On 3rd September 2009 senior managers from the Forestry Administration and WCS met at SPF HQ in Keo Seima to start the process of developing a computerised adaptive management plan for the Seima Protection Forest. The Miradi software, developed by the Conservation Measures Partnership, helps facilitate the development of an adaptive management plan for conservation projects. The selection of Seima as a WCS priority landscape, and the new Protection Forest status mean that this is an appropriate time to create a Miradi based plan for the site. It will help managers understand the issues at the site, see the links between interventions and prioritise activities. This will not only help in the day by day management of the site, but can also form the basis in the writing of a Management Plan for the Seima Protected Forest.
The first step in developing the plan: to agree on the scope and coverage of the project, and to develop a Vision for the area; was carried out at stakeholder workshop in July 2006. The project area is the whole of the Seima Protection Forest as defined by the sub-decree signed on 7th August 2009. The Vision of the site is: A well-managed forest landscape that supports increasing wildlife populations and improving livelihoods for the people who currently live there.
At this second step participants selected target species for the site. These are the heart of the conceptual diagram and by developing strategies to conserve these few species, all the biodiversity values of the site will be conserved. Participants evaluated available data and knowledge of nearly 30 potential target species, ranging from Asian Elephant to the O Reang Horned Frog before finally agreeing on seven target species that represent the SPF: Asian Elephant, Banteng, Eld's Deer, Sambar Deer, Yellow-cheeked Crested Gibbon, Tiger and Smooth-coated Otter. In the coming months managers will carry out a threats analysis for each of these species, and elucidate strategies to counter these threats.