fao/global environment facility project document project title

134 Pages·2016·3.17 MB·English

by  Mark Johnstad

FAO/GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT FACILITY
PROJECT DOCUMENT
PROJECT TITLE: CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF TURKEY’S
STEPPE ECOSYSTEMS

PROJECT SYMBOL: GCP/TUR/061/GFF
RECIPIENT COUNTRY/IES: TURKEY

RESOURCE PARTNER: GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT FACILITY (GEF TRUST FUND)

FAO PROJECT ID: 626050 GEF/LDCF/SCCF PROJECT ID: 5657

Executing Partner(s):
- Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs (MFWA); General Directorate of Nature Conservation and
National Parks
- Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Livestock (MFAL); General Directorate of Plant Production

EXPECTED EOD (STARTING DATE): MAY 2016

EXPECTED NTE (END DATE): MAY 2020

CONTRIBUTION a. Strategic objective/Organizational Result: SO2 - Increase and improve
TO FAO’S STRATEGIC provision of goods and services from agriculture, forestry and fisheries in a
FRAMEWORK1 sustainable manner
b. Regional Result/Priority Area: [3] Natural Resource Management,
including climate change mitigation and adaptation
c. Country Programming Framework Outcome: Sustainable use of natural
resources and forests ensured and improved:

GEF FOCAL AREA/LDCF/SCCF: BIODIVERSITY

GEF/LDCF/SCCF STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES:
BD-1: Improve sustainability of protected areas
BD-2: Mainstream biodiversity conservation and sustainable use into production landscapes, seascapes
and sectors

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT CATEGORY (INSERT √): A B C

FINANCING PLAN: GEF/LDCF/SCCF ALLOCATION: 2,328,767 USD
Co-financing:
MFWA (in kind) 2,700,000 USD
MFWA (grant) 3,310,000 USD
MFAL (in kind) 1,200,000 USD
MFAL (grant) 1,800,000 USD
FAO (in kind) 150,000 USD
FAO (grant) 350,000 USD

Subtotal Co-financing: 9,510,000 USD

Total Budget: 11,838,767 USD

1 For projects operated by country offices, it is necessary to link projects in FPMIS at OR level. For all other
projects, linkage at product/service level is necessary
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Steppes are one of the most ecologically important and vulnerable ecosystems in Turkey. Turkey’s
steppe ecosystems include pastures, meadows, and grasslands and cover approximately 32 million hectares of
the country. Steppe ecosystems are prevalent in Eastern and Central Anatolia as well as the high mountains
of the Aegean and Mediterranean Regions. Project activities will take place in Sanliurfa province, located in
southeastern Turkey along the Syrian border. Sanliurfa has an average elevation of 518m and a total surface
area of 19 million hectares. In the last twenty years, the population has grown from approximately 1,000,000
to nearly 2,000,000 inhabitants. This is in addition to more than 350,000 Syrian refugees currently hosted in
the province. Nearly 600,000 people live in the provincial capital, also called “Sanliurfa”. In spite of rapid
growth, Sanliurfa province continues to benefit from some of the nation’s best remaining, intact steppe
ecosystems. Approximately 250,000 hectares of Şanlıurfa Province are considered grasslands. These
grasslands are part of both the globally significant Akçale Steppes and Ceylanpınar Key Biodiversity Areas.
These are some of the last remaining well preserved and biodiversity rich steppe ecosystems in Turkey and
Europe. Project effort will focus upon three distinct Sanliurfa grasslands: Kızılkuyu Wildlife Development
Area, TekTek Mountains National Park, and the Karacadağ Steppes. The project will enhance biodiversity
within these sites and promote greater connectivity between these sites. These three sites represent the last
and best remaining examples of relatively intact step ecosystems remaining within the greater Anatolian
region. Each site faces nearly the same threats and barrier challenges to biodiversity conservation.

