BEST Newsletter 02 11/2015 - European Commissionec.europa.eu/environment/nature/biodiversity/best/pdf/best_newsletter_02_en.pdf · BEST Newsletter 02 11/2015 HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE REGIONS

BEST Newsletter 02 11/2015

HIGHLIGHTS FROMTHE REGIONS

• South Atlantic• Polar/Sub-polar• Indian Ocean

• The inspiring tale of Macaronesian biodiversity portals

• Protecting marine mammals in the Caribbean and beyond

• PISUNA: Engaging local communities in biodiversity governance

• Loss of ecosystem service with loss of native underwater vegetation in Macaronesia

• TheteamofthePacifichub• The team of the Caribbean hub• The team of the Amazonian hub• Meet the BEST III ecosystem profileexpert

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

MEET BEST III TEAMS AND EXPERTS

ACTIONS ON THE GROUND: UPDATES ON BEST PROjECTS

LATEST NEwS•Rich,beautifulandvulnerable–presentingtheBESTIIIecosystemprofilesoftheEUOutermostRegionsandOverseasCountriesandTerritories•PromotingPartnershipsintheEuropeanOverseas•TheBEST2.0Programme:aboostforonthegroundconservationandsustainable development in OCTs

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FOREwORDThe overseas: an asset for Europe

Dear readers,

Dear friends,

I am very pleased to introduce to you, through this BEST newsletter, some of the actions that I lead in Parliament for the benefit of the European overseas entities, including both the Outermost Regions (ORs) and the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs).

As you know, over 80 % of Europe’s biodiversity resides in ORs and OCTs. This biodiversity is very rich and very diverse as EU overseas entities are located in all the oceans of the globe from the poles to the tropics. But this biodiversity is fragile and must be preserved. As an overseas Member of the European Parliament native of the Pacific, it is close to my heart to protect it.

So I initiated the BEST Preparatory Action which has funded many projects in our entities for an amount of over six million euros. This BEST Preparatory

Action has been a success - all territories and regions participated, reflecting a dynamism in environmental matters sometimes new at the local level. It also helped to concretely implement the political message adopted at the Reunion Island Conference in 2008.

However, many challenges remain and we must continue to act to ensure that overseas biodiversity is well protected and valued, and that the effects of climate change are better anticipated and understood.

I welcome that the OCTs have become aware of these challenges and that all the priorities defined in collaboration with the European Commission within the partnership linking them through the European Development Funds (EDF) are largely focused on the environment. In addition, the launch of the BEST 2.0 programme under the Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI) with a budget of 8 million euros reflects the importance given to biodiversity in the OCTs by the European Commission.

While more funding is available nowadays, which delights me, we must ensure that both the ORs and the OCTs actually use these new opportunities. I am thinking about the new European environmental programme, LIFE +, now available to the OCTs. It is true that our territories often struggle to participate, not for lack of interest but unfortunately often for logistical and technical reasons. So I hope very much that in the continuity of the roadmap adopted in Guadeloupe in 2014, a permanent financial instrument adapted to the specificities of the overseas entities will soon be created to implement regional environmental strategies and make the EU’s ORs and OCTs an example of sustainable development. This imperative of sustainable development, which combines rational use of resources and enhancement of services provided by nature, is one of the major components of wealth creation in our territories, which are mostly small islands.

Let’s therefore remain mobilized and make the best use of the tools available to overseas entities to make our places examples for the European Union.

Because although we are small and scattered on all oceans, we have much to contribute to Europe!

Maurice Ponga

Member of the European Parliament,First Vice-Chair of the Committee on Development,

President of the working group «Islands and Overseas Entities» of the Intergroup on «Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development»

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South AtlanticSt Helena: Protecting biodiversity through biosecurity

Located in the middle of the South Atlantic, 2,900 km from the east coast of South

America and 1,950 km from the west coast of Africa, St Helena is amongst one of the remotest islands on the planet. This tiny island, with an area of only 122 km2, is home to over a third of the United Kingdom’s (UK’s) biodiversity, containing more than 500 endemic species. The island’s isolation contributed to the development of unique ecosystems, but didn’t prevent severe human impacts since the early 1500s. The cloud forest which once covered the island now only occurs at the highest peak, spreading slightly over half a square km and yet containing over 150 endemic species that occur nowhere else on the island - or in the world. This is a place where the introduction of invasive species or disease could be devastating and is a serious concern.

The island’s current connection to the rest of the world is primarily via one vessel, the Royal Mail Ship (RMS) St Helena which has been, up to now, the only way for residents and visitors to get on and off the island. The vessel brings supplies from Cape Town to the island roughly every three weeks. However this is soon to change.

Since 2011, an airport has been under construction and is now reaching completion. Scheduled to be opened in early 2016, initially weekly flights will be available from Johannesburg, South Africa, reducing the trip from 5 days by boat to 5 hours by plane. This will make the island more accessible and will increase the potential risks, particularly disease and invasive species, to the island’s endemic flora and fauna.

Fortunately, the St Helena Government recognises this threat and is taking steps to ensure risk assessments are carried out and mitigation measures are in place pending the airport’s opening. It will have the appropriate facilities to screen incoming cargo for organic matter, as well as a strong biosecurity team. And St Helena is not alone in this.

A biosecurity workshop led by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) on Ascension Island in August 2015 had representatives from all the UK South Atlantic overseas territories in attendance, along with NGOs and private sector bodies. This was an opportunity for all these remote territories to share knowledge and the workshop resulted in an agreement on a set of guiding principles to direct work throughout the South Atlantic, tailored to the specific issues of each territory. The ecosystem profile that the BEST III South Atlantic team is developing will also assess the risk to biodiversity from invasive species across the territories. This assessment will be used to help inform future biosecurity measures. By working together and providing each other support, the South Atlantic islands aim to protect their unique and important ecosystems.

St Helena may no longer be quite the remote island it once was, but it can still preserve the environment which makes it so unique.

CONTENTS BEST Newsletter 02

FOREWORD

The Overseas: an asset for Europe

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE REGIONS

South Atlantic St Helena: Protecting biodiversity through biosecurityPolar/Sub-polar The marine world: a central issue for the polar and sub-polar areas

Indian Ocean Invasive alien species: a recognized threat

IN THE SPOTLIGHTThe inspiring tale of Macaronesian biodiversity portals

Protecting marine mammals in the Caribbean and beyond

MEET BEST III TEAMS AND EXPERTS

The team of the Pacific hub

The team of the Caribbean hub

The team of the Amazonian hub

Meet the BEST III ecosystem profile expert

AcTIONS ON THE GROuND: uPDATES ON BEST PROjEcTS

PISUNA: Engaging local communities in biodiversity governance

Loss of ecosystem service with loss of native underwater vegetation in Macaronesia

LATEST NEWS

Rich, beautiful and vulnerable – presenting the BEST III ecosystem profiles of the EU Outermost Regions and Overseas Countries and Territories

Promoting Partnerships in the European Overseas

The BEST 2.0 Programme: a boost for on the ground conservation and sustainable development in OCTs

MAP

THE BEST III cONSORTIuM

BEST III Consortium working team

Contacts

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Contact : Regional hub coordinator:

Paul Brickle,[email protected]

uSEFuL LINKS Information about the Airport Project

Current biosecurity information for St HelenaSAERI website

The St Helena Plover, or Wirebird, is St Helena’s only remaining endemic bird © Andrew Darlow

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Polar/Sub-polarThe marine world: of key importance for the polar and sub-polar areas

The Polar/Sub-polar hub includes four European overseas territories positioned in the Arctic/sub-Arctic and Antarctic/sub-Antarctic regions. To the north are Greenland, linked to Denmark, and Saint Pierre and Miquelon, connected to France. On the opposite side of the globe, the south has the UK territories of South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands and the British Antarctic Territory, and the French territories of the Terres australes et antarctiques françaises (TAAF).

