HIGHARCS - Integrated Action Plans (IAPs) Reports
HighARCS has achieved a detailed assessment of aquatic resources from different perspectives (conservation, livelihood and policy) for five sites in Asia. The results were gathered in several Integrated Action Plans (IAPs) Reports:
Buxa (West Bengal, India): aquatic resources are declining because they represent inhabitants’ sustenance. Institutions have limited their access in order to preserve both biodiversity and livelihood. Dissemination of Information, education and institutional strengthening are crucial for IAPs with regard to biodiversity protection. Special attention has been paid to self-help groups, Panchayats (a local government assembly) and Farmers Clubs. Regarding livelihoods, development of proper skills and abilities have been considered. Strengthening self-help groups and Farmers Clubs is considered a cross-institutional way to influence both biodiversity and livelihoods.
Beijiang River (South China): dams, mechanical sand drugging activities and water pollution affect biodiversity in this river. The loss of aquatic resources is threatening the livelihood of fishers. Main suitable actions include the increase of financial resources for preserving ecosystems, restoring aquatic plants, reducing eucalyptus forests, setting no fishing periods, reducing iron ore mining pollution and rationalizing the use of chemicals in agriculture.
Dakrong District (Quang Tri, Vietnam): this zone contains a lot of aquatic species, but biodiversity is threatened by hydrological dams, gold mining pollution, agricultural chemicals and domestic waste. Local communities depend on agriculture, and aquatic resources are used mainly to enrich their diet. There are some overlaps between regulations among several national institutions, and their implementation at small scale is deficient. Main IAP proposals include strengthening the regulations for coffee factories and hydro companies, improving local knowledge about environmental protection and fishing regulations, constructing tanks for drinking water, promoting mini-hydro power devices, training for producing medicinal plants and improving livestock, enabling production of brooms and handcraft souvenirs and increasing fishing stocks.
Phu Yen District (Son La, Vietnam): overfishing and destructive fishing methods, agricultural pollution, deforestation and hydropower dams are the main threats regarding aquatic biodiversity, whereas lack of wet land for rice cultivation, animal diseases and low productivity affect livelihood. IAP proposes, among others, to develop a legislative framework for avoiding erosion and overfishing, training people in sustainable fishing and punishing illegal fishing activities.
Nainital (Uttarakhand, India): this zone has more than a hundred lakes with a wide variety of fauna and flora. It suffers from eutrophication due to urban waste and agricultural pollution, sedimentation and surface runoff. Tourism is the main economic activity: boating, fishing and agriculture depend directly on aquatic resources. Main proposed actions are: monitoring illegal fishing; fish release programmes; monitoring to prevent garbage and waste water disposal; marketing handicrafts and agricultural products; crop protection; silt removal in Bhimtal lake.
Source:
Mishra, R. and D. Ray. 2011. Integrated action plan: Buxa HighARCS (India). India: Jalpaiguiri, 43 p. [unpublished report]
Luo, S., Cai, K., Liu, Y., Jiang, B., Zhao, H., Cui, K. et.al. 2012. Report on integrated action plan for conservation and sustainable use of aquatic resources in Beijang River China. China: South China Agricultural University. 64 p. [unpublished report]
Phuong, N.T.D., Tien, N.T.H., Thinh, D.V., Sugden, F., Smith, K., Lund, S. and S. Bunting. 2012. HighARCS integrated action planning for the Dakrong District study site, Quang Tri Province, Vietnam. Vietnam: Quang Tri, 58 p. [unpublished report]
Phuong, N.T.D. Tien, N.T.H., Thinh, D.V., Sugden, F., Smith, K., Lund, S. and S. Bunting. 2012. HighARCS integrated action planning for the Phu Yen District study site, Son La Province, Vietnam. Vietnam: Son La, 44 p. [unpublished report]
Kundu, N., Pal, M., Shaw, S. and M. Bhattacharya. 2012. Integrated Action Plan (IAP): Uttarakhand, India. India: Uttarakhand. 78 p. [unpublished report].
