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Midterm Evaluation - Strengthening the Effectiveness of the Protected Area System in Qinghai Province, China to conserve globally important biodiversity
Commissioning Unit: China
Evaluation Plan: 2011-2015
Evaluation Type: Project
Completion Date: 08/2015
Unit Responsible for providing Management Response: China
Documents Related to overall Management Response:
 
1. Recommendation: The MTR team recommends the modifications to the strategic results framework, as outlined in the separate table below. The recommended changes are to the indicators and targets; the project objective and outcomes remain the same. These recommended modifications should be reviewed and approved by the project management team, the UNDP CO, the RTA, and finally by the Project Steering Committee (PSC). Upon approval by the PSC, the modified strategic results framework should be the official version used for the remainder of the implementation timeframe and for the terminal evaluation.
Management Response: [Added: 2016/01/12]

Following the suggestion of the MTR, CTA and PMO will prepare a proposal for the modifications of the strategic results framework. Then, it will be circulated for peer review and approval by the PSC.

Key Actions:

Key Action Responsible DueDate Status Comments Documents
Review and reviseindicators and targetsin the Strategic framework resultsaccording to the suggestions in MTRReport
[Added: 2016/01/12] 		PMO,CTA, UNDP 2015/10 Completed
Peer review the revisedindicators and targets and approved by UNDP and PSC.
[Added: 2016/01/12] 		UNDP, PSC 2015/10 Completed
2. Recommendation: Improve inter-linkages between project components and communication/coordination among national and international consultants
Management Response: [Added: 2016/01/12]

1) PMO will establish a website for the project while knowledge management system is in operation in order to set up area for the communications among international and national consultants as well as the project staff and upload the summary of consultants' project report on the website. 2) PMO will keep regular meetings to discuss collaboration issue cross components on a weekly basis. 3) The component managers will prepare annual monitoring and evaluation plans for their respective outcomes, using the updated strategic results framework as a guideline and Quarterly progress reports on the monitoring and evaluation plans will be prepared.

Key Actions:

Key Action Responsible DueDate Status Comments Documents
PMO will establish a website for the project while knowledge management system is in operation in order to set up area for the communications among international and national consultants as well as the project staff and upload the summary of consultants' project report on the website.
[Added: 2016/01/12] 		PMO 2015/12 Completed
PMO will keep regular meetings to discuss collaboration issue cross components on a weekly basis.
[Added: 2016/01/12] 		PMO 2015/12 Completed
The component managers will prepare annual monitoring and evaluation plans for their respective outcomes, using the updated strategic results framework as a guideline and Quarterly progress reports on the monitoring and evaluation plans will be prepared.
[Added: 2016/01/12] 		PMO, CTA 2015/12 Completed
3. Recommendation: A mentoring program should be designed and implemented to strengthen the capacity of provincial and sub-provincial stakeholders in biodiversity conservation strategic planning and management implementation. A specific group of provincial and sub-provincial staff from QFD and other departments responsible for PA management should be selected for the mentoring program. The design of the program should be adaptive, e.g., responding to opportunities for interaction as part of assignments carried out by national and/or international consultants.
Management Response: [Added: 2016/01/12]

PMO will take biodiversity conservation strategic planning and management implementation as mentoring programme into capacity building under component. PMO may cooperate with Environment Protection Department together to conduct the mentoring programme.

Key Actions:

Key Action Responsible DueDate Status Comments Documents
Set-up a specific group of provincial l staff from QFD and other departments responsible for PA management for the mentoring program.
[Added: 2016/01/12] 		PMO, CTA 2015/12 Completed
Hold a trainging workshop onbiodiversity conservation strategic planning and management implementation
[Added: 2016/01/12] [Last Updated: 2018/09/13] 		PMO 2017/12 Completed Not yet, We donot find sutiable project for mentoring programme, Therefore, this training has not been conducted yet. Perhapes, this may be designed in GEF-6 C-PAR project. History
4. Recommendation: A plan should be developed and implemented to increase gender/minority inclusion in the collaborative management arrangements and activities piloted under component 3. The targets of this plan should be integrated into the updated strategic results framework, which is outlined below in Recommendation No. 5.
Management Response: [Added: 2016/01/12]

PMO will continuously pay attention to gender balance issue and discuss arrangement and criteria to increase women in villageco-management committees and assess to meet women's needs and specifically design project activity to address the needs.

