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Elephants ts By Yaw Osei-Owusu Human-Wildlife ConfliC t Technical Manual CONSERVATION ALLIANCE INTERNATIONAL 2018By Yaw Osei-Owusu Human-Wildlife ConfliC t Technical Manual This Technical manual is adapted from the training manual developed by Yaw Osei-Owusu the second is mitigation (easement) of the problem making sure the problem does not go out of hand; and the third is prevention from human-elephant conflict through land use planning prevent the conflict from occurring altogether. Eventually, the best way to resolve conflicts between humans and elephants is to use a decentralized, farmer-based approach, which uses features of all these three strategies: community-based problem-elephant control. We would like to express our appreciation to Yaw Osei-Owusu, the Executive Director of Conservation Alliance-executors of the project who, by his enthusiasm and strong personal skills, made the project a success and this training package a reality. Nana Kofi Adu-Nsiah Executive Director Wildlife Division Ghana. Preface T 2 Human-Wildlife Conflict Elephants | TEchnical ManualTable of contents Preface 4 Foreword 6 Using this manual 7 Glossary 8 List of acronyms 9 Summary 10 Chapter 1.0 Human wildlife conflict 11 1.1 Introduction and History 11 1.2 Background of human-elephant conflict 13 1.3 Overview of current methods for HEC management 18 Chapter 2.0 Protection: Crop protection methods 20 2.1 Traditional techniques 21 2.2 Acoustic Deterrents 22 2.3 Physical Barrier Systems 23 2.4 Vegetative barriers 24 2.5 Fencing 25 2.6 Chemical deterrents 26 Chapter 3.0 Mitigation: Easement of HEC 27 3.1 Benefit sharing 27 3.3 Shoot and sell Live game sales 28 3.2 Problem Animal Control (Pac) Units 28 3.4 Tourism hunting 28 3.5 Compensation and Insurance Schemes 29 3.6 Translocation 29 3.7 local land use planning 29 Chapter 4.0 Prevention: Land use planning 30 4.1 Land use planning 30 4.2 PEC management through land use planning 31 Chapter 5.0 Community-based problem-elephant control 33 5.1 Background 34 5.2 Introducing CBPEC methods in a community 35 5.3 Community involvement 38 5.4 Monitoring and Evaluation 39 5.5 Concluding remarks 41 Chapter 6.0 Practical Exercises 42 Annexes Annex A 44 Annex B 47 Annex C 49 Annex D 51 Annex E 52 References 54| Human-Wildlife Conflict Elephants TEchnical Manual 3 perennial problem confronting conservation of Kakum and Bia Conservation Areas is human-elephant conflict. It is estimated that there are around 60-80 farming communities, with around 1200 households, within a 5k radius of these parks. With a successful conservation effort since the development of ecotourism and conservation of lands within the corridor, the backlash has been a continuous raiding of crops by elephants, primates, birds, duikers etc. resulting in severe food insecurity within the communities. This situation has on a number of occasions led to serious poaching, loss of farmers livelihoods and killing of humans. Ensuring farmers livelihoods and food security through reduction of conflict between forest fringe communities and wildlife is an international agreed goal. Achieving this goal is within outreach given sufficient political will, adequate resources and an integrated response from governments and civil society. In rural areas where poor fringe communities live close to nature and are dependent on natural resources, conservation can help find equitable ecological sustainable solutions to conflicts and food security. A range of crop protection methods have been implemented in the past, but with little overall effort. Resolving the conflict issue has become critical to the conservation of elephant population, the effective management of forests and improvement of community livelihoods. Over the past five years both conservation and development thinking have advance enormously to design and implement simple deterrents that have worked to mitigate conflicts and enhance farming activities. This manual, which is one of the products of a project implemented by Conservation Alliance in Ghana, fulfils the dreams of many conservationists to develop long-term strategy to promote the co-habitation of humans and elephants including land use planning. Yaw Osei-Owusu Executive Director Conservation Alliance Interntional Foreword A 4 Human-Wildlife Conflict Elephants | TEchnical ManualUsing this manual raining materials are teaching aids used during training to facilitate effective communication and learning. A training package was developed under project “Reducing Human-Elephant Conflict through improved monitoring, stakeholder engagements and law enforcement”, organized and funded by the African Elephant Fund (AEF). The project was implemented in Ghana around Kakum and Bia Conservation Areas. The training package, which includes a technical training manual and a farmers manual explains the techniques for reducing elephant-crop damage to farmers for adoption. Some of the techniques described were tested during this project. The overall goal of the project was: To mitigate the impact of human-elephant conflict upon rural farmers, first by introducing strategies to protect crops, and second through periodic monitoring and law enforcement to reduce vulnerability of farms at the edge of forest reserves. This technical manual has been designed for use in training field staff in principles and procedures of the techniques for protecting crops from damage by elephants and improving crop yields on farms. Exercises have been suggested for practice by trainees. Chapter 1 explores the background and history human-wildlife conflict. It provides examples of human-wildlife conflicts both in the past and present- day and shows that such conflicts have been around for as long as wild animals and people have shared the same landscapes. The chapter also explains that the problem cannot be completely solved; it can only be reduced and that Government, communities and other organizations should work together to reduce the problem. Chapter 2 explains the techniques for reducing crop losses through elephants damages. The techniques involved are low technology and utilities cheap, readily available materials. Participants shall be encouraged to review current Problem Animal Control (PAC) methods, and assess their effectiveness using a number of criteria. Chapter 3 focuses on the easement of the human elephant conflict. It examines the various problem animal control units and makes the case for benefit sharing as one of the options for human elephant conflict mitigation. Chapter 4 examines land use planning as the best