Terms of Reference (TORs) for Development of Management Plan for Ntugi Forest 

• INTRODUCTION

The Institute for Culture and Ecology (ICE) is a national indigenous Non-governmental Organization (NGO) that was started in 2006 and is registered in Kenya under the NGO Coordination Act. ICE was founded out of a visible need to promote the inherent and natural role of culture in environmental and resource management in Kenya. ICE vision is that of empowered communities harnessing indigenous knowledge for healthy people and ecosystems. Its mission is to promote indigenous knowledge for environmental conservation and to enhance the livelihoods of local communities.

ICE has been working with KFS and Ntugi-Igaironi Community Forest Association in implementing a project for rehabilitation and protection of Ntugi Forest. One of the key activities of the project is development of a Participatory Forest Management Plan (PFMP) for Ntugi Forest. This project is calling for technical and financial proposals from qualified and experienced consultants to lead the process for making the participatory forest management plan.

2.0     BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON NTUGI FOREST

Ntugi Forest is found in Tharaka Nithi County located at latitude 0°11’53” South and 37°55’27” East and elevated at 1,196 meters (3924 feet). The forest is among the many forested hills in Tharaka Nithi County. It is located seven (7) km from Marimanti Town along the Marimanti – Chiakariga road. It has two zones namely the indigenous forest zone (964.6 ha) and grassland zone (414.2 ha).

The Forest Conservation and Management Act of 2016 requires that all forests prepare participatory forest management plans. Hence the need to develop a 5-year management plan for Ntugi forest station.

3.0     OBJECTIVES

The primary objectives of the forest management plan are:

• To preserve biodiversity while at the same time enhancing people’s livelihoods.
• Ensuring sustainable utilization of the forest for present and future generations.

The other objectives of the exercise are:

• To carry out a detailed socio-economic survey of the people around Ntugi Forest using the Sustainable Livelihoods Analysis approach.
• Ensure that the communities around Ntugi forest and all other stakeholders adopt a common approach to the management of the forest and livelihood related issues in a participatory manner under a participatory forest management plan.
• Assist the target local community around Ntugi Forest and other stakeholders to package their ideas on forest conservation and ecosystem benefits into a participatory forest management plan approach that may attract funding by enhance sustainable forest utilization.

4.0     SCOPE OF WORK

In consultation with the adjacent community through the Ntugi – Igaironi Community Forest Association, KFS and other stakeholders, the consultant will organize stakeholders’ consultative forums for the purpose of gathering key information that will feed into the forest management plan.

The consultant will specifically undertake the following tasks:

1. Carry out a Socio-economic survey focusing on Livelihood and Resources Assessments

• The consultant will carry out an assessment of the prevailing socio-economic status of the local community in relationship to forest utilization
• The consultant will do a Characterization of sampled households in terms of their demography, education levels and other socio-economic characteristics of household members including access to production resources (land, labor and capital)
• Do a Characterization of farming systems in terms of on and off-farm enterprises
• determine the extent and nature of targeted forest and understand who is involved in its utilization and management
• Identify and map existing infrastructure and other non-living features (e.g., water bodies, roads) and their use in relationship to the community.
• Undertake analysis of seasonal use of resources by listing the resources, seasons when they are used and reasons for seasonality.
• Undertake a livelihood analysis in order to identify all community groups including vulnerable groups within the area, their main sources of income and the linkages to use of forestry resources
• Assess the level to which the community and other partners have been involved in the Ntugi forest ecosystem, focusing on how existing structures will impede or enhance the PFM success.

1. Conduct a stakeholder analysis and identify groups, public and private agencies, or individuals dependent or impacted on by the forest and establish their roles, responsibilities, rights, and benefits/rewards including use of forest resources.
2. Assess the extent to which gender has been or can be integrated in the ongoing activities in the forest including fair representation of men, women, youth, and special interest groups (including those physically challenged) in forest conservation and benefits sharing.
3. Assess the capacity of the local community in terms of forest management and make recommendations on ways and means of enhancing their capacity
4. Assess environmental threats and livelihood related issues in the area and establish their root causes and relations with the forest
5. Identify existing and potential sources of conflicts and recommend conflict mitigation measures
6. Eco-tourism

• Identify eco-tourism potential in the forest and adjacent neighborhood in terms of
• presence, proximity to other recreation sites and attractions. These sites should be clearly displayed in a GIS Map.
• Analyze and provide information on viability of these sites in terms of business and
• Community organization. It is expected that the consultant will use geo-spatial tools in generating a clear easy to understand map showing specific sites and their potential

