The zoning plan


In the distribution plan inside protected areas, commonly known as zoning, the social realities were ignored for a long time. However, the human presence was always key in the definition of the different handling zones for such areas. When, for example, the criteria a national park should fulfill were discussed, the IUCN's basic principles and explanations, published in 1963, pointed out that "It is often impossible to find a definition for an area, which is applicable without restrictions for the entire area. Therefore, it is indispensable to divide the park into zones. The permitted and forbidden activities will be established for each zone."18

Therefore, the expected output from a zoning plan is a document, accompanied by maps, in which the agreements reached about the use of a determined space inside the protected area are recorded. The expected outcome is the solution of conflicts between the different use interests and the existence of a tool to control those actors that refuse to respect the negotiated decisions made in favor of the protected area in national, regional and local contexts.

The house divided into zones
Example popularized by Inparques, Venezuela

Each house has different zones or areas depending on the different activities human beings carry out in them. Generally we have a zone for food preparation (kitchen), a zone for eating (dining room), a zone for sleeping (bedroom), and a zone for personal cleanliness (bathroom). Each zone is equipped according to the activity we carry out in it, respectively: stove, dining table, mattress and faucet. So we gather from this that zoning is an intuitive concept that follows a very traditional process common to all cultures.

For each zone to work properly, the inhabitants usually agree on certain formal or informal rules for each zone. For example, there is no sleeping in the kitchen, no eating in the bathroom, and no way to wash yourself in the bedroom. This is why, so many times, the agreements are based on determined functions that must be understandable to all. A group of people can even take it further and agree on a set of rules and additional conditions if these are considered necessary for a more harmonious coexistence. For example, they can decide that the dishes should be washed immediately after eating and that there is no smoking in the dining room. For those who do not wish to respect these rules, they may seem like a severe restriction; while the others understand them as a tool to avoid chaos and secure an orderly development in their space.


Why define zones?

"Each zone must fulfill its specific task. "The zoning inside a house is an example that is easy to understand and can be used to start a discussion with diverse groups of actors, about the use regulations or modes of an area.

Establishing zones becomes useful for area management when:

- the spatial conditions of an area predetermine it for a certain activity and you want to secure the utilization of its potentialities and opportunities; and/or
- the existence of different interests in that space implies potential conflicts. In the latter case, two questions become vital in order to accomplish the conservation objectives:
a) What natural objects (animals, plants, rock formations, caves, waterfalls, cultural manifestations related to the natural objects, etc.) are characterized by their attractiveness, rareness or fragility?, b) What factors (human activities, introduction of harmful substances, etc.) threaten the existence of these natural objects?

In other words you must know "what" you want to protect, "with whom", "from whom" or "from what" and "why".

However, as long as the actors who have interests in a specific area do not feel the need to create zones and rules for their activities, either because one does not bother the other, or because the endangerment of some resource, natural or cultural object has not been acknowledged it will be very hard to reach an agreement or create rules respected by everyone. Only the existence of good arguments that carry some relevance to the actors will convince them of the need to protect the area and the natural objects held within. Zoning is an extremely participative task that may take years, depending on the circumstances, the size of the area, and the attitude of the different actors. Each time an agreement is reached with a certain group about the use of an area, it must be filed in the "compendium of laws, rules and agreements."

In the process of participative zoning five elements should be worked on:

- the joint definition of the vision of the protected area as a whole, and each of its zones,
- the spatial delimitation of the different zones; in other words, the definition of the areas in which the dispositions will be applied,
- the agreement about detailed rules for the use of natural resources in the different zones, specially endangered plants and animals,
- the definition of the manner in which the monitoring of the agreement will be carried out, and who will carry it out,
- the joint definition of sanction mechanisms to ensure that everyone abides by the agreed rules.