options for reducing human- elephant conflict. The crop protection strategy so far described will reduce the incidence of crop damage in the short term. However, none of the above methods tackle the root of the conflict problem. The underlying land use problem is the farmer are growing food crops close to the forest or conservation area edge. To address the rood problems it will be necessary to institute a system of land use change in areas affected by crop raiding. This chapter focuses on appropriate land use planning in fringe communities, leading to the avoidance of crop raiding. Chapter 5 looks at community based problem elephant control methods. It provides guidelines for community involvement and explains procedures for monitoring and evaluation of the various methods to determine their effectiveness. Chapter 6 provides practical measures and exercises for participants. It is expected that on completion of the training exercises, the participants will have the necessary skills and knowledge to introduce crop protection strategies to farmers around forests and conservation areas where similar exists. The trainees will also learn about appropriate methods of food crop production to achieve improved yields. Throughout this manual the term park is being used and implies forest reserve, protected area, national park or any other area, which elephants inhabit although the techniques have been tested in Ghana near a forest reserve with a population of forest elephants (Loxodonta africana). We hope that all those who use this manual will find it a valuable tool in transferring information on elephant anti-crop raiding deterrents and crop improvement. This manual has been divided into 6 chapters. T| Human-Wildlife Conflict Elephants TEchnical Manual 51 A conservation area or protected area or national park in the text refers to a forest reserve 2 A forest fringe community is a community located close to a forest Glossary 3 For several months each year, male elephants emit a message-laden chemical secretion from glands above their cheeks. Its part of an annual social phase known as musth, a time of pumped-up aggression and sexual activity for males at or beyond their teen years. 6 Human-Wildlife Conflict Elephants | TEchnical ManualList of acronyms CBPAC Community Based Problem Animal Control CBPEC Community Based Problem Elephant Control CA Conservation Alliance CI Conservation International CIG Common Interest Groups FAO Food Agriculture Organization of the United Nations HEC Human Elephant Conflict HWC Human Wildlife Conflict PAC Problem Animal Control PEC Problem Elephant Control WD Wildlife Division of Ghana Forestry Commission| Human-Wildlife Conflict Elephants TEchnical Manual 7Few animals elicit such drastically different human emotions, as do elephants. Elephants capture the imagination and unswerving affection of people worldwide but inspire animosity and fear among those sharing their land with these huge animals. Field reports from across Africa describe local antipathy to elephants beyond that expressed for any other wildlife. Communities surrounding forest reserves and conservation areas engage in small- scale subsistence and cash-crop farming. Those farms close to the boundary are vulnerable to elephant crop damage, which is most intense during the food crop-harvesting season, but also occurs to a lesser extent throughout the year. Elephants jeopardize communities food security and livelihoods and communities attitudes towards elephants are consequently negative. Resolving the conflict has become critical to the improvement of the livelihood of rural communities co-existing with elephants and the conservation of the elephant population. The African Elephant Fund (AEF) and Conservation Alliance (CA) initiated a joint project to mitigate the conflict between farmers and elephants, and ultimately improve food security in communities surrounding the Kakum and Bia Conservation Areas. The Kakum and Bia Conservation Areas cover 350 km2 and 305 km2 respectively. Of moist tropical forest and represents the few remaining areas of West Africas Upper Guinean Forest hotspots with most of its plants and animals relatively intact (CI, 2004). The human elephant conflict component of the project had a two-stage approach: first, the implementation of crop protection measures to reduce the amount of crop damage; and, second institute a system of land use planning which discourages the cultivation of target crops close to park boundaries and improves the productivity of farming in communities. It developed a training package made up of a technical manual and a farmers manual for training farmers on how to reduce elephant crop damage. The project successfully promoted a number of crop protection methods, particularly low-tech community-based problem animal control methods (traditional methods, chili pepper- grease fencing, chili-dung bricks, bamboo blasters, alarm bells, bee hives and field patrols). These methods have been implemented successfully elsewhere; however, if they are unsuccessful in meeting the demand for conflict mitigation then a set of mid-tech or high-tech interventions should be used. A low-tech approach is strongly recommended initially as the cost and the implementation logistics are undemanding. High-tech methods such as electric fencing are only recommended as a last resort. Techniques that are low-cost and community-oriented stand a better chance of success, as they are affordable, and are wholly owned and administered by the farmers. Low-tech community-based PAC methods were conveyed to the community through demonstration sites. These sites were established in each of the target communities and these were the focal points for the dissemination of methods and training. The demonstration sites were selected on the following criteria: high vulnerability to crop damage; level of community cooperation; and accessibility of the site to other communities. The experimental design should be simple and robust, in response to the variable and heterogeneous nature of the area.It is recognized that the crop protection strategy fulfils a “stopgap” approach to conflict. The immediate benefits will be the reduction of crop damage in communities around the project areas. However, the approach does not tackle the fundamental causes of conflict. These must be broached by land management, which forms the second component of the programme. Land-use planning is essential and it is a fundamental element of conflict mitigation. Summary A 8 Human-Wildlife Conflict Elephants | TEchnical Manual
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