoregions & Functional Conservation Landscapes" (incl. questions) |
Pedro Regato, WWF MedPO |
|
10.15 -11-00 |
Presentation 2: "FLR: Multipurpose restoration experiences, addressing socio-economic and environmental priorities" (using case studies). (incl. questions) |
Stephanie Mansourian, WWF International |
|
11.00-11.30 |
Coffee break |
|
|
11.30-12.15 |
Presentation 3: “Forest restoration and the Forestry strategies in Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco” Three short country introductions to the institutional framework (15’ each, incl. questions) |
Algeria : Abdelhak Boussaha, DGF Tunisia : Mongi Ben M’Hammed, DGF Morocco : Mohamed Benziane, Départment eaux et Forêts |
|
12.15-13.15 |
Presentation 4, 5 & 6: “Rapid assessment of past/current forest restoration activities in the Iberian-North African ecoregions” Three country analyses with concrete data and cases (20’ each, incl. questions) |
Algeria: Bensaid Sahraoui Morocco: Sabir Mohamed Tunisia: Mohamed Larbi Chakroun |
|
13.15-14.30 |
Lunch |
|
|
14.30-16.00 (incl. coffee break) |
Working groups (1 hr - 3 groups) Suggested Questions: a) what have been your experiences vis-à-vis FLR principles, criteria & components (25’); b) what are your expectations vis-à-vis FLR as a tool to address the priority restoration issues in the three countries (20’). Report back (10' per group): Priority issues for FLR in the Region (country results + common issues). |
|
|
Session II: Problem Analysis: Understanding root-causes of forest degradation and biodiveristy loss; identifying priorities in terms of type of responses, level of action, target groups (stakeholders involved; roles and responsibilities). -> Expected outcome: Common agreement on key problems and priorities for FLR action in priority forest landscapes |
||
|
16.00-16.30 |
Presentation 7: Problem analysis 1: “Desertification, biodiversity loss, and collapse of traditional socio-economic systems in the Atlas mountains: the Middle Atlas Functional Conservation Landscape case study”. Tools: case study introduction (root-causes model, analysis of major threats, and priority actions to reverse them) Brainstorming and suggestions to be added to the model. |
Ali Aghnaj WWF Mediterranean Programme Office |
|
16.30-17.00 |
Presentation 8: Problem analysis 2: ”Land use changes, human-induced disturbances, and uncontrolled development in coastal forest systems: the Kroumerie-Mogod forest landscapes case study” Tools: case study introduction (root-causes model, analysis of major threats, and priority actions to reverse them) Brainstorming and suggestions to be added to the model. |
Nora Berrahmouni,/ Faouzi Maamouri WWF Mediterranean Programme Office |
|
17.00-18.30 |
Working groups: Suggested Questions: - Identify root causes of forest degradation and biodiversity loss - How to respond: priority level of action, intervention opportunities, and actors concerned . incl. reporting back 10' each group |
|
|
18.30-18.45 |
Wrap up |
Facilitator |
Day 2:- 29 May 03 |
||
8.30-8.45 |
Opening |
Facilitator |
Session III: Existing Tools/methodologies Expected Outcome: Common understanding of existing tools |
||
8.45-9.15 |
Presentation 9: "What are you aiming for?" (multipurpose ultimate objectives in FLR) (incl. questions) |
Alain Billand, CIRAD |
9.15-9.45 |
Presentation 10: "Ecological restoration: concepts and practice" (incl. questions) |
James Aronson, CNRS |
9.45-10.15 |
Discussion: Brainstorming and suggestions to be applied in the region |
Jeff Sayer, Facilitator |
10.15-10.30 |
Coffee break |
|
10.30-11.00 |
Presentation 11: "Ecological restoration: Case studies in the Iberian peninsula" Discussion: Brainstorming and suggestions to be applied in the region. |
Luis Balaguer, Univ. Complutense, Madrid |
11.00-12.30 |
Working Groups (3 groups, all answering the same questions referred to the different forest landscapes) Suggested Questions: What are the needs for ecological restoration in the region? When can ecological restoration be applied? What are the constraints of ecological restoration How can those constraints/limitations be supplemented? What environmental indicators for monitoring the performance and impact of restoration can be used? incl. 30' Reporting back (10' per group) |