Different scales of zoning

Zoning can be performed taking into consideration the different aspects in the space, with its vertical and horizontal links:

- in the national and regional aspects, the classification foresees, for example, industrial zones, agricultural zones, recreational areas and protected areas. In the last case, it upholds the nature conservation aspect through the declaration of protected areas with their different categories,
- inside the protected areas, through the definition of different management zones, whose location and function are usually preset in the zoning plan,
- at the farm level, defending and promoting zones for cattle raising, agriculture, forest management, etc. and their corresponding management rules.

 

Fig.#9 Vertical and horizontal links
in Land Use Planning (LUP)

 

 

Zoning and management categories

In most countries laws related to nature conservation distinguish between several categories of protected areas. In the ideal case, their legal definitions and dispositions cover the whole range of conservation and use interests.

         Despite the more than 140 names protected areas receive in countries around the world, it is possible to reduce them, according to the essence of their objectives, into the following six management categories:

I.      Strict Nature Reserve/Wilderness Area
II      National Park
III.    Natural Monument
IV.    Habitat/Species Management Area
V.      Protected Landscape/Seascape
VI.     Managed Resource Protected Area

As observed in the description of the protected area categories, the degree of tolerable human intervention increases from category I to category VI. Generally, categories I to III are classified as the areas with the strictest protection, whereas categories IV through VI consider human beings as an integral part of the protected area. In their notes concerning this system, the IUCN strongly insists that the classification of these categories does not represent an assessment of their importance. All types of protected areas are important and their functions on the national, regional and local levels complement each other.

The choice of the adequate management category of a determined protected area should be made based on a realistic evaluation of the biophysical, socioeconomic and historical situation; and it must correspond with the determination of the objectives defined for the area. The declaration of a strictly protected area, ruling out all human use in an inhabited area and where the aforementioned evaluation has not been made, can be counterproductive, impeding daily management and limiting the possibilities of working with the local population. To avoid such problems, the combination of different protected area categories can be used as a tool for zoning. Argentina, for example, combines the "national parks," which are strictly protected, with "natural reserves" that allow human use, where the latter are also administrated by the entity responsible for the national parks. Likewise, in Peru different types of protected areas are combined, administrated by an entity that allows the coordination of the management of "direct" and "indirect" use areas.

Direct and Indirect Use Areas, Peru

According to the objectives of each Natural Protected Area, a category establishing its legal condition, purpose and permitted uses will be assigned. The Natural Protected Areas contemplate a scale of options that include:


- Indirect use areas: those that allow non-manipulative scientific research, recreation and tourism, in zones properly designated and managed for this purpose. In these areas the extraction of natural resources is not allowed, neither are modifications and transformations to the natural environment. National Parks, National Sanctuaries and Historical Sanctuaries are indirect use areas.
- Direct use areas: those that allow the exploitation and extraction of resources, mainly by the local populations, in the zones and locations, and only for those resources defined in the area's management plan (respectively zoning plan, editors note). Other uses and activities must be compatible with the objectives of the area. National Reserves, Landscape Reserves, Wildlife Refuges, Communal Reserves, Protection Forests, Hunting Reserves and Regional Conservation Areas are direct use areas.

 

Zoning inside a protected area

If zoning, as a management tool, is to be more than just a simple land potential analysis, it is necessary to establish use agreements and rules. In theory, this can be achieved in any group and with all kinds of different actors in a determined area. In order to make the agreements mandatory for everyone and to be able to implement sanctioning methods in case the agreement is not upheld, agreements must be set in writing, with the signatures of the authorized representatives.

These agreements should be backed up by politics, and to the extent possible, by the legislation concerning protected areas. Once again taking Peru as an example, where article 23 of the Natural Protected Areas Law establishes that:

"regardless of the assigned category, each area must be zoned according to its requirements and objectives, being able to set strict protection and limited access areas when required. The Protected Natural Areas can be made up of: Strict Protection Zone (SP), Wilderness Zone (W), Tourist and Recreational Use Zone (T), Direct Exploitation Zone (DE), Special Use Zone (SU), Recovery Zone (REC), and Cultural-Historic Zone (CH). It is important to point out the possibility of creating a Special Use Zone (SU), which consists of human settlements that existed prior to the declaration of the Natural Protected Area, or of areas where, due to a special situation, some types of agricultural, livestock, agrosilvopastoral, or other activities, which imply a transformation of the original ecosystem are performed."

