This planting started in 2017 August to:

i) maximize available resources, make use of agricultural by-products, volunteer agricultural labor to produce bio-organic fertilizer with high value,

ii) enhance soil micro-organisms, rapid decomposition of organic matters, eliminate and destroy harmful microorganisms that exist in manure, support plants to increase their resistance,

iii) contribute to environment protection, reducing the toxicity of chemicals in agricultural products due to the abuse of chemical fertilizers,

iv) raising awareness to villagers in clean environment.

Hence, farmers will have a number of benefits from compost they make, including, access to fertilizer resources with reasonable price for their conditions, less depending on markets, keeping the  environment clean and ensuring good quality of agricultural products.

18 households - selected from different community meetings – participated in this activity and received technical trainings on producing compost in a step-by-step process combining theory and on-hand practical implementation in their gardens.

This planting started in 2017 March for:

i) reducing runoff and erosion in the steep orange fields,

ii) keeping moisture content high for orange trees,

iii) protecting the top soil layer,

iv) increasing soil fertility, and

v) minimizing grass cover that competes with orange trees.

Thus, this mixed planting can provide a number of services to growers, such as fruits from orange trees and pineapples for income, fodder for animals and materials from pinto peanut for compost and improvement of soils.

12 households participated in this planting. They were selected from community meetings based on criteria (committment, site characteristics, labor force). Two members each household were invited for the in-class technical training on doing this planting. Trainers provided planting techniques in localized discussions and lessons learnt. Farmers were also offered on-hand practical part in their own orange fields for the detailed and real application.

Pineapples were planted as contours between orange rows, by serrated planting to ensure erosion control function. Pinto peanut - a nitrogen fixing plant - was planted between trees. The survival rate is almost 100%, pineapples already offered the first fruits. This activity is continuously taken care of and checked by farmers.

Planting started in 2016 December for:

i) protecting and enriching the existing natural forests in very low density and poor composition,

ii) introducing comparative advantages of natural forests against acacia plantation,

iii) raising awareness to local residents on utilizing ecosystems suitability.

Forests were protected and enriched to provide different services to other ecosystems and human, such as food and non-timber forest products for daily use and income, regulation of micro climate, underground water, and extreme weather conditions.

54 households whose forests are connected to each other joined the activities. They were then trained on enrichment, including on-hand practical exercises in their forests. Forests were enriched by strips and spots; depended on the current forest status that was checked by technicians. Three native species were planted, including Erythrophloeum fordii (Iron wood), Cinnamomum iner (Cinnamon tree species from SE Asia), and Manglietia glauca (Magnolia tree). These species were planted by single rows along contours. The survival rate was 95% and all trees had new growing points after 2 months. Plantings are taken care and checked by farmers.

Livelihood models were developed and piloted to support participating households, helping them to generate additional income and strengthening the ownership of the local community. 30 participating households were identified trough baseline surveys and three models were selected which had been identified as having the potential to reduce the pressure on coastal forests, while also providing additional benefits to communities. Vegetable gardening, fodder production & cattle raising as well as fish farming were identified to support selected farmers. As such, the livelihood activities are directly linked to the coastal protection forest plantation, not only by reducing pressures but also by enhancing the adaptive capacity of local communities through diversifying agricultural products. Ownership for the coastal protection forest plantation was also increased as locals partaking in the livelihood models have protection and maintenance responsibilities for the pilot plantations. A series of technical trainings on identified livelihoods, including guidances on farming were delivered to farmers to improve their technical knowledge and production skills.

The coastal protection forest plays an important protective function in safeguarding communities and land uses from extreme storms, rising sea levels, shoreline erosion, sand moving and salt water intrusion. Evidence has shown that by restoring coastal ecosystems, the protective functions of these ecosystems can be restored which in turn increases the resilience of coastal communities and ecosystems, while providing diverse additional benefits such as biodiversity conservation. In Hoa Binh village, the degraded proection forest causes the loss of the protective function of the forest and increases the vulnerability of local communities and adjacent land (villages, agricultural land, underground water sources…). Since 2016, the project has supported a pilot model of reforesting coastal sand-dune forests using a mix of species of acacia (wattle), casuarina (whistle pine) and native species (Melaleuca cajuputi, Myrsine linearis, Lithocarpus concentricus, Syzygium corticosum) on 10 ha of degraded land, classified as protection forest. The aim was to restore the costal forest and increase the resilience of coastal ecosystems and communities. The restoration activity has so far planted 5ha of acacia forest, another 5ha of casuarina and inter-planted 100 clusters of native species.

