Palau has a long history of managing its fisheries. For generation upon generation, the Traditional Chiefs placed vulnerable reef areas off limits to fishing, known as a “bul,” to protect both biodiversity and the livelihoods and food security of their people. In these modern times, it is broadly accepted that “marine capture fisheries have direct impacts not only on the target market species, most significantly tuna, but also can have large impacts on a number of incidentally caught species, some of which are particularly vulnerable to overexploitation and can directly degrade habitat and can have broad indirect or collateral effects on community structure and processes. 

Using this traditional method of conservation, Palau has created a "whole-domain" management approach from ridge to reef and beyond, the most ambitous component being the Palau National Marine Sanctuary. As Palau moves forward with the implementation of the PNMS, the Bul concept is kept in the forefront of all processes. 

The objective of this building block is to implement the EbA measures in the field: community-based grassland management and domestic livestock husbandry associated with management of vicuñas in the wilderness and restoration of ancestral water infrastructure.

In order to start with the implementation of measures, not only the results of the vulnerability and risk assessment were required, but also joint work between the project and the head of the landscape reserve in order to ensure that the measures were articulated and reinforcing the master plan. The prioritization of the EbA measures was carried out jointly with the local communities, who chose the measures according to their interest.

This process was supported by the communal and some district authorities. In addition, trainings were developed for interest groups and park rangers of the landscape reserve, all of this to ensure the implementation, appropriation and sustainability of the activities. Finally, it was important to develop local management plans for each community. These management plans are part of the commitment of each community to continue with the EbA measures. These management plans go hand in hand with the landscape reserve´s master plan.

The objective of this building block is to define how to identify the EbA measures to be implemented in the field in order to increase the resilience of ecosystems and population to the adverse effects of climate change. This is important because it explores "how" and "with what" we are going to respond to the identified vulnerability. The identification of criteria for the definition, prioritization and principles for the selection of EbA measures is a tool that allowed clarifying doubts and to reflect, align and define concepts based on the review of relevant documentation, field observations, interviews and discussions with local actors and researchers. The set of criteria was organized into two sections (see gallery). It was first validated by SERNANP and experts and afterwards applied for the prioritization of the EbA measures. Once selected, the proposed measures were validated by the community. We have experienced that it is important not only to validate the results, but also to prioritize the measures in a participatory manner with the communities.

The native communities of Boca Isiriwe, Masenawa and Puerto Azul decided to start using chestnut trees (Bertholletia excelsa) that existed within their territories despite having no prior experience in doing so commercially. The first requirement or condition that the EBA Amazonía project established was to exclude the possibility of contamination of the fruits with heavy metals. Samples of soil and fruits of the chestnut were taken. No significant residues could be found, in spite of the proximity of mining operations.

The project supported them as this activity suited well with the ecosystem approach assumed by the project.

A complete database of the occurrence and distribution of the species was created in order to model the changes that the species would suffer based on current and future climatic information. According to the modelling, chestnut will remain a species with a wide distribution throughout the area of the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve, with slight changes in its distribution. This way, the project responded to the local interest by providing the necessary information to guarantee a sustainable production process.

The implementation of a new project requires the social acceptance of the local population. The objectives, strategies to be followed, the conceptual approach to implementation (in this case ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change) needs to be communicated and the communication and coordination mechanisms for the implementation need to be established.

The EbA Amazonia project, implemented jointly with SERNANP and ECAs (Ejecutor del Contrato de Administración de la Reserva / Executor of the Administrative Contract of the Communal Reserve) -representatives of communities - should present a united front with all the actors involved. So from the  day that the communities entered, the project established concrete roles for all actors in the implementation of activities (e.g. SERNANP and ECAs). This generates a vision of unity and projection of activities beyond the life of the project (sustainability) since the SERNANP and ECAs are entities that perpetually interact with the local population.

In the “Recovery of Technologies & Green-Gray Infrastructure” component, the Chacara dam was repaired and an old and unused water channel was rehabilitated. This allowed the recuperation of a network of ancient ditches in the communal farmland and in the high areas of Yanaututo and Pumapanca. These areas supply water to 560 ha of pasturelands (Hidroandes, 2015). In addition, the water is recharging temporary ponds and underground aquifers, that supply water to pits and springs in the lower part of the Jaramayo micro-catchment and the Cochas - Pachacayo sub-basin (Idem, 2015). A pilot area of 3 ha was fenced to protect pastures as they recover. It is monitored by the Landscape Reserve administration with support from the community. The community also contributed manpower to the activities in this component.

As part of the “Strengthening Local Skills and Knowledge” component, we conducted courses and workshops, facilitated discussion events, and led training on how to apply pasture recovery techniques and evaluate their effectiveness. These activities helped sensitize community farmers, inspiring them to create new, small projects such as fencing and recovery of pasturelands or water and livestock management. In addition, the monitoring system applied shows that skills for pasture management, with regard to evaluation, fencing and recovery at the family and community levels, have increased (IM, IUCN, 2015). As part of the communication activities, an informational showcase and two participatory videos, a theatre play and publications were produced. This contributed to raising awareness among the group of livestock farmers regarding pastures, water and livestock management and helped disseminate information about the project at community and landscape reserve levels (IM, IUCN, 2015). Information was generated through participatory rural diagnostics (specific studies in water, pasture, archaeology, social organization, productive activities) and a hydro-geological study in the water channel’s area of influence.

Under the component “Strengthening of Community Organization,” a management plan was developed to promote integrated management of pastures, water and livestock throughout the communal territory of Canchayllo. The goal was to strengthen community organization so that water could be distributed more effectively and grazing areas could benefit from improved rotation. The process to develop the management plan was facilitated by The Mountain Institute using a methodology to strengthen capacities, stimulating collective and social practices within the community. The plan is defined as a set of ideas that emerge from a given population by means of an in-depth process of analysis based on their own perspectives. The management plan can also serve as a tool for local management in the medium term.

According to the keen interest of this community, analysis and planning have focused on grasslands and water. The plan also encouraged the community to establish a committee to maintain and operate the renovated water infrastructure so that the water continues to flow and grasslands continue to be irrigated. In addition, a document with technical recommendations was developed for managing communal grasslands.

In the infrastructure component, the following actions were carried out:

• expanding the fenced area of the Yanacancha wetland,
• repairing the Yanacancha water pipeline: Curiuna to Huaquis segment.
• sectorization (by fencing) from Curiuna to Tuntinia,
• repairing and constructing five watering places (Curiuna, Wayacaña, Pampalpa, Colulume and Tuntinia), and
• constructing a “water cave” at the entrance to Huaquis.

As we implemented this component, the community contributed their labor through communal tasks. The community was also responsible for transferring construction materials to this remote area.

A shared understanding, engagement and commitment of key stakeholders and the availability of capacities and resources are key. Right from the start, climate change and the ecosystem services proved to be excellent topics to bring together expert opinions and different perspectives from stakeholders, enabling them to work together on common challenges.

An inter-secretarial workshop brought together representatives from different departments of the municipal government of Duque de Caxias. This (first) opportunity to exchange on these issues helped them to discuss the importance of considering climate change related risks in their municipal planning instruments. The participatory identification of climate change impacts fostered a common understanding of climate change as a crosscutting issue affecting all municipal sectors. The mix of inputs, discussions as well as working on the concrete case strengthened the spirit of cooperation and the search of synergies in preparing for (ecosystem-based) adaptation to climate change in the region of Duque de Caxias.

The final outcome was the creation of an inter-departmental working group on climate change, which seeks for coordination and cooperation in order to enhance adaptation success.