Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE)
Protected areas (PAs) and conservation areas are recognized as areas for in-situ conservation of biodiversity and a substantial portion of biodiversity is encompassed within it. India has 4 categories of PAs viz. National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Reserves and Community Reserves as per Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Extent of Protected Areas in India as per Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
| S. No. | Category of Protected Area | Number |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Parks | 101 |
| 2 | Wildlife Sanctuaries | 443 |
| 3 | Conservation Reserves | 86 |
| 4 | Community Reserves | 163 |
| Total 903 in number (Area 1,65,012km2) | ||
What is Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE)
Protected area (PA) management effectiveness evaluation (MEE) is defined as the assessment of how well PAs are being managed- primarily, whether they are protecting their values and achieving the goals and objectives agreed upon. Assessment of protected area management effectiveness has emerged as a key tool for PA managers and it is well recognized by the government over the past 1.5 decades. The term ‘management effectiveness’ reflects following three main themes of PA Management:
- Design issues relating to both individual sites and PA systems.
- The adequacy and appropriateness of management systems and processes.
- Delivery of the objectives of PAs, including conservation of values.
Hockings, M., James, R., Stolton, S., Dudley, N., Mathur, V., Makombo, J., Courrau, J., Parrish, J., & Patry, M. 2008. Enhancing Our Heritage Toolkit: Assessing Management Effectiveness of Natural World Heritage Sites. World Heritage Paper 23. Paris: UNESCO World Heritage Centre
Framework
India has adopted WCPA framework and detailed monitoring system has been developed, 32 ‘Headline Indicators’ have been customized specifically for Indian context for evaluation of National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.
MEE Score Table for 32 Headline Indicators
| Framework Element Number | Framework Element Name | Number of Questions (a) | Maximum Mark per question (b) | Total (a x b) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Context | 03 | 10 | 30 |
| 2 | Planning | 09 | 10 | 90 |
| 3 | Inputs | 06 | 10 | 60 |
| 4 | Process | 05 | 10 | 50 |
| 5 | Outputs | 04 | 10 | 40 |
| 6 | Outcomes | 05 | 10 | 50 |
| Total | 32 | - | 320 | |
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