Apiculture development

One of the main threats to the area in question is degradation as a result of the cutting of mangrove trees to use for income generating purposes. Apiculture was introduced as an alternative livelihood which will enable the members of the community to use the resources of the mangroves without damning it, thus leaving the mangrove forest intact.

 

Additionally, the establishment of bee hives in the area will benefit farmers in the surrounding area. Not only will the bees assist with the pollination and ultimate health of the mangrove forest, they will assist with the pollination of crops on farms in the surrounding area. Through this, other community members can indirectly benefit from the introduction of apiculture as an alternative livelihood.

A number of community members were trained in various aspects of beekeeping. From tending to the hives, bee diseases and pests to harvesting honey. These trainings were facilitated through collaboration with tertiary education institutions as well as the Agriculture Division. This enabled the RECCOMM project to utilise capacity that is already available in country and share that capacity/knowledge with the local community.

Given that apiculture does not provide immediate income, the persons involved need to be committed to the task. A wide net needs to be cast to attract the interests of individuals and the process needs to be clear from the onset. This will allow the potential participants to have a clear picture of what would be expected in order for them to succeed at their new livelihood. A venture such as this would require the full support of a committed core group of people to reduce the chances of the group dwindling. The training should also not just involve technical capacities, but also managerial and marketing skills. This will prepare the new beekeepers for the sale and distribution of their product.

Mangrove forest and coastal revegetation

The natural mangrove forest and coastal vegetation of the project area have been severely degraded over the past years due to the unsustainable use of members of the community paired with the adverse impact of aspects of climate change. This degradation therefore increased the coastal communities vulnerability to the impacts of climate change such as hurricanes, storm surges, and coastal flooding. Additionally, coastal (non-mangrove) vegetation were scant which decreased the stability of the shore area (beach).

The replanting of mangrove species  improves the health of the mangrove area and its ecosystem services with respect to coastal protection as well as habitat provision for various flora and fauna.

As non-mangrove but salt tolerant species are necessary for overall beach stability and health of the coastal area, having a source of (preferably local) species to use for revegetation is critical. This requires the support of agencies/NGOs that can provide the relevant support. There is also a need for capacity development for community members on the process of revegetation. They are then able to continue the process on their own, thus leading to the long-term sustainability of the measures.

With the restoration/replanting of vegetation, it is important to have a working knowledge of the dynamics of the surrounding environment. Potential losses due to wave action need to be considered, along with the possibilities of little to no loss if plants are less exposed to wave ore erosion effects of the sea. The highest vegetation loss occurred in sections of the mangrove forest that was nearest to the shore where the high wave energy resulted in a 100% loss of the seedlings. In contrast, those that were planted further away from the shore showed over 90% successful growth. For replication purposes, if a decision is made to revegetate the shoreline area, the seedlings ought to be planted in material such as bamboo which may be sturdy enough to withstand the wave energy. Additionally, community awareness is crucial so that the accidental destruction of the plants are limited.

Establishment of a co-management structure

To build institutional capacity and support implementation and future replication on national level, a co-management structure was established: the Northern Telescope Mangrove Management Board (NTMMB). This ensures that the community joins hands with government officials to manage the project, and also helps to enforce mangrove protection policies in Telescope.

Community ownership of the project is ensured, while the highly-constrained government staff resources are supplemented, thereby supporting long term protection of the mangroves.

NTMMB is comprised of five members from the local community and one member from the St. Andrew Development Organisation (SADO), as well as members from the Ministry of Tourism and Culture and three Divisions of the MoALFF (Agriculture, Lands, Forestry, and Fisheries), and the Environment division of the Ministry of Education, Human Resource Development, and the Environment. Monthly board meetings are held.

The community members of the NTMMB have received training regarding establishing and operation of a community based organization. Since Co-Management means a joint board with government and authorities, also technical capacity building was important, including on mangrove planting, management and monitoring.

Well established entities are needed for the development of a co-management component. There ought to be clear guidelines, set beforehand, which speak directly to what would be expected of the entities involved in the co-management process. These guidelines should indicate which parties are responsible for certain areas regarding the management of the area, public relations to monitoring to leveraging funds. Given that the community representatives are interacting with the area more frequently than the government representatives, there should be a regular reporting mechanism. This would provide an effective communication channel through which all parties are aware of actions regarding the project area.

 

In the event that there are no existing bodies for the establishment of a co-management structure, capacity development efforts need to be explored for the potential creation of the required entities.

Strengthening local capacities and knowledge

The main goal of the capacity building and local knowledge component was to provide technical knowledge for managing and conserving water, natural pastures, and livestock. Our focus was on informing community members and park rangers through evaluation workshops and training sessions on topics such as pasture fencing, water management and water distribution. A 3-D model of the Miraflores community was developed in a participatory way to facilitate planning for managing pastures and water in the communal territory. Information was gathered during participatory rural appraisals. These appraisals include specific studies focused on water, pastures, archeology, social organization, agricultural and livestock productivity.

