GEF-IWCAM Capture and Demonstration of Good Practice and
Lessons Learned Workshop
July 6th 8th 2009, Nassau, Bahamas
Global Environmental Facility-funded Integrated Watershed and
Coastal Area Management Project (GEF-IWCAM)
DRAFT FINAL
Guidance document on the selection of lessons learned and
good practices worthy of documentation for the GEF-IWCAM
project.
Prepared for the GEF-IWCAM Project by
Sylvester Clauzel, Scribal Consultancy Services
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 4
2.0 Rationale ............................................................................................................................................. 4
3.0 Project objectives ................................................................................................................................ 5
4.0 Description of demonstration projects and map .............................................................................6-7
5.0 Definitions ........................................................................................................................................... 7
5.1 Case Studies................................................................................................................................... 7
5.2 Experience Notes............................................................................................................................ 8
6.0 Assessing projects to determine holistic success - the triple bottom line approach........................... 9
6.1 Social: To demonstrate the capacity of a project to contribute to social development................... 9
6.2 Environmental: To demonstrate the capacity of a project to contribute to an improved natural
environment........................................................................................................................................... 9
6.3 Economic: To demonstrate the capacity of a project to contribute to viable and sustainable
economic activity................................................................................................................................. 10
7.0 Criteria for assessing lessons and good practice of projects to inform case studies ....................... 11
7.1 Framework for identifying case studies based on feasibility and demonstration value ................ 11
7.2 Criteria to be applied to all projects for identifying good practice and lessons learned....................
Feasibility ............................................................................................................................................ 11
7.2.1
Enabling policy and legislative environment ....................................................................... 12
7.2.2 Technical
Local capacity ..................................................................................................... 12
7.2.3 Community
participation...................................................................................................... 12
Demonstration value ...............................................................................................................................
7.2.4 Project Management ........................................................................................................... 13
8.0 Identifying examples for Experience Notes....................................................................................... 14
8.1 Social....................................................................................................................................... 14
8.2 Environmental ......................................................................................................................... 14
8.3 Economic................................................................................................................................. 14
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8.4 Other
Experiences .................................................................................................................. 15
Appendix 1 Structure for Case Studies................................................................................................ 16
Appendix II Structure for Experience Notes......................................................................................... 18
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1.0 Introduction
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the Caribbean with high population densities, combined
with high population growth rates, urbanization and increased development, particularly residential and
tourist resort development, has led to the contamination of underlying aquifers and surface water, and
deterioration of coastal water quality. To this end, the regional Integrated Watershed and Coastal Area
Management (IWCAM) project was conceptualized with an overall objective to strengthen the
commitment and capacity of the participating countries to implement an integrated approach to the
management of watersheds and coastal areas. The long-term goal is to enhance the capacity of the
countries to plan and manage their aquatic resources and ecosystems on a sustainable basis.
A major component of the project is to undertake specific demonstrations of targeted IWCAM
activities in order to deliver actual achievements in mitigation and finding resolutions to threats and root
causes. This component will be achieved through a process that will identify best practices and lessons
learned from amongst demonstration projects. These projects are spread across the Caribbean and are
extracted from the following participating countries: Antigua, Bahamas, Cuba, Dominican Republic,
Jamaica, St. Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago. Regional and other project experiences
will also be examined to identify lessons and good practices worthy of documentation.
Hence, the following document describes the strategy to be employed in identifying the lessons
learned and good practices, and the methodology for documenting these either as case studies or
experience notes.
2.0 Rationale
The core principal of the IWCAM strategy is to help transfer knowledge, skills and technical
competencies through a meticulous documentation of the lessons learned and good practices throughout
the project life. These lessons and good practices should help to facilitate the better implementation of
projects designed to provide community-led approaches to watershed and coastal areas management in
small island developing states. The approach will also seek to provide sustainable approaches to natural
resource management initiatives as well as effective project feasibility assessment procedures and
techniques at the community level. If successfully implemented the documentation of lessons and good
practice should have the potential to:
· Provide a model for participatory natural resource management planning and implementation of
preventative and remedial actions to areas threatened by negative watershed and coastal
impacts, as well as sensitive areas which are particularly vulnerable to similar impacts and
threats.
