Title: "Towards Conservation and responsible Use of Dalbergia Melanoxylon. The Maputo Workshop (Mozambique)".

Project number: B7-5041/95.06/VIII/FOR

Amount: 48.831 ECU of which 27.584 as EC funding

Contractor: Fauna and Flora International NGO (Cambridge -UK )

Field: Conservation

Country: Mozambique

Date of signature: 14.01.96

Duration: 5 months

Objectives:

The primary objective of the workshop is to prepare a co-ordinated regional conservation and management strategy for D. melanoxylon;

Secondary objectives are the preparation of outline plans and/or project proposals for national action to improve knowledge of the biology of the species, its utilisation, management and conservation.

In addition, the workshop will discuss the issue if whether or not it would be beneficial to propose the species for inclusion in Appendix II of CITES at the next (1997) meeting of the Conference of the Parties.

Activities:

Presentation, collation and integration of information on the species, including: distribution, status, biology, research, past and present management and conservation, local utilisation, exports and international trade, international demand (past, present and future) and existing relevant national and regional activities.

Results expected:

• Collected information on the current status and management of Dalbergia melanoxylon throughout the region;
• An outline regional conservation and management strategy;
• Outline national plans/project proposals for improved management and conservation of the species for specific range states;
• A consensus on the question of whether or not to seek inclusion of the species in CITES Appendix II
• Enhanced communication and co-ordination between exporting and importing countries;
• Enhanced liaison between countries in the region;
• Improved relationships between the industrial and governmental sectors.

Beneficiaries:

Two participants from each of the following countries: Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda, Zimbabwe; six international experts and six additional participants from the relevant provinces of Mozambique and the University of Mozambique.

Implementation strategy:

Travel expenses, Conference costs (administration costs, hire of meeting room, local transport, translation services.

Final report dated 6-9/11/95 "The proceedings of the Workshop":

Recognising existing national initiatives the workshop decided that is was appropriate and necessary to adopt a regional approach to the conservation and management of the species in order to enhance and complement national activities.

In pursuing this approach, the workshop identified the major needs and designed project specific activities that will address those needs. These activities fall into five categories:

"Identification of gaps in information".

Short term needs:

• data to form basis for regional programme (FFI/WCMC/TRAFFIC);
• directory of contact organisation and experts.

Long term needs:

• distribution, abundance and status surveys for each country;
• surveys of national use and trade, and assessment of their impact on the resource;
• information and trade in mpingo carvings (TRAFFIC to develop proposal and seek funding).

"Project concepts for research".

• Priority 1: detailed inventory and data collection;
• Priority 2: range-wide provenance trials, including range-wide seed collection through the NTSC Network project; Natural regeneration and ecological studies.

"Project concepts relating to resource use".

• Priority 1: refine distribution of resources to carvers;
• Priority 2: improve efficiency of resource use by carvers;
• Priority 3: conduct study to improve efficiency and reduce waste at local level.

1. "Project concepts for education and awareness".

Develop regional programme to raise awareness and provide education to be based on existing agencies. Request SADC/FSTCU to play leading role initially; if not, approach other agencies for assistance, e.g. FAO, IUCN.

"Conservation and management"

Improve capacity for conservation and sustainable management in eastern, central and southern Africa. Requires effective co-ordination.

Following the workshop, a document which form the basis for fund-raising and promotional work, will be prepared and distributed. This document will be the "Regional Strategy for the Conservation and Responsible Use of African Blackwood Dalbergia melanoxylon", and will include the project concepts, activities and recommendations arising from the workshop.

Recommendations:

• Community participation: to enhance local community participation in resource use and indigenous forest management;

• Regional approach: to approach the issue at regional level as well as at national level;

• Co-operation: to continue co-operation between all the interested parties represented at the work-shop, including government agencies, research institutions, non-governmental organisations (national and international), industry (local and international) and trade (local and international) and extend co-operation to others.

• CITES: at the moment resubmission of a CITES proposal should not be pursued. CITES might be an appropriate tool to assist in conservation effort, but at this moment in this instance is unlikely to provide the appropriate benefits, particularly in view of issues that would need to be resolved with respect to regulating trade in wood carvings. The most urgent action should be concerned with ensuring conservation of the resource base.

• Urgent priorities: Education to be pursued through existing international/regional institutions; Management to be pursued by communications to national governments asking them to note that this species requires special attention and seeking changes in licensing them. Also request for national agencies to develop national plans to manage the species more carefully, to review use and establish forums/links with users groups.