Key Actions:

Key Action Responsible DueDate Status Comments Documents
Assess women's need
[Added: 2016/01/12] [Last Updated: 2017/06/30] 		PMO, CONSULTANT 2016/06 Completed Completed. Two pilot villages listed handicriaft making activities and souvenir production in annual co-management plan which are mainly involved in women. History
At least 2 women in village co-management committee
[Added: 2016/01/12] 		PMO 2016/11 Completed
Design and deliver specific activities to address women's need in annual co-management plan
[Added: 2016/01/12] [Last Updated: 2017/06/30] 		County PMOs 2016/12 Completed Completed. Two pilot villages listed handicriaft making activities and souvenir production in annual co-management plan which are mainly involved in women. History
5. Recommendation: A thorough assessment should be made of the each of the tracking tools, for both the baseline and midterm figures. The indicators and targets of the strategic results framework should be then reformulated and/or reconciled.
Management Response: [Added: 2016/01/12]

PMO and consultant will review both the baseline and midterm figures of tracking tools and reconcile the indicators and targets of the strategic results framework. Then, it will be circulated for peer review and the final version will be officially approved by the PSC.

Key Actions:

Key Action Responsible DueDate Status Comments Documents
Review both the baseline and midterm figures of tracking tools of each of nature reserves and reconcile the indicators and targets of the strategic results framework.
[Added: 2016/01/12] 		PMO, CTA 2015/10 Completed
Peer review and approval of the revised indicators and targets of the strategic results framework.
[Added: 2016/01/12] 		PMO, CTA 2015/10 Completed
6. Recommendation: A knowledge management strategy should be developed, including (1) defining the roles and responsibilities for interpreting information inputs; (2) formulating a strategy for developing management responses to ecosystem perturbations; (3) outlining roles/responsibilities and processes for interpreting PA management effectiveness; and (4) describing how PA management results and lessons learned will be disseminated. In addition to the KMS strategy, a value-for-money analysis should be carried out, comparing the costs and benefits of having an information management system hosted by the QFD to the option of expanding the existing information management system operated by the Qinghai Environmental Monitoring Centre.
Management Response: [Added: 2016/01/12]

PMO and WNRMB will together develop a KMS management strategy in 2016.

Key Actions:

Key Action Responsible DueDate Status Comments Documents
Define the roles and responsibilities for KMS management
[Added: 2016/01/12] 		PMO,Sub-contractor, WNRMB 2015/12 Completed
Formulate a strategy including interpreting PA management effectiveness, management responses and sharing PA management results and lessons learned and so on.
[Added: 2016/01/12] [Last Updated: 2017/06/30] 		PMO,Sub-contractor, WNRMB 2016/06 Completed Completed. Wildlife Protection and Nature Reserve Management Bureau(WPNRMB) and PMO agreed that experiences and results will be jointly shared with each other. In particular, PD, Mr. Zhang Xueyuan is also the head of (WPNRMB). History
7. Recommendation: The QBSAP should be strengthened by including: (1) actions addressing potential climate change impacts to biodiversity, (2) an itemization of the major ecosystem services and some approximate economic values, and (3) actions associated with improving the PA staffing and funding shortfalls within the Qinghai PA system.
Management Response: [Added: 2016/01/12]

PMO will immediately coordinate with Qinghai BSAP working group and recommend the integrating the research results and issues listed above into the BSAP.

Key Actions:

Key Action Responsible DueDate Status Comments Documents
PMO shares the research reports of climate change resilience and adoptive biodiversity conservation strategy and executive summary of research report ofmajor ecosystem services and some approximate economic valuesin Qinghai Province with Qinghai BSAP working group, and recommend the integrating the research results and issues listed above into the QBSAP.
[Added: 2016/01/12] 		PMO,QBSAP working group 2015/11 Completed
Actions associated with improving the PA staffing and funding shortfalls within the Qinghai PA system to be integrated into QBSAP
[Added: 2016/01/12] 		PMO, PPCC 2015/10 Completed
8. Recommendation: The MTR team recommends the following actions to strengthen the biodiversity mainstreaming efforts:8a: Summarize results of the comprehensive review of provincial regulations into a written report, indicating which regulations were reviewed, and what steps were taken to remove conditions and/or entire regulations that are not conducive biodiversity conservation. 8b: Work with the Provincial Land Resources Department in updating the Provincial Land Use Plan by indicating the key conservation areas highlighted in the QBSAP. 8c: Work with at least one County Land Resources Department, in one of the areas where the pilot villages are located, and assist them in developing their county Key Ecological Function Area Plan. This county plan should make reference to the village level conservation zoning areas. 8d: Identify linkages between provincial departments and academic institutions to facilitate applied research, e.g., the effects of the pylon structures used for electrical transmission developments. The project should try to fund some preliminary research as a means of operationalizing the partnerships. 8e: Prepare a running tally of (1) specific activities added to sectoral plans that have been operationalized (approved budget and implementation started); (2) specific activities in the QBSAP that have been operationalized (approved budget and implementation started); items/activities that have already been considered for the 13th 5-year plan. 8f: Develop specific inspection protocols for each of the new regulations and guidelines being developed, and invite inspection stakeholders to participate in the process. 8g: Establish a tracking register for the new regulations and guidelines that are being developed, in order to document how the regulations and guidelines are being implemented in practice. The register should include a brief description of the activity/investment, the timeframe, investment value, photograph documentation, etc. The register should also include a list of environmental impact assessments that have used the guidelines in assessing biodiversity impacts and recommending appropriate mitigation measures. 8h: Ensure that waste management provisions are included in regulations/guidelines, as many of the communities among the pilot villages in Outcome 3 have complained of poor waste management as part of infrastructure development projects.
Management Response: [Added: 2016/01/12]

1) PMO has coordinated with Qinghai Office of Legislative Affairs, Provincial Land Resources Department, to collect the review reports from key departments as the department has conducted desk review of existing regulations and policies. PMO have included Provincial Land Resources Department into advisory group in mainstreaming biodiversity conservation to 13th Five-Year Plan and sectoral plans.2) PMO will seek for the existing global good practice for the sectors.

Key Actions:

Key Action Responsible DueDate Status Comments Documents
PMO has coordinated with Qinghai Office of Legislative Affairs to collect the review reports from key departments andtrack what extend the regulations and guidelines have been applied in practices.
[Added: 2016/01/12] [Last Updated: 2018/09/13] 		PMO, Qinghai Office of Legislative Affairs, sectors 2017/12 Completed In progress. Yes, We do discussed it with Qinghai Office of Legislative Affairs and It is in the agenda of the office agree to track the application. History
PMO will coordinate with county land resource division whether it is feasible to integrate Key Ecological Function Area Plan into county land use plan.
[Added: 2016/01/12] [Last Updated: 2017/06/30] 		PMO 2016/12 Completed Completed. With the establishment of the three river source national Park, pilot villages of co-management is core zone of the natiuonal park and it is integrated the offical land use plan. History
9. Recommendation: Based upon the findings of the MTR mission and recommendations included in reports prepared by national and international consultants, the following actions are recommended for the second half of the project in terms of strengthening the sustainable financing capacity of the PA system. 9a: Establish a task force with relevant provincial and sub-provincial stakeholders for formulating a system for reviewing ecological compensation programs and making recommendations of how the funds are allocated. The system should include tracking how the funds are actually disbursed. 9b: Identify a few key revenue generation options, identified in the PA financing report, and pilot them, preferably at least one in each of the nature reserves. Lessons learned from the pilot results should be consolidated into a series of case studies. 9c: Facilitate development of a regional plan for implementing policy reforms that would lead to a more systematic and strategic approach to improving financial sustainability, especially for ecotourism and payments for ecosystem services.
Management Response: [Added: 2016/01/12]

Following recommendation 9a, PMO could establish a task force to review the reviewing ecological compensation programs and making recommendations of how the funds are allocated.Regarding recommendation 9b and 9c, PMO is coordinating with provincial Political Consultative Conference to identify the management, financial and staffing issues PAs in Qinghai are facing and make proposals to the provincial decision makers.