Polar ecosystems harbour a unique wealth. They include both considerable resources and outstanding marine life, all subject to extreme climatic conditions. All these territories are in the most productive areas of the Atlantic, Indian, Arctic and Southern oceans and support a very important part of the global marine biodiversity, as well as commercial fisheries of high economic value. Much of the biodiversity is endemic, and a large number of species are classified as vulnerable or even as critically endangered.

Although most species differ between the two hemispheres, the fact that these territories are in the regions most exposed and most sensitive to global climate change leads them to face similar threats to their ecosystems and their biodiversity. The polar vegetation is essentially low; mosses and lichens are predominant, vascular plants rare, and shrub cover usually consists of dwarf or creeping species. In contrast, the marine biodiversity is exceptional, mostly thanks to the abundance of plankton in the cold waters and in areas where cold water and warmer water mix, feeding large populations of fish, seabirds and cetaceans.

The case of cod (Gadus morhua) overfishing in Saint Pierre and Miquelon is a prime example

of the challenges faced in these regions. The dramatic collapse of fish stocks was a disaster for both marine biodiversity and the local economy. The cost of the economic transition of this territory, including through support to economic diversification, is still significant

today. To address similar challenges, it is possible to build on the actions implemented in other territories to prevent such loss of fish stocks and assess how these measures could be transferable and beneficial in a different context; for example, the marine protected areas of South Georgia and the sustainable fisheries of TAAF. These issues as well as management measures will be discussed during the consultation process. Possible actions as a follow-up of the development of the ecosystem profile will then be considered.

Contact : Polar/Sub-polar hub coordinator:

Cédric Marteau,[email protected]

uSEFuL LINKS Region’s webpages

On the seas rich in fishstocks and biodiversity. © RNN.TAAF

Orca© Joël Detcheverry

Antarctic krill. © Rob King

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Indian OceanInvasive alien species: a recognized threat

Invasive alien species (IAS) are a leading cause of biodiversity loss, particularly on

oceanic islands which represent the vast majority of European overseas entities. Invasive species affect terrestrial as much as marine habitats, fauna as well as flora. Despite some very different characteristics (species concerned, factors favoring invasion, etc.), overseas entities have much in common on the issue. While many efforts to address the problem have already been carried out in the Indian Ocean region, they remain in general insufficient in view of its magnitude.

Plant biodiversity is particularly rich on Reunion Island, thanks to a large altitudinal variation - 3,000 meters from the sea to the summit of the Piton des Neiges, with mountain slopes habitats varying according to their orientation to ocean winds and with a rugged topography. 30% of the original habitats remain (against less than 5% on the nearby island of Mauritius), largely included within the National Park, listed as a World Natural Heritage site by UNESCO since 2010. The loss of biodiversity is largely caused by invasive species. In 2010, there were more than 2,000 plant species introduced versus 892 native ones (among the known vascular flora), including 133 considered invasive. For the fauna, insects not included, there are 45 native species versus 50 introduced ones, of which 16 are invasive. The problem is not recent and a raise in awareness since the 1980s is gradually translating into political will

and actions, from scientific research to active control measures on the ground.

This issue of IAS logically emerged as the primary threat recognized by all stakeholders of Reunion Island who participated in the workshops for the development of the BEST III ecosystem profile. It was recognized that intervention is needed at multiple levels and actions must be simultaneous to prevent the risk of reversing the gains secured by control efforts. It is crucial to, at the same time, prevent the introduction of new IAS, actively fight on the sites where eradication is needed, outreach to and educate the various community stakeholders, and coordinate

actions at different levels (regulatory, regional cooperation, monitoring, etc.).

The French National Forestry Office (ONF) is conducting various operations in the field and has published several guides on ecological restoration since 2005, whose subject is often the fight against IAS in natural environments. By identifying the different ways to deploy control measures and then by adapting methods (for example, mending pockets of IAS or spreads of lands invaded, eradicating invasive plants promptly, strengthening threatened species ex-situ, etc.), these guides can surely be used on islands of other regions.

Although the problem is sometimes less acute than on Reunion Island, thanks to better resistance/resilience of affected habitats, or smaller surfaces, the ecosystems of other territories of the Indian Ocean region involved in the BEST initiative face the same problem. There is a need, for example, to control rats and cats on French and British uninhabited islands to improve the habitat of breeding seabirds.

Without a doubt, the issue will be the subject of future projects proposed for BEST funding.

White Tern (Gygis alba) back in Tromelin, 10 years after the eradication of the rat on the island © Régis PERDRIAT - TAAF

Strobilanthes hamiltonianus on Reunion Island, locally called “Califon” or“Toupette”, acanthacae originally from India very invasive in moist forests © Tanguy Nicolas

uSEFuL LINKS Groupe Espèces Invasives de la Réunion

Une strategie de lutte contre les espèces invasives à la Réunion

ONF La Réunion - sommaire des espèces exotiques

ConservatoireBotanniqueNationaldeMascarin

Contact: Indian Ocean hub expert:

Tanguy Nicolas, [email protected]

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

The inspiring tale of Macaronesian biodiversity portals

Do you like orchids and are curious about endemic species on the Canaries? -

there are four, one found only on Tenerife. Or perhaps you want to know the areas of the Azores richest in birds to plan your birdwatching visit? - consider Corvo Island!. Or you might be assessing the environmental impact of a construction project and need to find out if it will affect the habitat of any endangered species. All this information - and much more - is available to all on dedicated biodiversity portals, supported by the Atlantis web application.

The development of the Atlantis software and the huge effort of information gathering that makes it so useful stem from the monitoring and reporting requirements of the EU 1992 Habitats Directive. It was realized that lots of data already existed, not only in historical records but also in an increasing number of scientific articles and technical reports. What

was needed was a dedicated team to gather this scattered information, update it regularly, organize it in an open access Data Bank able to produce the outputs required by law and the public interest - meeting the needs of scientists, land managers and the general public.

