Priority Conservation Areas-4 Delineation of Priorities Conservation Areas

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4.1.1.4 Priority Conservation Areas-4

Priorities Conservation Areas-4 purple color in figure 13, is forest areas that have values forest areas that provide basic services of nature in critical situations, such as forests critical to water catchments, forests critical to erosion control, and forests providing barriers to destructive fire. Ecological data analysis was not sufficient to do exploratory more to indicate the forest areas that have values to meet HCV4. Nevertheless, during field work was collected several spring water that vitals to community surrounded the north dry lowland forest. Based on very limited data required, there is only one element of HCVA-4 that drawn in CPA delineation, such Forest Critical for Drink Water for several hamlets around north coast. Northern side of these forest areas is critical for spring water such Katam Spring which is significant for community at Com Village, and Sicara Hamlet. At hilly part 500 m elevation of this forests area are critically for watershed catchment of Iralalaro Lake also critical for several spring water that supplied drink water for community at several hamlets such Poros, Comocho, Bauro, Mehara, Ioro and Chailoro. Within this forest area at Assalaino woodland, indicated as bird concentration sites. Data ever recorded in 2003 placed Assalaino woodland as second higher birds concentration after Iralalaro Lake. Main issues are swidden and slash-burn agriculture, illegal logging and small scale of hunting. It’s recommended for future inventory to discover much species and valuable values within Socoloho forest area. This forest area surrounded by bareland, woodland and fragmented coconut plantation. Reforestation with Near Threatened and Threatened Species is surround area is recommended. Comparing two series datasets on forest cover, Topographic Map 1993 and Landsat TM5 2006 interpretation indicated that forest land at north coast covered by dry lowland sparse forest was 106.14 km 2 1993 and decrease to 91.78 km 2 2006. It’s mean that within 13 years forests area approximately 14.36 km 2 has loss. Table 28 Percentage areas of Priorities Conservation Areas-4 46 Component Areas km2 Areas Forests Critical for Drink Water 91.78 13.55 Total PCA-4 91.78 13.55

4.1.1.5 Non Priority Conservation Areas