Key Actions:

Key Action Responsible DueDate Status Comments Documents
PMO is coordinating with provincial Political Consultative Conference(PPCC) to hold a meeting in identifing the management, financial and staffing issues PAs in Qinghai are facing.
[Added: 2016/01/12] 		PMO 2015/10 Completed
Provincial Political Consultative Conference(PPCC) makes and submitsrecommendationsto the provincial decision makers.
[Added: 2016/01/12] [Last Updated: 2017/06/30] 		PMO,PPCC 2016/12 Completed Completed. PPCC raised this issue in the meeting and PMO asked the provincial govnernment adviser wrote and submitted recommendations to provincial decision makers. History
10. Recommendation: The project should develop and implement a site level pilot of a collaborative arrangement between thegovernment run Public Service Program and community co-management structures as means of addressing shortfalls in PA staff.
Management Response: [Added: 2016/01/12]

Following the recommendation, the PMO will coordinate with SNNR Administrationat both county level and site level as well as the county-level governments and authorities (such as husbandryauthorities) to establish collaboration between co-management and Public Service Program and will continue to make effort on this linkage.

Key Actions:

Key Action Responsible DueDate Status Comments Documents
The PMO will coordinate with SNNR Administrationto establish collaboration between co-management and Public Service Program and will continue to make effort on this linkage.
[Added: 2016/01/12] [Last Updated: 2017/06/30] 		PMO 2016/12 Completed Completed. PMO and SNNR Administration agree that SNNR Administration will take the responsibility of linking co-management and Public Service Program and take over the co-management. History
The PMO will coordinate with county level and site level to establish collaboration between co-management and Public Service Program and will continue to make effort on this linkage.
[Added: 2016/01/12] [Last Updated: 2017/06/30] 		PMO,County level stakeholders and local project offices 2016/12 Completed History
11. Recommendation: The following actions are recommended to strengthen the nature reserve management plans: 11a: The plans should include biodiversity assessment protocols, building upon what was accomplished through the baseline surveys sponsored by the project. 11b: The Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT) should be considered to be integrated into the management plans, as regular management tool. 11c: The process of compiling and reporting on the monitoring and patrolling data from the community driven collaborative management arrangements in the pilot villages should be described in the plans. 11d: Each management plan should include a specific activity that is consistent with the PA system strategy of increasing the capacity and number of PA staff on a system scale. 11e: The plans should also indicate how the monitoring and patrolling information obtained through the Public Service Position (PSP) activities, a Government-sponsored collaborative management program.
Management Response: [Added: 2016/01/12]

PMO will provide the recommendations to nature reserves and management plan development specialist to ensure the recommendations are integrated in the development of management plans.

Key Actions:

Key Action Responsible DueDate Status Comments Documents
PMO will provide the recommendations to nature reserves and management plan development specialist to ensure the recommendations are integrated in the development of management plans.
[Added: 2016/01/12] 		PMO 2015/10 Completed
12. Recommendation: The MTR team recommends creating a task force or advisory committee, including but not limited to the following stakeholders: representatives of the provincial focal agency for the PSP program, the QFD, the SNNR Administration, and the project management team. The task force (or advisory committee) should develop a plan for linking the top-down PSP program with bottom-up project model.
Management Response: [Added: 2016/01/12]

This is a strategic recommendation for the sustainability of co-management, creating a task force or advisory committee is not very difficult, but how to make it function is not easy.PMO took this recommendation and consulted with some key stakeholders to develop a plan as suggested during the PSC meeting on 21 October 2015. The key stakeholders include Department of Finance, Department of Agriculture and Husbandry, QFD, the SNNR Administration as well as county governments and related authorities. PSC discussed this recommendation carefully and decided that this recommendation was beyond the scope of the Project and was not applicable.

Key Actions:

Key Action Responsible DueDate Status Comments Documents
PMO will coordinate with key stakeholders to discuss the fesibility of linkage between PSP prgoram and co-management model.
[Added: 2016/01/12] [Last Updated: 2017/06/30] 		PMO,SNNR and other stakeholders 2016/12 Completed Completed. PMO and SNNR Administration agree that SNNR Administration will take the responsibility of linking co-management and Public Service Program and take over the co-management. History
13. Recommendation: A sustainability strategy should be developed for Outcome 3 and include, but not limited to, the following: 13a: Assist the collaborative management coordination committees in obtaining legal status (community based organization) by end of project; 13b: Negotiate partnership arrangements for collaborative management coordination committees after project closure (e.g., with SNNR); 13c: Consider adjusting the flow of financial and material support extended to the coordination committees, by having the SNNR Administration disburse the funds and assets to the communities rather than the PMO. This would require an agreement between the SNNR Administration and the PMO; 13d: Facilitate the acknowledgement of village conservation areas, through the village regulations and possibly also county land use plans; 13e: Support the communities and the SNNR Administration in preparation of annual NR management reports, thus creating a replicable model that could be continued after project closure; 13f: Prepare simple operation and maintenance instructions for equipment provided. The instructions should be also be available in Tibetan language.
Management Response: [Added: 2016/01/12]

