Walia Special Edition on the Bale Mountains (2011) - Zoologische ...

BMNP Management History
Since its inception, the BMNP management authority has never stretched far beyond the northern
parts of the park around the Gaysay Valley. Attempts to extend this area of influence in the late
1980’s resulted in conflicts with local communities that affect relationships to this day. In 1986 a
General Management Plan (Hillman 1986) was developed, containing a thorough review of the
knowledge of the area and guidelines on how to meet management objectives. This plan was never
implemented due to increasing civil strife as opposition to the Dergue government grew. Since
1991, the effectiveness of protection and management in the area has declined dramatically. For the
last decade less than 10% of the park has been patrolled or monitored by park management in any
meaningful fashion.
The park’s unclear legal status, coupled with a lack of human and financial resources, political
interest and technical knowledge has contributed to the decline in management effectiveness and
consequent degradation of the BMNP’s resources. As a result the BMNP has become an open access
resource, with a burgeoning human population through immigration and rapid natural population
growth and consequent unsustainable use of the park’s natural resources (see also Tadesse et al. this
edition). As a result, the unique ecological and hydrological systems of the BMNP are seriously
threatened.
Park management alone lacks the capacity to tackle these threats, and although a number of
donor project interventions have attempted to halt the degradation, there was previously no logical
approach or co-ordination to management strategies or interventions. Most interventions left no
legacy; initiatives ceased once project funding ran out and the situation on the ground has continued
to deteriorate. In response, the Ethiopian management authorities and interested donors decided to
partner in a coordinated conservation management planning process. Formulating a GMP for the
BMNP was prioritised to develop a strategy for the long-term management of the BMNP and to help
partners identify their roles and responsibilities to secure the BMNP’s future.
Function and Structure of the General Management Plan
Protected Area GMP’s are essential tools for identifying management needs, formulating strategies
for long-term management and setting priorities for resource allocation. They also outline the
roles and responsibilities for implementing personnel, partners and other stakeholders, providing
a framework for cooperation and engagement towards common goals within an agreed strategy.
When, as ever, resources are limited, GMPs allow managers to prioritise their needs and to allocate
staff, funding, equipment and materials accordingly. They provide continuity in management policy,
particularly when staff members are transferred and partners change. Finally, they operate as a
public relations document, providing a means to explain the PA’s purpose, policies and objectives,
and to solicit donor funding by clearly laying out a shared vision, management priorities and input
requirements (Thomas and Middleton 2003).
Until recently, many GMPs adopted ten year planning horizons. Lessons learnt from
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