Thanks to the dedicated efforts of policy makers, administration staff and scientists, and significant financial investments, the three autonomous regions of Macaronesia (Azores, Canaries and Madeira) started work in 2003 under a cooperation agreement. Today the Atlantis software powers the biodiversity portals. They are maintained and updated by

the regional government in the Canary Islands and by the local university, with support from the regional government, in the Azores.

A mix of European regulations and co-financing, coupled with the strong commitment of regional governments and the contribution of the scientific community, have made possible this essential instrument for biodiversity management and conservation. The Macaronesian hub benefited from the portals for its work on the regional ecosystem profile and recommends the development of such tools in other regions.

Protecting marine mammals in the caribbean and beyondMEGARA project 2014 : Deploying Argos satellite tags on Humpback whales in the caribbean islands to improve knowledge and conservation

The marine mammal fauna of the Wider Caribbean Region is diverse (32 different

species!), and has significant ecological, aesthetic and economic value – great visitors’ attraction - to the countries and territories of the region as shown in the ecosystem profile developed by the BEST III Caribbean hub.

For many species, the region’s tropical waters serve as habitat for feeding, mating and calving but questions remain about migrating species, such as the Humpback whale (Megaptera

novaeangliae). Where do the Humpback whales that frequent Caribbean waters from January to June come from: North America, Europe? What do they do in the Caribbean? Which migration corridors do they follow?

A first scientific mission in the Northern Lesser Antilles, called MEGARA, conducted in Spring 2014, deployed 8 Argos satellite tags on Humpback whales and took a dozen biopsies (skin and blubber samples). This mission complemented earlier research, with satellite tags deployed by the NGO BREACH, the University of Antilles-Guyane and NOAA in Guadeloupe from 2010 to 2012. Marine protected area managers from British, Dutch and French overseas territories were involved in the MEGARA expedition and the research was approved by the Agoa Marine Mammals Sanctuary.

The mission clearly demonstrated that waters of Saint-Martin and Anguilla host nursery and breeding grounds – crucial habitat for the whales’ life cycle. Satellite tracking showed also a strong connectivity between islands notably Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands, the Dominican Republic, St Martin and St Barthélemy, demonstrating the need for transboundary management and cooperation.

Beyond the involvement of scientific experts in tagging and skin sampling, the project included an important educational component with the NGO My School My Whale, using the data from the Argos satellite tags to sensitize pupils to cetaceans: children named the animals and

followed their movements. Follow-up efforts include scientific expeditions and the collection of citizen sightings to keep improving knowledge and preservation of this charismatic species.

The MEGARA project was made possible with the financial support of: Réserve Naturelle de Saint-Martin, SPAW-RAC, Dutch Government, Environmental Agency of St Barthélemy and the Nature Foundation of St Maarten.

Contact :Macaronesian hub coordinator:

Jose MN Azevedo,[email protected]

Contact : Caribbean hub coordinator:

Romain Renoux,[email protected]

uSEFuL LINKS Biodiversity portal Azores

Biodiversity portal Canary IslandsThe Azorean Biodiversity Portal-PORBIOTA

uSEFuL LINKS Réserve Nationale Naturelle de Saint Martin

CAR-SPAwMarine mammals sanctuary-Agoa

Adding to the regional efforts in whale conservation, the Caribbean Netherlands established the Yarari marine mammals and shark sanctuary this year, encompassing all the waters around the islands of Saba and Bonaire.

Satellite tag on whale© RNN de Saint-Martin/CAR-SPAW/MEGAPTERA/AGOA "

whale movements © RNN de Saint-Martin/CAR-SPAW/MEGAPTERA/AGOA

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MEET BEST III TEAMS AND EXPERTSThe team of the Pacific hubConsidering its geographical vastness, the Pacific hub is divided in two sub-regions, East and West Pacific.

Aurélie Bocquet, visitinghere anaturesanctuary protecting the habitat of threatenedbirds in thePapehueValley,ontheislandofTahiti,isthecoordinatoroftheBESTIIIPacifichub.Thebirdsheis trying to see - the Tahiti Monarch - is rated ‘critically endangered’ on the IUCNRedListwithlessthan100adultsleft in the wild. The botanist Jean-François Butaud, pictured with her, isthe organizer of the efforts to controlinvasive species (IAS) and restore the Monarch’shabitat.Auréliefollowstheseefforts attentively as they helped stopthe decline of the species, although itremains under threat given the small

populationandthefinancialchallengeofmaintainingIAScontrolefforts.

Forover10yearsAuréliehasbeenworkingfor different organizations in the Frenchoverseas entities, on conservation andsustainable development projects. Shecontributed to a dry forest conservation project in New Caledonia and supervised several biodiversity conservation projects onReunionIsland.Forthepastsixyears,she has been responsible for the Overseas programme of the French Committee of IUCN; she notably oversaw the updating of an inventory of the biodiversity of the French overseas territories, coordinated

the development of the Biodiversity strategy for the sustainable development of Mayotte, and ensured the draftingand distribution of a guide to funding for overseaslandmanagers.

TheEastPacificteamcoordinatestheimplementationoftheBESTIIIprojectintwoentities:FrenchPolynesiaandPitcairn,bothcharacterizedby their remoteness: FrenchPolynesia is locatedmore than5,000km from thecoastof thenearestmainland

(5,900kmfromAustraliaand6,500kmfromtheUnitedStates)andthePitcairnIslandsarelocated2,000kmeastofTahiti.FrenchPolynesiacoversanareathesizeofthemainlandoftheEuropeanUnion.Withinthisvastterritory,landoccupiesonly3,521km²andlagoonsapproximately15,000km²-aboutfivetimesmore.Polynesia iscomprisedof118 islands-highvolcanic islandsand lowcoralones(atolls),groupedinto5archipelagos:Society(WindwardandLeewardIslands),Tuamotu,Gambier,Marquesas,andAustralislands.ThePitcairnIslands(Pitcairn,Oeno,DucieandHenderson)coveranareaof53km²andareverydifficulttoreach.Accessiscurrentlyonlypossiblebyboat,andonecanonlyembarkfromtheIslandofMangarevainFrenchPolynesia.PitcairnIsland,theonlyinhabited,hasatotalofabout50inhabitants,makingitthesmallestpoliticalentityintheworld(intermsofpopulation).

In mission at Anaa (a raised atoll in the Tuamotu islands), jean Kape is admiring the one-of-a-kind landscapeof this multifaceted atoll, full of legends,traditions,archaeologicalsitesandnaturalwonders. After working in education, atthe Pacific Center for Experimentationand in the hospitality field, Jean made acareer in the National Police. Alongsidehis professional activities, he wasvery engaged in community life. At hisretirement,hisinvolvementinvolunteeringincreased within fifteen cultural andenvironmental associations for some of whichheservedaspresident:TamarikiTe-Puka-Maruia,TeReooteTuamotu,Societyof Oceanian Studies. In addition to theseassociative involvements, he directed theAcademy Pa’umotu. His engagement innature conservation involves notably the associationManu-SOPand,since2014,theposition of BEST III coordinator for French PolynesiaandPitcairn.