The integrity of Turkey’s steppe ecosystems faces three primary threats: habitat loss and degradation,
overharvest, and climate change. Expanding cultivation is likely the most evident driver of steppe habitat
loss, though infrastructure development also contributes significantly. Some estimate that over 15% hectares
of steppe has been converted to urban use over the last few decades. Over-grazing is the main cause of steppe
habitat degradation. Nearly all steppe areas are subject to grazing pressure by domestic livestock. Livestock
grazing generally rises beyond carrying capacity limits and diminishes the integrity of steppe ecosystems.
Overgrazing occurs on steppe systems both inside and outside of protected area boundaries. The rate and
intensity of overgrazing is increasing as the total hectares of grasslands are reduced and the total number of
livestock remains stable and/or increases.

Regarding overharvesting, numerous steppe dependent species are subject to harvest. This is particularly
pronounced in terms of flora. Most of this activity is driven by subsistence and/or medicinal use, though
some take is income motivated. Similarly, poachers often target both bustards and wild gazelle. While
bustards are harvested for sport and consumption, gazelle are primarily live capture from herds reintroduced
to the Kızılkuyu Wildlife Development Area. Rather than flight, young gazelle often rely upon cryptic
measures. This makes them relatively easy to target while hiding in steppe grass. Young animals are sold to
citizens who raise these suckling gazelle as garden pets. In addition, though the rate of fuel wood
consumption within steppe forest areas has slowed over the past decade due to energy infrastructure changes,
the residual impacts of past overharvest continue to impact steppe ecosystem integrity. Finally, climate
change is an emerging threat to Turkey’s globally significant steppe habitats. Climate change will compound
and accelerate the negative impacts of existing threats, further reducing the resilience of steppe ecosystems.

The cumulative impact of these three threats is the rapid loss and degradation of Turkey’s steppe lands:
over the past 80 years, approximately 12 million ha of natural steppe have been lost. At the same time,
Turkish experts categorize nearly 60% of Turkey’s steppe lands as highly degraded. Steppes represent less
than 1% of the national protected area system with only 6% of all grasslands having protected status. Those
with protected area status often struggle under less than ideal conservation management systems.

The long-term solution is to reduce the loss rate of steppe lands and associated biodiversity values. This
requires improving the conservation of currently degraded steppe lands, reducing the rate at which steppe
lands are permanently lost to cultivation and urbanization, and the conversion rate of steppe biodiversity.
Steppe lands must also be conserved on a landscape level. Conservation of Turkey’s globally significant
steppe biodiversity demands conservation effort both within protected areas and beyond the borders of
protected areas. The best examples of Turkey’s globally significant biodiversity must benefit from adequate
levels of conservation within protected areas. However, Turkey’s protected areas system will never be large
enough to preserve populations of large mammal species such as gazelle within protected area boundaries.
To conserve biological integrity, connectivity between the best remaining steppe habitats must be maintained.
This includes reducing the rate of species loss and habitat fragmentation.

Safeguarding Turkey’s globally significant steppe biodiversity demands conservation effort beyond the
borders of protected areas. Over 40% of Turkey is considered steppe. Many steppe species are wide ranging.
Attempting to create a protected area regime covering the entire landscape is not tenable. Steppe biodiversity
outside of protected areas benefits from almost no measurable conservation support. However, it is within
these areas outside of protected areas where biodiversity is most threatened by human encroachment and
overuse. The three barriers that will be addressed by the project are (i) limited experience with highly
effective steppe protected area design and management, (ii) limited experience with integrating steppe
conservation with grazing and agricultural management practices, and (iii) limited capacity to generate
institutional and policy level support required to achieve landscape level grasslands conservation.

In this context, the project’s objective is to improve the conservation of Turkey’s steppe ecosystems
through effective protected area management and mainstreaming steppe biodiversity conservation into
production landscapes. The project will apply three components each designed to systematically address the
three barriers standing between the existing situation and long-term solution of securing the ecological
integrity of Turkey’s globally significant steppe ecosystems. The first component will aim to facilitate the
emplacement of tools and experience required for protected area design and management to become much
more effective at conserving steppe ecosystems and associated globally significant biodiversity. This will
include setting in place a rigorous framework for steppe protected area management planning and monitoring.

