Exchange programmes - IUCN

Implementation of an Exchange Programme for Protected Areas in East Asia
other by the agency, office or university that employs this person. This technique has
allowed NOAA to stretch the limited funds available.
Core programme funding
Both NOAA and SOA devote staff time and expenses to support the partnership. The
NOS office has three permanent staff workingin China, Korea and Japan. The NOS
International Program Office has a budget of $40,000. The money is pooled with other
partners to build the overall programme and is also used for administrative costs for
planning meetings with the Chinese. NOS consider the $40,000 to be core funding, but it
is not a fixed amount every year. Budget allocation priorities change from year to year
and cannot be guaranteed.
The programme hopes to involve other potential donors like the World Bank and the
GEF in the future. They also hope to work more closely with groups such as IUCN,
WWF and the China Environment Fund to help access further expertise in the region and
additional fundingfrom corporate donors and other sources. They are also workingmore
with other governmental organisations in the Environment Protection Agency and the
Department of Interior to co-ordinate efforts and investment in areas of common
concern.
Lessons learned
NOAA considers this agreement with China to be the strongest bilateral agreement they
have, enablingthem to build strongrelations with the Chinese ocean and coastal
community based now on over 20 years of collaboration. If one conclusion can be drawn
from this experience, it is the importance of continuity. To maintain the partnership it is
vital for the two sides to continue communicatingand to continue to work together on
partnership objectives. To this end, after their visit, the Chinese worked as a team back in
China to continue implementingthe planningprocess begun in the US.
2.4 Italy-United States Park and Protected Area Twinning/Partnership
Introduction
American interest in Italy’s parks dates back as far as the 1930s, when American experts
travelled to Italy to observe Italian land management, reforestation, erosion control
methods and the successes of their conservation corps (Bray, 1998). The idea of twinningItalian
and American protected areas was first recommended by Italian individuals
in the 1990s. Over time, interest in partneringintensified in both countries.
Italy United States
1. Abruzzo National Park Adirondack Park
2. Po Regional Nature Park Hudson River Valley Greenway
3. Pisa Regional Parks Long Island Pine Barren
4. Parco Val d’Orcia Mohawk Valley Heritage Corridor
5. Parco Litorale Roman Hudson Mohawk Urban Cultural Park
In 1997, a roundtable discussion was held on the linkingof Italian and US parks and
protected areas. This initiated the twinning/partnership process. Since then the partner-
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