Stream 1 Parallel Plenary – Promoting Effective & Well-Managed Networks of Protected & Conserved Areas in Africa Session

Panel 2: Other Effective Area Based Conservation Measures (OECM or AMCE) – can they fill the gap?

Panel 2 will be moderated by Trevor Sandwith who will introduce OECMs & how they contribute to effectiveness, connectivity, representation. Daniel Marnewick will provide a key-note address to demystify OECMs, & relate this to the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. OECMs allow for the inclusion of rights-holders & stakeholders who contribute to conservation through area-based conservation outside formal protected areas, including (IPLCs).

Four panellists (Gordon Nwutih Ajonina , Charles Doumenge , Solofo Ralaimihaotra, & Francis Okalo will discuss emerging needs for more marine protected areas; & share experiences of management plan & business plan development process for Cameroon’s first marine national park in Central Africa. Africa’s traditional, spiritual & cultural values contribute to area-based conservation & are essential to achieve management objectives at national, regional & global levels. This will help bring stakeholders in charge of conservation & land use planning policies to better understand the differences & complementarities between protected areas & “conservation” areas. But this will require improved policies & legal frameworks by securing communities’ rights & collaborating with them to be in charge of sustainable management of their resources & will ensure effectiveness of the management measures they adopt. The Global Biodiversity Framework places emphasis on equity & governance & it is important to recognize the role of both state & users in achieving this by 2030.

Participant discussion will address questions such as: How can community conserved areas be respected & recognized as OECMs? What can we do to increase importance of marine conservation contribution to OECMs? What are we learning from community conserved areas? What actions do we need to undertake to improve the recognition of community conserved areas?? What is the role of conservation on private lands, agricultural lands or other lands/areas in government control, etc