ECOPAS - SUPPORT TO THE MANAGEMENT OF THE CONTIGUOUS PROTECTED AREAS OF BENIN, BURKINA FASO AND NIGER AND THEIR BUFFER ZONES
Preparation of management plans and touristic valorisation for the 3 National Parks of the W, 4 game reserves and their buffer zones.
Support to the management of the protected areas and to the sustainable valorisation of natural resources through tourism development, safari hunting, and community-based initiatives.
Setting up of a regional plan for tourism development on the one hand, and hunting tourism on the other hand; support to administration, private sector, and local communities for the implementation of this regional plan : definition, diversification and development of touristic products, marketing strategy, training….
Development of socio-economic infrastructures in the buffer zones (studies, planning and maintenance of 1,000 km of roads, health buildings, drinking water….) and their equipment (pumps, photovoltaic solar panels, ….)
Setting up of village hunting zones
Formulation and implementation of an applied research and ecological monitoring programme (based on GIS) and use of Cybertracker as tool for collecting field data. Institutional support to the 3 national conservation agencies, to the regional cooperation and to exchanges, leading to more coordination in the fields of legislation for natural resources management, tourism development, research, monitoring, migratory herding management, training, and conservation of endangered species (giraffe, manatees,...).