The Enhancing Biodiversity Conservation and Sustenance of Ecosystem services in Environmentally Sensitive Areas, is a GEF funded project, implemented by the Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment and supported by UNDP. The project will assist the Government of Sri Lanka to safeguard biodiversity in multiple land use areas of special ecological significance (high biodiversity values) through the operationalization of a new land use governance framework called “Environmentally Sensitive Areas” (ESAs), which will be primarily outside protected areas. The primary objective of this project is “To operationalize Environment Sensitive Areas (ESA) as a mechanism for mainstreaming biodiversity management into development in areas of high conservation significance”.
In order to achieve this Objective, the project plans on achieving the two major Outcomes, and five Outputs under these.
The two Outcomes are:
- Outcome 1: National Enabling Framework Strengthened to Designate and Manage Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA);
- Outcome 2: Biodiversity-friendly ESA management for long term integrity and resilience ensured at two sites in the Kala Oya Region.
Under Outcome 1, the project will support the development of national policy, strategy and national scale up plan for ESAs and build national institutional capacities to foster inter-sectoral partnerships and coordination to support ESA identification, management and monitoring of ESAs. Under Outcome 2, inter-sectoral partnerships also be fostered at local levels at two sites in Kala Oya Region to effectively manage at least 200,000 ha of landscape and seascape for long term biodiversity conservation, and for the maintenance of environmental services critical for local and national development using the ecosystems approach.
UNDP will place two field Coordinators, guided by the Assistant Country Director and National Project Director in support of the field level day- to-day implementation, management and coordination of Programme activities and to ensure effective planning and monitoring of the Programme to achieve stated outcomes and outputs in accordance with UNDP/Government of Sri Lanka Guidelines for Nationally Implemented Programmes.
|