Bio-diversity

The project will address destruction of mangrove forests, ecosystems which provide invaluable services to the resource-dependent poor communities that tend to live around them. Palawan contains approximately forty percent of the remaining mangrove areas in the country. In recognition of the ecological importance of the Palawan`s mangroves, various laws and policies have been passed for their protection. But despite of these laws and policies, the threats to Palawan`s mangrove forests continue. This situation is exacerbated by tenurial problems and marginalization faced by the indigenous peoples who live adjacent to mangroves or claim these areas as part of their ancestral domain. IP community partners have been involved in patrolling yet need livelihood support to empower themselves to protect and manage the mangrove resources. Driven by poverty, some of them have had no choice but to engage in illegal mangrove exploitation. Thus, the lack of adequate direct action to protect mangroves combined with the absence of alternative livelihoods and tenurial security have led to an escalating trend in mangrove destruction. The project has two independent goals - biodiversity conservation and sustainable alternative livelihoods - which shall be met through the objective of making ecosystems services work for the poor. It will address the destruction of mangrove ecosystems which provide invaluable services to poor, resource-dependent communities that live around them. The first goal will be achieved through the following: (i) environmental education; (ii) needs assessments for the design of appropriate training modules; (iii) paralegal or law enforcement trainings; (iv) establishment of community paralegal teams and (v) formulation of community enforcement work plans. The second goal will be achieved through: (i) feasibility studies; (ii) identification of community participatnts; (iii) orientations, trainings and production trials; (iv) business plan development; (v) strengthening of existing peoples organizations and cooperatives as well as networking/linkage building.

Philippines