1. Biodiversity

• Undertake a comprehensive search of available biodiversity information for the forest area and document their status.
• Provide baseline information on the forest status in terms of flora, fauna and their utilization and value to the community
• Provide information in terms of conservation importance – locally, regionally, nationally, and globally and temporal trends
• Document opportunities and challenges for retaining and increasing the status of biodiversity
• Identify threats to the forest, and local values, which may impact on the conservation of the forest biodiversity;
• Identify factors affecting habitats and important flora and fauna, including pressures and management actions and responses
• Recommend appropriate mechanisms to enhance biodiversity conservation

1. Forest Programs

• Develop forest management program that will ensure sustainable and sound forest management and addresses livelihood issues.
• Incorporate project monitoring and evaluation framework, including monitoring indicators on both performance and impact (environmental and poverty) and define the role of community in project monitoring.
• Identify existing forest governance structures and propose improvements based on the existing legislative and social framework.
• List existing institutions, identify their roles and responsibilities and carry out a SWOT analysis of each institution to ensure there is a clear and viable linkage between the activities by other stakeholders and poverty reduction project.

5.0    MANAGEMENT PLAN VISION

The consultant shall assist the stakeholders to develop a vision of the proposed plan in line with that of the strategic forest management plan of Tharaka Nithi County ecosystem.

• EXPECTED OUTPUT

The consultant is expected to teamwork closely with the Kenya Forest Service, Ntugi-Igaironi Community Forest Association, and other stakeholders in carrying out the exercise. The consultant is expected to use the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach to collect the primary data on practically all aspects of livelihoods of forest adjacent community of Ntugi Forest and biodiversity.

• The consultant is expected to develop a survey plan indicating the sampling procedures to be followed, the sample size and distribution, the statistical considerations taken into account, the survey timetable and the resources required.
• Design suitable household and community survey instruments.
• Review literature on the socio economic and biodiversity value and use of the forest areas.
• Carry out the actual survey and compilation of field data.
• Present the draft management plans to at least four local community and
• other stakeholders’ meetings for input.
• Submit the final forest management plan to ICE and KFS within NINETY days after signing the consultant agreement.

7.0     MAJOR OUTPUTS OF THE PROJECT

• A participatory forest management plan agreeable to the community and Kenya Forest Service taking into consideration other relevant stakeholders within the larger Tharaka Nithi County ecosystem.
• Give bound copies of the report and a soft copy to the proponent.
• Submission of the agreed final report to ICE and KFS within sixty days after signing the consultancy contract.

8.0     DURATION OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The assignment is expected to take NINETY days from the date of signing the consultancy contract.

9.0     PAYMENTS

Payment for the consultancy will be within the following categories.

• Professional fee – includes the fee for professional services or intellectual input into this process
• Reimbursable expenses – this payment includes all other expenses related to the assignment and outside the professional fee, as agreed with ICE before incurring the expense and shall have acceptable accounting documents.
• ICE will have a separate arrangement for transport and lunch reimbursements incurred by the stakeholders and community members during planned consultative forums.

10.0 REPORTING

The consultant will report on all administrative issues of this consultancy to ICE.

The Consultant will submit a draft report for review by the SIXTH WEEK after signing the contract.

The consultant will receive and integrate comments from the community and stakeholders before finalizing the report for forwarding to KFS. Final reports should be presented as 5 hard bound copies, and a soft copy.

11.0   SPECIFICATION

The qualified consultant must be conversant with Forest Act 2005 and its provision for participatory management plans (PFM). In addition, he/she should be conversant with steps involved in preparation of PFM as contained the manual on preparation of PFM plans of December 2007. To ensure adequate mapping, the consultant should be conversant with GIS tools such as Arcview and ArcGIS and in addition have good knowledge on flora and fauna. Evidence of having been involved in sustainable Livelihood analysis (SLA) approach is essential. A clear and circumstantial evidence of involvement in development of PFM forest plans previously is essential. These details should be provided to the client prior to the commencement of the work.

12.0   HOW TO APPLY

Qualified candidates are requested to submit one document of up to 20 pages with both technical and financial proposals. Include at least two professional referees and links to previous latest work done.  On the subject line on your email please indicate “Development of Ntugi Forest FMP”. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Applications should be sent by email to procure@icekenya.org and cc. martin@icekenya.org, not later than 15th October 2024, at 5.00pm.