Social and ecological vulnerability assessments
Social and ecological assessments inform targeted interventions to benefit local communities whose livelihoods are to mangrove ecosystems
To construct a robust blue carbon project, a clear understanding of local livelihoods and how they are tied in with the surrounding mangrove ecosystems is obtained through a livelihoods assessment. This includes an analysis of the social vulnerability to the effects of climate change. The social and ecological elements of the assessment provide information that helps conceptualize targeted blue carbon projects with interventions that benefit local communities by increasing their resilience, diversifying their production base, and enhancing their governance and human capital.
Previous contacts with local authorities, NGOs and local leaders is required. The project needs to be explained in a non-technical manner so that locals with varying degrees of education and interest can at least be aware of the project components and the potential benefits for the community. Well trained professionals and experts in community diagnostics, group facilitation, and conflict resolution are required to navigate social nuances that a casual observer may miss.
The priorities and perceptions of local communities and organizations may differ frequently and significantly. Local interest in a project may be minimal or non-existent, and expectations of project designers can differ from those of the communities. Outside observers may not fully understand local dynamics, conflicts, challenges and needs so it is important to have people trained in social science tools involved at all stages. Having a local leader buy into the idea of a blue carbon project helps build confidence among the community, increases their participation, and opens the door for more transparent dialogues with the community. Being open to local needs and wishes, and taking time to know the people and become immersed in their day-to-day lives can yield useful information for project development. Climate change effects may be minor priorities in comparison with far more urgent health, education and infrastructure needs of the community.
Planning phase
Inception phase
Local
Subnational
Carbon inventories in mangrove ecosystems
Carbon inventories of mangrove stands provide valuable data to improve emissions estimates
Carbon assessments can kick-start local involvement and capacity building
Carbon inventories provide the basis for quantifying current stocks and mangrove areas needed to estimate historical emissions. They allow for characterization of the environment, description of the flora and horizontal and vertical structure of the stands, plus their condition. Carbon assessments can also kick-start local involvement and capacity building. When repeated over time under a robust monitoring system, they provide growth and carbon accumulation rates that are used to calculate higher quality emission numbers than those currently available.
The involvement of government and local authorities is key. Government officials (local and national) are made aware of the process so they can recognize the value of the inventories in providing detailed data on highly vulnerable ecosystems. Involvement of local actors is key so they are empowered and acquire ownership of the project. Also, their knowledge of the area supports project site selection and ensures safer working conditions.
The quality of the inventories depends upon the use of consistent protocols and the level of trained personnel. Work in mangrove forests is more challenging than in terrestrial ecosystems, and safety of the workers needs to be a strong priority. The logistics of using boats to access field sites, short windows of time between tides, plus the difficult terrain preclude swift completion of tasks which, in turn, increases costs and duration of field work. With local involvement, these costs may be controlled, as boat rental fees may be lowered or waived. Also, collecting and processing soil samples in the field is challenging because of their extreme high water content, implying that laboratory facilities need to be arranged in advance. Having local people involved with the inventories is highly recommended because of their first-hand knowledge of the area, tide behavior and land use dynamics. GIS tools facilitate inventory planning.
Inception phase
Monitoring
Local
National
Article: Suelo del manglar Térraba-Sierpe sería vital contra cambio climático
Article: El carbono azul es muy verde
Article: Carbono Azul, el tesoro escondido en los humedales
Article: Estudio sugiere que Costa Rica tendría más carbono en sus bosques de l…
BIOMARCC-SINAC-GIZ. 2012. Evaluación de carbono a nivel de ecosistema en el áre…
Protected Area Network (PAN)
Based on the legal framework which recognizes protected areas established by communities and state governments, these areas become part of the nationwide network according to clear criteria, categories and application procedures. Considerations include bio-geographic, socio-economic and scientific importance, ecological characteristics, the degree of naturalness and uniqueness, as well as management and protection feasibility.
• Legal framework • National policy recognition and support • Support from a trusted agent to sustain dialogue and definition of procedures
Awareness raising from community to national levels, and reaching a consensus on procedures nationwide, may be a lengthy and arduous process. However, experience demonstrates that existing or arising conflicts between traditional and national government laws can be worked out with constant dialogue and patience.
Inception phase
National
The Republic of Palau, Ministry of Resources and Development, Protected Areas N…
Historical and ecological background information collection
Measuring physical features for pond reversion in Burma. Copyright Mangrove Action Project.
To identify suitable restoration sites, data is collected on land tenure, historical changes, local utilization, mangrove distribution, and tidal requirements. Information sources include recent or even historically relevant aerial photos, maps, reports, and tide charts. Other important assessment factors include the ecology of naturally occurring mangrove species and healthy forests (e.g. reproduction patterns, distribution, successful seedling establishment) and physical site characteristics, such as hydrological (e.g. critical periods of inundation and dryness), slope and topography parameters.
• Scientific and technical know-how and support from...
To be entered by solution provider.
Inception phase
Local
Alternative markets for high quality fish
López
Rose Snapper.
López

The purpose of this building block is to promote the socio-economic development of this fishery through increased fisher earnings. Area tourist resorts and restaurants are interested in supplying locally sourced, sustainable snapper to their guests as many tourists who visit Costa Rica are environmentally conscious and want to frequent businesses that offer sustainable dining options, and are willing to pay a premium price for these services. Upscale fish markets and restaurants in San José are also interested in purveying high quality seafood to their clients.

 

Because the demand for sustainable fish in Costa Rica is growing, project members are working with the two fisher associations from Bejuco in order to build their value chain management capacity. Associations are now legal entities with boards that actively participate in the decision making process. Infrastructure and cold chain improvements have been implemented in order to raise the quality of the artisanal snapper catch. The local fish processing site is being brought up to code to comply with Health Ministry requirements. Cash flow and other administrative concerns are also being addressed in order to facilitate fish sales.

Getting the local Bejuco fish buyer, who is an integral part of the value chain, to view the development of alternative points of sale as a viable economic endeavor will determine whether or not fishers raise the value of their catch and if this socio-economic development strategy will move forward. At this point in time, the local buyer still sells most of the catch to another distributor, but fishers are hopeful that the fishery’s improvements will begin to change this.

The socio-economic development of the Bejuco bottom longline fishery has been the most difficult aspect of this solution to implement. Project members have struggled to identify capable individuals to lead this process. Despite this, there is growing consumer interest in seafood caught by local artisanal fishers. The existing local middlemen with little prior interest in the project is beginning to understand the economic potential of this strategy, but at the same time, the development of new markets has also raised cash flow concerns. While these issues are being addressed, they have slowed the process considerably and demonstrate the difficulty that is inherent within this strategy. What should not be overlooked, however, is the progress that fishers and the local buyer have made, as well as the need to address these issues before a new market strategy can be implemented.

Inception phase
Subnational
Small-scale artisanal fishers sell high-quality fish to San José restaurant
Communication of scientific Results
Communicate findings on larval connectivity and their implications to stakeholders and decision-makers at all levels (village, municipal, provincial) to emphasize importance of efficient MPAs and MPA networks. Improved understanding on larval connectivity helps stakeholders and decision-makers to enhance governance of existing and planning of individual MPAs and MPA networks. Also, share results with the international and national scientific community.
Conditions for adoption elsewhere • Existence of coastal management initiatives at village, municipal and/or provincial levels • Experience of at least some stakeholders in establishing multiple MPAs is advantageous
The cooperation and support of the Environmental and Natural Resources Divisions in Negros Oriental Province, Philippines represents a major success factor. Thus organisation of information dissemination and conducting workshops with all stakeholders in different municipalities was made possible.
Inception phase
Local
Improving Ecological Connectivity Through A Larval Dispersal Model
Paper / Factsheet - Protected Area Management Enhancement (PAME)
Information Campaigns

To promote awareness and a general understanding of the global significance of this biodi¬versity hotspot, the developed Act and policies are commu¬nicated to the public through various outreach activities, e.g. through radio plugs and local newspapers.

  • Public outreach activities in local schools and fishing villages enabled by local government and school administration support
  • Contributions of radio stations and local papers through reduced rates

To promote awareness and a general understanding of the global significance of this biodiversity hotspot, the developed Act and policies are communicated to the public through various outreach activities, e.g. through radio plugs and local newspapers.

