Protected area assessment and reporting : an examination of current approaches and evolving needs with application of an integrated model in Egypt

Assessment and reporting (A/R) initiatives such as State of the Environment Reporting, State of the Protected Area Reporting and Management Effectiveness Assessment provide protected area managers and their clients with tools and knowledge to better understand complex human-ecological relationships, and support efforts to achieve more sustainable living. This research reports on the findings of a global survey of 62 A/R initiatives in 19 countries and a corresponding analysis of the application of the ecosystem approach in these initiatives. An organisational culture that supports evaluation and participation is an important ingredient for effective A/R. Survey respondents believe that participatory approaches yield many benefits despite greater complexity of the process and expenditure of time and resources. Benefits include: realising positive conservation outcomes; helping to enrich the organisation’s technical capacity through the contributions of others; improving the accuracy, completeness, acceptance and use of information; and enhancing organisational transparency, cooperation and the capacity of the participants. On average, the A/Rs examined achieve a moderate to high degree of success in implementing the ecosystem approach through their A/Rs, as determined through a proposed composite index to assess application of the ecosystem approach. An integrated planning and assessment model and a priority setting procedure were developed to simplify and improve requirements for protected area A/R while ensuring technical rigor. The results and lessons from field testing elements of the integrated model in four Egyptian National Parks are presented. Overall, the research suggests it is possible to integrate sophisticated management tools and achieve effective and efficient processes for performance assessment in protected areas.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo