Training on mangrove restoration process including development on mangrove nurseries in project sites, and on ecosystem governance equipped CBOs leaders with the skills and confidence to manage resources inclusively and effectively. This enhanced their decision-making, strengthened community participation, and contributed to the successful development of mangrove nurseries and implementation of conservation and governance solutions.

Formally registering CBOs and setting up structured local governance systems — a network of VNRCs or CoFMAs provided communities with legal recognition and a clear mandate. This process enabled collaboration between VNRCs or CoFMAs in archiving mangrove conservation and management objectives, enforce local by-laws, and manage natural resources sustainably. It also enhanced transparency, accountability, and access to government and donor support, empowering communities to take ownership of conservation efforts.

The development of mangrove management plans for Villages and Shehias in the Bengo project sites was essential in translating national laws into effective local action for mangrove conservation and sustainable use in Tanzania. The plans provided a structured, site-specific framework that guided restoration, protection, and the wise use of mangrove ecosystems, aligning legal mandates with practical, context-specific interventions. The participatory and inclusive approach was a key toward archiving well-developed mangrove management plans actively involving local communities, including women and youth, in the development processes. The plans facilitated zoning for conservation, sustainable use, and restoration, based on both scientific and traditional knowledge. Furthermore, these plans enable systematic monitoring, enforcement, and adaptive management. Anchoring conservation efforts in locally tailored and community-supported plans, ensured that mangrove laws were not only written on paper but were meaningfully implemented on the ground, delivering long-term ecological, social, and economic benefits from mangroves

The national forest policy, forest acts, and guidelines, as well as the Local Government Act, provide avenue for community involvement in the management and conservation of forest resources, including mangroves, through the establishment of Village Natural Resource Committees (VNRCs) and Collaborative Forest Management Agreements (CoFMAs). In collaboration with village leaders, Shehia leaders, and forestry officers, supported by the State Attorney’s Office, efforts were made to establish VNRCs or CoFMAs in areas where initiatives were already present and to renew those that had become inactive. Democratic elections were conducted to select the leaders of the newly established or renewed VNRCs and CoFMAs. This transformation process enabled communities to elect leaders of their choice and legally empowered them with the mandate to protect mangroves.

Different educational approaches were used by both the school and us to engage students in a transformative learning experience and strengthen their connection to nature: experiential methods (school garden lessons and interactive biodiversity lessons) to foster hands-on learning; arts-based methods (participatory theatre, photovoice, photo exhibition, sociodrama practices) to bring emotions to the surface; and reflexive methods (open group discussions using mood cards and games) to help process thoughts and feelings, and to encourage both acceptance and critical, creative thinking.

A passionate teacher takes the initiative and dedicates a huge part of her time coordinating the project, collaborating with researchers, and engaging students along with her colleagues. The democratic school community and the teacher(s)’ intrinsic motivation lead to a certain creative freedom to pursue their own ideas and pedagogical innovations, while creating a trusting, open atmosphere for experiential learning in the school garden and through arts-based practices.

This consists of raising awareness among the artisanal fishing sector and tourism service providers on environmental issues such as biodiversity loss and climate change, empowering them to become multipliers of good practices.

The methodology is participatory, with local fishermen and tourism service providers taking the lead in learning, hand in hand with governmental and non-governmental institutions.

The public calls of the Iratapuru Fund mark a decisive step in democratizing access to resources, enabling communities around the Rio Iratapuru Sustainable Development Reserve (RDSI) and research institutions to compete transparently and equitably. Since 2019, annual calls have been launched covering action lines focused on community strengthening, improvement of productive infrastructure, promotion of education, technical training, and support for applied scientific research. The process involves several stages: broad dissemination of the call, training and support for communities in preparing proposals, rigorous technical analysis by the Management Committee, collective deliberation, and subsequent monitoring of the approved projects. This arrangement not only strengthens community autonomy and fosters local innovation but also expands the positive impacts in the region, contributing to sustainable development, institutional strengthening, and the production of scientific knowledge aimed at biodiversity conservation and the appreciation of traditional livelihoods.

With the enactment of Federal Law 13.123/2015, Natura held meetings with the Government of Amapá (SEMA/AP) and the São Francisco do Iratapuru community (represented by COMARU and the Bio-Rio Association), resulting in an Addendum to the Agreement that created the Natura Fund for the Sustainable Development of Traditional Communities, later renamed the Iratapuru Fund. These discussions highlighted the need to support COMARU in managing the resources, which would be transferred from Natura’s account to its own, given the significant amounts involved. The Iratapuru Fund Management Committee was established, composed of five voting institutions (COMARU, Bio-Rio, SEMA/AP, Natura, and Jari Foundation) and two advisory members (RURAP and SEBRAE/AP). The agreements defined the Fund’s composition, periodicity of transfers, application criteria, and the requirement that funded projects address at least one of the 21 action lines, with access through public calls.

The transfer of direct management of the Fund’s bank account marked a milestone in strengthening COMARU’s community autonomy. Previously, resources were under Natura’s administration, which evaluated and approved submitted proposals. With the change, the cooperative assumed direct control, defining—together with the Management Committee—criteria, calls for proposals, and application priorities. This arrangement fostered greater transparency, social participation, and institutional strengthening, ensuring that benefits reached local communities around the Rio Iratapuru Sustainable Development Reserve (RDSI) and partner institutions more equitably.