Inception phase
Implementation
Local
Social and political support and partnership
Students on the Kalabia, a floating marine school in the Bird's Head Seascape. Copyright Conservation International, photo by Keith Lawrence.
BHS Parnters at a Coalition Meeting. Copyright Conservation International.
To build social and political support, CI formed a coalition of partners across the seascape. We actively engaged with 90+ scattered coastal communities to build trust and community support, while exchanging ideas on the sustainable use of natural resources and conservation benefits. Through various innovative communication and education strategies, the team was able to amplify their impact towards community awareness and commitment for marine conservation over a large geographic scale. The team trained community conservation officers for each village and equipped religious leaders with environmental training, enabling them to disseminate conservation messages widely. The team cultivated conservation champions throughout the region, slowly working to shift attitudes toward resource use and conservation. The marine conservation movement extended across the entire Seascape through a wildly popular conservation radio program and a floating classroom that traveled around the region delivering experiential learning. The outreach efforts were even more successful then anticipated, leading to relatively quick action by the local communities and government. Together they established Indonesia’s first MPA network.
• The overall strategy for the BHS worked well in a Melanesian cultural context that values tenure of the sea. • Any seascape initiative requires the lead agency and partners to be committed for engaging for a significant period, to have a long-term strategy and vision. • Significant funding and commitment of a donor to partner long-term to achieve seascape scale success.
Partnership was central to the BHS and allowed conservation to occur on a truly seascape scale. In 2004 Conservation International (CI) forged an unprecedented collaboration with The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and WWF-Indonesia in Papua, launching the Bird’s Head Seascape Initiative. The Partnership has expanded over the years to include over 20 central partners, most of which are local institutions. The integration of community aspirations into MPA network design process, i.e. focusing on enhancing sustainable local fisheries (food security) and the strengthening of traditional resource user rights, culture and tenure, led to rapid declarations of the BHS MPA network.
Inception phase
Local
Subnational
S. Troeng, P. Bryant, G. Dutra, M. Erdmann, G. Farmer, S. Henderson, K. Lawrenc…
The Kalabia Marine Conservation Education Program Factsheet
Providing the scientific and legal Evidence Base
Biodiversity assessments were undertaken by project partners following the site’s designation to be a prospective Ramsar site for wetlands. This provided scientific evidence on which to build the management plan on. National plans and policies relating to mangrove management in Fiji were also reviewed to feed in to the development of an adequate management plan.
- Availability of data in the literature, from local and national authorities - Qualified technical staff to analyze results from scientific monitoring on biodiversity and livelihoods and assessment of existing national policies and regulations
Involvement of all stakeholders in the assessments is important (University staff, Dept. of Forestry staff, NGO staff, Dept. of Fisheries Staff, IUCN and villagers (as guides and support). In order to provide the legal basis on which to develop the management plan, a better understanding of the traditional governance system and how it fits into formal (national Government) management system is vital. For example, mangroves in Fiji belong to the state, however, Nasoata Island belongs to the villagers of Nakorovou (freehold land). This understanding is best acquired through a proper consultation process, see (2). This includes the need for prior understanding of community dynamics, including community structure, land ownership, village conflicts and tenure conflicts.
Inception phase
Local
Village Level Institutions
Training at Rajiv Gandhi Center for aquaculture (© MSSRF)

Gender and socially balanced village management committees are established in the target community which are governed by agreed rules. They develop regulations and micro plans for all activities and are responsible for their implementation. They try to consider the concerns and priorities of different stakeholders. Training allows them to also take into consideration new climate change findings.

Conditions for adoption elsewhere:

  • No existing conflicts between hamlets
  • Detailed knowledge on the socio-economic composition of the community including scheduled caste and tribes
  • Resources to provide the necessary training of community members

Approaches taken to not only engage villagers but also to jointly establish village management committees substantially contributed to build trust, confidence and partnership between the community and the implementing organisation. The village management committee is a useful vehicle to share experiences and to spread good practices within and external to the community. It also acts as a catalyst for village people’s commitment to engage in the implementation of the project and to take responsibility for its success. Its gendered composition ensures that men and women participate in discussions and decision making. The training provided for the community and the village committee developed capacity to better understand how to adapt to deteriorating natural conditions, and to prepare for climate change consequences. The village committee acquired competence to act as advocates in other communities.

Inception phase
Implementation
Local
Subnational
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