The scoping includes considering the context and identifying a clear policy question at the outset of the ecosystem service valuation. In addition you need to determine the appropriate level of stakeholder engagement, the suitable valuation method, the level of accuracy required, data needs, costs, scale and time constraints.

In collaboration with fishers and key local stakeholders, we design, implement, and monitor marine reserves to foster the recovery of fisheries and marine ecosystems, both within and beyond the reserves. This building block has three branches:

1. Design. We have workshops with resource-users to present the marine reserves theory and to design the map of uses and ecosystems. We then conduct acceptance and cost analyses. We define the objectives of the reserves, select the best sites to meet these objectives, and finally define operation procedures, financial sustainability plans, and formal agreements with the cooperatives.

2. Monitoring and evaluation. We select indicators and monitoring methodologies to collect the data. Then, we train the community in the monitoring techniques so they can collect data, evaluate progress, and engage in the process.

3. Management. We support our community partners in all the paper work to make the reserve official, as well as to elaborate and refine operational plans for the success and adaptive management of the reserve. 

We have 79,500 marine hectares protected, more than 300 species monitored, and 100 Mexican fishers (including 18 women) trained in submarine and oceanographic monitoring techniques.

Research into the effectiveness of restoration methods has proven invaluable for addressing the problem of dune degradation in New Zealand. This information has assisted community-led projects in both the design and implementation of initiatives. Working off a sound knowledge base is important for all restoration projects but especially critical for community-based projects where voluntary inputs are high. This knowledge not only improves the likelihood of success from a restoration ecology stand-point but also improves the degree of confidence among participants in what they are trying to do. Implementation of this building block relies largely on professional input into the problems being addressed. In New Zealand there has been considerable research into the success of methods for the restoration of dune ecosystems using indigenous species. This includes aspects such as methods for seed collection, propagation and re-establishment of dune plant species at various sites, and for effective management of restoration sites with regard to threats such as weeds and physical disturbance. Importantly, these studies have identified techniques that are practical and effective for achieving biodiversity goals .

Community ‘buy-in’ for restoration activities is especially important in the case of dunes since there are many human threats to dune habitats. Encouraging a sense of ownership within not only the local community, but also the wider beach-going community, is the main strategy being used . This can be achieved through awareness-raising with the objective of socialising the vision for the coastal park, which in turn has the potential to reduce management issues. It is also useful to directly canvas the level of support for proposed interventions, ideally as part of the management planning exercise .

This was really Pushing Boundaries beyond my capability by 1100 km bike riding in 2002 and 600km sea kayaking in 2007. The purpose is to create mass awareness on marine conservation among public through TV, newspaper media towards the value of our local coastal ecosystems. In 2007 I paddled sea kayak along the coast for about ~20km everyday and reach a nearby village. I stayed on the beach and conducted marine conservation education classes on the shorelines, beaches, community halls, houses and schools. After spending time with those villagers, and registering some volunteers for our organization, I again paddled along the coast to next village. I did the same awareness by my 1100km bike expedition along the coast of my state Tamil Nadu in 2002.

The purpose is to attract more volunteers in mangrove restoration and marine conservation in Palk Bay by creating awareness among youths particularly school students. We approach local schools and explain teachers about the purpose. Then, our staff team conducts class education on local marine ecosystems with special reference to mangroves and seagrass beds of Palk Bay (the project area). After this class, we invite about 70 students from each school to our Field environmental education centre called as “OMCAR Palk Bay Environmental Education Centre” and a field trip to mangroves. After this field trip the interested students join as a volunteer with our organization, who are involved in various field conservation activities such as village mangrove surveys, dugong conservation interviews , organizing community events and participatory GIS mapping of mangroves and land use patterns.

There are two key facts:

1. Raising large number of mangrove nursery is difficult and expensive.
2. Community responsibility in mangrove conservation should be included for successful project.

So, our purpose is to involve fisher women self help groups in mangrove conservation by training them in mangrove raising techniques and grow large number of mangroves in backyards of every households of village. This approach shared the nursery raising man power and increased community responsibility in our project. The grown up mangrove seedlings were then brought to our nursery after three months. Every women who grow mangrove in her backyard received incentives for each mangrove seedlings. The same group of women was invited for mangrove training and participatory mangrove plantation event in local coast. This continuous involvement of women groups shared the responsibility, work load and provided financial benefits to local community.

There is no clear data about land ownership and mangrove areas in coastal villages of project area. So, we developed simple, low cost GIS mapping techniques, which need participation of local community to display in village community halls. This technique provided a complete map of coastal village land use pattern that helps to locate mangrove plantation sites, flood prevention and controlling spread of shrimp farms. This map also used as a key tool to mutually understand village land use, conservation and sustainable development among people and local government. The same technical expertise was used to create boundary line GIS map of protected mangroves forest named as Muthupet in Palk Bay which is about 13000 square hectares.

We trained local community in seed collection, nursery raising techniques and plantation in selected sites by using locally adaptable strategies and low cost techniques. We have conducted village meetings to identify selected place for mangrove resotraiton, without disturbing daily life of fishers. We involved local community volunteers in fencing mangrove areas to prevent cattle grazing and put public sign boards as protected site. During suitable season, local community volunteers were involved to collect mangrove seeds, especially women groups involved in mangrove seed collection, segregation. Fisher men involved in building mangrove nurseries.