Zoning at farm level

Zoning at farm level has no opponents, so it is not necessary to seek out an agreement between the actors. For this reason, in this case, traditional planning is applicable up to a certain point. It is an exercise developed by the owner to run his farm in the most favorable ecologically, socially, and economically sustainable manner. This zoning is based on the differentiation of space according to the quality of the soil, slopes, drainage, water availability, etc., and takes into consideration national and regional legal dispositions, such as rights of way, forest lines along streams, etc.


Difficulties and recommendations in the zoning process

The participants in the International Workshop on Management Plans, held on Taboga Island, Panama (2001), identified a series of difficulties and recommendations for the zoning of protected areas:

Difficulties: In socio-cultural terms, the concept of zoning is not very well understood. Therefore, zoning commonly obeys only the purely biological or physical-geographical criteria, and does not usually correspond with the use of resources by the inhabitants of the area. This lack of cultural and socio-economical criteria represents a sure source of conflict. Additionally, zoning tends to be inflexible to specific situations, therefore having a low application as a managing tool. As for zone boundaries, problems often exist at the moment of clearly defining them in the field, and when taking into account zones adjacent to the protected area. Adding to this the fact that planners do not always understand that zoning is not a descriptive categorization, but that it obeys management prescriptions, and that the nomenclature of the different zones is often confusing, we can conclude that the zones are not always operated effectively.

Recommendations: To avoid the aforementioned difficulties and achieve an effective management of the protected area, it is necessary to zone according to the conservation objectives. However, zoning should not be limited to the protected area itself, but it must also contemplate the potential development of the buffer and neighboring zones. As for the participative aspect, it is necessary to reach agreements, rules and consensus with the local actors, using clear and effective communication channels. The agreements generated by the zoning should be accessible and understandable for everyone involved, therefore it is indispensable to have adequate information and clear delimitations in the field. At the same time, there must be a legal and institutional frame, which allows flexibility in the use of this management instrument:

- Zoning must be performed with the available resources and according to the real situation of the actors of each protected area.
- Both the past (consumptive and non-consumptive uses of natural resources) and the future (potential demographic and economic development) should be taken into consideration.
- The importance of zoning must be discussed with the involved actors (what for, why, with whom and who defines the procedures in the zoning?).
- It is necessary to reach a development vision consensus between the actors.
- The zoning must maintain a close relationship with the objectives and category of the protected area.
- Zoning must be understood as an agreed process between users or actors. The zoning process may be used to validate the zones with the actors.
- It is indispensable to map the zones, making their limits known to the actors, especially in areas that are critical from a possible social conflict viewpoint.
- The flexibility clauses must be discussed and agreed upon in writing.
- A clear and understandable description must be used.
- Surrounding areas (buffer and neighboring zones) as well as biological corridors should be considered for zoning.
- Where possible, flexible in time (i.e. sea turtles lay their eggs during few month of the year, so that certain restrictions regarding beach access and/or resource use could be limited within a special zone to the critical time).
- The legal framework must be congruent with the particular situation of each protected area.



Zoning in the Fauna Production Reserve
of Cuyabeno, Ecuador

Although every zoning process has its own method and dynamic, the following example of zoning with the Indian communities in the Fauna Production Reserve of Cuyabeno, Ecuador, is an example of some relevant steps in this process.