Eleonora Avagliano (pictures here hikingup Moua Puta, the ‘pierced mountain’on the island of Moorea) has climbed to the top of several mountains of Moorea,from which one can admire breathtakinglandscapes. As hub expert, she helpswith the development of the ecosystem profilesforthetwoEastPacificterritories.She has previously worked for NGOs,research institutes (University of California) and international organisations (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, United NationsDevelopment Programme) as well as the European Commission, on topics relatedto environment and development, and isparticularly interested in the linkbetweenclimate change and the protection of biodiversity.

Apassionatehiker,Flora Artznerhaswalkedup to enjoy the exceptional biodiversityof the rain forest of higher altitude (here watching a sunset fromAorai, one of thehighest summits of French Polynesia).She is responsible for the data collection and the writing of the French Polynesia’s ecosystem profile, finishing meanwhileher studies in international agro-development engineering. Specialized inthe management of natural resources,she has many professional experiencesabroad(India,Ecuador,Tanzania,etc.)thatallowed her to acquire a multidisciplinaryknowledgeinthefieldoftheenvironment.

Jean Kape on Anaa ©Jean-François Butaud

Flora Artzner, Tiapa (Tahiti) © Justin Monier

Eleonora Avagliano, Moua Puta (Moorea) ©Jérôme Petit

Contact : East Pacific coordinator:

Jean Kape,[email protected]

uSEFuL LINKS Region’s webpages

Aurélie Bocquet. Tahiti. © Jean Kape

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TheWestPacificteamcoordinatestheBESTIIIprojectinNewCaledoniaandWallisandFutuna,twoverydifferentterritories,locatedmorethan2,000kmapart.NewCaledoniaisknownworldwideforitsextremelyrichbiodiversityandthehighrateof

endemismofitsfaunaandflora.Researchactivitiesarewellestablished,themanagementofbiodiversityissupportedbygoodregionalintegration,withpublicpoliciesframingtheconservationofspeciesandhabitatsandacivilsocietyactiveinprotectingtheenvironment.Withtwentytimesfewerinhabitants,thesmallWallisandFutunaislandshaveverylittleresearchstructuresandfewtoolstomanagetheirenvironment.Thisleadstosomegapsinknowledge,resourcesandmeansresultinginarealimpedimentfortheconservationofthebiodiversityandecosystemsofthisareawhichreallydeservesBEST’sattention..

jean -christophe Lefeuvre is the director of Conservation International New Caledonia since 2010. In the 1990s, healreadyworkedontheecosystemsofthisterritoryasaresearchassistant for the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement,where he studied the pharmaceutical value of New Caledonia species.In1999-2000,Jean-ChristopheworkedagaininNewCaledoniaforWWFFrance,specificallyonthedevelopmentof«eco-regions».HeplayedanimportantpartinstructuringthepresenceoftheWWFintheterritory,whoserolewasessentialfor the protection of the island’s tropical dry forest one of the rarestterrestrialandmostvaluableecosystemsintheworld.Jean-ChristophehasalsoworkedforseveralyearsintropicalAfricaandLatinAmerica.

Selma Haouet, pictured here during a PADI training session- part of a professional development course offered by theOuveadivingcenter,hasbeeninNewCaledoniafornearlyfouryears.Sheisresponsiblefordevelopingtheecosystemprofileof the two territories. Shehas a specialization in freshwaterbiodiversityand itsmanagement,afield inwhichshedidthetwo last field practices of her studies. She then worked onenvironmental outreach on the lagoon’s islets which are in protectedareas.

uSEFuL LINKS Region's webpages

www.conservation.org

Jean-Christophe Lefeuvre in Ouvéa ©Mael Imirizaldu

Selma Haouet, in diving training in Ouvéa ©Charlotte Jaffré

Contact:West Pacific coordinator:

Jean-Christophe [email protected]

Ouvea © Jean-Christophe Lefeuvre

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Contact Caribbean hub coordinator:

Romain Renoux,[email protected]

uSEFuL LINKS Region’s webpages

Caribbean hub webpages

Coral reefs survey Réserve naturelle de Saint-Martin

©Romain Renoux

Amandine Vaslet being introduced to the threatened Rainbow parrotfish in Bonaire

© Julien Chalifour

The team of the caribbean hub

It is fornearlyhalfof theoverseasentitiesof theEuropeanUnion that theCaribbeanhubcoordinates theecosystemprofiles.TheCaribbeanregionincludesindeed15Europeanoverseasentities:4areFrenchOutermostRegions(ORs)andOverseasTerritories(OT),6OverseasCountriesandTerritories(OCTs)arepoliticallyattachedtotheKingdomoftheNetherlandsand5OTstotheUnitedKingdom.Fromhighmountainousvolcanic islandstolow-lyingcoral islets,theseoverseasentitieshostverydiverseecosystemswhichprovidecrucial habitats to a high number of endemic and threatened species: one of the largest frogs in the world clings to survival in the moist forestsofonlytwoislands,somespectacularLesserAntilleaniguanas,RockandBlueiguanasfoundnowhereelseintheworldsunbatheamongvisitorsandHumpbackwhalesarebreedingintheCaribbeanwaters.

Astourismisoneofthemajoreconomicactivities,thisstunningbiodiversityandecosystemservicesareessentialstoCaribbeanislandslocaleconomies.Theislandsnowfacethechallengetopreservefragilebiodiversityandhabitatsfromtheimpactsofheavydevelopments,invasivespecies,andclimatechange.

Inaddition,theCaribbeanhubisaswellworkingontheBermudaintheframeoftheecosystemprofileswork.

Romain Renoux, just returning from a diveassessingcoralreefs,isthehubcoordinator.He is currently in charge of regional cooperation for the Réserve Naturelle de Saint-Martin based in the French and Dutch Caribbean island of Saint Martin/Sint Maarten. The Reserve’s mission is tomanage and preserve the main ecosystems oftheisland:coralreefs,wetlands,seagrassbeds,dryforestsandmangroves.Romain isalso involved with the Agoa marine mammal sanctuaryfortheFrenchAntilles.

Over the past ten years, Romain has beenworking for different NGOs in the field ofsustainable development and biodiversity conservation in French overseas territories in theCaribbean,FrenchGuianaandthePacific.WiththefinancialsupportofCARSPAWandUNEP/CaMPAM, Romain organised in 2011thefirstMPAcapacitybuildingworkshopforthe northern islands of the Lesser Antilles in SaintMartin, bringing togetherexperts andmanagers from British, Dutch and Frenchoverseasterritories.Lastly,Romaingrewupin Guadeloupe, worked in Martinique, andhas now lived in Saint Martin/Sint Maarten for 6 years. He has a deep knowledge oftheculturalandsocialcontextsofoverseasterritories which are key to develop apermanent and relevant platform for conservation and increase support from all relevantstakeholders.

