Catspa workshop busienss plan di np

CATSPA Workshop – Doi Inthanon NPChiang Mai, 28 April 2014

Elements for a Business Plan for

Doi Inthanon National Park

Daniel Navid, Consultant CATSPA

What is a Business Plan?Business Plans are comprehensive documents presenting:

objectives and programs; financial requirements; actual and potential revenue sources; an indication of the allocation of resources to specific needs;

and the adoption of strategies to bridge financial gaps.

Business plans have long been used in commercial and in non-profit settings. Now they are applied increasingly to the work of government agencies and are used to assist with management planning for individual protected areas.

They can help protected area managers set priorities and identify financial needs and opportunities. Protected area Business Plans also provide valuable information that can build confidence with stakeholders, partners and donors.

Why Take A Business Plan Approach for PAs?

Protected Areas are not commercial operations. They have not been created as businesses to earn a profit or return a financial benefit to investors. They are a public good that should be supported by the public (i.e. government funding through taxes or user fees).

However, as with a business, a successful protected area needs to be financially sound.

As protected area management has become more demanding, the annual government budget has not always been sufficient, so additional sources of funding must be sought.

In addition to helping to organize management, a Business Plan can aid in tapping new financial sources for protected areas by:

presenting an analysis of benefits and services provided by a site, identifying potential sources of support; and providing a financial strategy to secure that support.

Fitting Business Plans within PA ManagementProtected Area Management should be seen as a continuum:

Enabling legislation (and as relevant constitutional provisions) are required to set the framework and the policies for managing a country’s protected areas.

A long-term System Plan, with associated Policies should be put in place to give a strategic vision on the priorities for the protected areas network .

At site level a Management Plan with application for several years is required. The site should be comprehensively described, its values and features fully explained and the intentions and priorities for management presented.

Business Plans are then used to help ensure the efficient achievement of

management objectives. A Business Plan should have application for a shorter period than the Management Plan and should be modified as circumstances change. It should include an analysis of funding requirements to implement management priorities along with a strategy to secure required new funding while also assessing cost efficiencies.

Annual Work Plans then describe the actions to be taken at a site each year, with specific activities linked to budgetary allocations.

Proposed Content of a Doi Inthanon Business Plan

Section 1 - Basic Information including:

Physical description, including maps, showing the features and boundaries of the park

Natural resources within the park: species, habitats and conservation values

(including ecosystem services), and cultural factors, including the presence and role of local communities, as well as religious and cultural values within the park.

Visitation to the park and the challenges of visitor management. The legal basis for the designation and management of the park (the National

Parks Act and subsequent regulations);

Infrastructure at the park (including personnel) and the management procedures followed at the park including the presence and role of government ministries or departments;

Funding history for the park, tracing the nature and magnitude of government

budgetary appropriations, specific project support, and revenue (e.g. admission fees). It would be most helpful also to present a Mission Statement for Doi Inthanon NP.


Section 2 – Presentation of activities

A listing of activities from the Management Plan with an indicative budget needed for implementation presented in four sectors:

1) Management of ResourcesSpecies management programs, research, restoration efforts, fire management, cultural site protection, law enforcement, management of archives and collections.

2) Visitor and Community Relations

Visitor and visitor center management, information, and interpretation materials, management of admission fee collection, in-park concessions, visitor safety and related law enforcement. Also activities designed to enhance cooperation with local communities.

3) Facility Operations and MaintenanceRepair, replacement, or rehabilitation of buildings, roads, trails, utilities, vehicles, and other equipment.

4) Administration

Park leadership, planning, financial management, staff management and development, communications, and information technology.


Section 3 – Financial Information

Presentation of necessary financial information to allow for a basic understanding of the resources available for the management of Doi Inthanon NP.

Consideration can then be given to the adequacy of existing funding and in which areas, and in which magnitude, additional support is required.

A financial statement should be provided showing Doi Inthanon’s financial situation for the coming year, and beyond – e.g. for a five-year time horizon.

The Financial Statement should reflect expenditure requirements, as well as projected income, and for ease of reference it should be prepared according to the four proposed categories of activities.


Section 4 - Strategies to overcome financial gaps (1)

This section of the Business Plan will address the strategies to be followed to overcome financial limitations.In fixing strategies, some basic criteria should be observed, giving priority to promoting action that is:

Clearly linked to a management goal of the park; Consistent with Thai protected area policy; Capable of being implemented without major disruption to existing

personnel; and is Likely to have a positive and measurable benefit.

The Business Plan should identify new and as yet unfunded priority projects (with an indicative cost) within each of the proposed four categories of activities. For example in Resources Management these might include control of exotic species, re-introduction of hornbills or gibbons, improved Smart Patrolling, new research activities, etc.



Reducing costs must also be an important element to increase the financial resources of the park. Priority should be given to promoting:

Energy savings including the application of local projects e.g. micro-turbines utilizing water through pipelines or mini-wind turbines. Ideas for projects should be pursued via cooperation with local technical partners.

Expand recycling facilities in the park; Provide incentives for park employees to save on energy

or to provide suggestions for cost savings; andConsider competitive outsourcing for certain services

currently performed by park personnel



The Business Plan must consider the sources for new and additional funding. Such funding could be channeled through the proposed DI Conservation Trust Fund. Options include:

Possible increase in entry fees and introduction of other user fees (e.g. permits for limited entry to certain sensitive areas);

Partnerships with commercial entities for concession activities within the park; Limited branded support from corporate partners (e.g. logos on signage, building

facilities, brochures, maps, etc; Develop a strategy to pursue individual and corporate donations including on-site

collection points; Develop a marketing strategy for Doi Inthanon including park communications and

outreach; Seek project funding for park priorities from national or international

foundation or program grants); Develop programs for volunteer support at the park. e.g. volunteer guides or

volunteer technical services; Develop partnerships with NGOs, academia and student groups for joint

research, sales of conservation documentation and other activities; and Consider the eventual introduction, or at least publicity about, potential payment for

ecosystem services from the park.


Section 5 - Communication Strategy /Public Outreach

A communication strategy is an integral part of the Business Plan, identifying stakeholders, defining key messages and communication methods for different purposes.

Options for communicating messages include:

Traditional print materials distribution Electronic media, including email, list serves, websites Social media tools, e.g., YouTube, Face book, Twitter Media, including TV, display ads, news releases, press conferences Public Meetings/Hearings Workshops, face to face meetings with stakeholders School activities On-site public events/celebrations

In all cases consideration should be given to providing information in various languages to reach a growing number of interested visitors. For Doi Inthanon NP visitor information materials could usefully be produced in the Thai, English, Chinese, Malay and Russian languages.


Section 6 - Final Information

Protected Area Business Plans usually are completed with a few final sections of acknowledgements and annexes which might include:

summary of achievements, listings of project allocations, descriptions of administrative structures, financial performance indicators, regulatory framework information.

It is also common to include a final page from the Director or the Minister, offering thoughts for the future.

Style and Design

Finally consideration needs to be given to the style and design of the Business Plan.

Since the Business Plan will also have utility as a fund-raising and information tool, it will be important to make it attractive and accessible to different types of readers. Attractive photos from Doi Inthanon will be essential. A reader-friendly lay-out, with maps, graphs and side-bar boxes will also be most important.