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Adaptation to Climate Change Impacts in Mountain Forest Ecosystems of Armenia Mid-term project evaluation
Commissioning Unit: Armenia
Evaluation Plan: 2010-2015
Evaluation Type: Project
Completion Date: 06/2011
Unit Responsible for providing Management Response: Armenia
Documents Related to overall Management Response:
 
1. Recommendation: The project team has identified the necessary legal strategy for formal incorporation of forest management recommendations related to climate change adaptation, and there are no specific risks foreseen for this activity. However, given the importance of this activity and the fact that official government processes often take longer than expected, the project team should pay particular attention to this activity to ensure completion of this critical activity by the end of the project
Management Response: [Added: 2011/09/28]

This recommendation is considered as useful and appropriate under the current implementation progress of the project. The project has concluded in the past several consultations with several stakeholders and partners (Ministry of Agriculture, Hayantar, FREC, REC, WWF) to proceed smoothly with mainstreaming adaptation recommendations in forest management plans taking into consideration the ongoing parallel and similar processes.

Key Actions:

Key Action Responsible DueDate Status Comments Documents
Consultations with Project Stakeholders and partners on mainstreaming climate change risks into forest management planning
[Added: 2015/12/17] 		UNDP 2014/01 Completed
2. Recommendation: This evaluation recommends that, to clarify the potential use of ?scenario planning? as an input to the revision and development of forest management plans, the project team should investigate and discuss the tool of ?scenario planning? for climate change in forest management (potentially with the input of international expertise), and share information about this tool with FREC for inclusion, as appropriate, in Forest Enterprise management plans. It would also be appropriate for the project to focus on assisting data users in developing need-based data requests to be addressed at the national level. Along similar lines, the scope of the activity on the establishment of an ?an early warning and response system? should be clarified.
Management Response: [Added: 2011/09/28]

This recommendation is considered as useful and appropriate under the current implementation progress of the project. The project will seek for additional clarification of ?scenario planning? and ?early warning and response system? as well as limitation for feasible implementation through consultations with the project?s International Technical Adviser and national experts.

Key Actions:

Key Action Responsible DueDate Status Comments Documents
Employment of forest models (scenario planning) as decision support tools in forest management in Armenia under changing climate conditions to be discussed with stakeholders and partners
[Added: 2015/12/17] 		UNDP 2014/01 Completed
3. Recommendation: This evaluation recommends a 6-12 month no-cost extension to facilitate the originally planned 48-month implementation period. The officially expected completion date has as yet not been changed from November 2012, although the project did not begin implementation until six months later than expected, in May 2009 rather than November 2008. The current rate of budget disbursement should allow such an extension.
Management Response: [Added: 2011/09/28]

This recommendation is considered as useful and appropriate under the current implementation progress of the project. The extension need is included in the 2010 PIR and the proper justification will be submitted to the Outcome Board for discussion and approval

Key Actions:

Key Action Responsible DueDate Status Comments Documents
Extension of Project
[Added: 2015/12/17] 		UNDP 2014/01 Completed
4. Recommendation: Project quarterly operational reports should be organized under the project outcomes and key outputs for increased clarity and understanding of the report contents.
Management Response: [Added: 2011/09/28]

The project progress reports have being developed under the administrative management frameworks since some of the activities were covering different outputs under different outcomes. The project quarterly operational reports will be further prepared to reflect the specific framework of the project outcomes/outputs.

Key Actions:

Key Action Responsible DueDate Status Comments Documents
Revision of the Project's quarterly report structure
[Added: 2015/12/17] 		UNDP 2014/01 Completed
5. Recommendation: The project partners should begin budgeting now for depreciation of the firefighting equipment, each component of which has an expected useful life. If there is no financial mechanism to replace the equipment at the end of its useful life this aspect of the project will have low sustainability, as once the equipment is fully depreciated (some of the equipment has an expected five year life) the benefits gained through its procurement (in the form of fire suppression) will also be lost.
Management Response: [Added: 2011/09/28]

This recommendation is considered as useful and appropriate. The project will conduct consultation with ?Hayantar? SNCO on further replacement of the depreciated equipment. Prior consultations discovered that upon successful and feasible results of testing and using of firefighting equipment and tools ?Hayantar? SNCO will seek opportunities for procurement of similar equipment/tools either under the state budget allocation or other funding sources. Armenian Rescue Service has also planned to procure some of the introduced equipment and tools for local rescue/fire detachments.

