Ichkeul National Park

• Construction of dams;
• Hunting;
• Grazing,
• Air pollution;
• Problems caused by siltation of the lake;
• Need to update the integrated management plan for the site

WHC:

Representatives of IUCN and the Station Biologique de la Tour du Valat (Wetland Research and Conservation Centre, France) visited Tunisia from 17 to 23 June 2002. Their mission was to prepare an institutional framework and work plan for IUCN’s assistance to the State Party under the US$50 000 grant for emergency assistance approved by the Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee on April 9, 2002. During this mission, IUCN agreed to provide technical support to the State Party in organising a workshop to launch the process for the sustainable development and conservation of the Ichkeul catchment and lake, and in establishing a mutually agreed programme for monitoring the results of the rehabilitation plan for the Ichkeul Lake ecosystem.

The mission documented the following actions launched by the Agence Nationale de Protection de l’Environnement (ANPE):

·  Rehabilitation and mechanization of the Tindja sluice gate (to be completed in mid 2003);

·  Establishment of hydrological and meteorological monitoring stations in major tributary rivers and the lake (completed);

·  Confirmation of GEF support for a six year US$2.2 million project to assist in the development of a participatory management plan, and for updating the hydrological model (started in latter half of 2002);

·  Bathymetric/topographic surveys of Tindja Channel and Joumine / Melah marshes to assist planning of water release (to be started in latter half of 2002); and,

·  Establishment of a bio-physical monitoring programme (on-going).

The mission also learned about the construction of three additional dams on the Ichkeul catchment. One of the objectives of the dams is inter-annual water storage for release to Ichkeul during dry years, but the viability of this still has to be tested with the hydrological model.

As requested by the Committee’s decision 26 COM 21(a) 6 taken in Budapest, Hungary, in June 2002, the workshop to launch the rehabilitation programme was held on 28 and 29 January 2003. IUCN worked closely with the MedWet Coordinator (Ramsar Convention), the Tour du Valat Research Station, and the French Research Institute for Development (IRD) to present recommendations to the workshop related to the future restoration work, including the establishment of indicators, benchmarks and a timetable for the scientific monitoring process and the development of a Management Plan. Principal conclusions of the workshop included:

·  Confirmation of the need to reinforce the management structure for the Park. In the report of the workshop it is observed that as part of the implementation of the GEF project, the creation of an autonomous and permanent management structure, that takes into consideration the specificities of Ichkeul and the sustainability of its values, with appropriate decision making powers needs to be established.

·  Recommendation that the Tunisian authorities should guarantee the release of 80-120 million cubic meters of water annually from upstream dams. In the closing session of the workshop, the authorities for the hydraulic resources management in Tunisia informed that it has recently decided to consider the Ichkeul National Park as a water “consumer” for whom regular quantities of water must be ensured. This is a significant decision showing that the State Party is committed to make the necessary water resources available for maintaining the ecological integrity of the Park and ensure the effective preservation of the site;

·  Elaboration of local Agenda 21 strategy that will ensure the necessary integration of the Ichkeul National Park management into regional ecological and socio-economic processes is foreseen. The strategy will acknowledge and sustain Ichkeul’s role as one of the motors driving regional development. The creation of a “committee 21” to pursue this process was recommended by the workshop.

·  Presentation by the Chief of Project during the workshop of a GEF/World Bank project to prepare a management plan included indicators for monitoring the performance of the project. Some of those indicators may be adapted to be included in the monitoring programme for measuring the success of the rehabilitation of Ichkeul National Park. Two types of indicators have been considered, scientific and technical. Scientific indicators include the establishment of populations of Potamogeton, an important plant for migratory bird feeding; and increase of the cover of Sirpaies by 50%. Technical indicators include: 100% of the permanent staff of the Park provided refresher training; increasing sensitivity of local communities to water management issues from a baseline of 25% to 70% of the population during a period of 5 years;

·  50% of the local communities to be trained in aspects related to the management of the Park etc.

IUCN considers that the outcome of the workshop and the commitment of the State Party to establish a monitoring programme for the rehabilitation of Ichkeul Lake have been commendable. Fortunately, the winter of 2002-2003 has been particularly wet, and this has allowed the lake to fill and flush out the salt accumulated over four years of recent drought. The return of the numbers of migratory birds to Ichkeul has also significantly increased compared to recent years of low rainfall. IUCN notes that the restoration of the site in the long term however, depends on water resources, about 80 to 120 millions cubic metres being released from dams on an annual basis. The decision of the Secretary of State for Water Resources confirming the State Party’s commitment to this annual release as and when needed in future years is therefore awaited.

IUCN:

The new information provided above has been proposed on a consensual basis between IUCN and the Centre.