  • Use of communication tools to increase local awareness and understanding of the project
  • Local, traditional knowledge and dialogue with outside experts: local participation and positive interactions between locals and external experts have led to effective communications between them
  • Participatory approach and participatory action-research methodology
  • Local researchers served as a bridge between the project and the whole community
  • It is essential that the field team be trained in applying the participatory approach, using participatory tools and facilitating collective learning.
  • Diversifying work with local partners - combining workshops with other methods, practical tools and field work ("learning by doing").
  • Develop activities that involve women, youth and other groups within the community.
  • Maintain a high level of presence in the field and share the day-to-day work with the community.
  • Provide more practical training during fieldwork.
  • Communication strategies helped disseminate the project’s ongoing achievements and progress. These updates were well received and had good impact. Examples are the participatory videos and the "Night of Art” theater.
Mapping of key ecosystem services

The aim of this step was the mapping and evaluation of ecosystem services (ES) provided by the region’s ecosystems, using the IES approach (Integrating Ecosystem Services into Development Planning).

 

The first step of the workshop was a participative selection of the most relevant ES, so that they can be considered in spatial planning processes. In a second step, using the Matrix Method, the following activities where undertaken for the mapping of the ES:

 

  1. Creation of a database (current land-use, present and future conditions of ES), design of interview guidelines.
  2. Mapping of relevant interviewees (specialists, decision makers and community representatives), carrying out of the interviews.
  3. Creation of the ES Maps using GIS/QGIS. The maps show the location and intensity of the ES and the main drivers leading to degradation of ecosystems.

The analysis identified conflicts between zones of the current master plan and some of the landscapes that provide important ES. Additionally, several patches of native vegetation inside urban areas have been identified as suppliers of ES, which provided new information for urban planning. The mapping also generated data with explicit information regarding cultural services for the first time.  

  • Municipal technicians’ recognition of both, the importance of ES for the population’s well-being, and the fundamental significance of the protection of ecosystems for the municipality is key for this step.
  • Based on this enabling factor, they facilitated as many resources as possible for a smooth implementation of the work. As a result, the ecosystem services mapping played a key role for a solid diagnosis that allows considering ecosystem services in territorial planning.
  • The ES assessment was an opportunity to: (1) increase public participation in territorial planning; (2) systematize and make use of local knowledge; (3) increase general acceptance of the future zoning proposal; (4) clarify and explicit land use conflicts and uses/dependencies of ecosystems; and (5) add valuable information to the territorial diagnostic in a language that allows for a good understanding of all sectors of the government regarding the importance of each ecosystem.
  • Including key stakeholders in the mapping is vital, both to increase legitimization of the data and its acceptance and to ensure the stakeholders’ advocacy for the results. Validating each step with stakeholders is crucial both to ensure ownership of the results and to enable them to understand and advocate for the results.
  • Necessity of carrying out a detailed stakeholder mapping to identify all key stakeholder as well as of spending more time on this preliminary selection and interview process.
Crowd funding for financing a renewable energy system

The project was funded entirely through a crowd funding campaign running for 50 days on www.indiegogo.com. This fund raising campaign was initiated by Nature Seychelles in partnership with ClimateCaring.. Individuals were invited to donate £1 (1,25 USD) for each of the twelve hours the sun is out in the Seychelles Islands, finally totaling to a contribution of 15 USD each. There were a total of 95 individual backers. The largest donations of up to 12,500 USD came from a UK energy company and the US Embassy based in Mauritius. Other donations came from private sector companies via their corporate responsibility funds.

  • Leadership by Nature Seychelles’ top management
  • Support from all levels of the institution
  • Ability to raise an online crowdfunding campaign (know-how, technical capacities)
  • Know how for  marketing and lobbying to inform potential funders
  • Online crowdfunding campaigns do have the potential to generate money for financing of certain activities and equipment for conservation.   
  • The inclusion of the private sector as well as governmental agencies is important. Respective agents may contribute quite substantially in the crowdfunding process from design to funding to implementation.
  • Creating incentives for small donations like a personal postcard and the chance to win a trip to the island motivates potential small donors.
  • Nevertheless, attracting big donors (companies, bilateral donors and development agencies) to this sort of campaign, which is not commercial in nature and thus not providing returns (in the form of  products) to the small donors, is very important.
Participatory awareness raising and analysis

Legitimizing the formal recognition and protection of a surf break is key to ensuring sustainability and maintainance of the site over the long term. Meetings to explain the advantages of protecting the surf break and its multiplicatory effect, enables direct actors at the local level in particular to commit to the idea and be the direct agents of change and local protection. Likewise, involving local authorities facilitates broad consensus towards a common goal shared by all participants. This is achieved through local workshops and incidence activities.   

1. Good alliances and reliable partnerships with key actors. 

2. Good communication skills. 

3. Detailed understanding of advantages and potential challenges to be met by actors.  

1. It is not always easy to find a common goal among all actors or stakeholders with an interest in the surf breaks and their surrounding areas of influence. 