Anne Fontaine, “face-to-face” with anElkhorn coral (Acropora palmata), a speciesnewly listed for protection under the Protocol for Specially Protected Areas and Fauna (SPAw Protocol) of the Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the wider Caribbean Region (Cartagena Convention) is the hub expert.Currently Director of the SPAw Regional ActivityCenter(RAC),shehasbeenworkingsince 1992 in environmental management,in thepublic,privateandacademicsectors.She was responsible for water and marine management at regional and national levels for the ministry in charge of environment and sustainable development in France.Interested in developing tools to help policy-makers in various aspects ofmarinebiodiversity assessment and management,she notably contributed to the creation of a web platform to share information on the Gulf of St. Lawrence ecosystem (Canada).She also conducted a research project on marine ecological mapping in partnership with several Canadian universities. SPAW-RAC helps UNEP implement the SPAw Protocol of the Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment intheWiderCaribbeanRegion.

Amandine Vaslet, being introduced here to the threatened Rainbow parrotfish (Scarus guacamaia) in Bonaire, is an ecologist whohas been working for the past 10 years inthe Caribbean region and the US on several research projects focusing on biodiversity and species distribution patterns. Shehas been involved in the Guadeloupe eco-regional analysis highlighting existingknowledge on marine species andecosystems.WithintheCaribbeanHubteam,Amandine istheprojectofficer inchargeoftheelaborationofecosystemprofilesforthe15 European Overseas entities that are part oftheCaribbeanIslandsHotspot.

Anne Fontaine and Elkhorn coral © Océane Beaufort

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Contact : Amazonia hub coordinator:

Laurent Kelle,[email protected]

uSEFuL LINKS Region's webpages

The team of the Amazonian hub

TheAmazonianhubisresponsiblefortheimplementationoftheBESTIIIprojectinFrenchGuiana(SouthAmerica),theonlyhubconsistingofasingleadministrativeentity.FrenchGuianaisthelargestFrenchdepartmentandmorethan90%ofitsterritory

iscoveredwitharich,stillwellpreservedtropicalrainforest.FramedontheeastbytheOyapockandonthewestbytheMaroni,itslandscapeshavebeenshapedbytheerosionofarockyunderlayerformedduringthePrecambriantimeandvarioustectonicandmagmaticevents,alternatingphasesofdroughtandmoisture,andhumanoccupationthatcamefromeasternAsia.Itscoastline,withitsvariedenvironments(savannah,savannah-rocks,whitesandforests,mangroves,anthropicareas),contrastswiththeinnerGuiana,populatedbydiverseforesthabitats,recentlydescribedbytheNationalForestryOfficeanditspartners.

Laurent Kelle is the hub coordinator and ensures the successful completion of the Guiana ecosystem profile. He isresponsiblefortheWWFofficeinFrenchGuiana, organization for which he hasbeen working since 1998. The firstintervention of wwF in Guiana happened in the 1970s, with the objective ofsurveying the nesting sites of sea turtles along the western coast. In 1999, theGuiana office was formally establishedand Laurent Kelle now supports theimplementation of programmes in the territory in partnership with local and regional stakeholders of theGuiana Shield, connecting institutionalinterlocutorswiththeWWFnetwork.

Anne-Gaelle Verdier is the expert ofthe Amazonian hub and supports the French Guiana team in the successful completion of the ecosystem profileand aswell in reflections on the futureBEST strategy for this ecoregion. Forover 4 years she has been coordinating all wwF France interventions and efforts in French overseas territories,assisting in particular the Guiana and New Caledonia offices in rolling outtheir strategy, implementing projectsand facilitating connections with conservation stakeholders and withinthe WWF network. Holding a Masterin Development Economics, Anne-Gaëlle has 12 years of experience inmanagement and coordination of sustainable development projects,both in France and abroad. She is nowhappytoputherskillsattheserviceofastructuresuchasWWFandaprojectlikeBESTIII.

Anna cohen Nabeiro, pictured visiting the Cayenne Herbarium that manages a collection of over 50,000 specimensand is home to a palm plantation with Guyanese curiosities, and alsospecies from around the world, is anagro-economist engineer specialized in project management related to land planning. Having joined WWFin April, she leads the participativedevelopment of the Guiana ecosystem profile for the BEST III Amazonian hub.Passionate about environmental and socio-economicissues,Annaworkedinthe agro-ecology domain in Morocco,with small farmers’ organizations in Cambodia and, in Albania, on themanagement of wild natural resources suchasmedicinalandaromaticplants.

Laurent Kelle © Anne-Gaelle Verdier ©Anna Cohen Nabeiro at the

Herbier de Guyane©

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Meet the BEST III ecosystem profile expert

Each BEST III hub is developing a regional ecosystem profile, a tool developed

and successfully used by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership  Fund  (CEPF)1 and recognized to efficiently guide on thegroundactionsaswellasfinancing.Diversestakeholders - including governmentalpartners-developtheecosystemprofiles.They identify species and habitats of conservation concerns, reach consensuson conservation priorities, define whereinvestments will have the greatest value andbuildastrategyforinvestments.

The methodology enables civil society,public and private institutions to participateinandinfluenceconservation.CEPF focuses on high-priority biological areas (biodiversity hotspots) rather than political boundaries. It seeks toidentify and support a regional, ratherthan a national approach to achieving conservationoutcomes.

while most European overseas entities are located in biodiversity hotspots,CEPF is generally restricted to grant makinginWorldBankmembercountries,which prevents funding to EU Outermost Regions and Overseas Countries and Territories. CEPF joined the BEST IIIConsortium and its Grant Director Pierre carret is guiding the use of the ecosystem profilesmethodology by the

1Establishedin2000,CEPFisajointinitiativeofl’AgenceFrançaisedeDéveloppement,ConservationInternational,theEuropeanUnion,theGlobalEnvironmentFacility,theGovernmentofJapan,theMacArthurFoundationandtheWorldBank

sevenregionalhubs,adapting ittomeetthespecificitiesoftheEUoverseas.

In each region, BEST III hubs haveengagedwithlocalconservationists,landmanagers,decisionmakers,civilsociety,private sector, and reviewed existingdata on species and ecosystems. Theconsultationprocesshelpsdelineatekeybiodiversity areas – globally importantareas for biodiversity conservation - using set criteria. Further work assesses thecapacity of the conservation community and the threats to biodiversity that need tobeaddressed.Thencomeprioritizationand a strategy for conservation actions andfunding.

The choice of this methodology for BEST III demonstrates the value and growing interest for the science-based,participatory process of ecosystem profiling. It has also proved to bebeneficialtoCEPFforfutureprofiles,withfeedbackandquestionsfromtheregionalhubs helping fine-tune the process andadaptittonewecosystems.

This first collaboration paves the wayfor future synergies between CEPF,IUCN and the regional hubs’ partners for the implementation of conservation strategies in the biological hotspots where EU is present through its overseas entitiesaswellasinotherregions.