The Ministry of the Environment (M.E.), the state entity in charge of protected areas, administers the Cuyabeno Fauna Production Reserve, located in the Amazon basin in Ecuador. Four Indian groups (Siona-Secoya, Cofan, Quichua, Shuar) live within this area. The M.E.'s policy is based on a joint management of the area, in order to share the responsibility of conserving the tropical rainforest with these groups. The M.E.'s interest in this agreement is based on the desire of having defined allies to confront potential and real invaders that threaten the core of the protected area, such as the oil industry, the lumber industry, new settlers and some tourism companies. The Indian communities want, at the same time, to preserve their guaranteed rights over their ancestral lands to reinforce their position over the invaders. The M.E. and the Indian communities are after a common goal: preserving the tropical rainforest. In this case, zoning serves as a way to document the areas in which certain activities are allowed, and the manner in which these can be developed. With the help of signed agreements and alliances, they were able, among other things, to stop the advancement of the oil industry in this area.

The participative zoning process for the protected area of Cuyabeno, between 1992 and 1996, was based on the following steps:

1. In a meeting, the warden of the Reserve and a representative of the national authority in charge of nature conservation, presented each of the communities the idea of creating an agreement in which the respective uses for the area would be manifested spatially in the form of zoning. (The sense and objective of the zoning were explained to the community members using the example of zoning a house).
2. Once a consensus was reached about the procedure, a consultant in close coordination with the community elaborated an inventory of the current forms of natural resource use, and the space necessities of the different members of the communities, to then draw up in a map the main areas and those negotiable for nature conservation, as well as the zones destined for community use. The consultant's main techniques were individual conversations, and participative land use mapping. The time required, in this case, with communities made up of about 20 families each, was approximately one month per community.
3. The consultant presented the Reserve's administration a zoning proposal that, in his opinion, coordinated the interests of the community members with the nature conservation interests; and highlighted the potential or existing use conflicts.
4. In a meeting, the Reserve's administration presented the draft of the zoning proposal, along with its respective rules for usage, to the members of the community. The zoning maps were used as an essential means of communication. A copy of all the documented material stayed in the community so they could independently analyze and discuss the proposal.
5. In the next assembly, summoned by the community after having reached an internal agreement, a representative of the Indian community exposed the changes his community requested. These requests were analyzed, discussed and negotiated with representatives from the Reserve's administration.
6. A new map with a zoning proposal was presented to the community, alongside the former proposal in order to compare them.
7. Steps 5 and 6 were repeated several times until a final agreement was reached between the members of the community, on one hand, and between the community and the area's administrators on the other.
8. This zoning proposal was presented to the neighboring communities and the critical points (in this case recreational and common use zones, hunting and transit rights) were negotiated.
9. In a solemn act, the parties signed the final zoning agreement in front of witnesses: representatives from the neighboring communities, governmental and non-governmental institutions, projects, etc. An important aspect of Cuyabeno was the celebration, thanks to which the successful closing of the negotiations became an "unforgettable" event.
10. The zoning plan was published and the critical points in the terrain were jointly marked out. With the help of the corresponding maps, all the potentially affected actors were informed of the agreements for use; in the case of Cuyabeno: tourist agencies, the oil industry and research institutes. The sanctions, in case of not keeping the rules, were communicated to all and respect was requested.
11. A follow up of the zoning process and its corresponding agreements was quickly started, using measures to strengthen the trust bonds. For example, ecological games were regularly scheduled for the children, support was given for the elaboration of a communal tourism infrastructure, tourism related training was offered to the inhabitants of the communities, the zoning was analyzed and eventually revised.

In the case of Cuyabeno, the zoning process and the conclusion of the agreements took, according to the situation in each community, one to two years time. Three reasons explain this fact:

- Due to the former restrictive protection policy, which excluded the population, the relationship between the administration of the protected area and the communities was not very good from the start.
- For logistical reasons, the meetings with the communities were only held once every three months, due specifically to the fact that the communities are very far apart, the lack of equipment and means of transportation, or the absence of community leaders. However, these delays were also an advantage because many ideas were given deeper thought, and because the community had time to discuss the proposals and people did not grow tired of attending so many meetings.

