Strengthening the resilience of ecosystems and communities at high risk from climate change | Haiti

ASB is working with its partner organizations on the project for the responsible management of the Grand Bois National Park. This includes both protection and rehabilitation of the area and compliance with the rules for the use of natural resources. Priority is given to strengthening cooperation with relevant institutions and other partners for the implementation of park management delegated to HNT-SAH (partner organizations). ASB assists in the implementation and monitoring of the park's rehabilitation and environmental management plan.

In addition, good practices for climate change adaptation and campaigns to increase environmental awareness in public schools will be implemented. For example, plans include the establishment of a school garden and a tree nursery at four schools in the project area, accompanied by a training process and the formation of a management committee involving the entire school community. At the end of the project, the school gardens will produce enough production to supply the school cafeterias in the participating schools.

In collaboration with its partner HNT-SAH, ASB is working to restore biodiversity in Grand Bois National Park. To achieve this, invasive plants are removed with the support of volunteers, the reforestation of the park with native species continues and the capacity of the tree nurseries is increased. Finally, the so-called critical points will be rehabilitated to protect the park. As part of these measures, about 400 volunteers will be working in the park and in the buffer zone.

In addition, ASB supports the implementation of numerous campaigns in the project area to raise environmental awareness with regard to the biodiversity of the national park, environmental protection and the many benefits of intact ecosystems for the local population. Local partner organizations receive support to strengthen their lobbying and campaigning skills. The project aims to increase local ownership and effectiveness in the fight against climate change and environmental degradation.

As part of this project component, further development of the honey value chain in the project area is planned. The already established local beekeepers association APMKS was an important outcome in the previous phase of the project. In the current phase of the project, ASB will support capacity strengthening with the aim of expanding production capacity and improving marketing. New reforestation campaigns involving communities and honey-producing families are also planned. In addition to the honey value chain, two other environmentally friendly value chains will be identified that take into account the specificities of the area, the interrelationships and interactions between ecosystems, and the sustainable use of resources with a view to strengthening resilience.

The project is implemented jointly by ASB and the local partner organizations HNT-SAH and FeODTI, with ASB coordinating and providing technical support in particular for project and financial management. Continuous processing and sharing of lessons learned, as well as interaction with relevant stakeholders of the project is essential for resilience building and the sustainability of the project. The fragile environment in Haiti requires constant monitoring of the security situation and adaptation of planning.

Another focus of ASB's support to partner organizations is in the area of public relations and campaigning. With expert support from the ASB public relations specialist, the respective project teams of the partner organizations are supported in the areas of communication and visibility in the development of communication products.