ANNUAL PROGRAMME/PROJECT REPORT (APR)

Basic programme/project information (To be provided by programme or project management)

Programme or project number and title: / ALB/97/G33/A/1G/99 Conservation of Wetlands and Coastal
Ecosystems in the Mediterranean Region
Designated institution: / Ministry of Environment
Project starting date: / 15 November 1999
Originally planned: / September 1999
Actual: / 15 November 1999
Project completion date: / 15 November 2004
Originally planned: / 15 November 2004
New:
Total budget ($): / $ 1,901,000
Original: / $ 1,901,000
Latest signed revision: / April 2001
Period covered by the report: / January 1st – December 31st 2001

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PART I: NUMERICAL RATING

Rate the relevance and performance of the programme or project using the following scale:

1 – Highly satisfactory / 4 – Unsatisfactory
2 – Satisfactory / X – Not applicable
3 – Unsatisfactory, with some positive elements

Place your answer in the column that corresponds to your role in the programme or project.

SUBSTANTIVE FOCUS / Target
Group ( s ) / Programme
of Project Manager / Government / UNDP
A. RELEVANCE
1- How relevant is the programme or project
to the development priorities of the
Country? / 1 / 1 / 1 / 2
2- How relevant is the programme or project
to the promotion of sustainable human
Development? / 1 / 2 / 2 / 2
3- Are appropriate beneficiary groups being
targeted by the programme or project? / 1 / 1 / 1 / 2
4- Does the programme or project address the
gender – differentiated needs of the target
groups? / 2 / 2 / x / 2
5- Given the objectives of the programme of
project , are the appropriate institutions
being assisted / 2 / 1 / 2 / 1

B. PERFORMANCE

Immediate Objective / Outputs / Indicator(s) / Source of Verification / Actual level achieved / Problems faced / Corrective measures / 2001 Rating

TG PM Gov UNDP

1. National policies and tools to address policy-related root causes of the loss of wetland and coastal biodiversity are promoted and capacity is developed / 1.1 A national policy framework that addresses the root causes of the policy deficiencies that has led to biodiversity loss. / National wetland policy/strategy is developed and adopted (compliant with Ramsar convention?) / Biodiversity Strategy adopted by Government / The gaps of environmental legislation has been assessed by the local expert / 2 / 2 / 2 / 2
Financial and human resources allocated to implement policy/strategy / Budget/workplan / Lack of financial & human resources / Creation of Ministry of Environm. / 2 / 2 / 2 / X
1.2 Cross-sectoral planning at the national level / Set up and operation of a representative National Steering Committee / Membership of national steering committee / Membership of NSC is interministerial / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1
Minimum of two meeting a year / Three meetings have been organized during 2001 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1
Minutes of NSC meetings / Minutes of meetings have been signed by members of NSC and relevant recommendations implemented / 1 / 2 / 1 / 1
1.3 A legal and regulatory framework that provides the basis for durable, efficient protection of wetlands with significant biodiversity / Development and adoption of legal instruments for site protection, (land acquisition, land use/zoning, etc.). / Legal, regulatory and enforcement instruments in place, and, where relevant, approved by Parliament / The environmental legislative gaps
has been assessed and discussed in the NSC. The laws to be drafted have been recommended.
A draft to proclaim the project sites as protected areas is prepared. / Lack of proper legal tools / Preparation of draft law on biodiversity and protected areas / 2 / 2 / 1 / 2
Number (and % reductions) of violations to the legislative and enforcement instruments / X / X / X / X
2. The root causes of biodiversity loss in key demonstration sites are removed, and sites are protected. / 2.1 Improved information base / Completion of site diagnosis studies (bio-physical and socio-economic) within 18 months / Site diagnosis studies completed and provided on MedWetCoast website / Site diagnosis studies, as well as socio-economic and wetlands studies have been completed. Short, medium and long-term measures and actions to be implemented have been recommended. Some priority actions have been identified to implement. / Lack of data in Karaburuni and Sazani area / Further studies need to be completed / 2 / 2 / 2 / 2
Establish and make available site databases / Maps prepared / 3 updated physical maps and 6 thematic maps have been prepared. / 1 / 1 / 1 / 2
Database available (provided on MedWetCoast website?) / X / X / X / X
2.2 Biophysical and Socio-Economic Monitoring systems for each site / Monitoring programme established and operational / Reports of supervisory entity / The monitoring programme of species is under preparation. / The monitoring program of species and socio-economic indicators is under preparation / 2 / 2 / 2 / 2
Minimum of 2 (?) monitoring visits per week / Financial and human resources dedicated for monitoring. / Hidrological and Water Quality Monitoring Program is completed and approved in NSC. / 2 / 1 / 2 / 2
Number and type of surveys carried out / Inclusion of monitoring data in database / Monitoring for 12 months is contracted with Hidrometrologic Institute. / 2 / 2 / 2 / 2
2.3 Site management committees / Establish functional local management committee/task force / Local meeting minutes and reports / Members of Local Steering Committee are representatives of local authorities and local institutions. Two meetings of LSC have been organized.
Minutes of meetings have been taken. / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1
Minimum of one local management committee meetings per month / Questionnaire for local committee ever year to assess effectiveness of management committee. / Not yet prepared. / X / X / X / X
2.4 Site management plans / The management plan is established and approved by the local management committee. / Draft site management planning document is completed within 6 months of completing site diagnosis / The management plans are not yet developed / X / X / X / X
Inclusion of the annual work plan within the management plan / Annual workplans and budgets / X / X / X / X
2.5 Local management units / Status of staffing of local management unit / Work plan/staffing plan / A local implementation office has been established under project budget. The local management unit has not yet set up. / X / X / X / X
Availability of financial and material resources for local management unit / Budget and financial resources allocation plan / X / X / X / X
Mandated and recognized for coordinating the execution of the project at the local level / Inventory of physical assets / X / X / X / X
Terms of reference for Local Management Unit / X / X / X / X
2.5 bis Site management units / Availability of staffing / The site management units have not been estableshed. / X / X / X / X
Availability of financial and material resources / X / X / X / X
Availability of legal tools to intervene in the implementation of the management plans / X / X / X / X
2.6 On-site protection of biodiversity / Legal protection of site / Field visits / Concrete actions are taken for dredging small Narta channel and cleaning up of Soda forest. / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1
Concrete actions taken for the protection and conservation of biodiversity / Work plans/Staffing / Projects for reforestation of 2 sites are prepared and are under implementation / 2 / 2 / 2 / 2
Management plan / X / X / X / X
Budget / X / X / X / X
Legal framework / X / X / X / X
2.7 Public Awareness and engagement / Involvement of the population in media activities / Educational and awareness material produced / Public awareness activities have been organized for World Wetland Day and World Environmental Day.
The local TV has presented such activities.
Local communities and NGOs have been involved.
During summer an awareness activity has been organized on forest fires. / 2 / 2 / 2 / 2
Meeting minutes and participants / Meetings have been organised with local communities. Local authorities and LSC members were participated at the meetings. / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1
News reports / Local media have presented the different activities of the project. / 2 / 2 / 2 / 2
3. "Closing of the Mediterranean circle" through cost-effective regional networking for transfer of lessons, interchange and training / 3.1 Regional networking, sharing of experience and publication / Number of national partners engaged in regional meetings / Meeting reports/minutes and list of participants / Representatives of project staff and Ministry of Environment were engaged in regional meetings. / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1
Frequency of regional and national counterparts are interacting and communicating / Experience has exchanges during the regional seminars and training. The communication with RFU has been regularly. RFU has supported the project implementation / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1
Monitoring of intranet on MedWetCoast website / X / X / X / X
Number and type of publications prepared and distributed / Publications produced / 2 issues of Project newsletter have been published and a third one is under preparation. / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1
3.2 Training of all concerned project counterparts / Number of workshops offered and attended by national counterparts / Workshop and meeting reports / The training in local level about site management is under preparation. / 3 / 3 / 3 / 3
Level of skills acquisition related to training session / Pre and post training evaluations / X / X / X / X
Number of modules and methodologies disseminated through trainings / Extent of adoption of standardized methodologies / X / X / X / X

