National Mangrove Ecosystem Management Plan 2017-2027
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National Mangrove Ecosystem Management Plan 2017-2027 provides for establishment of National and County Mangrove Management Committees to serve as advisory organ to inform Kenya Forest Service on the technical issues regarding mangrove management. The committees at national and in the five counties of Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi, Tana River and Lamu, have been established and operationalized. Their membership comprise of technical experts for mangrove ecosystem relevant disciplines, including; Forestry, Fisheries, Wildlife, Water, Land, and Climate, and representatives of communities and Civil Society/Non-governmental organizations.
The National Mangrove Ecosystem Management Plan was developed through a participatory process and adopted by Government.
Inclusive participation of Government, community, Civil Society/Non-governmental organizations
Government policy that provides for establishment of the committees to coordinate mangrove management
After conducting an initial stakeholder mapping in the WIO region, the WWF Tanzania Office-led consortium initiated discussions with the WIO Mangrove Network (WIOMN) regarding potential collaboration on mangrove conservation. Through these consultations, two key barriers to the network’s past effectiveness were identified: (1) a pressing need for capacity-building initiatives, and (2) the absence of formal NGO registration. To address these gaps, the consortium strategically integrated these priorities into the project proposal, ensuring appropriate activity planning and budget allocation.
The strong, long-standing partnerships between WWF offices, IUCN, and Wetlands International - combined with their deep regional expertise in the WIO - were critical enabling factors throughout this process.
Early Stakeholder Alignment is Critical: Proactively engaging core partners (WWF, IUCN, Wetlands International) during the planning phase built consensus and accelerated decision-making.
Legal Status as an Enabler, Not an End Goal: Formal NGO registration was essential for governance and funding access.
Adapt to Regional Complexities: Navigating varying national legal frameworks across WIO countries demanded flexible, context-specific approaches.
Invest in Parallel Capacity Building: Addressing gaps in administrative/legal expertise (e.g., through partner support) proved as vital as the registration itself.
Leverage Existing Networks: The Nairobi Convention and WIOMSA provided institutional credibility, reducing bureaucratic hurdles.
Patience Pays Off: Legal processes took longer than anticipated; early scoping of timelines prevented unrealistic expectations.
Building block 4 – Cooperation between NOCs and local nature conservation organisations as a prerequisite for success
The IOC requires that all Olympic Forest Network projects “be developed and implemented in collaboration with the relevant experts and authorities.” All six projects that are currently part of the Network not only take this requirement into account but establish it as a corner stone of their implementation.
For example, the Papua New Guinea project involves a partnership between the NOC, local communities, the National Fisheries Authority, and the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority. The Slovenian project is partnered with the Slovenian State Forestry Company; the Spanish with the Ministry of the Environment and the Federation of Spanish Municipalities; while the Portuguese project has the technical support of the governmental Institute for Nature and Forest Conservation (ICNF) and the Abramud e Sentido Verde association.
Requiring partnerships between NOCs and environment experts ensures that projects running under the Olympic Forest Network are as relevant and effective as can be with regards to nature conservation. Partnering with local experts and organisations also ensures that the Network can have meaningful impact not only on the environment, but also on the local communities where projects are run. Moreover, it facilitates local interest in, and ownership of, environmental work.
Criteria set by the IOC requiring NOC-led projects seeking to be a part of the Olympic Forest Network “to be developed and implemented in collaboration with relevant experts and authorities”.
Local organisations’ environmental knowledge and expertise.
Interest of local environmental organisations in the (communications and engagement) potential of the Olympic Movement.
Providing basic standards and guidelines helped the NOCs find the right partners and (business) solutions locally. Thanks to this local approach, NOCs could be guided by national/local experts to find the best solution in terms of added value for ecosystems and local communities.
