Dr. V. B. MathurDean, Faculty of Wildlife Sciences,
Wildlife Institute of IndiaChandrabani, Dehradun (Uttarakhand). INDIA
Email: [email protected]
Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) of Protected Areas in India
Audit, Evaluation, Assessment or What?
The terminological confusion???
Need to reduce ambivalence and ambiguity and evolve a common understanding and vocabulary
An independent, objective assurance activity designed to add value and improve an organization's operations. It helps an organization accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to assess and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control and governance processes.
Note: a distinction is made between regularity (financial) auditing, which focuses on compliance with applicable statutes and regulations; and performance auditing, which is concerned with relevance, economy, efficiency and effectiveness. Internal auditing provides an assessment of internal controls undertaken by a unit reporting to management while external auditing is conducted by an independent organization.
Audit
Obligation to demonstrate that work has been conducted in compliance with agreed rules and standards or to report fairly and accurately on performance results vis-a-vis mandated roles and/or plans. This may require a careful, even legally defensible, demonstration that the work, is consistent with the contract terms.
Note: Accountability in development may refer to the obligations of partners to act according to clearly defined responsibilities, roles and performance expectations, often with respect to the prudent use of resources. For evaluators, it connotes the responsibility to provide accurate, fair and .credible monitoring reports and performance assessment. For public sector managers and policy-makers, accountability is to taxpayers/citizens
Accountability
An evaluation carried out by entities and persons free of the control of those responsible for the design and implementation of the development intervention.
Note: The credibility of an evaluation depends in part on how independently it has been carried out. Independence implies freedom from political influence and organizational pressure. It is characterized by full access to information and by full autonomy in carrying out investigations and reporting findings.
Independent evaluation
‘..the assessment of how well a protected area is being managed – primarily the extent to which it is protecting values and achieving goals and objectives’ WCPA Guidelines (2006)
It includes consideration of:
design issues
the adequacy and appropriateness of management systems and processes
and the delivery of protected area objectives including conservation of values
What is management effectiveness evaluation?
‘..the assessment of how well a protected area is being managed – primarily the extent to which it is protecting values and achieving goals and objectives’ WCPA Guidelines (2006)
It includes consideration of:
design issues
the adequacy and appropriateness of management systems and processes
and the delivery of protected area objectives including conservation of values
What is management effectiveness evaluation?
Protected areas are critical for in-situ conservation
Most protected areas are subject to multiple serious threats and many are degraded
1992 review of protected areas found that three of the five most common threats were management deficiencies rather than direct impacts on resources
Why is management effectiveness an issue?
more…
Management is not easy
Conflicting Conflicting management management objectives objectives
Systems of governanceSystems of governance
Adequate and Adequate and appropriate resourcesappropriate resources
Implementation of Implementation of some of the some of the management management prescriptions difficult.prescriptions difficult.
by recording, observing and talking about the changes we see in the environment and looking for their causes
by encouraging a culture where we look and reflect on our management
by helping us to learn from our ‘mistakes’ and our ‘successes’
1. Evaluation can help us manage better
Why should we bother?
more…
by signalling global and local changes and threats
by showcasing management techniques for broader landscape management
1. Evaluation can help us manage better
Why should we bother?
It identifies priorities for actions
Helps to show real resource needs
3. Evaluation promotes accountability and transparency
The society can see how their parks and forests are managed
Baselines can be established for partnerships, agreements, trusteeships and contracts
2. Evaluation assists in effective resource allocation
Why should we bother?
Involving traditional owners, community members and scientists gives us more credibility and helps build good relationships
Increasing public action to support parks: Showing the community the need for better resourcing of the parks system and alerting them to threats
4. Evaluation can help involve the community, build constituency and promote protected area values
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PA Management agencies at Central and State levels
Managers of individual protected areas
Elected representatives
Local communities in and around PAs and general public
Funding agencies: GEF, The World Bank
Civil Society representatives
Conventions: UNESCO World Heritage, CBD
Who wants to know about protected area effectiveness?
