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Towards The Best Practice Standard of Protected Areas

Paata Shanshiahsvili

​

USAD/USDOI-ITAP National Parks

and Ecotourism Program

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Paata Shanshiashvili, U.S. DOI-ITAP

Technical Advisor and In-Country Coordinator for Georgia

Paata Shanshiashvili has served as USDOI-ITAP’s technical advisor for more than 15 years. He has established best practices Course on park management and mentored more than one thousand personnel in Georgia and Internationally. In 2004, he was nominated for the IUCN/World Commission on Protected Areas Fred Packard Award. From 1998-2005, he also served as the director of The World Bank/GEF -- Georgia Protected Areas Development Project.

Prior to that, he worked as the conservation program coordinator for the World Wide Fund for Nature in Georgia from 1992-1997.

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The Best Practice Standard

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USAD/USDOI-ITAP National Parks and Ecotourism Program

2016 -2024

    • Component 1: Improve Organizational Capacity
    • Component 1: Generate Sustainable Economic Development through Ecotourism
    • Component 1: Build Regional Influence
    • Component 1: Cross-Cutting Activities

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U.S. Department of The Interior:

    • Established in 1849
    • Employs 70 000 highly skilled individuals
    • Administers 203 million hectares of federal land (Incl. National Parks, Wildlife

Refuges, Wilderness, Historic Sites, Multiple Use Areas, Urban Sites and Variety

of Objects)

    • Collects Revenue more than $10 billion Per Year

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USAD/USDOI-ITAP National Parks and Ecotourism Program

2016 -2024

Methodology of Technical assistance:

    • Familiarization Webinars
    • Fundamental trainings, seminars and workshops
    • US based Study tours
    • Technical Assistance for development of legal & policy framework,

technical guidelines, protocols and instructions

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USAD/USDOI-ITAP National Parks and Ecotourism Program

2016 -2024

Park Management Spheres of Activities:

​

    • Conservation and Resource Management
    • Visitor Services and Public Uses
    • Outreach and Environmental Education
    • Law Enforcement
    • Sustainable Infrastructure
    • Institutional Strengthening

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USAD/USDOI-ITAP National Parks and Ecotourism Program

2016 -2024

Mission of Protected Areas:

​

Unimpaired Safeguarding of Greater Public Good

While Providing Universal Public Access

The best practice content of knowledge transfer:

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USAD/USDOI-ITAP National Parks and Ecotourism Program

2016 -2024

Integrating instruments of Spheres of Activities:

​

    • Comprehensive legal and policy framework

​

    • Planning cycle: National systems planning, management

planning, operational planning and specialized planning

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​

​

    • Strict protection - Strict Nature Reserve/Wilderness Area
    • Ecosystem conservation and recreation - National Park
    • Conservation of natural features - Natural Monument
    • Conservation through active management - Habitat/Species

Management Area

Categories Under Public Ownership and Full Jurisdiction of the Protected Areas Agency

​

​

Categories Under the Multiple Ownership and Jurisdiction of Various Institutions

Protected Areas National Categories

    • Landscape conservation and recreation - Protected Landscape
    • Sustainable use of natural ecosystems – Multiple Use Protected Area

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GLOBAL DESIGNATIONS:

​

    • THE WORLD HERITAGE : Natural, Cultural, Mixed and Cultural Landscapes (Associated Cultural Landscapes)
    • Biosphere Reserves
    • Ramsar Sites
    • Emerald Network and other European Designations

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MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES AND PROTECTED AREAS CATEGORIES:

​

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

 

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

  • Maintenance of environmental services

​

1

1

3

1

1

1

​

  • Wilderness protection

1

1

3

2

3

2

 

  • Preservation of species and genetic diversity

​

1

1

1

1

2

1

 

  • Scientific research

1

2

2

2

2

3

 

  • Tourism and recreation

​

-

1

1

3

1

3

 

  • Education

​

2

2

2

2

2

3

 

  • Sustainable (traditional) use of resources from natural ecosystems

​

-

3

3

2

2

1

 

  • Maintenance of cultural / traditional attributes

​

-

3

3

3

1

2

 

Key: 1. Primary objective

2. Secondary objective

3. Potentially applicable objective

- Not applicable

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Planning Exercise

  • Prerequisite and Facilitating Principles:
  • Area Based Planning
  • Participatory Process
  • Smooth Linkage of Spatial, Urban and Specialized Planning Levels
  • Fulfillment of international Obligations Approximation-Adaptation
  • Good Governance
  • Quality Data
  • Cohesion
  • Consistency to Global/Regional Obligations
  • Sustainable Development
  • Equity of environmental, economic and social spheres
  • Consideration of: Climate Change, Ecosystems Services, Environmental Carrying Capacity, Biodiversity, LDN, Ecological integrity and Connectivity
  • Operationalization of Safeguard Policies and tools

​

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USAD/USDOI-ITAP National Parks and Ecotourism Program

2016 -2024

Recourse Management (Natural-Cultural-Mixed):

​

    • Baseline Study
    • Conservation Measures
    • Wilderness Approach
    • Sustainable Uses: Consumptive, Non consumptive
    • Subsistence Uses
    • Monitoring

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USAD/USDOI-ITAP National Parks and Ecotourism Program

2016 -2024

II. Visitor Services and Public Uses

​

    • Interpretation:
    • Identity package.
    • Universal design
    • Servicing before, during and after the visit
    • Providing recreation, adventure and participation in projects
    • Mobilizing of strong public support and encouraging activism

​

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USAD/USDOI-ITAP National Parks and Ecotourism Program

2016 -2024

III. Public Outreach and Environmental Education

​

    • Awareness building on resources, threats and responses.
    • Technique: Target audiences, key messages, communication means
    • Visitor Spending Effect Model

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USAD/USDOI-ITAP National Parks and Ecotourism Program

2016 -2024

IV. Law Enforcement and Search & Rescue

​

    • Non ‘policing’ approach, intelligence and safe patrolling
    • Quality Search & Rescue through effective partnerships
    • Respectful Recognition of Rangers and Ranger Duties

​

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USAD/USDOI-ITAP National Parks and Ecotourism Program

2016 -2024

V. Sustainable Facility and Infrastructure Development

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    • Sustainable design
    • Full (life time) cost attitude.
    • Certification (LEED) of new designs and existing structures.

​

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SUSTAINABLE DESIGN PARADIGM:

Be in Harmony With the Site:

​

Be Visually Compatible

Be Culturally Compatible

Be Ecologically Compatible

Provide for People :

Meet Basic Needs (shelter, safety, security, comfort)

Help Users "Recreate" (mentally, physically)

Be Accessible.

Be Environmentally Friendly:

Use Disturbed Areas

Minimize Impact on the Ecosystems

Use Matter and Energy Efficiently

Be Economical:

Optimize Design and Construction Costs

Minimize Maintenance Costs

Minimize Operation Costs

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USAD/USDOI-ITAP National Parks and Ecotourism Program

2016 -2024

VI. Institutional Strengthening

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    • Effective leadership/empowerment of individuals
    • Organizational development towards effectiveness and efficiency/good governance
    • Effective partnership (e.g. public-private and public-non profit partnerships)
    • The principal of a Necessary and Appropriate.
    • Flexible uniform program
    • Fees and revenues
    • Visitor and employee safety system.

​

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$ 1.00

SPENT ON

LANDSCAPE

ASSETS

=

$ 10.00

ECONOMIC BENEFIT

+

ESSENTIAL

HUMANITARIAN

VALUES

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