· Increase capacity amongst project leaders in community based organizations as well as
government agencies involved in watershed and coastal resource management and development
initiatives.
· Facilitate the more effective assessment of projects at the community level thereby increasing
success rate of coastal and watershed management projects.
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· Contribute to the development of a sustainable coastal and watershed management sector as a
pillar of the environmental management work in the region.
3.0 Project objectives
· To target selected national and regional hotspots of watershed and coastal impacts and threats,
as well as sensitive areas which are particularly vulnerable to similar impacts and threats
· To address the GEF International Waters Operation Programme eligible issues `on-the-ground'
through GEF funding supported by significant co-funding
· To deliver real and concrete improvements and mitigation to IWCAM constraints and impacts
· To identify and promote reforms to policy, legislation and institutional realignment consistent with
IWCAM objectives
· To provide transferable lessons and best practices which can serve to replicate successes
elsewhere both nationally and regionally
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4.0 Description of GEF-IWCAM Demonstration Projects
SUB-COMPONENT
COUNTRY
TITLE of DEMONSTRATION PROJECT
St. Kitts and
Rehabilitation and Management of the
Nevis
Basseterre Valley as a Protection Measure for
A: Water Resource
the Underlying Aquifer
Conservation and
Management
St. Lucia
Protecting and Valuing Watershed Services and
Developing Management Incentives in the Fond
D'or Watershed Area of St. Lucia
Antigua and
Mitigation of Groundwater and Coastal Impacts
Barbuda
from Sewage Discharges from St. John
B: Wastewater Treatment
Bahamas -
Marina Waste Management at Elizabeth Harbour
and Management
Exuma
in Exuma, Bahamas
Dominican
Mitigation of Impacts of Industrial Wastes on the
Republic
Lower Haina River Basin and its Coast
C: Land-use Planning,
Bahamas -
Land and Sea Use Planning for Water Recharge
Zoning and Alternative
Andros
Protection and Management in Andros, Bahamas
practices
Trinidad and
Land-Use Planning and Watershed Restoration
Tobago
as part of a Focused IWCAM Demonstration in
the Courland Watershed and Buccoo Reef Area
Cuba
Application of IWCAM Concepts at Cienfuegos
Bay and Watershed
D: Targeted Model IWCAM
Jamaica
An Integrated Approach to Managing the Marine,
Coastal and Watershed Resources of east-
central Portland
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4.1 Map showing Caribbean region and including participating countries.
5.0 Definitions
A case study is the analysis of a problem from identification to management. Most development
theorists agree that problems may not be fully solved but may certainly be managed. The activities
involved in "managing a problem" provide the lessons learned as well as the good practices used in the
experience. It is expected that these lessons and practices may be replicated in the future.
5.1 Case Studies
As such a case study includes the description of the problem, various issues discovered or
revealed in assessing the problem, and the various strategies used to resolve the problem including those
which were successful as well as those which failed. All of these provide valuable information which may
be used as lessons learned about what works and what does not work. When several approaches
demonstrate successful outcomes, these represent practices or strategies that provide good examples of
how to achieve certain objectives. These good examples are often referred to as good practices.
It is important to note that a case study is a scientific instrument used by social scientists to
identify and document good practices which may be learned from a process of problem identification to
management. A case study is not an arbitrary narrative of loose descriptions, but must be structured as a
logical account and analysis from problem identification to management strategy. Further, because it is a
scientific instrument it must therefore follow the principles of reliability and must be replicable. As such the
case study must carry, within it, the details that will provide the information for applying the good
strategies identified to other similar projects with the expectation that the results may not be too
dissimilar. This is the value of doing case studies and the reason why they must follow strict principles;
otherwise they may fail to achieve the intended objective.
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5.2 Experience Notes
As detailed by the International Waters Experience Notes Guidelines developed by IW: LEARN,
experience notes aim to share practical experiences in promoting the approach used by the project. As
such, those experiences include successful practices, approaches, strategies, lessons and
methodologies that emerged within the context of the project implementation. It is therefore important to
distinguish experience notes from case studies. For the purpose of this exercise, whereas a case
study will describe an entire project's approach to solving a problem, the experience notes will
identify individual practices, approaches, strategies, methodologies or lessons from any project,
and tell that story using a prescribed format.
