The Management Plan

In order to design an effective management plan it is important to compile first a set of background information of the site, such as, precise geographic location, size, status tenure, ownership, agreements with landowner(s), access as well as any legislation and/or policy measures affecting the genetic reserve.

The local community can have an impact on the genetic reserve. It is necessary to describe the effects of local human population, both in and out of the genetic reserve, its historical land use and tenure, cultural significance and public interest, including educational and recreational activities and their potential.

If any scientific research is taking place or has been carried out before in your land, please gather this information as well.

Compile general and site specific information about your target taxon or taxa.

General taxon/taxa information: include all about its taxonomy (classification, delimitation, description, iconography, key features), wider distribution, habitat preferences, phenology, breeding system, means of reproduction (sexual or vegetative) and regeneration ecology, genotypic and phenotypic variation, local name(s) and uses.

Site specific taxon information (i.e. specific to your genetic reserve): refers to its spatial distribution within the site, abundance, minimum viable population size, genetic structure and diversity within the site, autecology with microhabitat preference, associated fauna and flora (particularly pollinators and dispersal agents), and specific threats to the population(s).

Describe the site's physical and biotic components. Include topographic, geological, edaphic, climatic and hydrologic information as well as species composition, naturalness and recorded history. Describe the vegetation, flora and fauna of the site, focusing on those species that directly interact with the target taxa, such as, keystone species, pollinators, seed dispersers, herbivores, symbionts, predators, diseases, etc.

The main goal of your genetic reserve is to maintain the viability of your target CWR population(s), conserving its breadth of genetic diversity and promoting its use. To achieve this you must set key specific management and operational goals.

Include in the management plan of your genetic reserve a rationale for the management objective and the operational ones.

Describe in your management plan the interventions (tasks) to be carried out, the methodology to be used, who will be responsible for the intervention and how they will be managed. Consider here as well the risks asociated to the prescribed management.

Design a thorough and efficient work plan in order to implement the management interventions.

Make a list of the tasks that will be necessary to execute (interventions), assign roles and responsibilities, include a time frame to carry out the tasks, and decide on the resources that you will need (i.e. how to fund the genetic reserve, what human resources and operational funds are available and which ones will be necessary).

Your management plan should describe how the monitoring process of the CWR population(s) will be done and how progess will be measured. It will be necesssary for you to consider here including clear indicators and to define how often (frecuency) the monitoring task will take place.