Key Actions:

Key Action Responsible DueDate Status Comments Documents
Sustainability of forest fire early response equipment and tools
[Added: 2015/12/17] 		UNDP 2014/01 Completed
6. Recommendation: The project should identify a way to take advantage of the training on forest management for climate change adaptation that has been suggested by the Director of FREC. Target beneficiaries could be foresters from Hayantar who will be responsible for implementing the forest management plans, as well as others at the policy level who will be involved in overseeing the development and updating of forest management plans in the future.
Management Response: [Added: 2011/09/28]

This recommendation is considered as useful. It will be discussed with forest management authorities at national and local levels during the planned consultations based on detailed proposals on mainstreaming climate change risks into forest management plans elaborated under the project.

Key Actions:

Key Action Responsible DueDate Status Comments Documents
Training for foresters and forest managers
[Added: 2015/12/17] 		UNDP 2014/01 Completed
7. Recommendation: There have been a number of activities targeted towards raising community-level awareness and understanding related to climate change and forest adaptation issues. This evaluation recommends that the project seek innovative ways to continue and expand these efforts, for example through the replication of the involvement of schoolchildren in the Meghri demonstration site.
Management Response: [Added: 2011/09/28]

This recommendation is considered as useful and appropriate. The project has planned to involve schoolchildren in planting and watering activities during the implementation of fourth forest rehabilitation pilot project planned to contribute into protection of forest biodiversity (wild fruit tree species) around Tatev Monastery in Syunik region. The project will also discuss with Hayantar to apply this opportunity in Goris and Kapan sites. Besides the project has conducted 12 public awareness raising event solely targeted on Syunik schoolchildren. The subjects covered climate change issues, forest biodiversity protection, pest infestation and forest fires. Moreover, schoolchildren were assigned to prepare essays on the seminar subjects; the best essays were awarded. 2011-2012

Key Actions:

Key Action Responsible DueDate Status Comments Documents
Awareness raising and engagement of schoolchildren
[Added: 2015/12/17] 		UNDP 2014/01 Completed
8. Recommendation: The project has overall done an excellent job of leveraging synergies with relevant stakeholders and related initiatives. This evaluation recommends that the project team also seek synergies with the UNDP-GEF Small Grants Programme to support community-based climate resilience initiatives in Syunik region.
Management Response: [Added: 2011/09/28]

This recommendation is considered as useful. In the past the project kept informing community based organizations in Syunik region on UNDP-GEF Small Grant Programme opportunities and assisted in communication between the local organizations and SGP. The project will conclude additional consultations with UNDP-GEF SGP team in Armenia targeted to support community-based climate resilience and afforestation/reforestation initiatives in Syunik region. Besides, consultations are provided to UNDP DRR project, which is currently planning implementation of the CC risk reduction projects in Syunik marz.

Key Actions:

Key Action Responsible DueDate Status Comments Documents
Synergistic activities with GEF Small-Grants Programme on improving forest management
[Added: 2015/12/17] 		UNDP 2014/01 No Longer Applicable Joint project was developed. Regulatory discrepancies made its implementation impossible
9. Recommendation: To support wider dissemination of the pest early warning monitoring information, this evaluation recommends the training be conducted using a ?train the trainer? approach, or that the training be open to all interested forestry sector professionals, depending on the available resources.
Management Response: [Added: 2011/09/28]

This recommendation is considered as useful and appropriate. The training of trainers on pesthole monitoring based on the monitoring approach developed under the project will be conducted in Spring 2011.

Key Actions:

Key Action Responsible DueDate Status Comments Documents
Training of trainers on improving forest pest management
[Added: 2015/12/17] 		UNDP 2014/01 Completed

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