The second component will support the emplacement of tools to integrate steppe conservation within
grazing and management practices. The project will support protected area managers, government extension
agencies and agriculturalists to mainstream steppe conservation within their production activities. The
protected area staff and others will work with grazing interests to emplace much better models for grassland
management predicated upon spatial and temporal carrying capacities. A major part of this effort will be to
innovate a stock management system that maintains ecosystem services, reduces business risk, and increases
profitability. Finally, the project will help generate the institutional and policy level support required to
achieve steppe conservation on a landscape level. Agriculture and associated infrastructure development is a
major driver of steppe ecosystem losses. This development is also fragmenting remaining steppe, including
existing protected areas. This problem persists due to the limited capacity and experience in Turkey with the
generation of institutional and policy frameworks required for the realization of landscape level conservation.
The project will help to remove this barrier by creating a model for provincial level steppe conservation
planning. A centrepiece of this effort will be the generation and implementation of a provincial level steppe
conservation strategy. Commensurate capacity building will support this effort.
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................................... (i)

Glossary of Acronyms ............................................................................................................................... (ii)

Section 1: Relevance

1.1 Context ............................................................................................................................................... 1
1.2 Rationale .......................................................................................................................................... 15
1.3 FAO’s Comparative Advantage ....................................................................................................... 28
1.4 Stakeholder Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 29
1.5 Lessons Learned from Related Experiences ..................................................................................... 35
1.6 Links to National, GEF, and FAO Strategies and Objectives .......................................................... 36

Section 2: Project Framework and Expected Results

2.1 Project Objective, Strategy, and GEF Alternative ............................................................................ 41
2.2 Project Outcomes and Activities ...................................................................................................... 42
2.3 Expected Results and Global Benefits ............................................................................................. 52
2.4 Cost Effectiveness ............................................................................................................................ 54
2.5 Innovativeness .................................................................................................................................. 54

Section 3: Feasibility

3.1 Environmental Impact Assessment .................................................................................................. 54
3.2 Risk Management ............................................................................................................................. 55

Section 4: Implementation and Management

4.1 Intuitional Arrangements .................................................................................................................. 58
4.2 Implementation Arrangements ......................................................................................................... 59
4.3 Financial Planning and Management ............................................................................................... 67
4.4 Financial Management and Reporting ............................................................................................. 69
4.5 Procurement ..................................................................................................................................... 70
4.6 Monitoring and Evaluation ............................................................................................................... 71
4.7 Provisions for Evaluations ................................................................................................................ 75
4.8 Communications and Visibility ........................................................................................................ 75

Section 5: Sustainability of Results

5.1 Social Sustainability and Gender Mainstreaming............................................................................. 76
5.2 Environmental Sustainability ........................................................................................................... 76
5.3 Financial and Economic Sustainability ............................................................................................ 76
5.4 Sustainability of Capacities Developed ............................................................................................ 76
5.5 Appropriateness of Technology Introduced ..................................................................................... 76
5.6 Replicability and Scaling Up ............................................................................................................ 77

Appendices

1 Results Matrix ......................................................................................................................................
2 Provisional Work Plan..........................................................................................................................
3 Results Budget......................................................................................................................................
4 Draft Terms of Reference .....................................................................................................................
5 Quantifying and Monitoring Carbon Benefits ......................................................................................
6 Tracking Tools .....................................................................................................................................
Acronyms

