Midyear Report FY 2012: Reducing Land-use Emissions in Amazon Forests (ReLEAF)

The project is a collaborative effort between The Nature Conservancy (TNC), regional and national government agencies in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, the USAID's Initiative for Conservation in the Andean Amazon (ICAA) Program, and other key stakeholders. The project's approach to collaboration involves developing periodic project workplans in coordination with key local stakeholders, sharing technical tools and materials, convening periodic meetings with project stakeholders and beneficiaries, and proactively engaging with national and local governments. This integrated approach has yielded several results, including the hosting of a workshop to introduce best management practices for climate change mitigation in agriculture and forestry, the preparation of a tri-national workshop on Monitoring and Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) approaches, and the presentation of a unified face of the NZDZ project and activities through outreach meetings with local and national governmental agencies. The project has also made significant progress in its start-up phase, including the finalization and approval of a robust workplan for year 1 project activities, the definition of roles, responsibilities, and coordination mechanisms with project partners, and the establishment of new offices and staffing-up the project. However, primary challenges have constrained start-up progress, including delayed ability to contract subawardees and consultants due to USAID prior approval requirements and a sensitive relationship between USAID and the Government of Ecuador. The project has also made progress in personnel and office support structure, with the hiring of several professionals in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, including Javier Arce, Estela Monroy, Christian Velasco, Soranny Carvajal, Edwin Hurtado, and Javier Trujillo. These professionals will play a crucial role in implementing the project's activities and achieving its goals. The NZDZ initiative is focused on reducing land-use emissions in Amazon forests through the establishment of Net Zero Deforestation Zones. The project's geographic context is the Amazon region, which spans across Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. The project's goals include reducing deforestation and promoting sustainable land-use practices, and it is expected to have a significant impact on the environment and local communities. The project's methodology involves the development of a robust workplan, the establishment of new offices and staffing-up the project, and the implementation of activities to address the primary drivers of deforestation and threats in the project area. The project's approach to collaboration is critical to its success, and it is expected to leverage resources, expand learning, and contribute to program and/or region-wide conservation impacts. The project's timeframes are from October 2011 to March 2012, and it is expected to continue beyond this period. The project's recommendations include the continued collaboration with local stakeholder groups and government agencies, the establishment of knowledge-sharing mechanisms, and the proactive engagement with national and local governments.