TG: Target Group ( s )

PM: Programme or project manager

Gov: Government

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Target group(s) / Programme or project manager / Government / UNDP
OVERALL RATING OF THE PROGRAMME OR PROJECT / 2 / 2 / 2 / 2

PART II: TEXTUAL ASSESSMENT

1.  What are the major achievements of the programme or project vis-à-vis the expected results during the year under review? To the extent possible, include an assessment of the potential impact, sustainability and contribution to capacity development.

The major achievements of the project during January-December 2001 are as follows:

¨  Completing the site diagnosis reports and relevant maps, including two very important studies on socio-economic analyses and wetlands is a very important task of the project. 3 updated physical maps and 6 thematic maps have been prepared. The final report has been discussed in the NSC and LSC meetings. Recommendations and priority actions for improving the situation and management plan preparations have been given. Based on the Site Diagnosis data and monitoring recommendations, the Monitoring Program is under preparation.

¨  The assessment of gaps on environmental legislation has been completed by the local expert. Recommendation for improvement of existing laws and regulations, as well as completing the Albanian environmental legislation framework has been done. The document has been discussed in the NSC meeting. The international expert is expected to revise the report and to complete it after a visit in Albania and a close cooperation with local legal experts.

¨  The Hydrological Monitoring Program has been prepared in collaboration with the Hydrological Institute. The contract of hydrological monitoring for 12 months is signed with the Hydrological Institute, which is the responsible institute by the Government Decision for hydrological monitoring. This monitoring starts on September 2001. The first report with hydrological data is expected to be delivered in the beginning of 2002.

¨  Aiming controlling the situation, as well as public awareness, during the summer (August-September), implementation of a monitoring programme on forest fires in project area has been realised. Local peoples (10 persons) have taken part on this project. The situation on fires in project area was controlled and improved comparing with the last year.

¨  Three meetings of National Steering Committee and two meetings of Local Steering Committee have been held. All reports delivered during the 2001 were discussed on the NSC and LSC meetings. After the creation of Ministry of Environment, the Minister of Environment chairs the NSC meeting. The decisions of NSC and LSC meetings have given an important input to the project implementation. These meetings bringing together different institutions were a good occasion of discussions for improving the environmental situation in Albania, especially in project area. Additionally, these meetings are helping the project to increase the cooperation with governmental and non-governmental institutions.

¨  The central office has recruited the national technical expert, aiming monitoring of implementation of activities by the local office and ensuring a close linkage between central and local level.

¨  In the framework of recommendations of SD report, the forth meeting of NCS held on July 13, 2001, decided to start the implementation of two priority actions:

1.  'Rehabilitation Works in the Little Channel in Narta Lagoon';

2.  'Rehabilitation Works and Cleaning up in Soda Forest Area'.

Implementation of two projects has been successful. The local authority and local community were satisfied by works done. National and local media have presented the activities.

The two above-mentioned projects already completed have a potential impact on the Soda forest and communication of the Narta wetland with the sea is improved by the rehabilitation of small channel.