This building block emphasises community participation in monitoring, utilising citizen science and accessible data platforms to ensure local knowledge informs adaptive management and contributes to the long-term success of mangrove restoration.

The building blocks of NoArk's solution are interconnected to create a comprehensive, efficient system for conservation and environmental management. Bio-acoustic and chemical sensors collect critical ecological data, while Edge AI processing ensures rapid, on-site analysis, enabling immediate detection and response. These components are supported by LoRaWAN connectivity, which facilitates reliable, long-range communication in remote areas. The processed data is centralized on the PAMS dashboard, where it is visualized and analyzed for actionable insights, fostering better decision-making.

This system is strengthened by hyperlocal climate data, which enhances precision in risk assessments and planning. Finally, community and stakeholder engagement ensures the data and tools are effectively utilized, promoting collaboration and adaptability. Together, these elements form an integrated solution that empowers conservation efforts, addresses ecological threats, and supports sustainable development.

In the third Building Block, there was emphasis on the training the local community through capacity-building initiatives that involved locals in restoration work using traditional and local materials, fostering community ownership and long-term sustainability. This included support from UNESCO Climate Change Champions who provided external expertise and support while empowering local stakeholders.

In collaboration with the Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, and Kenyatta University, a research study was initiated to quantify the impact of ICS on pollution reduction, health outcomes, and deforestation. The study aims to assess social implications related to health and savings, evaluate the contribution of efficient stoves to mangrove conservation, analyse the role of fuelwood in carbon emissions at both county and national levels, and provide actionable recommendations for short- and mid-term strategies at national and local levels.

In the framework of the project, in terms of achieving sustainable management of forest pastures, a District Pasture Commission (DPC) was established to discuss and make necessary decisions at the level of the administrative territory of Bazar-Korgon district. The Commission consists of directors of forestry services, heads of pasture committees, representatives of the district state administration, district department of agrarian development, and members of the district association of pasture committees.

The main task of the committee is to regulate the sustainable management of pasture resources at the level of one district. 

Meetings of the District Pasture Commission(DPC) are held as needed, but at least three times a year.

In the meetings of the District Pasture Commission at the district level, there are discussed urgent issues on pasture use, interaction between forest services, pasture committees and rural municipalities.

Decisions of the district pasture commission are recorded in the protocols and are required for all members of the commission.

Since the existence of the district pasture commission, many issues were discussed and decisions were made. The agenda of the DPC meeting mainly includes such pressing issues on pastures as:

The main issues of discussion at the DPC were the following:

• Information on pasture capacity and grazing rates
• Access to new pastures
• Timing of moving cattle to SLF pastures
• DPC's contribution to infrastructure development
• Provision of information on pasture users by pasture committees
• Allocation of pastures within forestry farms
• Procedures for issuing pasture tickets
• Collection and payment for pasture use
• Control of animal diseases
• Organization of resting places for livestock when moving to pastures
• Review of the implementation of the tasks to identify problems

All decisions of the District Pasture Commission are accompanied by relevant orders from the District State Administration, which gives the activities legal status and efficiency in the implementation of the decisions. 

The schools in the pilot area of Jalal-Abad oblast tested the preliminary version of the environmental education manual. During the testing the quality of material presentation, the capacity of teachers and pupils to understand and absorb the new information was identified.

In addition to informational and educational content, project specialists from “CAMP Alatoo” PF and “Lesik Ug” association practiced practical exercises together with pupils in 6 schools. High school students performed tasks to understand different processes, such as climate change, as well as the functions of ecosystems and natural resources specific to Kyrgyzstan.

After the pilot testing, adjustments and modifications were made to the manual as exercises, at the same time the teaching methodology of the teaching material was studied.

Modern teaching methods and materials are often adapted to a European context and setting, making it hard to impossible to integrate them into a system that works differently. The ESD Manual offers Biology and Geography teachers additional teaching methods adapted to Kyrgyzystan that are in sync with the curricula. Teachers can use more interesting material to enhance their classes. Education is the basis towards a healthier planet, only by knowing how to act more sustainably, behavior can be adapted. 

The educational standards and the curriculum are showing access points for ESD, but they are not reflected in the school-books, because they are outdated.

Another weak link exists between the educational standards and the school curriculum on the one hand and the implementation through the teachers training institutions on the other hand.

• Integration of sustainable development and ESD approaches and principles in Kyrgyzstan is experiencing some difficulties due to low interest of the Ministry of Education. Today, most of the teaching staff is ready for this work, as evidenced by the results of numerous trainings conducted by the NGO "CAMP Alatoo".
• Low interest and capacity of specialists of educational institutions in the development of ESD standards and programmes;
• Lack of optimization of pedagogical workload (a teacher with a high workload is not able to prepare for classes and improve his/her professional skills).

An Adaptive Pathway Plan is a strategic framework designed to enhance resilience and adapt to long-term changes, particularly in the context of climate change. It involves identifying adaptation challenges and evaluating the effectiveness of various interventions over time. The key components include:

• Pathways Mapping: The plan illustrates sequences of measures or investments to achieve defined objectives, allowing for adjustments as conditions change.
• Thresholds and Tipping Points: The approach uses indicators to signal when a change in strategy is needed, ensuring flexibility in decision-making.
• Removal of Uncertainty: The uncertainty with using climate risk prediction models for decision making has led us to use Resilience instead, therefore removing uncertainty from the decision-making process.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Involvement of diverse stakeholders ensures that the pathways are context-sensitive and reflect local needs.

In close collaboration with the Regional Directorate of Fishing and the Blue Economy of Diana, with whom we developed an action plan for the implementation of all the activity, mutually approved and signed.

When SAFAL started reaching out to aquaculture farmers in 2021,  two of the key aspects to enhancing the availability of fish and income through sustainable aquaculture became apparent: the gap on technical knowledge and financial literacy on aquaculture operations and the difficulty of accessing financial support through existing schemes. 

For farmers, harnessing the potential for expansion of their practises required acquiring new technical skills, proper planning as well as investments into their operations. SAFAL set up an inclusive community-based training cascade (see building block: CRP model) which required the development of quality course materials, tailored to the local requirements. Under consideration of reviewing and harmonizing existing material, new state of the art training materials and best practices for sustainable aquaculture were co-created in a participatory manner among scientists, government officials, experts in sustainable aquaculture practices, aquaculture operators and SAFAL technical staff.

The knowledge products and IEC material created under SAFAL are integrated with each other and can be used individually or collectively. While they follow a session schedule covering the whole training cascade and cultivation sesason, learners can also utilize them individually by choosing seasonally applicably chapters or topics of their interest. 

The KPs and IEC material are distributed through the CRP-to-Farmer training (see building block: CRP model) they are also placed in CICs and SCs (see building block: Agroecological Kiosks).