- Agreements were not always reached fast. As an example we have the case where one of the communities demanded to chop large quantities of wood for commercial purposes inside the protected area, an unacceptable demand for the authorities because it was a direct attempt against the main conservation objective of the area. The official negotiations were then suspended for nine months, until the community asked that the negotiations be retaken, since they had realized that even without this right the agreement would benefit the development of their activities.

 

 


The interrelationship
between the four
management tools


This section of the document consists of two explicative examples to show that the separation and differentiation of the traditional management plan into separate instruments is already implemented in some countries, for example Colombia and Guatemala. The components described by the National Park Administrative Unit of Colombia and the National Council for Protected Areas (CONAP) of Guatemala are similar to the four tools proposed in this document.

General Structure of a Management Plan, Colombia

In conceptual terms, the management plan should be structured in a way that permits the gathering and handling of the information that determines the management actions of the Protected Area according to its conservation objectives. The contents or thematic information, as well as the methodological procedures, differ depending on the moment: whether the plan is being built (starting up phase) or whether it is being implemented (execution and monitoring). In other words, building the management plan implies methodological steps and conceptual aspects of a different nature than the ones committed to the execution and achievement of the proposed management plan.

With this, in the planning process each of the components must answer, first, to the technical, political and methodological construction of the plan, and second, to the execution, follow-up, monitoring and adjustments of the actions, rules and regulations established as a guiding chart for the protected area. In this context each of the components acquires a permanent, provisional or temporary character, depending on the advancement of the construction or formulation process.

The Management Plan is structured into four basic components:

Descriptive Component: (corresponds with the "descriptive compendium" in this document, editorial note) It refers to the diagnosis of the area. Here you find the basic information on which the adopted management decisions are based, in theory.
Zoning Component: (corresponds with the "zoning plan" in this document, editorial note) It covers the prospective exercises for the area, starting from the current (diagnostic), tendencies, desired and possible scenarios, and delivers the zoning proposal for the area as a final output, where every management zone is defined, as well as the allowed, forbidden and restricted activities concerning its category.
Normative Component: (corresponds with the "compendium of laws, norms and agreements" in this document, editorial note) Expresses the regulations of the area, starting from the inputs derived from the descriptive and zoning components. This component provides inputs to register the management plan in its different instances.
Operative Component: (corresponds with the "strategic plan" and the "annual operational plan" in this document, editorial note) It defines the planning of the area to develop the plan's two fundamental moments: the construction and implementation. Here the monitoring, evaluating and adjusting actions of the plan are described.

The four components, because of their nature, act in an independent yet complementary manner.

Fig.#10 Interrelation between the components of a Management Plan, Colombia

 

Master Plans with four independent components,
Guatemala

Within Master Plans there are four clearly differentiated elements. Taking these as a base, the Master Plan will be considered as the sum of four independent components, which are developed individually, but maintain a strong interrelation. Although they are different in their essence and contents, they offer the informational basis and action or regulation in a protected area. These components are:

         1. Descriptive Component: The description and valuation of the environmental and cultural attributes of the protected area. The idea is to expose the results of the different studies, documents, reports, etc. It is a procedure whose objective is to extract the data, which is useful for the real management of the area, whether it is biological, social, administrative, or practical.

         2. Management Considerations Component: Identifies the primary conservation objectives for the area, as a fundamental guide for writing up the document; it determines the threats and conflicts, and indicates the zoning with the purpose of presenting an X-ray of the area in an integral and fast manner.

         3. Operative Component: It is the part of the plan in which a logical and strategic action sequence is shaped, in order to achieve the area's objectives, develop its potentials, satisfy certain needs for its management, and tackle and present solutions to the main problems or threats.

         4. Normative Component: Describes the aspects related to the regulations and laws pertaining to the area. It includes the legal instrument that declares the protected area as such, the specific norms for each management zone, and the CONAP Council's resolution, which approves the Master Plan and special rules if necessary.