Appendix A2: Guidelines for Defining Site Parameters

Each site needs to be defined along four different dimensions: Spatial, Temporal, Enterprise, and Stakeholders. The following guidelines should be used to determine the specific boundaries of each site. Since each definition will generally involve drawing discreet lines in gray areas, it will be helpful to coordinate site definitions among different Program Officers to ensure that these lines are being drawn in a relatively consistent fashion.

Spatial Dimension -- The Area of Biodiversity

Definition
Given that BCN's primary goal is conservation, we will define the core site as the area of biodiversity habitat that the project is attempting to conserve. It is generally functionally equivalent to the area that the stakeholders have the ability to manage or influence (either positively or negatively). Note that this definition means that human settlements will be excluded from the definition of the project site unless they are intertwined with the core biodiversity. Your site definition will have to determine the specific boundaries for this area of biodiversity. It will also define what habitats are present at the site.

Process
Sit down with the project staff and using the best available overview map of the area, try to sketch out the areas where the project is operating. The key here is to define focused areas where the BCN-funded activities are taking place. For example, in a project focused around a national park, the initial impulse might be to claim the entire national park as the project site. As outlined in Figure 1, however, a BCN-funded project might actually only be working in two sections of the park. Ask the project staff that if there is a threat from a faraway location (Point A), "Do you want to be held responsible for meeting this threat? Do you want to have your project's success judged by your success in stopping this threat?" If they say yes, then it may make sense to include the whole park as the site.

If they say no, however, you may want to define smaller areas as your site. You can then ask the team to draw a line on the map outlining the area of influence that the stakeholders in a particular location have. This area can be determined very precisely using GPS and GIS systems and working with local people to map the boundaries of "their" lands. Or it can be determined by asking local stakeholders to outline "their" lands on a map of the park. Or it can be determined (at a minimum) by asking the project staff to approximate the area on the map. Whichever technique is used, there will undoubtedly be some gray areas where we will need to draw some "arbitrary" lines. For example, in Figure 1, it might be possible to argue that the area for Site 1 should be as large as Area B or as small as Area C. The project team decides, however, that they will define the site to be Area A.

In doing the area definition, you will need to distinguish to some degree between different types of habitat. The different habitats that you define will depend on the site and the mapping information you have. At a minimum, you should distinguish between natural and managed habitats and agricultural habitats (or in a marine case, completely dead reefs and living reefs). For instance, as shown for Site 2 in Figure 1, you will have to take out a coffee plantation in Area E and small-scale swidden agricultural plots in Area F. There will inevitably be some gray areas, however in this definition -- for example, where do you drawn the line between plantations, forest gardens, secondary forest, and primary forest? As usual, you need to make a decision and stick to it. If possible, you may also want to make more subtle habitat definitions such as swamp versus dry forest or back reef versus fore reef.

Outputs
For each site, you should have a map showing as accurately as possible the location and area (in hectares) of the site. If possible, also provide the geographical coordinates of the site and a one paragraph description of the general features of the site. If possible, the map should also show the ecoregions present at the site using the WWF Ecoregion categories.

Temporal Dimension

While some of the projects have been operating for many years prior to receiving funds from BCN, others are only now just getting underway. To control for these differences, most projects will be defined as starting at the onset of the BCN implementation grant and ending when BCN-funding is completed. Your site definition will have to determine the specific dates for T₀ and T_F.

For each site, describe the project start and end dates. In addition, provide a one paragraph description of what activities (if any) the project undertook prior to the start of the BCN funding period. In particular, record the length of time that the enterprise was in operation prior to (positive numbers) or after (negative numbers) the project starting period.

Enterprise Dimension

Enterprise activities, such as marketing or selling products, are distinct from the project activities such as organizing the community or conducting monitoring activities. In general, an enterprise activity can be defined as any action taking place as part of any segment of the production and marketing chain. Enterprise "participants" can be defined as those people who receive payment or other benefits for direct involvement in any one of the key enterprises. Your site definition will have to determine what constitutes enterprise activities and who the specific enterprise participants are. Note that the enterprise may expand with time, as community members gain more control over the whole production chain. Thus, your definition of the enterprise may need to be specified separately for time zero and for the middle and final time periods.

For each site, describe the basic enterprise. Next, specify the activities that make up the enterprise or enterprises. Also describe the people involved in the enterprise(s).

Stakeholder Dimension

In general, stakeholders can be defined local residents who have an actual or potential impact on the core biodiversity of the site. Your definition will have to specify exactly who these people are. For instance, children under a certain age are not stakeholders since they do not make decisions in the use of the resources. Likewise, "local people" who have permanently moved to urban centers may or may not be considered stakeholders.

For your site, indicate at what age a person can be considered a stakeholder and where the stakeholders (residents or migrants) live relative to the site. Use your definition for all factors requiring input on stakeholders. Also define "under-represented stakeholders" for your site. Finally, if possible, include a short paragraph on the basic demography of the site: population, age structure (if known), ethnic and religious composition.

WHY BIODIVERSITY   FIELD STORIES   PARTICIPATE   RESULTS   MARKETSPACE ABOUT THE NETWORK   WHAT'S NEW   LEARNING MATERIALS   SEARCH   LINKS   SITE MAP   HOME