Project Detail

Promotion of Public Involvement in the Process of Governmental Decision Making in Relation to Conservation of Saiga Antelope and propaganda of saiga preservation and development of the alternative activities to improve the social and economic living conditions of local residents in order to draw them away from poaching

For the last 15 years, as a result of the man-caused pressure, the population of saiga in Kazakhstan that presently amounts to 70% of the total world population has faced the danger of extinction. As of today this species of ancient steppe antelope is represented by 5 dissociated groupings of 5-15 thousand of animal units each: Mongolian (in Mongo-lia), Kalmyk (in the Russian Federation), Urals (Kazakhstan), Usturt (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan) and Turgai-Betpakdala (Kazakhstan), which keep decreasing by 20-40% per year. If this population decline rate is preserved, then taking into account the biological peculiarities of this species (a number of natural enemies, climate effect, and suscepti-bility to diseases) and high demand for the products made of their horns one may talk about the complete loss of this species within next 5-7 years. In Kazakhstan where saigas at the end of 1970th amounted to 1.8 million animal units the number thereof in 2003 was de-termined as equal to 21 thousand. Taking into account the disastrous status of the world population of saiga, the Secretariat of the Convention for International Trade with Endangered Species (CITES) in 2002 included saiga into the list of the endangered species of IUCN.

The project aims at conservation of the Kazakh Saiga Antelope population. During the project implementation the main focus will be made on development and promotion of recommendations of Saiga Antelope conservation for the government as well as the outreach activities amongst the local communities. The main stages include development of recommendations for parliamentary hearings ?Problems and perspectives of the Natural Reservation Foundation of Kazakhstan? and the subsequent support to fulfillment of the Parliamentary recommendations, participation in the interdepartmental task force to develop the Saiga National Program, the arrangement of the outreach campaign in Jezkazgan oblast as well as publication, dissemination of information throughout the modern areals of Saiga in Kazakhstan.

Expected outcomes:
?The Parliament?s recommendations concerning the issues of saiga preservations for the Government of the RK will be worked out with due account of the recommendations provided by the public associations of Kazakhstan:
?There will be obtained the experience of the interested public participation in making ecologically important decisions through the mechanism of parliamentary hearings;
??Saiga? National Program will be developed with the account of the general public?s recommendations;
?In Zhezgazgan region 60% of the citizens will be informed about the problem and the public opinion about the problem will be formed, which impacts directly or indirectly the situation with poaching; and
?Information will be collected and analyzed and recommendations will be worked out with regard to development of the alternative types of economic activities able to draw the local people away from the poaching.

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Project Snapshot

Grantee:

The Arlan Wildlife Protection Center

Country:

Kazakhstan

Area Of Work:

Biodiversity

Operational Phase:

Phase 2

Grant Amount:

US$ 9,000.00

Co-Financing Cash:

US$ 1,731.00

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 1,155.00

Project Number:

KAZ/03/25

Start Date:

2/2004

End Date:

5/2005

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

Project Characteristics and Results

Policy Impact

Conducting of special Parliament hearing will attract special attention of high officials to this problem and their following actions will improve situation.

Notable Community Participation

Information campaign that will be conducted in Jezkazhgan steppe will be organized with active participation of local communities, because exactly their style of livelihood is the main risk for Saiga population.

Linkages gef projects

Materials that were collected within SGP project will be used by UNDP for development of correspondent full scale project

Policy Influence

Capacity - Building Component

The project will allow the NGO to gain experience in making the decisions of environmental significance.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

The project will assist in delivering public recommendations to the Government regarding conservation of Saiga via Parliamentary hearings and involvement in the Saiga National Program development. It will ensure the public control of implementing the decisions made by the Parliamentary hearings concerning the conservation of Saiga. Besides, organization of a campaign to outreach the ideas of wildlife conservation, dissemination of information about the existing critical situation of Saiga population, information and consultative support to local initiative groups and NGOs in developing environmental projects will be done.

Project Results

Public recommendations on saiga conservation have been collected and presented to the Parliament. The recommendations had been summarizing within 6 months prior to the beginning of the public hearings during seminars, meetings, conferences with participation of experts, NGOs local population, etc. Public recommendations have been supported by the Parliament and then submitted to the Government within the framework of the state program on rare ungulate animals conservation for further ratification.

As a result of the project activity the financing for saiga conservation from the state budget have increased.

The Project has demonstrated to environmental NGO society a success mechanism of impact on the state policy.

A wide information campaign has been lead: 1000 calendars, 2000 booklets, more other 40000 information materials have been widespread. An auto tour of over 2500 km covering local population of 12 cities and villages have been arranged, information about alternative activities distracting population out of poaching have been collected and distributed among local communities. Project materials have been highlighted at international and national conferences, seminars, meetings, published in mass-media. The entire information campaign allowed raise awareness of a wide public about the problem and steps could be taken to solve it.

One more strength of the project is that a plenty of nature protection organization have been involved into the project activities. Thus, expedition arranged by the National Association of Biodiversity Conservation of Kazakhstan has allowed capture 3 additional areas of the country.

Strong support and understanding of the local authorities of necessity implementing measures on preservation of saiga has been is reached and a joint actions have been developed by the NGO and local authorities.

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Indicators

Biophysical

Number of national policies informed in biodiversity focal area 1

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