The experience notes are shorter and more accessible than more technical documents such as
evaluations, implementation reports, case studies, etc. However they offer greater detail and reference to
given project activities than the average conference presentation. Although PowerPoint presentations
have improved dramatically in quality, without the accompanying audio of the speaker, the actual slides
themselves do not offer much in terms of conveying their actual content. The value of the experience
notes is this combination of brevity and content which makes it an excellent instrument for documenting
usable learning on specific issues.
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6.0 Assessing projects to determine holistic success - the triple bottom line approach
Although the IWCAM projects are largely environmental management projects, there is
widespread agreement by project implementation theorists that projects that attempt to resolve
environmental issues cannot do this successfully by focusing exclusively on the environmental problem.
Often there are social, or more specifically, livelihood or even national economic development
considerations which impact the project and may determine success or failure.
The triple-bottom line approach attempts to assess the social, economic and
environmental opportunities for positive change which may occur in a community as a result of
any development or management project.
The approach suggests that the bottom line of viability should NOT refer exclusively to financial
viability or environmental sensitivity issues but should give equal consideration to all critical dimensions of
the assessment. It recommends giving equal weighting to socio-economic, environmental and
financial considerations, which are all necessary for sustainability. This position proposes that
projects will not achieve the desired outcomes unless an integrated approach to project assessment is
applied, and this implies applying the triple-bottom line approach.
To this end the following questions have being designed for the IWCAM demonstration projects:
6.1 Social: To demonstrate the capacity of a project to contribute to social development
· How were community persons involved in planning the project?
· How were community priorities addressed?
· How were community skills/talents used above imported ones, where available?
· Are there examples where the livelihood of impacted persons was improved? If so identify.
· Describe how the project facilitated greater access to assets; e.g. land, public facilities, etc.
· Was there an increased appreciation of local culture, including music, dance, traditional
knowledge and practices? Describe any examples.
6.2 Environmental: To demonstrate the capacity of a project to contribute to an improved natural
environment
· Describe improved solid and liquid waste management practices.
· Describe any innovative, appropriate technologies that emerged from the project; e.g. wetland
wastewater treatment system; water harvesting technologies; etc.
· Describe any specific measures aimed at increasing water conservation or quality in the
community.
· Describe any activities specifically related to soil conservation and/or reduction of sedimentation
or erosion.
· Was there a systematic structure for managing environmental impacts of the project including
monitoring, auditing and continuous improvement of environmental efforts? If yes describe. If no,
provide reasons why.
· Was there an increased understanding and appreciation of watersheds and the management
required for improved water quality?
· Describe any educational and awareness building activities designed to change behaviour.
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6.3 Economic: To demonstrate the capacity of a project to contribute to viable and sustainable
economic activity related to conservation or protection activities
· Describe the potential of the project to contribute to an increased number of viable small
businesses related to any success stories in this regard.
· Was there an increase in employment opportunities consequent to conservation or protection
activities? If yes, describe.
· Did community persons perceive opportunities for entrepreneurial activity from the project and to
what extent were these exploited?
· Were community entrepreneurs able to attract increased access to finance for spin-off business
initiatives connected to the project?
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7.0 Criteria for assessing lessons learned and good practice of projects to inform case studies
The approach adopted for this assignment is to, first of all, categorise the demonstration projects
into two broad areas for the purposes of developing criteria to select the case studies. The categories
include:
i)
Providing lessons learned and best practice for assessing the feasibility of specific
approaches; and
ii)
Providing examples of demonstration value.
Secondly, the case studies should be based on the learning objectives of the IWCAM project which
the project designers had envisaged and categorized based on these objectives. The case studies will
therefore be based on the learning objectives identified for each demonstration project against the
background of its feasibility to achieve project objectives or its ability to provide demonstration of
good practice. The project designers had captured this requirement of feasibility and demonstration
value and as such, it is easy to follow these categories.
