Scientific and Technical Symposium on Sustainable Mangrove ...

Mangrove rehabilitation through community involvement in posttsunamiMaldives, Thail<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> India: an example of South-South cooperation1 2Chaman L. Trisal <strong>and</strong> Asae Sayaka1 Wetl<strong>and</strong>s International – South Asia, New Delhi, India (Email: chaman.trisal@wi-sa.org)2 Wetl<strong>and</strong>s International – Thail<strong>and</strong>, Hat-Yai, Songhkla Province, Thail<strong>and</strong>(Email:asaes@psu.ac.th)ABSTRACTThe December 2004 tsunami tragically highlighted the role of coastal ecosystems,particularly mangroves in protecting population <strong>and</strong> assets from destructive natural hazards.Recognizing this, the Green Coast (GC) Initiative, led by Wetl<strong>and</strong>s International (WI) focusedon ecosystem-based livelihood reconstruction which led to the establishment of a southsouthcooperation model. This mode facilitates rapid sharing of expertise, knowledgebase,local capacities <strong>and</strong> conservation-development approaches that emerged in the post-tsunamicontext.In India, the implementation focused on ecosystem-based livelihood restoration in tsunamiaffected areas through assessments, policy <strong>and</strong> communication <strong>and</strong> support to communitybased livelihood restoration initiatives. The project involved 24,000 households in 164villages, <strong>and</strong> restored 58.5 ha of mangroves; 521 ha of agricultural l<strong>and</strong>s; <strong>and</strong> diversificationof livelihoods through establishment of 151 eco-enterprises. The initiative also developed arich knowledgebase on coastal ecosystems <strong>and</strong> livelihood linkages to support restoration,planning <strong>and</strong> decision-making.In the Maldives, restoration focused on Hurra, one of the 1190 coral isl<strong>and</strong>s located south ofthe North Male atoll. The local communities with the support of the initiative were enabled toclear mangrove areas of debris; conduct vegetation mapping <strong>and</strong> zonation; develop nursery<strong>and</strong> rehabilitation through plantation. A community education <strong>and</strong> awareness infrastructurewas also developed through establishment of an environment education kiosk, locallanguage publications, capacity building <strong>and</strong> training.Implementation in Thail<strong>and</strong> focused on Pattani Bay, a wetl<strong>and</strong> of international importance.Together with local communities in three villages, severely degraded sites of formermangroves along the bay were restored, adopting an approach of combined environmentalrehabilitation <strong>and</strong> socio-economic improvements, placing greater emphasis on the processthan on outputs <strong>and</strong> facilitating initiatives of the community rather than ideas of the projectteam. The project was able to support several income-generating activities of thecommunities, successfully replanted 60 ha of community forest with a community-basedmanagement plan.This paper discusses some of the challenges faced in during the south-south cooperation,such as, partnership development, conservation effectiveness monitoring <strong>and</strong> evaluation,<strong>and</strong> linkages with policy <strong>and</strong> decision making at multiple levels. The lessons learned areapplicable to other regional ecosystem conservation initiatives in the Indian Ocean.Key words: community-based management, south-south cooperation, post-tsunamireconstruction, mangrove planting31