2. Though the surf break is per se the central object of protection, it is important to highlight and ensure people understand that the overall effort goes beyond the surf break.  We are trying to protect interests related to small scale fisheries; tourism; marine environments; and sustainable development opportunities. 

3. Organizing local meetings with key actors is not always easy given their daily working agendas. To overcome this, it is key to adapt to these dynamic agendas and respond accodingly. 

Developing alliances and integration of local to national levels

At the community level in Guatemala, WANI facilitated the development of collaborations with the Community Development Committees and coordinated with Municipal and National Development Councils to enable integration of microwatershed planning and management with community-led action on development. Implementation has demonstrated that projects formulated by the communities rather than external institutions respond to the real demands of communities.

At the department level in San Marcos, in Guatemala, an alliance was created with 16 government and NGOs, to form the Inter-Institutional Coordination for Natural Resources and the Environment of San Marcos. CORNASAM has adopted the microwatershed as the unit of planning and, together, these groups have coordinated outreach and training in the micro-watershed approach.

As a result of the success of the Microwatershed model at the local level, the National Microwatershed Commission of Guatemala was established, comprising several government ministries and NGOs/ IGOs (Action Against Hunger, FAO and IUCN) to lead application of governance reform through microwatershed management country-wide. This National Commission will facilitate the preparation of national public water policies.

In Mexico the new water law of 2003 outlined and supported the implementation of water councils.

At the transboundary level the signing of the “Tapachula Declaration of Intent” by Mexican and Guatemalan mayors supported cooperation on joint actions on watershed management and to provide a platform for information sharing by governmental agencies at the very local level.  

Strengthening community-based alliances and integrating them with municipal and national development institutions increases coordination between administrative levels. This promotes integrated and coordinated water resource planning across the watershed and shared experiences with other community groups and networks. 

Water, soil and environmental conservation

Unregulated land use change in the upper watershed had been especially damaging on steep hillsides and deforestation reduced the capacity of the soils to retain water. The resulting erosion strongly increased the risk of floods and mudslides. WANI and partners supported the design of numerous community pilot projects which addressed water, soil and environmental conservation. Women made up 90% of these groups, empowering them to take a more proactive role in the development of their communities. The pilot projects were the basis for bringing people together to organize themselves into micro-watershed committees. Examples include:

  • Forest nurseries for reforestation and promotion of agroforestry on farms;
  • Facilitating development and networking of community enterprises and cooperatives working in, for example, beekeeping, fish farming, forest butterfly farm ecotourism;
  • Community gardens, organic farming and soil conservation projects;
  • Construction of septic systems to improve sanitation and raise water quality in the Suchiate River;
  • Protection of springs for domestic water supply and installation of piped distribution;
  • Establishment of a demonstration and training centre in Chiapas for integrated management of watersheds.

The micro-watershed model was central to the achievement of building the adaptive capacity of the watershed and local livelihoods through empowerment of community-owned institutions.

This restoration of ecosystem services in the upper watershed has achieved results for water supply, farm livelihoods and disaster resilience. Through taking an ecosystems approach to IWRM, which focuses on environmental restoration for livelihood security, these small scale initiatives have energised the communities to self-organise and has enhanced their development opportunities. Community-level participation in transboundary water resources management is achievable and adds value to conventional transboundary approaches. Planning and implementation of IWRM can be successfully shared between communities across boundaries. 

Integrated vulnerability analysis at national and local level

The vulnerability assessment was carried out for three periods: the status quo in 2014, the period 2030-2060 and the period 2070-2100. The assessment follows the eight-step approach described in GIZ’s Vulnerability Sourcebook, and was supplemented by a scientific modeling of the impacts of climate change for Burundi.

The study was carried out by three institutions (Adelphi, EURAC, PIK) in collaboration with GIZ / ACCES and its partners. Four national workshops were held with all relevant stakeholders. A group of experts was created to advise and direct the process. Activities at the local level at the selected project sites were carried out in close collaboration with local governmental and non-governmental actors and the local population.

The results of the assessment were presented in the form of vulnerability maps for the three factors of erosion, drought and malaria prevalence. Highly vulnerable areas have been identified to guide the identification of three pilot watersheds. In these watersheds, local vulnerability assessments were conducted to identify local challenges and appropriate adaptation measures.

  • National Workshops: enabled participants (government and civil society) to better understand the process and to share their perspectives and expertise on the topic.
  • Establishment of an expert group composed of experts from various Burundian ministries and institutions: important for the ownership of the process itself and its results.
  • Integration of vulnerability assessment into the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process in Burundi.
  • Data availability was a major challenge. Most government records are not classified and documents and information are incomplete. Aggregate data are often only available at the national and provincial levels, making it difficult to communicate at the local level.
  • The results of the vulnerability assessment form the basis for integrating climate change adaptation into national and local investment policies, strategies and plans. Other actors can use this experience and information for adaptation planning.
  • The methodology used to assess vulnerability in Burundi is based on a standardized methodology, which allows for replication.