Pierre carret, pictured here with a tortoise at Cap Bon, Tunisia, is an

agronomist and expert in biodiversityconservation. He worked for ten yearswith several international institutions,including the European Commission, onprogrammes for nature conservation.Through his assignments, he hassupported grassroots organizations fromtheMaldives toSouthAfrica,Haiti,Laos, Liberia or Kazakhstan. From 2010to 2014, he has served as advisor tothe executive director of the CriticalEcosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF),basedinWashington,D.C.He’snowGrantDirector for the Mediterranean Basin and Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands Hotspots,andisbasedinFrance.

Contact:BEST III Consortium ecosystem profile expert:

Pierre Carret, [email protected]

uSEFuL LINKS www.cepf.net

CEPF in Overseas Territories (in French)

Pierre Carret with a tortoise in Tunisia © Pierre Carret

Examples of BEST III and CEPF ecosystem profiles

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As the sea-ice is getting unpredictable, there is less need for dogs and sledges © Michael Køie Poulsen

PISuNA: Engaging local communities in biodiversity governance

The Arctic has warmed more than any other region on Earth. The rapid

changes affect the people in Greenland, EU’s northernmost overseas territory, where many people depend on natural resources for their livelihood.

In the past, when hunters spotted a large group of animals, they would call the ministry to ask for a higher quota. Such sightings reported via phone were difficult to use for species management. The Department of Fisheries, Hunting and Agriculture therefore initiated the PISUNA programme, thanks to funding from the BEST Preparatory Action, to better capture the data collected by citizens and strengthen the incorporation of indigenous and local knowledge into decision-making.

PISUNA establishes local nature resource committees made up of hunters, fishers

and environmentally interested people. The council members select species to be monitored for which hunters, fishers, as well as other interested citizens collect data during their outings. Every three months, the data are summarized and interpreted by the community members. Possible management actions are discussed on the basis of an evaluation of

trends compared to previous years. The municipality can then issue an order after approval by the central government.

Initially using pen-and-paper, the popularity and wide-spread use of smartphones, cameras and Facebook have increasingly facilitated and improved the documentation and communication of findings, in particular video and still images of ice conditions or sightings of animals like walruses.

So far, PISUNA has led to 14 proposed management recommendations for 12 species: the setting of quotas (2), the changing of hunting seasons (5), the need for research into particular topics (3) - for example testing acoustic de terrent devices to repel humpback whales away from main dinghy traffic routes and (Atlantic cod) fishing nets so as to reduce ship strikes and entanglement of whales in fishing gear - , the regulation of fisheries through the establishment of municipal bylaws (2) - including zoning of sea-areas to reduce shrimp trawling and seafloor degradation in breeding areas of spotted wolffish – and more. The local municipal authority reviewed and made decisions regarding 11 of these proposals.

As a result of media coverage, PISUNA’s reach is expanding. In April 2015, monitoring workshops were given in Qaanaaq, at 77 28 N, one of the northernmost towns in the world, situated 1,588 km North of the capital Nuuk, and more recently in the villages of Kangersuatsiaq and Tasiusaq, 973 km North of Nuuk.

In Greenland, knowledge about hunting and fisheries is transferred verbally from one generation to the next © Michael Køie Poulsen

Participants to the kick-off workshop in Nuuk © Michael Køie Poulsen

Contact : Nette Levermann,

Department of Fisheries, Hunting and Agriculture:[email protected]

uSEFuL LINKS Project fact sheet

ACTIONS ON THE GROUND: UPDATES ON BEST PROjECTS

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Loss of ecosystem service with loss of native underwater vegetation in Macaronesia

Estimation of the economic value of ecosystem services is particularly

incipient in the marine realm, where numerous services still need to be evaluated. Seagrasses deliver essential services to humans. During the project, the economic value of Cymodocea nodosa seagrass meadows for local fisheries at the oceanic island of Gran Canaria (eastern Atlantic – Macaronesia region) was determined. Large-sized fishes, which constitute the fishable fraction, were seasonally sampled by means of visual censuses at 12 seagrass-dominated sites.

The total fish biomass was 907.6 kg (894.6 kg of commercially-targeted fishes). By using standard market prices, the monetary value of this biomass was estimated to average 866 € per hectare (ha); at the island-scale, this value adds up to 606,239 €, when considering the

area covered by C. nodosa. Small-sized fishes (mostly juveniles that replenish fisheries) were also seasonally sampled, through a seine net, at the same 12 seagrass-dominated sites. Eight nearshore fish species with commercial interest used seagrass meadows as ‘nursery grounds’. Estimates of secondary production revealed that this fish production monetarily averaged 95.75 € per ha per year when considering standard market prices; this value adds up to 67,030.30 € per year at the island-scale, when

considering the area covered by C. nodosa.

This study provides complementary assessments of the key economic contribution of seagrass meadows for coastal fisheries as both ‘fishing’ and ‘nursery’ grounds. This is a way to promote the social perception of the key role that seagrasses play on the coast and, therefore, the necessity of incorporating seagrasses into conservation legislative

frameworks.

Contact : Project Coordinator:

Fernando Tuya,[email protected]

uSEFuL LINKS www.fernandotuya.org

Biodiversidad y Conservacion websiteProject fact sheet

A diver counting fish on a seagrass meadow off the island of Gran Canaria © Arturo Boyra

A pair of goatfish, Mullus surmuletus, looking for prey in a seagrass meadow off the island of Gran Canaria © Fernando Espino

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LATEST NEwS

Rich, beautiful and vulnerable – Presenting the BEST III ecosystem profiles of the EU Outermost Regions and Overseas countries and Territories

On 19 October, the preliminary results of the BEST III regional ecosystem profiles

were presented to the larger public during a full-day event hosted at the Committee of the Regions in Brussels. After a welcome address by Laure Ledoux - Deputy Head of the Biodiversity Unit (DG ENV), representatives of each of the 7 regionsn in which EU overseas entities are located took the audience all around the world, sharing the outcomes of their participatory work developed in consultation with local stakeholders over the past year. Not short on fascinating facts to share, the profiling experts illustrated the biodiversity and ecosystem services as well as main threats specific to their region. These scientific data served as the base for the discussion at the local level to identify and prioritize Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs), and guide future conservation activities. From these preliminary KBAs results and an analysis of current conservation activities and investments, each BEST regional knowledge hub concluded with tangible critical areas for actions and investment needs.

Climate change impacts and the threats posed to biodiversity by invasive alien species came out as the two issues of great concern to all regions. Lack of targeted funding, incomplete inventory and assessment of species, poor knowledge of the marine domain, insufficient or missing management of protected areas, unsustainable development and overexploitation of the natural capital also emerged as common challenges. Actions mentioned to address these priority issues ranged from sustaining invasive species control, increasing community engagement, supporting targeted research and improving management of protected areas, all in need of dedicated funding.

