Community participation at the planning and design stage of the project was ensured during the needs assessment. Focus group discussions and use of structured questionnaires across ten (10) affected communities in Bonthe District enhanced community inputs into the process. Initial meetings organized to develop project proposal also brought on board key stakeholders (Chiefs, Youths representatives, women representatives etc). Community participation will also participate at all levels of project implementation. Land owners who are key project stakeholders will be facilitated to set up advocacy task force to hold Sierra Rutile Management and other stakeholders responsible for environmental protection. They will be directly involved in tree planting activities across target communities which will contribute to community ownership and long term sustainability of project actions. Chiefs will be involved in the environmental management training to ensure that they are part of the entire process which will help sustain gains of the project.

Gender is a cross cutting theme which has been recognizably mainstreamed into all aspects of the project. Women and men will benefit equitably from all activities contained in the project proposal. Trainings, exchange visists, radio discussion programs and other project activities will all be designed with a clear focus on empowering women who are often marginalized from mainstream society. Women will be allowed to make meaningful contributions relating to land degradation and deforestation. They will also play an important role on the community advocacy platforms which will be established by the project. This will create space for advocacy around women specific issues emanating from land degradation and deforestation in the mining communities targeted by this project

In terms of sustainability, initial establishment and strengthening of advocacy structures on environmental issues will help ensure that the gains of the project are consolidated and sustained. These structures will be trained and provided with the requisite capacity to engage stakeholders so that they can demonstrate sustainable land and forest management practices for long term sustainability. Even when the project phases out, these structures will be left in the communities as tangible outputs. In addition the project?s strong focus on capacity building will enhance the capacities of District Council staff. These will also support the efforts of the community level structures in ensuring that project results are sustained in the post implementation period. The District Council staff will continue to follow-up on gains made by the project after implementation draws to a close. Through effective awareness raising and exposure activities the project will immensely contribute to long-term changes of attitudes and behaviors towards land degradation and deforestation. These long term changes in attitudes and behaviors will foster sustainability. Communities knowledge base on sustainable land and forest management practices will be improved which will form the basis for sustained change

Knowledge generated through the implementation of this project will be effectively managed to ensure communities and other stakeholders derive maximum benefit. The community capacity building approach of the project will also ensure transfer of skills learnt. Action plans developed will have clearly defined objectives and followed up by SEED/SL. This will provide an enabling environment for effective transfer of knowledge.

The result of this project will be assessed, documented and shared with local partners, District Council and other stakeholders. The result of the project will also be shared at the Bonthe District Development Coordinating forum organized at district level where all NGO?s, MDAs and CSOs and other development partners within the project location are represented. This project will also document outcomes, lessons and best practices and share with relevant authorities. This will help popularize the outcomes of the project and increase possibilities for replicability. The anticipated success of this project will lead to lobbying for the successfully model to be replicated in other mining communities where land degradation and deforestation are evident. The project is expected to have a significant multiplier effect because through this intervention SEED/SL(Implementing Organization) will utilize methods which promote participation and community empowerment to facilitate sustainable community change. Although the project design does not directly build on any successful experience of SEED/SL?s work, it will however share experiences of this environmental protection and management work with NGO?s,CSO?s and policy makers for wider development impact.