- GEF biodiversity projects

>> Red Sea coastal and marine resource management:
The project will support the development and implementation of policies, plans and regulations to ensure that economic development in the Red Sea is consistent with sound environmental management to protect the shared marine resources of the Red Sea coastal zone. Project components include institutional strengthening, development of public-private partnerships to ensure sustainable environmental management, data analysis and system monitoring.

>> Conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plants in arid and semi-arid ecosystems:

The objective of the project is to conserve globally significant medicinal plant species and associated habitats in St Katherine’s Protectorate as follows:

1) foreclose the use of critically endangered medicinal plant species in hotspots;

2) introduce small-scale community-based cultivation, processing and medicinal plant marketing to relieve pressure from wild sources in orchards and gardens;

3) introduce best practices for wild medicinal plant collection and sustainable collection levels throughout the protectorate; 4) promote alternative energy sources in demonstration areas;

5) disperse grazing pressure throughout the Protectorate;

6) protect community intellectual property rights in Egypt; and

7) replicate project successes in Egypt.

>> National Biodiversity Strategy, Action Plan and First National Report to the CBD:
The aim of the project is to assist the country in the formation and management of sectoral and cross-sectoral programmes to meet the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity through a cost effective approach within the context of national sustainable development efforts, and to report to the Convention on progress achieved in implementing agreed commitments.

>> Clearing house mechanism enabling activity:
This project will assist the national Government to meet its obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity.

List of Biodiversity project preparation financing.

http://www.gefweb.org/COUNCIL/council8/anxa.htm

http://www.gefweb.org/COUNCIL/council8/annexc.htm

- GEF-SGP biodiversity projects

>> Studying biodiversity in Nile islands in upper Egypt

Project’s objectives are:

1) to survey and record the biodiversity of the Nile Islands (Esna-Nagah Hamadi reach);

2) to conduct a geological study covering the Nile Islands (Esna-Nagah Hamadi reach);

3) to carry out a conference on biodiversity and its importance for humanity;

4) to conduct five training programs for project staff and local NGOs in the target area;

5) to conduct five awareness seminars to focus on the importance of biodiversity and the danger of destroying natural habitats.

>> Coral reef protection in the Red Sea

Project’s objectives are:

1) to protect the ecosystems and coral reefs in the southern sector of the Red Sea;

2) to raise environmental awareness among fishers regarding the importance of conserving biodiversity in the Red Sea;

3) to raise awareness among tourists of the importance of conserving the coral reef;

4) to encourage the owners of resorts and ships to stop discharging their wastewater into the sea; 5) to decide the maximum number of visitors and divers to be allowed in each sector.

>> Protecting sea turtles

The project's objective is to protect sea turtles from extinction by:

1) issuing a law from the Minister of State for Environmental Affairs against fishing sea turtles;

2) raising public awareness of the plight of sea turtles;

3) preventing the trade of sea turtles in fish market.

>> Gabel Elba protected area community participatory programme:
The project will develop the framework of a Protected Area management programme that will enhance the management of Gabel Elba National Park and foster local community participation in the conservation of the park and its resources. Environmentally sound and sustainable development will be promoted.

>> Surveying, recording and planting of wild plants in the desert of New Valley:
Project objectives:

1) to protect the biodiversity in New Valley, especially the endemic and globally threatened plant species found in new valley;

2) to develop a database by surveying and recording endangered plant species in a scientific manner;

3) to identify the dangers facing the threatened species and work on eliminating some of these dangers through various conservation activities;

4) to raise the awareness of youth with regard to protecting biodiversity;

5) to increase the number of various endangered plant species.

>> Field research and species protection in Egypt:
Project objectives include:

1) identifying the major problems associated with the over-collection of plants and animals by Egyptian scientists;

2) creating a procedure for obtaining permission to collect species from Egyptian National Parks, and a mechanism by which such collecting can be regulated;

3) setting up a training programme for Egyptian field ecologists;

4) establishing a demonstration monitoring programme at St. Katherine Protectorate;

5) training scientists in the best ways of gathering information from the field.

>> Surveying, recording, planting and preserving medicinal plants in North Sinai:
Project to conduct a survey of medicinal plants, study their geographical distribution and examine methods of utilization by the local inhabitants. 120 medical plants were recorded, 25 of which were newly classified. In addition, a nursery for medical plants was established.