RCE Lesotho-2012

rce_proj_title
Submitted by RCElesotho on Wed, 2012-08-29 00:00
1. General Information
Contact Name(s): 
Tsepo Mokuku
Tamara Maretlane
Organizational Affiliation : 
National University of Lesotho
Lesotho Durham Link
Role in the project: 
Project Manager
Secretariat
E-Mail Address(es): 
tmmokuku@yahoo.com
Project-relevant information: 
The project has only been launched in July 2012
2. Project Information
1. Project title: 
Tlokoeng Valley Biodiversity Conservation Project
2. Project Description: 
The project is inteded to conserve birds and wetlands and promote ecotourism to alleviate poverty in Tlokoeng valley, located south of Lesotho. It has a particular focus on Southern Bald Ibis, a species confined to Lesotho, the eastern parts of South Africa and the western parts of Swaziland.
3. Project Status: 
Ongoing
4. Key Words
Key Words: 
Biodiversity
Poverty
5. Project categories
Project categories: 
Education
Research
Awareness building
Networking and partnership development
Material production
6. Expected outcomes:: 
To promote conservation of wetlands, birds, particularly Southern Bald Ibis, and promote ecotourism in Tlokoeng valley
7. Duration of the Project:: 
07/2012 - 07/2014
3. Project Leadership & Vision
8. Project coordination (e.g. teams): 
Project Coordination Team, comprising representatives of the RCE and members of the Tlokoeng Valley community
9. Leadership structure
a. Administration: 
3
b. Transactional: 
3
c. Transformational: 
4
4. Project results
10. Project results : 
What are the current results of the project in terms of Outcomes:
Preliminary study indicates that Southern Bald Ibis breeds on two huge cliffs located in Tlokoeng valley, and there are several significant wetlands in the valley. It has further been established that there is limited awareness about the signicance of the birds and the wetlands among community members. Tlokoeng valley community association has been established to facilitate project implementation; the community has been assisted to establish a network called "Etela Thaba Khubelu" or "Thaba-Khubelu Conservation & Tours". Initial educational materials on Tlokoeng valley for educating the community and schools on biodiversity and geological formations have been developed - "enviro-information sheets".
11. Contribution to reforms and innovations: 
The role of the National University of Lesotho of research focused on exploring school-community synergies in ESD & biodiversity conservation will hopefully contribute innovative curriculum development approaches and policies in this context. The involvement of the Ministry of Toursim, Environment and Culture as one of the key project stakeholders will possibly help inform the ministry on innovative approaches of community engagement in biodiversity conservation, which will possibly help shape policy.
12. Unexpected / unplanned results: 
We did not expect to find Bald Ibis breeding sites in significant numbers. The community enthusiasm about the project and possible outcomes was also unexpected.
13.Core Partners: 
National University of Lesotho; Ornithologist from the University of Orange Free State, South Africa; Ministry of Toursim; Environment & Culture; "Etela Thaba Khubelu" Association; Global Environment Facility (GEF)
5. Partnership and networking
14. Project Network
a. Information network: 
3
b. Knowledge network: 
3
c. Innovation network: 
4
6. Participation
15. Type of involvement: 
Partners play different roles, some are co-researchers, some are expected to learn through participation, some are project beneficiaries, some are expected to play a role in the monitoring and evaluation of the project, and one provided financial assistance
16. Participation opportunities
a. Informational participation: 
2
b. Consultation participation: 
4
c. Decision influencing participation : 
4
7. Education & Learning
17. Educational activities: 
Education is primarily involved in the processes of informing the community about the scientific knowledge concerning biodiversity and wetlands
18. Learning activities: 
Learning activities will mainly involve workshops and Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) approaches
19. Educational activities
a. Theory: 
1
b. Discussion: 
6
c. Interactive and Multidimensional "action oriented education": 
3
8. Research Integration
20. Research & Development (R&D): 
Research will mainly be on ongoing scientific studies to monitor biodiversity in the valley, social studies on monitoring and evaluation of the impact of the project on the community as well as exploration of innovative ways of community engagement in biodiversity conservation and school-community synergies in ESD
21. Research partners: 
Local university, a specialist in birds from the University of Orange State in South Africa
22. Description of research
a. Disciplinary: 
3
b. Interdisciplinary: 
3
c. Transdisciplinary: 
4
Type: 
Project Reports
Region: 
Africa and Middle East
Community: 
Traditional Knowledge and Bio-Diversity
Issue: 
Traditional Knowledge and Medicine
One More Issue: 
Biodiversity
Country: 
Lesotho