| Overview : Assessing the management effectiveness of protected areas using the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT) has gained popularity in recent years, both in South Africa and internationally. This arose from the Convention on Biological Diversity Programme of Work in Protected Areas (PoWPA) in the late 2000s https://www.cbd.int/protected/pow/learnmore/intro/. In response, South Africa domesticated the global METT into METT South Africa Version 1 which was used annually (baseline published in 2010) for assessments across the country, for submission to the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) for collation and national analysis. Further, in 2015, South Africa through the DEA received support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF-5) for a UNDP-assisted project on Management Effectiveness of the Protected Area Network in South Africa, implemented by various organizations within the country through central coordination by the South African National Parks (SANParks). This project covers expansion and sustainable financing of the protected areas estate, and its management effectiveness. The application of METT South Africa Version 1 drew attention to its limitations and then led to revision processes, ultimately resulting in an improved version, METT South Africa Version 3 (METT 3). First assessments on the new revision were undertaken in 2015 and data submitted to DEA. The revision highlighted areas of weaknesses, and also highlighted for example, the suitability of the tool for World Heritage Sites (WHS) and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Since then, additional areas of the tool that require strengthening have emerged, such as catering for other kinds of protected areas, and having a tool that responds to different needs, which include, but are not limited to private nature reserves, Ramsar sites, stewardship sites, GEF project sites and Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs). Other areas requiring attention include development of the system that will respond to assessing sites with multiple designations or covering different kinds of protected areas. In this regard, UNDP seeks to appoint a firm to develop an integrated web-based METT with multiple attributes that incorporates all the different kinds of Protected Areas in South Africa; and to coordinate TFCA work collaboration on selected sites. Principally, the work will lead to a well-defined, world-class online METT system, and will be supported by technical training and wider awareness raising amongst the relevant stakeholders. |