7.1 Framework for identifying case studies based on feasibility and demonstration value. (While
the following list is based upon discussions during the Workshop, it is by no means final):
The ability of the project to test the feasibility:
for rehabilitation as a protection measure (Trinidad & Tobago)
to develop management incentives for protection and valuing (St. Lucia)
to mitigate groundwater and coastal impacts from sewage discharge (Antigua &
Barbuda / Bahamas / St.Kitts & Nevis)
to mitigate the impacts of industrial waste (Dominican Republic)
to value the role of land-use planning through zoning (St. Kitts & Nevis)
The ability of the project to demonstrate:
land and sea-use planning for water-recharge (Bahamas)
an integrated approach to marine, coastal and watershed planning (Jamaica)
the application of IWCAM concepts (Jamaica/Cuba/St. Lucia)
7.2 Criteria to be applied to all projects for identifying good practice and lessons learned
The criteria for identifying various components of good practice as well as criteria to aid in replication
of lessons learned may be gleaned from the listing below developed by Workshop participants who
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comprise project managers and associates. This is further subdivided into feasibility and demonstration
value. It was concluded that three broad criteria should be used to determine the feasibility of a project
to provide lessons and good practice. These were identified as follows:
I. The enabling environment provided by supporting national policies and legislation.
II. The capacity of the local implementing agency and its supporting linkages.
III. The participation of the host community at all levels from planning to implementation.
It was further concluded that the ability of the project to provide demonstration value could be
determined as follows:
I. The strategies applied by project managers from design to implementation.
As such, every project will be assessed based upon the following criteria:
Feasibility
7.2.1
Enabling policy and legislative environment
Review of and harmonisation of supporting legislation, policy, and regulations
Enabling policy framework - e.g. incentives and disincentives
Understanding the role of partisan politics and other power brokers. This includes issues of island
insularity in multi-island republics and federated states.
7.2.2
Technical, local capacity
Strong leadership/ management/ co-ordination capacity.
Technical capacity available to project.
Workable linkages to supporting institutions.
Adequate
financing/co-financing.
7.2.3 Community
participation
Clarity of communication with stakeholders from the onset.
Receptivity of host community.
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Response from, and collaboration with, key contributors to the problem.
Community identification of problem/ Community priorities.
Demonstration value
7.2.4 Project
Management
Availability of baseline information to measure project progress and achievements.
Application of integrated variable approach to project design (triple-bottom line).
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8.0 Identifying examples for Experience Notes
Experience Notes include successful practices, approaches, strategies, lessons and
methodologies that emerge within the context of the project implementation. The following experiences
listed below as items 8.1 to 8.4 were identified at the workshop, and represent specific activities which
participants determined warranted documentation. However for the purpose of scientific analysis, it is
necessary to classify these experiences. It is recommended that the experience notes be extracted from
the triple-bottom line analysis and therefore they should address social, environmental or economic
success factors.
8.1 Social
Innovative approaches for improving livelihoods and quality of life St. Lucia, Jamaica
Methodologies for community mobilisation Jamaica and Cuba
Workshops, training and education programmes Trinidad & Tobago and Cuba
Stakeholder engagement and involvement Jamaica, Dominican Republic, St. Lucia
8.2 Environmental
Water quality monitoring programme implementation Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and Cuba
Development and implementation of appropriate technologies St. Lucia, Cuba, Jamaica
Sustainable agricultural approaches St. Lucia, Jamaica, Cuba
Reforestation campaigns: challenges and achievements Trinidad & Tobago
Wastewater treatment Antigua & Barbuda, St. Lucia, Jamaica
Establishment of Protected Areas St. Kitts & Nevis
Management of groundwater resources Bahamas, St. Kitts & Nevis
Cleaner production Dominican Republic
The challenge of establishing baseline indicators: All demos.
8.3 Economic
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Economic
Sustainability Issues Jamaica and St. Lucia
Financing "Small grants within a grant system" Jamaica
* The non-demo countries may have examples to be added to this list. It is recommended that the triple-
bottom line assessment be conducted and the relevant experience extracted from this assessment.
8.4 Other
Experiences
Although the following experiences were identified randomly from the workshop, they do not meet
the categorisation identified above, unless they are modified to reflect triple-bottom line success factors.
Some are project management issues which will be documented separately by the Project Coordination
Unit (PCU).
Development and tracking of indicators PCU
Partnerships and linkages IWRM Working Group
Project Design PCU, Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas.
