Community-based restoration and management of mangroves in Lap An Lagoon, Thua Thien Hue

Objectives

• To enhance capacity and improve participation of the community based organization (Fisheries Association - FA) in mangrove protection, management and restoration;
• To develop mangrove management plan and environmental friendly livelihood by adjusting the activities for sustainable use and capture aquatic resources in  supports of the mangroves management and restoration;
• To facilitate allocation of  use rights over the lagoon resource and other institutional arrangements for community-based management and conservation of mangroves.

Background

Target beneficiaries

Effective management and restoration of the mangroves in Lap An Lagoon will contribute to conservation of the eco systems in Lap An lagoon where has great potentials for development of tourism and fishery that improve livelihoods for hundreds local households. In addition, this project will contribute to securing people’s life and livelihoods of thousands people living around the lagoon, especial to more than 2000 labors in An Dong 1 Hamlet and An Dong 2 Hamlet. Moreover, the mangroves restoration and conservation in local community will help to improve income for women who have no conditions to get jobs far from their families due to housework’s and responsibility for taking care children. The participatory approach in the project and community-based management are also good opportunities for women improving their positions in their families as well as in the community.

Outputs

• Establishment of a community-based organization and task force on mangroves and fishery conservation.

• Raise in awareness and build capacity of fishing association to mobilize the participation of local fishermen in mangrove conservation and management.

• A survey conducted on the existing mangrove area, recognizing them as part of a local forest protection plan so that the remaining mangroves can be legally protected.

• Establishment of a mangrove nursery and planting of seedlings to expand the remaining mangrove areas.

• Re-location and removal of destructive fishing gears to reduce the density of fishing gears for more sustainable fishing.

• Implementation of pilot mangroves-based polyculture models to encourage local households to realize mangroves values and replicate sustainable aquaculture methods.

Accomplishments and challenges

• NCB members visited Lap An Lagoon and made recommendations on mangrove restoration, including a focus on enabling natural regeneration of the existing mangroves rather than planting mangroves, to the grantee. However, it was hard for CCRD to negotiate with Chan May Lang Co Economic Zone Management Board to adjust the golf course plan.

• From 27-29 March, a field trip was organized for journalists as part of a UNDEF/CIFOR/MFF-funded training course for environmental journalists with the aim to involve media in advocacy for protection of this mangrove area. At the training, a brief of the golf course’s impacts on the environment was distributed to journalists for discussions. After the training, a number of features were published on different media channels.

• On 25 April, 2012, Deputy Prime Minister issued an official letter to Thua Thien Hue’s People’s Committee on the golf course construction in Lang Co, which stated that no protection forest (mangroves) area is allowed to be used for golf course construction. 

• The project increased the capacity of Lang Co FA in undertaking restoration and protection of mangroves, including mangrove nurseries and planting techniques. About 6,000 mangrove seedlings have been raised and 5,000 replanted, applying Farmer Field School methods to the local community. This increased the lagoon's mangrove area by 3 ha in 2012-2013.

• Six pilot sustainable aquaculture models, including 3 shrimp, blue mussel models and 3 mangroves-based crab models were undertaken, which raised the income of households by 10% upon harvest. In particular, the 3 mangroves based crab models conducted by the 2 communities was able to show clear evidence of the mangroves' value and thus created an incentive for other households to replicate the model and protect mangroves.

• Regular patrols by mangrove protection task forces meant that there was a halt to mangrove cutting activities and destructive fishing gear in the lagoon. A member of the FA invested his own money in planting 2 ha of mangroves for mangrove polyculture activities. 

Contributions to cross-cutting themes

• Climate Change 
• Communications

Lessons Learned

• Although Circular 07/2011/TTLT- BNNPTNT- BTNMT stipulated that allocating forests is accompanied by allocating forest land, in Lang Co, the community was only allocated the forest. The forest itself is under the management of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DONRE) and the land use is under the control of Chan May Lang Co Economic Zone's management board. DONRE cannot officially agree to allocate forest land without the permission of the economic zone. As such, local communities do not have land tenure over their allocated forest, leading to many difficulties in protecting and managing the forest, especially in the case of violations. This needs follow-up from  CCRD to advocate to the provincial government to clarify the function and mandates of DONRE and Chan May Lang Co Economic Zone.