Participatory management for deforestation prevention based on community involvement.
São Tomé Obô Natural Park
2018-2019
Funding
Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF)
Main objective
To strengthen participatory community management in the Obô Natural Park and its buffer zone on the island of São Tomé, through sustainable financing for low-carbon development.
Specific objective
To increase the social, environmental, and financial benefits of the protected area and contribute to the REDD+ process in São Tomé.
Methods
To achieve these objectives, a REDD+ pilot project is being implemented at the local level (VCS – Verified Carbon Standard) to account for carbon reserves that can be used to obtain tradable credits (Verified Carbon Units with verification of social and environmental benefits).
RESULTS
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Project Document (PD) | Activities to produce a baseline level of carbon emissions caused by deforestation and forest degradation for subsequent auditing and validation.
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Consultation and awareness-raising among stakeholders | Development of a consultation and awareness-raising plan and implementation of activities at the central, regional and local levels. Participatory discussion aims to contribute to the production of a benefit-sharing mechanism and a system of social and environmental safeguards.
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REDD+ Capacity Building | Technical training conducted with local technicians and training sessions with communities.
Meetings with stakeholders and project launch | 2018
In August 2018, a mission was carried out in São Tomé with the objective of:
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Meetings with stakeholders | The international team, together with DF and ADAPPA, presented the project and gathered information from various national institutions and organizations — ongoing projects or work that could be related to the OBO-CARBONO project — and shared knowledge that could enhance the results.
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Field trip | Landscape exploration (São Tomé Island)
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Project Launch | The project launch included the participation of official entities and civil society organizations. A debate was held to share various perspectives on forestry issues, thus raising public awareness and facilitating cross-checking and clarification of information gathered in bilateral meetings. This event was widely publicized by local media.
Fieldwork and training | 2019
In 2019, two fieldwork campaigns were carried out in São Tomé with the aim of developing activities related to:
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Forest inventory | Accounting for forest biomass (emission factors), on-the-job training provided to local technicians in forest inventory and training sessions with various selected communities.