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Appendix 1 - Structure for Case Studies
Long Form Case Study
(approximately 25 30 pages)
1.0 Introduction: Name the project title, and introduce the key lessons learned by this case study.
2.0 Background: Describe the IWCAM project in general, as well as the relevant demonstration project's
rational and objectives, and the particularly problem address.
3.0 Methodology: Describe the methodology applied to conducting the case study, which will include the
process of data collection and sustainability analysis based on the triple-bottom line approach.
4.0 Baseline Information on demonstration site: Collection of baseline information to include
community demographics; history of community involvement; evidence of resource protection
activities or practices; and evidence of economic sustainability including entrepreneurship.
5.0 Integrated project management assessment of success factors
5.1 Social to demonstrate the capacity of the project to contribute to social development, by
responding to questions of community development in planning and implementation,
addressing community priorities, etc.
5.2 Environmental to demonstrate the capacity of a project to contribute to an improved
environment by responding to questions of solid and liquid waste management, improving
water quality and conservation practices, innovative appropriate technologies, etc.
5.3 Economic to demonstrate the capacity of a project to contribute to viable and sustainable
economic activity connected to conservation or protection activities including viable small
businesses, evidence of entrepreneurship, employment creation, etc.
6.0 Key lessons learned - feasibility and demonstration value: Broad criteria to help determine the
feasibility and demonstration value of a project will provide the framework for lessons learned and
good practice. (See Feasibility and Demonstration value on p11 above.)
6.1 Community participation the ability of the project to address community priorities;
communicate effectively with community stakeholders, their receptivity to the project and
response from key stakeholders.
6.2 Technical local capacity and Institutional arrangements the availability of local technical
support available to the project, as well as the supporting institutions which contributed to the
project.
6.3 Enabling policy and legislative environment the policies and legal instruments available in-
country which aided the implementation of the project. The absence of relevant policies or
legislation should also be assessed discussed.
6.4 Project management analysis the use of baseline information to measure progress and
achievements; as well as the application of the principle of the triple bottom line to measure
sustainability.
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7.0 Demonstrated good practices
8.0 Conclusion: Collate the main findings into short paragraphs and explain why the experience is
significant to GEF and to watershed and coastal areas management.
9.0 References: List of documents including books and leaflets as well as interviews.
10.0 Appendices: All supporting information including tables, maps, graphs, charts, etc.
Short form Case Study:
(approximately 4 6 pages)
1. Introduction/Background: Name the project title and introduce the key lessons learned by this case
study. Provide a summary of the baseline study as background to the case study.
2. Approach: Summarise the methodology applied.
3. Outcomes: Outline the key findings of the study based on community participation, technical local
capacity and institutional arrangements, as well as a description of the enabling policy and legislative
environment. These may be presented by the following:
a. Key Lesson learned
b. Key demonstrated good practices
4. Conclusion: Collate the main findings into a short paragraph and explain why the experience is
significant to GEF and to watershed and coastal areas management.
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Appendix II Structure for Experience Notes
1.0 TITLE identify the key issue(s) addressed by the experience described in the brief.
2.0 PROJECT TITLE Name the title of the project from which the experience is derived.
3.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION If the experience pertains to a specific project activity, describe that
activity.
3.1 Summarise the project objectives.
3.2 List the expected outcomes and time frame.
3.3 If the experience note pertains to a specific project activity, describe that activity as well.
4.0 DESCRIPTION OF ISSUE(S), CHALLENGE(S) AND EXPERIENCE
4.1 Describe concisely, the IWCAM issue(s) or challenges addressed by the experience
based on the integrated success factors identified in the triple-bottom line assessment or
other relevant success factors;
4.2 Describe the specific actions taken to address the issues and challenges identified under
the respective assessment factor.
5.0 RESULTS AND LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE Summary of the impacts of experience
5.1 Summarise the impacts of this experience on the issues, the project and its partners;
5.2 Describe the main lessons learned from the experience.
6.0 REPLICATION What implementation challenges should others expect to encounter when
replicating this experience
6.1 Conditions needed for positive replication of experience;
6.2 Conditions to guard against in replicating the experience.
7.0 SIGNIFICANCE Why is this experience significant to GEF and to watershed and coastal areas
management?
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