The BEST tour around the world started with the Caribbean region. The hub is working with 15 entities, politically attached to three EU countries, meaning that on top of a variety of habitats, different cultures and political governance need to be taken into account. Considering that consultations brought over 90 organisations to contribute to the ecosystem profile, the hub showcased a successful approach to regional collaboration towards conservation, to preserve the

healthy ecosystems the region depends on for protection of its large biodiversity and to insure sustainable tourism - one of its main income sources.

Heading east to the three Macaronesian archipelagos, the audience then discovered the region with one of the highest numbers of endemic - over 5,600 recorded species found nowhere else in the world – among 23,000 known terrestrial and marine species. On a sobering note, several species are known to have gone extinct in the past decades as a result of human impact, reminding us all of the urgency to engage in preservation measures, in particular better mitigation of the negative consequences on native habitats caused by growth and unsustainable human development.

Moving across the globe, the BEST efforts in the two EU overseas sub-regions of the Pacific, an area larger than the EU mainland and almost exclusively unexplored marine territory, were presented. Part of two global Biodiversity Hotspots and home to over 20% of the world’s atolls, the over 130 islands are highly dependent on preserving natural ecosystems to face the impacts of climate change and support the local economy and culture. Among the actions mentioned was the need to improve the management and the connectivity of protected areas and engage local communities in conservation.

Travelling back West, the Indian Ocean hub showcased its contrasting islands – some densely populated and highly threatened by human development, some uninhabited with coral reefs still in near pristine condition providing a home to seven times more fish than comparable reefs in the region and a good insight into what such an undisturbed ecosystem looks like. The hub emphasized the need for an ecosystem- rather than species-based approach to conservation to foster sustainable economic growth and minimize environmental impacts from urbanisation.

From the volcanic and coral islands in the Indian Ocean, the audience was taken to the

largest protected terrestrial area of the EU, into the depth of the Amazonian rainforest, which is still covering more than 90% of the Guiana Shield and hosts an astonishing biodiversity, of which 80% is estimated to still be unknown! With a focus on responsible use of ecosystem services the hub also identified managing coastal ecosystems, notably dry savannahs, as a critical area for action to allow sustainable agriculture and biodiversity conservation to go hand-in-hand.

The next stop was quite more chilly, with a plunge into the Polar/Sub-polar region. The extreme habitats of the Arctic and Antarctic host key nesting sites for a variety of species but are also already severely affected by climate change. Although only minimally populated by humans, invasive alien species are a problem and the hub made a convincing point that prevention was way more cost-effective than remedying the devastation caused by an invasion. Also emphasized was the need to sustainably manage marine biodiversity and fish stocks, on which their economies almost exclusively depend.

Hopping between the islands of the South Atlantic, the participants got to experience climates from cool-temperate to warm tropical. The hub illustrated how much of the biodiversity of the region was still unknown, with new unique species being continuously identified. The reoccurring question “How can we protect what we don’t know?” clearly outlined the critical need for baseline data collection on species through research. The hub also demonstrated that measures are required to preserve plant diversity from the spread of invasives, an issue more of concern as islands are becoming more accessible to visitors.

The presentations were followed by discussions and a concluding summary led by Carole Martinez, BEST III coordinator. Mr Ladislav Miko - Deputy DG for the Food chain (DG SANTE) and one of the very early supporters and co-founders of BEST as a voluntary scheme for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Territories of European overseas - closed the meeting by congratulating the hubs on their achievements and highlighting BEST as an excellent example of European cost-efficient action thanks to which visible, impactful results can be produced with little budget and small active teams.

Presenters©Sylvie Rockel

uSEFuL LINKS Clickheretoviewpresentationsandthetake

home message

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Promoting Partnerships in the European Overseas20 October 2015, European Parliament, Brussels.

EU decision-makers and stakeholders gathered in the European Parliament

to discuss the pivotal role of European Overseas and the significance they play in protecting biodiversity, and how EU- European Overseas partnerships are strategic to showcase nature-based solutions, which have been proven to be cost-efficient and should be promoted at the COP21 in Paris. From the tropics to the poles European Overseas are home to more diverse biodiversity and ecosystems than continental EU, and they are particularly vulnerable to human induced and natural impacts including climate change. One year after the Message from Guadeloupe was adopted and a few weeks ahead of UNFCCC COP 21 in Paris, Maurice Ponga MEP gathered politicians, experts and stakeholders on 20 October to take stock of on-going efforts and initiatives in the Outermost Regions (ORs) and Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) and discuss the importance of promoting partnerships. ORs and OCTs are already

feeling the effects of climate change at economic, social and environmental levels. Being mostly islands they are fragmented and isolated as well as very vulnerable to external threats and pressures. However they are already showcasing their potential for innovative solutions. It was underlined by George Pau-Langevin, French Minister of Overseas, that the European Overseas “have a multitude of local initiatives being implemented with regards to innovative technologies, renewable energy, and it is imperative that these actions be promoted and highlighted at COP21”. Humberto Delgado Rosa, Director “Mainstreaming

Adaptation and Low Carbon Technology”, DG Climate Action pointed out as well that European Overseas can “play a pivotal role in demonstrating that resilience and adaptation must and can be built successfully”. In the run up to Paris it was highlighted that COP21 must provide a voice for the European Overseas and that tools and mechanisms developed in these areas can be a good source of inspiration.

The BEST 2.0 Programme: a boost for on the ground conservation and sustainable development in OcTs

Recognizing the urgency to continue supporting projects on the ground

the European Commission’s Directorate General for International Cooperation and Development (DG DEVCO), as part of the EU Biodiversity for Life (B4Life) flagship, has allocated new resources to address conservation needs in the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) through a programme called BEST 2.0. The fact that the funds requested under the BEST Preparatory Action exceeded the available budget by more than six times clearly highlights the need for additional funding.

The BEST 2.0 Programme aims to enable, empower and strengthen local actors that are committed to promoting biodiversity conservation and the sustainable use of ecosystem services in the 25 EU OCTs.

Through targeted calls for proposals, this programme will provide much needed and accessible funding for the implementation of additional projects, similar in scope to those funded under the BEST Preparatory Action such as the PISUNA and the seagrass valuation projects featured in this newsletter.

IUCN is responsible for implementing the programme with support from partner organisations that are based in each of the five regions in which the OCTs are located (IUCN French Committee in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, SAERI in the South Atlantic, TAAF in the Polar/Sub-polar and CAR-SPAW in the Caribbean).

A combination of small grants (<50,000 € and <100,000 €) and medium grants (between 100,000 € and 400,000 €) will be funded. Small grants primarily target stakeholders based in the OCTs and support actions implemented

within individual territories, whilst medium grants aim in addition to promote regional inter territorial cooperation and capacity building of local actors.

The ecosystem profile work being carried out under BEST III, and ultimately the final ecosystem profiles once complete, will be used in addition to relevant local and territorial strategies and other criteria to assess the relevance of submitted projects to the needs and priorities of the target territory(ies) and to inform the selection of grantees.

