Selection of demonstration sites in the face of conflicting demands and financial limitations

Following an allocation of limited financial support from the GEF for three demonstration projects in each of the SCS project's habitat sub-components (mangroves, coral reefs and seagrass), it was necessary to examine the range of potential demonstration sites in the region and formulate a procedure to select those sites having the highest priority for intervention.This paper describes the process developed to select priority demonstration sites in a scientifically sound and objective manner. The procedure was based on a mutually-agreed set of indicators and criteria and involved consensus building with all focal points such that all parties fully understood the procedure and accepted the outcome. The outcome of the project was originally anticipated as being nine regional priority demonstration sites, three focussing on each sub-component (i.e., mangroves, seagrass and coral reefs). Additional outcomes not envisaged during project design included: 1.Regionally prioritised listings of potential demonstration sites as follows:
• 26 mangrove sites;
• 43 coral reef sites;
• 26 seagrass sites; and
• 40 wetlands sites (15 estuaries; 12 inter-tidal mudflats; 7 coastal lagoons; and 6 swamp forest sites).2.Draft proposals for interventions in 23 sites across all habitat types;3.An inter-governmentally agreed procedure for determining regional priorities that could be used to rank sites both nationally and regionally in the future;4.A regional GIS database having a large number of sites characterised in geographical and environmental, including biological, terms;5.Application of the approach at national level in two countries to determine national priorities for intervention; and6.A procedure and process that serves as a potential model for replication elsewhere when choices between alternative sites for intervention must be made to satisfy financial limitations.

► A method and process for selecting between alternative sites is documented.
► Habitat sites are characterised, grouped by similarity, then ranked.
► Selecting sites from different clusters maximises coverage of regional biodiversity.
► The outcome in the case of the South China Sea GEF project is documented.