Project Title: Development of

Project Title: Development of GIS for effective protection of biodiversity of Altaisky, Sayano-Shushensky, Khakassky and Ubsunurskay Kotlovina Nature Reserves, Russia.
Project Author: Sergei Spitsyn, ARKHAR NGO, Altai Republic, Russia.

Phone: [phone]. E-mail: [e-mail] ; [e-mail]
Project Location: South Siberia (Krasnoyarsky Kray, Altai, Khakassia and Tuva Republics), Russia.
Project Duration: 10 months
Total budget: $11,800
Abstract and project description: Nature Reserves (Zapovedniks, Specially Protected Areas), National and Nature Parks in Altai-Sayan Ecoregion are the main conservation centers in this huge mountain country. They encompass about 12-13% of the region and protect great part of its biodiversity including endangered species and ecosystems. In last 15-20 years the Protected Area System of Altai-Sayan Ecoregion was greatly extended also due to creation new Nature Reserves and their buffer zones. As a result of this positive process four the largest and the most interesting for biodiversity conservation NRs in the Ecoregion – Altaisky, Sayano-Shushensky, Khakassky and Ubsunurskaya Kotlovina now has adjacent territories and common borders. However, this territorial advantage still are not used effectively by these NRs and they still have no joined and coordinated conservation plans, united system of radio-connections and joined activities of anti-poaching groups. By the way, development of effective cooperation between these four Reserves is necessary and quite possible in many directions, such as anti-poaching activity, research and monitoring of biodiversity, development of ecotourism and others.
In 2008-2009 UNDP/GEF Project in Russian part of Altai-Sayan Ecoregion is going to support development of cooperation between Altaisky, Sayano-Shushensky, Khakassky and Ubsunurskaya Kotlovina Nature Reserves, including building of new effective system of communication, electronic system of poacher detectors and creation of joint conservation plans for biodiversity.
Development of joined GIS for protection and management of these four Nature Reserves is also quite necessary for their effective cooperation and conservation planning. This database will include spatial information on trails, passes, cabins, poacher sites, wildlife concentrations, wild fires and other features of the areas of four Reserves. Also, this database will analyze and map signals from anti-poaching brigades and anti-poaching detectors installed on trails and poachers cabins. The system will include mechanism of data exchange between these Nature Reserves. Such a GIS would be very useful tool for development of cooperation between these Reserves.
First part of this project was implemented during 2005-2006 with support of SCGIS Leadership Program, when Altaisky, Sayano-Shushensky, Khakassky and Ubsunurskaya Kotlovina Nature Reserves obtained necessary data and trainings for development of their own GIS projects. On this stage we suggest to build more comprehensive and unique spatial database which is very necessary for productive cooperation of the Reserves and effective conservation of their biodiversity.
ARKHAR NGO has highly professional staff experienced in research and conservation in Central Asia. This group is one of the main partners of WWF Russia and Mongolia in Altai-Sayan Project and of UNDP/GEF Conservation project in Altai-Sayan Ecoregion. Members of our group used to work for different protected areas in Altai and Tuva and organized many research and conservation expeditions in remote parts of Altai, Tuva and Mongolia. Also, our members established first conservation GIS Labs in the region at Altaisky and Katunsky Zapovedniks. In 1998-2004 Mikhail Paltsyn, leader of ARKHAR NGO, along with Alexander Yumakaev, ESRI Conservation Program, and Rankin Holmes, Big Sky Conservation Institute provided 10 Zapovedniks and National Parks in Altai-Sayan with GIS software and trainings. In 2005-2006 ARKHAR provided many organization in the Ecoregion with additional professional GIS support to enhance their abilities to protect biological and cultural diversity.
So, in the frameworks of proposed project members of ARKHAR NGO (Mikhail Paltsyn and Serguey Spitsyn) experienced in GIS in cooperation with staffs of Altaisky, Sayano-Shushensky, Khakassky and Ubsunurskaya Kotlovina Nature Reserves are going to build and put in use comprehensive GIS database for protection and management of these Protected Areas.
Thus, the main goal of this project is to support conservation cooperation and effective joined work of four Nature reserves by development of united GIS database for their better protection and management.
Main objectives of the program are following:

1. 
   Building the structure of GIS database and discussing it with these Nature Reserves staff
   
2. 
   Collecting and filling the database with necessary data for planning of effective protection and management with a help of the NRs staff.
   
3. 
   Development of the manual for the database use.
   
4. 
   Organizing of the learning seminar for the NRs staff on effective use of building database.
   
5. 
   Putting the GIS database in action and developing procedures for data exchange between the Reserves.
   

Outputs of the project:

Four Nature Reserves in Altai-Sayan Ecoregion use joined spatial database for protection and management of their territories. This conservation tool help them to plan joined activities on anti-poaching work, research, ecotourism and communication with local communities.

Project schedule:

This schedule may be shifted forward if the project will be started later.

Month	Activities
May-June 2008	Building the structure of GIS database and discussing it with these Nature Reserves staff
June-September 2008	Collecting and filling the database with necessary data for planning of effective protection and management with a help of the NRs staff
October-November 2008	Development of the manual for the database use
December 2008 – February 2009	Organizing of the learning seminar for the NRs staff on effective use of building database. Putting the GIS database in action and developing procedures for data exchange between the Reserves. Making final project and financial reports for ESRI Conservation Program

Project budget (in USD):

Budget lines	Sum
Computer equipment: 4 computers * $1050 = $4200 4 GPS units * $400 = $1600	5,800
4 pieces of ArcGIS software with Spatial Analyst, 3-D Analyst and Tracking Analyst extensions 4 pieces of ArcPad software	0
Travel and field expenses for data collection and mapping: Travel to Altaisky NR - $500 Travel to Sayano-Shushensky Nature Reserve - $800 Travel to Khakassky NR - $800 Travel to Ubsunur NR - $900	3,000
GIS training expenses: Travel expenses of participants - $1500 Food and accommodation for participants - $1000 Class room rent - $500	3,000
Total:	11,800

Participants of the project:

ARKHAR NGO, Altai Republic, Russia. E-mail: [e-mail]

Altaisky Nature Reserve, Altai Republic, Russia. E-mail: [e-mail]

“Ubsunurskaya Kotlovina” Nature Reserve, Tuva Republic, Russia. E-mail: [e-mail]

Sayano-Shushensky Nature Reserve, Krasnoyarsky Kray, Russia. E-mail: [e-mail]

Khakassky Nature Reserve, Khakassia Republic, Russia. E-mail: [e-mail]

PROJECT AREA