AWP/B Annual Work Plan and Budget
BH Budget Holder
CEO Chief Executing Officer (GEF)
CFA Community Forestry Association
CBNRM Community Based Natural Resource Management
EP Executing Partner
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
BERN The Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats
BD Biological Diversity
BH Budget Holder
CBD Convention on Biological Diversity
CC Climate Change
CEO Chief Executing Officer (GEF)
CE Critical Endangered
CGRFA Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
CSOs Civil Society Organizations
DKM Nature Conservation Centre (DoğaKorumaMerkezi)
EN Endangered
EP Executing Partner
EU European Union
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
FPMIS Field Project Management Information System
GAP Southeastern Anatolian Project (GüneydoğuAnadoluProjesi)
GEBs Global Environmental Benefits
GEF Global Environment Facility
GEFSEC GEF Secretariat
GDF General Directorate of Forestry
GDNCNP General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks
GDPP General Directorate of Plant Production
GoT Government of Turkey
IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature
LTO Lead Technical Officer
LTU Lead Technical Unit
KBA Key Biodiversity Areas
METT Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool
PC Pasture Commission
M&E Monitoring and Evaluation
MFAL Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock
MFWA Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs
NBMS National Basin Management Strategy of Turkey
NCSA Turkey’s National Capacity Self-Assessment
NP National Park
PA Protected Area
PIF Project Identification Form (GEF)
PIR Project Implementation Review
PPG Project Preparation Grant (GEF)
PPR Project Progress Report
PRODOC Project Document
PSC Project Steering Committee
PY Project Year
PoWPA Protected Area Working Programme
SCP Systematic Conservation Planning
SPA Steppe Protected Area
STAP Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel
RAMSAR Convention on Wetlands of International Importance
TA Technical Assistance
TCI Investment Centre Division (FAO)
TOR Terms of Reference
UNCCD United Nation Convention to Combat Desertification
UNEP United Nation Environment Programme
UNDP United Nations Development Programme
UNFCCC United Nations Framework on Climate Change Convention
USD United States Dollar
VU Vulnerable
WDA Wildlife Development Area
WDP Wildlife Development Plan
WOCAT World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies
WWF-Turkey World Wildlife Fund-Turkey
Section 1 Relevance

1.1 Context

1.1.1 National Context

1. Turkey is situated at the cross roads of Asia and Europe. The nation’s total territory is
approximately 780,000 km2. The population exceeds 77 million. Over 90% of Turkey’s
population lives in urban areas. The national literacy rate is over 95%. Turkey’s GDP ranks in the
world’s top 20.

2. Turkey is food self-sufficient. Agriculture makes up approximately 9% of the nation’s GDP.
Crop production represents approximately 60% of all agricultural value. Nearly 35% of the
country is arable land with more than 27 million hectares under cultivation. Only 20% of all
cultivated land is irrigated. There are over four million farm households in Turkey. Nearly 70%
of these farmers work less than five hectares of land. Livestock production represents
approximately 35% of agricultural value. The national herd consists of more than 10 million
cattle and 25 million head of sheep. The Government of Turkey would like to increase
agricultural production with an ambitious target of becoming one of the world’s top five
agricultural countries by 2023. This includes expanding irrigated crop production from a current
5.5 million hectares to approximately 8.5 million hectares.

3. The country’s diverse landscapes include forests, mountains, steppes, wetlands, and coastal
and marine ecosystems. The Irano-Anatolian, Caucasus, and Mediterranean biodiversity hotspots
intersect within Turkey. The nation is on several major flyways and provides critical habitat for a
large array of bird species, including breeding habitat for several threatened European bird
species. There are 1,500 vertebrate species with more than 120 endemics. There are 236
freshwater fish species, 28 amphibians, 129 reptiles, 456 birds, and 165 mammal species. Turkey
has an estimated 21,000 invertebrates with nearly 4,000 endemic species/subspecies.

