Sustainability of Pyinbugyi Village Tract’s Ecosystem through Community Based Mangroves Conservation and Coastal Bank Protection

Objectives

To increase resilience of Ecosystem-Dependent Pyinbugyi Village Tract coastal Communities through establishing Community Based Mangroves Conservation and Coastal Bank Protection Models.

Background

Targeted communities from Pyinbugyi island which fall under Pyinbugyi Village Tract have been lately experiencing a lots of livelihood related problems. Most of livelihood related problems are caused by depletion of mangroves forest. Coastal bank erosion, saline water intrusion into paddy farmlands, and decline of fish stock are the main problem faced by the targeted communities.

Under this context, Myanmar Forestry Association (MFA) under the MFF Guidelines for Grant Facilities has conceived a project titled “Sustainability of Pyinbugyi Village Tract’s Ecosystem through Community Based Mangroves Conservation and Coastal Bank Protection” which aims to increase resilience of Ecosystem-Dependent Pyinbugyi Village Tract coastal Communities through establishing Community Based Mangroves Conservation and Coastal Bank Protection Models. 

Target beneficiaries

Pyinbugyi Village Tract coastal Communities.

Outputs

• Result 1: Initial steps to establish Environmental Governance is initiated in the targeted communities. The result 1 will be achieved through implementation of 7 activities namely: 1.organizing an Inception workshop in the Palaw township level; 2. Organizing 3 mass meetings (each meeting at each target village) to orient the project; 3. Establishing Village Environmental Conservation Committee (VECC) in the targeted communities; 4. Developing training module for mangroves conservation and nursery practices; 5.  Training all members of 3 Village Environmental Conservation Committees (VECC), and members of targeted communities’ institutions on mangroves conservation and nursery practices; 6. Constructing three guard posts cum rest sheds (one each in each target villages); and 7. Conducting one best practice learning visit.
• Result 2: Mangroves Conservation Area is established in the Pyinbugyi Island. The result 2 will be achieved through implementation of 4 activities namely: 1.preparing ground works for mangroves nursery; 2. collecting seeds, and polyethylene bags to produces one hundred thousand seedlings; 3. identifying  Mangroves Conservation Areas; and 4. undertaking regeneration improvement felling and enrichment planting in the established Mangroves Conservation Areas.

• Result 3: Coastal Protection Zone (s) is set up in the Pyinbugyi Island. The result 3 will be achieved through implementation of 2 activities namely: 1. Surveying coastal bank erosion site; and 2. establishing mangroves plantation in the identified Coastal Protection Zone (s).

Contributions to cross-cutting themes

• Climate Change: coastal bank erosion protection, plantation activities and mangroves conservation activities

• Gender balance is well represented among the mangroves conservation committees

• Conflict sensitivity which may arise among villages especially on the rights and duties of mangroves conservation areas

• Property right and resource tenure: the mangroves conservation areas established under this project would be finally converted into community forest which is legally protected for 30 years of resource tenure.