A first call for proposals was launched on the 14th September 2015 for small grants in the Indian Ocean, Polar/Sub-polar and South Atlantic regions, and medium grants in the Caribbean and Pacific regions. This will be switched for a second call – due to be launched in spring 2016 - so that all regions benefit from both small and medium grants. Information related to the call can be found on the dedicated BEST 2.0 Portal.

Contact : Daniel Mitchell,

[email protected] Carole Martinez,

[email protected]

uSEFuL LINKS BEST2.0ProgrammePortal

uSEFuL LINKS Event webpages

Event's speakers © EBCD

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Pacific

Indian Ocean

Polar/Sub-polar

South Atlantic

Amazonia

Caribbean

Macaronesia

Polar/Sub-polar

LegendEU Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs)

EU Outermost Regions (ORs)

African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of states and island states of the same regions

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the EU

BEST initiative scopeEuropean Union Outermost Regions and Overseas Countries and Territories

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Pacific

Indian Ocean

Polar/Sub-polar

South Atlantic

Amazonia

Caribbean

Macaronesia

Polar/Sub-polar

LegendEU Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs)

EU Outermost Regions (ORs)

African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of states and island states of the same regions

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the EU

Photos: ©RogerLeguen,©HenkjanKievit,©R.Renoux,©A.Bocquet,©R.Perdriat,©LuisaMadruga,©Dr.JudithBrown,©JeanChristopheLefeuvre, ©MagaliVerducci,©PedroRaposeiro,©JonSlayer,©SelmaHaouet,©MagaliVerducci

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BESTIIICONSORTIUMWORKINGTEAM

Consortium andproject coordinator

Carole MartinezIUCN

Olivier LangrandCEPF

Pierre CarretCEPF

Jean-PhilippePalasi

CI

Sylvie RockelIUCN

MoniqueBorboen-Abrams

IUCN

Website design & development

De Visu & One Agency

Anna RosenbergIUCN

Coordination teamCI/CEPF experts

Regional hubs

AurélieBocquet

UICN France

Laurent KelleWWF France

Anne-GaëlleVerdier

(WWF France)

Anna Cohen Nabeiro

(WWF France)

Romain RenouxSPAW-RAC/

RNSM

Paul BrickleSAERI

Anne Fontaine(SPAW-RAC)

Amandine Vaslet(SPAW-RAC/

RNSM)

Megan Tierney(SAERI)

Maria Taylor(SAERI)

José MNAzevedo

FRCT Azores

FranciscoWallenstein

Macedo(FRCT Azores)

Luisa Madruga(FRCT Azores)

AurélieBocquet

UICN France

Tanguy Nicolas(UICN France)

Lea Trifault(UICN France)

CédricMarteau

TAAF

Paul Tixier (TAAF)

Paul Brickle forSGSSI (SAERI)Ann-Isabelle

Guyomard (TAAF)

Vincent Piton (TAAF)

East Pacific:Jean Kapé,

Eleonora Avagliano (UICN France)West Pacific:

Jean-ChristopheLefeuvre (CI)

East Pacific:Flora Artzner

(UICN)West Pacific:

Selma Haouet(UICN/CI)

Pacific Amazonia Caribbean South Atlantic Macaronesia Indian Ocean Polar/Subpolar

Fundraisingexpert

Regional ecosystemprofile expert

EU overseasexpert

Project officerCommunications

officerSenior financial &

legal expert

Eco

syst

em

profileofficers

Expe

rts

Co

ord

inat

ors

Figure 1. Organizational structure of BEST III Consortium working team (April 2015)

AbbreviationsIUCN International Union for Conservation of NatureCI Conservation InternationalCEPF Critical Ecosystem Partnership FundUICN France French IUCN CommitteeWWFFrance WorldWildlifeFundFrenchofficeRNSM Réserve Naturelle de Saint-MartinSAERI South Atlantic Environmental Research InstituteSGSSI South Georgia and South Sandwich IslandsSPAw RAC United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Specially Protected Areas and wildlife (SPAw) Regional Activity CenterFRCT Fundo Regional para a Ciência e TecnologiaTAAF Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands

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coordination team

Advisory experts

Technical support team

Carole Martinez

Olivier Langrand [email protected]

www.devisu.com/en

Pierre Carret

BEST III website graphic designer

BEST III website developer

DeVisu

One Agency

jean-Philippe Palasi

BEST III Consortium and project coordinator

BEST III Consortium and fundraising expert

BEST III Consortium ecosystem profile expert

BEST III Consortium EU overseas funding expert

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

www.one-agency.be/en

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

BEST III Consortium project officer

BEST III Consortium communications officer

BEST III Consortium senior financial and legal expert

SylvieRockel

MoniqueBorboen-Abrams

Anna Rosenberg

Amazonian hub

[email protected] III Amazonian hub coordinatorLaurentKelle

[email protected] III Amazonian hub expertAnne-Gaëlle Verdier

[email protected] III Amazonian hub ecosystem profile officerAnna Cohen

caribbean hub

[email protected] III Caribbean hub coordinatorRomainRenoux

[email protected]

BEST III Caribbean hub expertAnne Fontaine

[email protected] III Caribbean hub ecosystem profile officerAmandine Vaslet

Indian Ocean hub

[email protected] III Indian Ocean hub coordinatorAurélieBocquet

[email protected] III Indian Ocean hub expertTanguy Nicolas

Macaronesian hub

[email protected] III Macaronesian hub coordinatorjosé MN Azevedo

[email protected] III Macaronesian hub expertFrancisco wallenstein Macedo

[email protected] III Macaronesian hub ecosystem profile officerLuisa MC Madruga

Pacific hub

[email protected] III Pacific hub coordinatorAurélieBocquet

[email protected] III West Pacific sub-regional hub coordinator and expertjean-Christophe Lefeuvre

[email protected] III West Pacific sub-regional hub ecosystem profile officerSelma Haouet

[email protected] III East Pacific sub-regional hub coordinatorJeanKape

Polar and sub-polar hub

[email protected] III Polar and sub-polar hub coordinatorCédric Marteau

[email protected] III Polar and sub-polar hub expertAnn-Isabelle Guyomard

[email protected] III Polar and sub-polar hub ecosystem profile officerVincent Piton

South Atlantic hub

[email protected] III South Atlantic hub coordinatorPaulBrickle

[email protected] III South Atlantic hub expertMegan Tierney

[email protected] III South Atlantic hub ecosystem profile officerMaria Taylor

THE BEST III CONSORTIUM - CONTACTS

Impressumcover photos: © Andrew Darlow,©JoëlDetcheverry,©RégisPerdriat,©LaurentBouveret-OMMAG ©Jean-FrançoisButaud,©JoëlDetcheverry,©JustinMonnier, ©PierreCarret,©MaelImirizaldu,©MichaelKøiePoulsen,©JudithBrownDesign: UNITgraphics.com/ImreSebestyénjr.

For more info:

BEST website: http://ec.europa.eu/best/ Homepage

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RegionsNews and events

BEST2.0ProgrammeportalMessage from Guadeloupe

BEST newsletter (in French and in English)Subscribe to the newsletter on our website