4. The country has 12,000 flowering plant species (including intraspecific taxa). There are
approximately 9,000 vascular plant species, of which at least 2991 are endemic. Of the 12,000
species known to exist in Europe – defined as everything west of the Urals – 11,000 are recorded
from Turkey. In addition to being rich in endemic species, Turkey’s flora has an important place
among other countries. The second richest country in Europe for endemism is Greece, where the
number of endemic taxa is between 800 and 1000. Although some of the endemics of Turkey are
widespread, some are peculiar to a specific region or mountain range. Some endemics might
require special habitats like soils with salt or gypsum. The Amanos Mountains, Uludağ, Kaz
Mountain, Munzur Mountains, Ilgaz Mountains, and Erciyes Mountain are the richest mountain
ranges with respect to endemism.

5. Among woody plants, one notable genus that may have its origins here is Quercus (oak). With
18 species of Quercus in Turkey, this region is the gene center of the genus. Turkish flora, among
the Middle East Countries, is also richer in woody species, as it is in other herbaceous endemic
species. The number of tree species and tall bushes is around 300, including, notably, Sorbus,
Pyrus, Amelanchier, Malus, Mespilus, Crataegus, Amygdalus, Prunus, Cerasus and Cotoneaster.
The abundance of fruit trees is high compared to other Middle Eastern countries, suggesting that
cultivation of these fruits is of Anatolian origin.

6. A number of important domestic crop plants likely originated in Turkey. These include: Isatis
(Indigo grass), Draba, Alyssum, Astragalus, Alcea, Phlomis, Salvia, Verbascum (mullein),
Scrophularia, Veronica, Campanula (bell flower), Anthemis (daisy), Centaurea (cornflower),

Project Document: Conservation and Sustainable Management of Turkey’s Steppe Ecosystems Page 1
Achillea (klamath weed, yarrow), Allium (onion) and Iris species are among those believed to
originate in this region.
7. Turkey has declared approximately 9.5 million ha of land as protected areas. This represents
8% of the nation’s total territory. Turkey has twelve types of protected areas, ranging from
National Park to Seed Stands.

Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs Protected Areas Number of Sites Area (ha)
National Parks 40 848,202
Nature Parks 192 90,218
Nature Conservation Areas 31 64,242
Nature Monuments 112 6,683
Wildlife Development Areas 80 1,191,340
Wetlands (13 of them RAMSAR Site) 135 3,215,500
Protection Forests 55 320,450
Gene Conservation Forests (in-situ) 257 47,977
Seed Stands (in-situ) 351 47,062
Seed Orchard (ex-situ) 179 1,413
Ministry of Environment and Urbanization Protected Areas Number of Sites Area (ha)
Special Environmental Protection Areas 16 2,459,116
Natural Sites 1273 1,322,748
Total Hectares Nationally Designated Protected Areas 9,614,951

8. Steppes are one of the most ecologically important and vulnerable ecosystems in Turkey.
Turkey’s steppe ecosystems include pastures, meadows, and grasslands. Steppes cover
approximately 32 million hectares of Turkey. Steppe ecosystems are prevalent in Eastern and
Central Anatolia as well as the high mountains of the Aegean and Mediterranean Regions.

Project Document: Conservation and Sustainable Management of Turkey’s Steppe Ecosystems Page 2
9. There are four types of steppe in Turkey. The rare Gramineae steppes are dominated by
gramineae species. Broad-leaved plants define Malacophyll steppes. Tragaganthic steppes have
cushion-forming spiny species such as Astragalus L. and Acantholimon Boiss. Salty steppe
species incorporate Chenopodiaceae and Plumbaginaceae families.

10. As described in more detail below, Turkey’s steppe ecosystems are globally significant and
unique. Five separate Key Biodiversity Areas have been identified in the Urfa region alone.
These steppes have incredibly rich flora and fauna composition. Over 1,000 endemic plant
species have been identified within Turkey’s steppe region. There are numerous endemic insects,
including several butterfly species. Reptile species include the Desert monitor (Varanusgriseus).
Steppes host endemic subspecies Anatolian mouflon (Ovisorientalisanatolica), Steppe Lynx
(Felis caracal), wolf (Canis lupus), birch mouse (Sicistacaucasia), mole (Talpaeuropea), jerboa
(Allactagawilliamsi), ground squirrel (Citelluscitellus), and globally endangered bird species
including Great Bustard (Otis tarda), griffin vulture (Gyps fulvus), black vulture (Aegypius
monachus), lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni), snake eagle (Circaetusgallicus), hawks (Buteo sp.),
falcons (Falco sp.), harriers (Circus sp.), little bustard (Otis tetrax), hoopoe (Upupaepops), and
quail (Coturnix sp.).

