Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity

With its 2,988 km of coastline and 66,405 km 2 of coastal waters, the country has unparalleled access to the flora and fauna of three different bodies of water — the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Chiriquí and the Gulf of Panama [ ] 178 Strengthening institutional capacities to integrate biodiversity management Following the participation of Pana- ma in the Project “Support to terres- trial protected areas of Mesoameri- ca,” implemented by UNEP within the framework of the partnership with the Lifeweb initiative, a process of valuation of ecosystem services and biodiversity was developed in the Volcán Barú National Park. After a participatory process and consul- tation with key stakeholders, the benefits of this area and its priority ecosystem services such as water, the provision of recreation and tourism opportunities, climate regulation and moderation of extreme weather events were identified. Tools and economic and legal mechanisms were developed to improve the manage- ment of this protected area, including sustainable agricultural practices. With the UNDP-GEF project “Transversalizing the conservation of biodiversity in the operation of the tourism and fishing sectors in the Archipelagos of Panama,” it has been possible to strengthen the systemic and institutional capacities to inte- grate the management of biodiversity into the activities of production, through the creation of opportunities for biodiversity-friendly investments, and through the strengthening of policies, legal framework and govern- ance structures in the archipelagos of Panama. The economic valuation of 25 protected areas has been developed by the Environmental Economics Unit of the National Environmental Authority. The Water Resources Au- thority of Panama has created three special coastal marine management zones: the Las Perlas Archipelago, the Southern Zone of Veraguas, and the Southern Zone of Azuero. In addi- tion, two marine reserve areas have been established: La Marinera in the province of Los Santos, and Zona Matumbal in the province of Bocas del Toro; while a total of four coastal marine management plans have been prepared, with the declaration of two new reserve zones planned. Also, training and the necessary coordination for the elaboration and implementation of Farm Manage- ment Plans within protected areas have been initiated. Currently, the Authority of the Aquatic Resources of Panama (ARAP), through the Fisheries Management Programme of Reser- voirs, monitors lake fishing activity at national level. In Lago Bayano, where artisanal fishing is practiced with greater intensity, a Cage Tilapia Project has been developed and carried out by a private company in agreement with the ARAP. At Lago Fortuna, it is in the process of ap- proving its management plan, which will include an aquaculture compo- nent. In addition, the management plan, with emphasis on fishing and tourism, is underway at the reservoir of La Yeguada Hydroelectric. P anama is located in the region with the greatest biodiversity on the planet, among the six known centres of global biodiversity, with high altitude variations that, under tropical climate conditions, favour a diversity of ecosystems containing 12 of the 30 Life Zones of Holdridge on the planet, in addition to the 24 categories of vegetation proposed by UNESCO and the seven additional categories that were included for the country that harbour a wide variability of ecosystems and habitats that allow the establishment of many species. Violet-bellied hummingbird Michael Klotz on flickr Panama