Regarding specific recommendation13a, 13b,13d and13f, PMO has also taken these issues into considerations and worked hard to make them happen, such as the legal status of co-management committee. The PMO will address these with consultants' support in the second half of the project by strengthening the collaboration with SNNR. However, as for specific recommendation 13c, PMO has made comment on the MTR report. It is not inconsistence with the Manual of GEF Fund Management and Property Management. The 4th meeting of PSC on Oct. 21, 2015 determined that the project provides fund to communities keeping on the existing flow of fund that is from PMO to community. Then, the project gets SNNR Administration to more involve in the project activities.

Key Actions:

14. Recommendation: A few additional actions recommended to strengthen the results under Outcome 3 include the following: 14a: A cumulative work plan should be prepared for Outcome 3, extending to the end of the project. The actions outlined under the sustainability strategy recommendation should be incorporated in the plan, and allocation of resources should be carefully examined to ensure that the available funds are optimally utilized; 14b: Livestock (and property) loss due to wildlife attacks are expected to increase under enhanced biodiversity conservation. Compensation for villagers for these losses is a type of ecological compensation, but such compensation has not been sufficiently disbursed, even though there are regulatory frameworks in place. In the pilot villages, the project should work with County officials in developing a replicable model for facilitating fair compensation arrangements; 14c: Burning of plastic waste should be prohibited, as toxic gases and residuals have adverse health and environmental impacts. County waste collection and disposal companies should be engaged in developing waste management solutions for the pilot villages; 14d: Based upon the surveys made with herders in the visited communities, cooperative herding is a common arrangement. Development of alternative livelihood opportunities, e.g., by trading dairy products or handicrafts, or by supporting ecological tourism development, should be considered using these existing cooperative arrangements. The cooperative herding arrangements could also to address improved collaborative ecosystem management, e.g., through agreeing to remove fences, protection of water springs, etc.; 14e: For the cooperatives being considered in the pilot villages, supply chain analyses should be carried out to determine existing barriers, such as distance to market, storage capacities, etc., so that development support can be better focused. Also, a value chain analysis of yak wool products might be sensible, as it seems that such production is uncommon in the targeted grassland ecosystems. Regarding the recommendation 14a, PMO will adjust work plan and budget for the second half of the project to speed up the spending of project fund under Outcome 3. Regarding the recommendation 14b, PMO had discussed with WNRMB of QFD on wildlife damage prevention and compensation. The project will continue to build up blown bear fence for herder in Suojia and Qumahe where there are intensive wildlife damage cases and conduct pilot compensation for wildlife damage.
Management Response: [Added: 2016/01/12]

Regarding the recommendation 14c, we will train herders in garbage classification and appropriate treatment to avoid burning of solid waste. Regarding the recommendation 14d and 14e, PMO may take these into considerations and make efforts to assists cooperatives in development of alternative livelihood opportunities and cooperative herding arrangements.

Key Actions:

15. Recommendation: Traditional knowledge on conservation of biodiversity and cultural resources should be captured in one or more case studies (knowledge products) and disseminated to a broad spectrum of relevant stakeholders.
Management Response: [Added: 2016/01/12]

Two traditional knowledge research reports was developed and PMO will integrate it into a traditional knowledge productfor herders and other stakeholders.

Key Actions:

16. Recommendation: A separate division should be formed within the QFD for dealing with collaborative management and community relations issues.
Management Response: [Added: 2016/01/12]

Setting-up a division for co-management within QFD is beyond the Project scope, becausedivision(WNRMB) in QFD is responsible overall management of all nature reserves rather than such specific issues. The nature reserves are responsible for the community relations, thus the nature reserves should have or create a division to deal with collaborative management and community relations issues. This has been recommended in the report of institutional analysis and training needs assessment. PMO would emphasize this arrangement in their management plan development. PSC discussed this recommendation carefully on the PSC meeting on 21 October 2015 and decided that this recommendation was not applicable.

Key Actions:

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