1. Support of the Administration of Lagodekhi Protected Areas in organizing training sessions ans project presentations in their premisses for free of charhe;
2. Ordinary people (guides) employed in the tourism field in Lagodekhi District
3. Lagodekhi public School #5 and Telavi State University sreated ecoclubs on their own bases (minimum 4 ecoclubs);
4. Involvement of the Administration staff of Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park and Tusheti Protected Areas in practical training and coaching of the project beneficiaries.
According to the specific character of the project, there is not expected to have high number of participants from the side of indigenous people, but due to information sharing, knowledge delivery and dissemination, some kind of indirect significancy can be expected, displayed in "no harm" attitude towards nature and environment.
Gender Focus
Lagodekhi Protected Areas Friends Association considers gender issues to be very important. In project implementation group gender balance is 50/50 and, moreover, the project manager is female. As a result of the project, the number of females involved in the field of tourism in Lagodekhi District will increase by at least 10 individuals.
Replication of project activities
Newly established eco clubs will be providing volunteer support to the Protected Area to ensure soft maintenance of the Area through organization of the field camps and cleaning up of accesible tourist paths and routes.
Inovative Financial Mechanisms
The key to success of our project is introduction of innovative financial mechanisms, namely: establishment of ex situ and poaching monitoring system using modern cost-effective technologies that will ensure credible and qualitative monitoring and introduction of tourism elements based on ex situ.
Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment
The project aims an improvement of the existing situation in conservation of Lagodekhi protected areas, raises and promotes public awareness of environmental protection and sustainable management. One of its main directions replicates the to the problems of the global environmental challenges. Active participation of Lagodekhi public schools and ecoclubs will will raise at least basic knowledge in this field and support them in perceiving their problems as a part of global environmental disadvantages. In this regard, eco-educational events will be conducted in Telavi State University.
Policy Influence
The project results serve as demonstration and practical example of capacity building, sustainability, involvement of interlocutors' and, in general, raise of information awareness for the open public for other protected areas and projects in this field.
Policy Impact
The project will not have direct policy impact but project results may serve as demonstration and practical example of capacity building, sustainability, involvement of interlocutors' and, in general, raise of information awareness for the open public for other protected areas and projects in this field.
Project sustainability
The sustainability of the project is ensured by the administration of Lagodekhi Protected area; they already have nesessary trainings, modern knowledge, skills and new equipment, provided by the project, which will support them in effective management of the area and elimination of poachering through interactive monitoring and iimediate reacton on any kind of illegal activities within their area of responsibility.
Serrvice of guides and hamily hostels will support their financial suatainability, which will be also supported by the respective state institutions and local communal municipality.
Capacity - Building Component
This project ensures institutional growth of the "Association of Lagodekhi Protected Areas Frieds":
1. Four sides (organizations and group of people) will be influenced by the Project: a) The Administration of Lagodekhi Protected Areas, b) the "Association of Lagodekhi Protected Areas Frieds", c) ordinary people employed in the field of tourism in Lagodekhi District and d) Lagodekhi public schools and ecoclubs. This is the second multi-component project implemented by the Acssociation, which enables the Association to use their experience in development of skills in multi-subject project management.
2. Project components: trainings, trainings of trainers (ToT) and sharing best practice will enable our organization, Administration of Lagiodekhi Protected Areas, Lagodekhi schools and ecoclubs and natural persons involved in the field of tourism in Lagodekhi District to receive information on novelties, best practice and improve professional skills.
Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods
Two main points will be influenced resulting the socio-economic stability:
1. People, having knowledge and orientation on the protected area of Lagodekhi PA are employeed as guides and guest house holders and thus are given unic possibility to increase their income of the household, which is crucial for that kind of remote region, as remains the Municipality of Lagodekhi;
2. Long term and secured sustainable activeness of the Lagdoekhi Protected Areas admonistration ans staff through improvement of working conditions for rangers and patrol routes and provision of modern field equipment.
Project Results
1. Improved ex situ conservation quality in the area of minimum 13548 ha of Lagodekhi State Reserve. Improved conditions of at least 3 animal species (deer, eastcaucasian and brown bear);
? Patrol ?fire exit routes restored that will ensure improvement of protection of Lagodekhi Reserve.
2. Rangers? working conditions improved:
? Restored 2 sanitary-hygiene stations near the rangers? shelter. One new rangers? shelter will be built (the Kudigora Moutain)
? One off-road vehicle purchased;
? Rangers equipped with special field equipment;
3. Improved protection:
? Trainings conducted for rangers to improve their skills, quality of field work and use modern inventory and methods ;
? ToT for high level rangers (3 protected areas);
? Rangers provided with relevant equipment and new patrol routes made;
? Best practice and experience shared (in Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park).
4. Modern ex situ and poaching monitoring program introduced and implemented:
? At least 3 new technologies and innovations introduced;
? 3 monitoring systems introduced;
? Up-to-date poaching monitoring system introduced to ?identify hot points?, prepare interactive maps and implement online monitoring that will ensure ex situ conservation, prevention of poaching and timely response to the fact.
5. improved collaboration between schools, ecoclubs and Lagodekhi Protected Areas:
? At least one new ecoclub established on the basis of Lagodekhi public school;
? Improved participation of ecoclubs and the local community in protected area management and monitoring;
? Students from at least 60 schools involved in Young Ranger program who will participate in everyday activities implemented in protected areas;
? Five schools and four ecoclubs from Lagodekhi district involved in the project;
? Trainings conducted got schools and ecoclubs: ex situ, protected areas, tourism products based on ex situ conservation;
? Study tour arranged for ecoclubs in Lagodekhi protected areas.
6. Improved involvement of the local community and improved socioeconomic conditions:
? Lagodekhi community, people employed in the field of tourism (at least 20 people - guides and guesthouse owners) involved in the project, increased number of women employed in the field of tourism;
? Introduced tourism elements based on ex situ;
? At least 20 peoples? (guides) incomes increased;
? Trainings conducted: Ex Situ Interpretation, Observing Animals and Botanical Tourism.
