Developing the local natural resource management plan: a guide to facilitators

This quick guide is intended for facilitators and development workers, both from the local governments units (LGUs) and non-government organizations, involved in natural resource management (NRM) planning and implementation. When used by a facilitator, this can help an interested LGU together with stakeholders prepare a local NRM plan to better protect and manage natural resources important to them. This guide is developed based on the experiences of NRM facilitators in Mindanao. It is more useful, but not exclusive to localities with extensive upland resources. Through a locally developed NRM plan, the LGU and its local stakeholders are guided by a shared practical vision and a set of strategies and priorities. The plan will guide them on how to optimize limited manpower and budgets in order to manage the local natural resources better. As a result, LGU officials and local communities can be more effective in protecting their remaining forests and water supply, rehabilitating degraded upland areas, improving farm productivity, and expanding rural income opportunities. The NRM planning process is best implemented just before the start of LGUs’ annual planning and budgeting cycle, perhaps around May to July of each year. Once developed and adopted, the multi-year NRM plan can serve as guide in preparing Annual Investment Plans. This guidebook is organized into six parts. Part 1 introduces the purpose of local NRM planning. It emphasizes the roles of facilitators in group learning processes, and the use of a variety of planning tools. Part 2 summarizes the phases and steps in formulating the NRM plan. Part 3 discusses the importance of creating a local NRM working committee. Part 4 provides the step-by-step process in developing the NRM plan. Part 5 tackles the required local manpower to implement the NRM plan. Finally, Part 6 encourages LGUs to implement the NRM plan through a participatory approach. The facilitator can follow the quick steps outlined in this guide. The nature and scope of each step can be further understood if the facilitator is able to read some of the key references recommended in this guidebook.

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