Table: Steppe Representation in Turkey

Key BD PAs Arable Agric. Pasture Permanent Natural
Type of Steppe Area (ha)
area (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) crops (%) (%)
Mountain Steppe
Mid-Anatolia Mountain 8,362,018 13 0.7 27 23 1 0.9 48.7
Central Eastern Anatolia
2,788,501 28 0.0 11 17 1 0.6 70.0
Mountain
Eastern Anatolia Mountain 5,181,794 27 2.2 13 16 2 0.1 69.2
Eastern Anatolia High
1,567,547 34 3.2 2 7 1 0.0 90.5
Mountain
South Eastern Anatolia
1,223,513 28 0.0 36 19 23 2.8 19.0
Mountain
Plain Steppe
Mid-Anatolia Plain Steppe 7,821,932 14 6.2 47 22 5 1.6 24.7
South Eastern Anatolia Plain 2,532,580 37 0.8 56 12 7 7.0 18.6
Eastern Anatolia Plain
1,425,703 23 0.9 43 20 6 0.2 31.2
Steppe
North Eastern Anatolia 193,541 21 0.0 58 11 16 0.1 16.0
High Plain
Thrace Plain Steppe 714,202 5 0.0 67 15 8 0.1 11.0
Salt Steppe
Mid-Anatolia Salt Steppe 317,156 85 59.1 16 16 10 0.6 66.9
Eastern Anatolia Salt Steppe 154,309 41 1.8 23 23 1 0.0 61.4
Total 32,282,796 94% 30% 6% 33% 15% 7% 44%

Project Document: Conservation and Sustainable Management of Turkey’s Steppe Ecosystems Page 3
1.1.2 Project Site Context

Sanliurfa Province

11. Project activities will take place in Sanliurfa province. The province is located in
southeastern Turkey along the Syrian border. Sanliurfa has an average elevation of 518m and a
total surface area of 19 million hectares. In the last twenty years, the population has grown from
approximately 1,000,000 to nearly 2,000,000. This is in addition to more than 350,000 Syrian
refugees currently hosted in the province. Nearly 600,000 people live in the provincial capital,
also called “Sanliurfa”.

12. Şanlıurfa is a major tourism destination. The province is considered the birthplace of
Abraham. Şanlıurfa has many ancient archaeological sites. Gobeklitepe is a unique prehistoric
site dating to 9,600 BCE. This stone structure adorned with numerous carvings of wild animals is
considered the first human-made temple.

13. The major driver of growth is the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GüneydoğuAnadoluProjesi
or GAP). Begun in the early 1990’s, the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) is one of the largest
river basin development projects in the world. The GAP covers nine provinces and represents an
investment worth tens of billions of dollars. The stated objective is to provide employment
opportunities for 3.8 million people. GAP is linked to major hydro-programs on the nearby
Euphrates and Tigris rivers with more than twenty dams under production. The accompanying
irrigation program is rapidly expanding and intensifying cultivation. As of 2013, GAP has brought
more than 3.1 million hectares into agricultural production. This includes more than 1.2 million
hectares in Sanliurfa. There are aspirations to bring another 1.8 million hectares under irrigation.

14. In the early 1990’s when GAP commenced, the value of agriculture in the region was less
than US$ 20 million/annually. Agriculture is now valued in the billions. The agriculture sector
employs over 70% of the population. Approximately 60% of Sanliurfa’s total territory is now
under crop production. At least two thirds of Sanliurfa’s natural steppes have been converted to

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