The MEE Framework for India
Element NameHeadline
IndicatorsContext 4Planning 7Inputs 5Process 6Outputs 4Outcomes 4Total 30
The MEE Framework for India
Element Name Headline Indicators
Context
1.1 Identification of values1.2 Assessment of threats1.3 Biotic interference in core area1.4 Compliance of statutory requirements
Planning
2.1 Tiger conservation plan2.2 Safeguarding of biodiversity values2.3 Stakeholder participation2.4 Habitat management2.5 Effective protection strategy2.6 Mitigation of human-wildlife conflicts2.7 Landscape conservation approach
more…
The MEE Framework for India
Element Name Headline Indicators
Inputs
3.1 Adequacy of manpower deployment3.2 Adequacy of physical infrastructure3.3 Adequacy of central government funding3.4 Adequacy of state government funding3.5 NGO resource contribution
Process
4.1 Adequacy of trained manpower resources4.2 Frontline staff performance evaluation4.3 Effectiveness of public participation4.4 Process of complaint handling4.5 Livelihood support to local communities4.6 Village relocation planning
more…
The MEE Framework for India
Element Name Headline Indicators
Outputs
5.1 Dissemination of information to public
5.2 Management of visitor facilities
5.3 Evaluation of research/monitoring trends
5.4Adequacy of infrastructure maintenance & funds
Outcomes
6.1 Population trends of tiger & other species
6.2 Threat abatement
6.3 Visitor satisfaction
6.4 Local community support
Approaches to assessing management effectiveness
Protected areas management effectiveness evaluation has been conducted in many countries using range of methodologies/ approaches emanating from the global MEE framework. These approaches vary considerably in their scale, depth, duration and data collection methods (Ervin, J. 2006).
S.No. Type of Approach Application in India
1 Comprehensive system-wide, Peer-based assessment
Project Tiger Reserves (2005-06 & 2010-11)
2 In-depth, Evidence based assessment
02 World Heritage Sites (2003-07)
3 Rapid Expert-based scorecard 58 National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries (2008-09)
40 National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries (2012-13)
MEE of Project Tiger Reserves in IndiaResults at a Glance…
S. No.
Name of the Tiger Reserve
Score Category
1 Kanha 166 Very Good
2 Dudhwa 154 Very Good
3 Corbett 152 Very Good
4 Sunderbans 152 Very Good
5 Pench (M.P.) 144 Very Good
6 Palamau 141 Very Good
7 Simlipal 140 Very Good
8 Melghat 137 Very Good
9 Panna 135 Very Good
10 Tadoba-Andhari 134 Good
11 Bori-Satpura 128 Good
12 Bandhavgarh 127 Good
13 Periyar 127 Good
14 Bandipur & Rajiv Gandhi N.P. (Nagarhole)
126 Good
S. No.
Name of the Tiger Reserve Score Category
15 Pench (Maharashtra) 125 Good
16 Buxa 124 Good
17 Dampa 121 Good
18 Bhadra 117 Good
19 Nameri 112 Good
20 Pakke 106 Satisfactory
21 Valmiki 106 Satisfactory
22 Kalakad-Mundanthurai 104 Satisfactory
23 Manas 102 Satisfactory
24 Namdapha 95 Satisfactory
25 Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam 91 Satisfactory
26 Ranthambhore 89 Satisfactory
27 Indravati 70 Poor
28 Sariska 61 Poor
more…
MEE (%age) & Rating of individual Tiger Reserves (2010-11)
Rating Number of Tiger Reserves PercentageVery Good 14 44Good 11 34Satisfactory 5 16Poor 2 6
Total 32
MEE of Protected Area Network in India
Continue to bring in methodological and process refinements
Enhance the participation of a range of relevant stakeholders
Disseminate the findings and bring in appropriate changes in policy, governance and management to enhance effectiveness of management of PAs.
The Way Forward….