Being located along the coastal line seriously exposes local people to natural hazards such as storms, floods, whirlwinds, sand-moving, river and sea bank erosion and salinity intrusion. The majority of populations in coastal areas is poor and has limited knowledge about climate change impacts. In 2016-2017, over 20 training courses were conducted for more than 1200 people from 10 coastal villages and local staff to provide practical knowledge and information on (ecosystem-based) adaptation to climate change, aiming to strengthen their understanding and their adaptive capacity towards impacts of climate change. During the training, local people had the chance to learn about climate change and project impacts in their region and globally, to discuss their challenges and worked out potential adaptation measures together. In addition, awareness raising on climate change was also conducted for about 300 pupils and teachers in primary and secondary schools in Ngu Thuy Nam commune. Participating in a picture drawing contest run under the title “Climate change in your home-village’’ increased their understanding on climate change issues and adaptation measures that they could contribute.

Los acuerdos de compensación por servicios ecosistémicos hídricos parten desde lo local, insertándose en un marco más amplio. La combinación entre participación comunitaria y la inserción en una red de actores gubernamentales y de apoyo le da un significativo respaldo a los acuerdos negociados entre usuarios del agua y propietarios del bosque. Además, las compensaciones aportadas por las comunidades de escasos recursos, no cubren las demandas de compensación requeridas. En este sentido, las redes conformadas alrededor de los mecanismos permitieron la movilización de recursos adicionales (monetarios y no monetarios) para la compensación, y abrieron la opción a extender las contribuciones al fondo de compensación a cascos urbanos adyacentes. En la práctica se involucraron municipalidades, mancomunidades e institutos especializados, ya desde el inicio del proceso. Ya en el proceso de negociación de los mecanismos de compensación, contribuyeron con aportes claves como la exención de impuestos a propiedades inmuebles para propietarios de bosque. Estas colaboraciones son respaldadas por llamados acuerdos institucionales, que les dan legalidad. De estos surgieron comités de monitoreo de los mecanismos, conformados por las organizaciones comunitarias así como las entidades asociadas.

En las comunidades dominaba la convicción del agua como gratuita, ya que cae del cielo. La sensibilización a la estrecha relación entre bosque y agua apuntó a transferir conocimientos y crear conciencia sobre esta vinculación. Además fue clave para definir con la comunidad la cuota para servicio de agua, así como la contribución adicional para compensación. Se trabajó en tres vertientes.

• Plan de educación ambiental. Se colaboró con centros escolares para realizar actividades interactivas en fechas especiales (por ej. día internacional del agua) y giras a la microcuenca con niños, niñas y jóvenes.
• Plan de comunicación. Se involucraron medios de comunicación locales y formadores de opinión identificados en las comunidades. Estos fueron invitados a actividades claves (giras de demarcación de áreas críticas, mediciones biofísicas, etc.), en vista de asegurar una mayor difusión y opinión pública favorable.
• Sensibilización transversal. Giras con las organizaciones locales a la microcuenca, abiertas a cualquier interesado, se aprovecharon para señalar la importancia de la protección y resaltar descuidos. Además, las mediciones participativas biofísica y socioeconómica, así como la disponibilidad de datos e informaciones acertadas contribuyeron a crear conciencia y apropiación del proceso.

El empoderamiento y fortalecimiento de organizaciones comunitarias es la piedra angular de la solución. Se desarrollaron capacidades organizacionales y humanas para que comunidades limítrofes de áreas de recarga hídrica sean forjadores y protagonistas claves de la protección del bosque. Primero se identificaron organizaciones comunitarias ya constituidas con un mandato representativo, y vinculadas al manejo de recursos naturales y el agua. Con metodología de aprender-haciendo, las organizaciones se fortalecieron en campos conjuntamente identificados, tanto administrativos, organizacionales como técnicos. La dotación en recursos y el fortalecimiento de capacidades, en vista de asegurar el abastecimiento de agua a los usuarios, fue clave para propiciar su reconocimiento por la comunidad (legitimidad). Este respaldo facilitó los acuerdos a nivel de las comunidades para el efectivo pago del servicio de agua y la definición de una contribución adicional para un fondo de compensación. Adicionalmente, las organizaciones comunitarias son las facilitadoras de los acuerdos locales (usuario de agua – propietarios de bosque), y de la vinculación con entidades especializadas y de apoyo. Una comprensión común del propósito de la solución entre todos los involucrados es clave para su éxito.

To effectively conserve natural resources and facilitate sustainable development, a shift in perception must occur so communities and governments view PAs and natural resources as productive units of the economy, rather than resources under siege from development sectors and local communities. In the lower Mekong countries, attitudes are changing and governments are beginning to perceive PAs as economic assets carefully conserved for the development benefits they provide. While this shift is still occurring, governments are moving towards a situation where the natural capital held in PAs is subject to regular stock taking with the results reflected in GDP and budgets. Member states understand that investing in PAs and natural capital ensures resources are sustained, restored and expanded so they continue to produce ecosystem services vital to development and economic expansion.