|
12.30-13.45 |
LUNCH |
|
13.45-14.30 |
Presentation 12: "Using Mapping as a support tool for designing, decision making and monitoring FLR" Brainstorming and suggestions to be applied in the region. |
Val Kapos, UNEP-WCMC |
14.30-15.15 |
Presentation 13: "FLR- Designing Mediterranean forest landscapes for sustainable use and biodiversity conservation : the Southern Portugal Green Belt case study" (incl. questions) Tools: case studies presentation Brainstorming and suggestions to be applied in the region; socio economic indicators for monitoring the performance and impact of restoration advances. |
Pedro Beja, ADPM, Mertola (Portugal) |
15.15-15.45 |
Presentation 14: "Using certification to promote economic alternatives within a forest landscape to support FLR" |
Kevin Jones, Soil Association Woodmark |
15.45-16.00 |
Coffee break |
|
Session IV: The macro environment for FLR Expected Outcome: The role of FLR in strengthening the political, institutional and operational aspects for the implementation of international conventions relevant to the regional forest landscapes |
||
16.00-16.30 |
Presentation 15: "Climate change scenarios in the Mediterranean Region: current trends and risks" |
Zoltan Rakonzcay, WWF International |
16.30-17.00 |
Presentation 16: “Strategies for Adaptation in the three Maghreb countries” (incl. Questions) |
Jamal Alibou, GERERE |
17.00-17.30 |
Brainstorming and suggestions for defining FLR opportunities for developing forest management adaptations to climate change in the region. |
Zoltan Rakonzcay, WWF International |
17.30-17.45 |
Wrap up for the day. |
Jeff Sayer, Facilitator |
Day 3: - 30 May 03 |
||||||||||||||
Field visit to three forest areas eligible for pilot actions as part of a FLR initiative: each area will be visited by one working group, who should identify FLR needs and opportunities for the different FLR components. Suggested FLR topics are:
Plenary session: presentation of the working groups results and debate. |
||||||||||||||
Day 4: 31 May 03 |
||||||||||||||
8.30-8.45 |
Opening |
Facilitator |
||||||||||||
8.45-9.30 |
Presentation 17: "Opportunities for FLR in the Implementation of National Action Plans to Combat Desertification" Three short country introductions to the institutional frame (15’ each, incl. questions) |
Algeria : Rahal Lazhar Tunisia : to be determined Morocco: to be detrmined |
||||||||||||
9.30-10.30 |
Presentation 18: "Desertification: processes, policies and responses in the EU/Med (incl. questions) |
Maria Jose Roxo, Medalus/EU, Univ. Lisbon, Portugal |
||||||||||||
10.30-10.45 |
Coffee break |
|||||||||||||
10.45-11.15 |
Presentation 19: "Synergies among international conventions to support a FLR strategy in North Africa " (incl. questions) |
Hani Dargahma, UNDP-GEF, Regional Bureau of Arab States |
||||||||||||
11.15-12.00 |
Presentation 20 : “Conclusions of the Expert Workshop on Forest Landscape Restoration in the Mediterranean Region" (incl. questions) |
Rami Salman, IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation |
||||||||||||
Session V: Implementing and setting targets for FLR Expected outcome: Common vision with potential targets and tangible actions for FLR |
||||||||||||||
12.00-13.00
|
Working groups Based on the previous days, sketch the broad outline of a FLR plan for the North African Ecoregion by outlining:
|
|||||||||||||
13.00-14.00 |
Lunch break |
|||||||||||||
14.00-14.30 |
Reporting back (10' per group) |
|||||||||||||
14.30– 15.30 |
Presentation 21 and 22: "Lobbying and financing restoration: The role of the intergovernmental co-operation, the aid agencies, and the corporate sector to implement FLR" :
Brainstorming and suggestions to be applied in the region. |
Hani Daraghma, UNDP-GEF LAFARGE (To be determined)
|
||||||||||||
15.30 -17.00 |
Towards a FLR strategy for the North African Forest Landscapes: Conclusions and next steps |
Jeff Sayer, Facilitator |
||||||||||||
17.00-17.30 |
Closing session Wrap up and thanks |
Department of Eaux et Forêts+ WWF+ Alakhawayn Univ. + UNDP |
||||||||||||