TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR EXTERNAL EVALUATION

Improving Sub-Watershed Management and Environmental Awareness in Ayubia National Park

(G200-Western Himalayas)

1. Project Description

The Sub-Watershed Management and Environmental Awareness Project financially supported by Coca Cola Foundation commenced in June 2009 as a 1 year project on Annual Renewal bases. The project area falls in the Western Himalayan Ecoregion, which is included in the Global 200 ecoregion. G200 Ecoregions is the scientific ranking of globally significant biodiversity areas selected by WWF. The Western Himalayan Ecoregion is also classified as one of the Endemic Birds Areas of the World (EBA) by the BirdLife International. The Western Himalayas is also the catchment area of Indus River which provides 70 - 80% water from the melting of snow and glaciers and 20-30% from rainfall to the Indus Delta. Its significance in Watershed management is critical; deforestation in the area will have far reaching consequences.

The project contributes both to the ecological footprints and biodiversity goals of the WWF Global Programme Framework. The project sites are situated on the periphery of Ayubia National Park, which is home to a number of important species of flora and fauna such as Common Leopard, Koklas Pheasant and Flying Squirrel among the wildlife and Cedrus deodara (Cedar) and Taxus wallichiana (Himalayan yew) are among the floral species having international importance. The project through conserving the flora, encouraging vegetation cover and introducing alternate options of energy will directly contribute to habitat improvement in and around the National Park. This will thus contribute to the biodiversity goal and milestones of the WWF’s Global Programme Framework. Moreover the project’s environmental education and awareness raising component for students, communities and tourists will reduce the issue of solid waste, waste water and wasteful consumption of fuel wood and freshwater will contribute to the ecological footprint of the Global Programme Framework.

2. Project Objectives

The project objectives are to contribute to sustainable water flows through watershed management in and around Ayubia National Park (ANP) and enhance environmental conservation through awareness raising.The project is working to the following objectives:

  1. To ensure support from key stakeholders for sustainable watershed management and conservation of natural resources;
  2. To introduce suitable land use management practices that contribute to improved quality and quantity of freshwater, improved natural habitats and improved local livelihoods;
  3. To conduct research for exploring best possible solutions of problems faced in watershed management;

To achieve the abovementioned goal and objectives the project focused on the following areas:

  1. Sensitization and mobilization of the key stakeholders;
  2. Introduction of improved agricultural practices that are beneficial to the health of the watersheds and livelihoods of the locals;
  3. Strem water management and stabilization of critical slopes,
  4. Improvement of vegetation cover on forest, grass and wastelands,
  5. Establishment of Roof water harvesting units
  6. Introduction of Alternative and Efficient energy trchnology
  7. Management of solid waste and wastewater
  8. Protection of natural springs and;
  9. Research on various aspects of watershed management.

3. Purpose of the Evaluation

The Evaluation is intended to assess the relevance, performance, management arrangements and progress of objectives, realization of outcomes and overall success of the project. This external evaluation will be conducted over the course of the four years of the project from its commencement and will be comprehensive, consultative and inductive. It will both measure and assess the achievements of the project andbased on these findings, inform how the project should proceed or be directed. At the outset, a clear evaluation methodology, terms of reference, set of progress indicators and framework for integrating ongoing evaluation findings into the future direction of the project will be devised by the evaluator /evaluation team.

The evaluation will assess the project with a view to its relevance to the work of the WWF-Pakistan and the ongoing sustainability of the project or key elements of its work. It will identify/document lessons learned and make recommendations during the implementation ofthe project.

4. Scope of the Evaluation

The evaluation is expected to cover the following project components:

a)Local communities mobilized for their effective role in natural resource conservation and watershed management

b)Stakeholders sensitized about the functions and issues of environment, biodiversity and watershedsStudents awareness and education through nature clubs, campaigns, eco guards etc.

c)Successfully introduced improved agriculture practices and alternative income generation activities to reduce pressure from forests for income generation

d)Suitable measures introduced to manage eroding streams and floods

e)Critical slopes and badlands treated with bio-engineering and engineering techniques

f)Vegetation cover on degraded forest and grass lands improved

g)Introduce measures to reduce pressure due to fuel wood and timber collection on existing forests

h)Perennial springs protected from degradation and contamination and safe drinking water made available to the local communities

i)Project sites where watershed management activities implemented, regularly monitored and research conducted

5. This evaluation has the following principal tasks:

  1. Assess the project design, activities and approach in terms of its relevance to the needs identified and reach to appropriate audiences
  2. Assess the cost-efficiency of project interventions;
  3. Assess the project impact on identified audiences in terms of awareness of gender equality and issues natural resource conservation;
  4. Assess relevance and effectiveness of the project’s strategy and approaches for the achievement of the project objectives;
  5. Assess performance of the project in terms of effectiveness, efficiency, and timeliness of producing the expected outputs;
  6. Assess the quality and quantity of existing project interventions and made recommendation for further improvement, if needed
  7. Assess relevance of the project’s management arrangements; identify advantages, bottlenecks and lessons learn with regard to the management arrangements;
  8. Review design and methodology of research trials conducted to assess the impact of project intervention on soil and water conservation and recommend measures for further improvement in research design and methodology
  9. Provide recommendations to Watershed Management Project staff and management and key project stakeholders for follow-up activities;
  10. Develop and impart a three days training to the WWF-P’s staff with sessions on:

-Improved research design, methodology, data collection and analysis to monitor the water recharge and sediments yield as a result of the watershed management interventions;

- Dry afforestation techniques;

-Improved irrigation system;

6. The reports should:

  1. Contain an executive summary (mandatory)
  2. Be analytical in nature (both quantitative and qualitative)
  3. Be structured around issues and related findings/lessons learnt
  4. Include conclusions
  5. Include recommendations

7. Timing and Duration

Evaluation will start form third week of September, 2013. The total duration of the evaluation with training will be Four Weeks(1st week for developing methodology and review of project documents, 2nd week for field visit/meeting with staff and community, 3rd week for report writing and 4th week for report preparation and training). The consultant may get further clarity on any other matters from the Co-coordinator, Watershed Project to clarify.

8. Required Qualification

  1. Master degree in water resources/ watershed management/ hydrology
  2. Understanding of the Natural Resource Management and Conservation projects with special focus on watershed and water related interventions with at least 10 years’ working experience in at least one of the above fields.
  3. Knowledge and experience in project assessment and evaluation, including demonstrated knowledge of both participatory and inductive evaluation methodologies
  4. Strong communication skills with an ability to engage with a range of diverse audiences

Contact With:

Interested candidates may send their CV/Proposal on the following email: