REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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Community Involvement, Public Awareness, and Education for Mangrove Conservation and

Restoration in Trat Province, Thailand

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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Project SummaryTrat Mangrove Demonstration Site• Thatapoa/ Numchieo conservation mangrove forest area, TratProvince, Thailand• 8 Villages from 4 sub-districts

The Purpose of the Project• To seek to reverse environmental degradation in the area by developing a management plan involving all stakeholders• To establish a demonstration site for good practice in community participation in mangrove conservation work in Trat Province• To serve as a model for wider application nationally and in the other countries participating in the UNEP/GEF South China Sea Project

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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village

Walkboard

Buffer zoneOutdoor recreation zone

Recovery zone

Primitive zoneMangrove (outside DS)

Intensive use point

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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Experience of Public Awareness, and Education forMangrove Conservation and Restoration

1. Before the project

Pred Nai VillageFrom Sub-district Hung Num Khoaw

2. During the project

8 villages from 4 Sub-district

•Sub-district Hung Num Khoaw

•Sub-district Nong Sasnow

•Sub-district Nong Samet

•Sub-district Num Chieo

3. After the project

17 villages from 6 Sub-district•Sub-district Hung Num Khoaw•Sub-district Nong Sasnow•Sub-district Nong Samet•Sub-district Num Chieo•Sub-district Nong Khunsong•Sub-district Ao- Yai

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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Using Existing Community Capacity for Management

Pred Nai Village – Experienced in Mangrove Management

• Villagers actively involved in mangrove conservation to protect land for occupation and mangrove goods for food and income

• Protested against mangrove destruction for shrimp farms in 1990s

• Undertook reforestation based on local traditional knowledge

• Established the Pred Nai Mangrove Conservation and Development Group in 1998

• Developed Mangrove Management Plan for Pred Nai Village

• Pred Nai considered “node of learning” for other villages in Trat

• Pred Nai led seven other villages in project implementation, and encouraged involvement of an additional nine villages

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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Community Involvement in Data and Information Collection for Management Plan Development

1. Community members trained in collection and storage of biological and social information and data

2. Effective in stimulating community involvement in planning

3. Involvement in data collection resulted in good representation in meetings

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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Stakeholder Participation in Mangrove Rehabilitation and Conservation

Development and implementation of a programme for replanting, maintaining and protecting mangroves in Trat Province, particularly in the Thatapoa/ Numchieo conservation forest area.

Expert guidance provided by Kasetsart University and Mangrove Resources Development Station No.4 (Trat)

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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Stakeholder Participation in Mangrove Rehabilitation and Conservation

Meeting to Establish Community Mangrove Patrol

Villagers Trained in Mangrove Patrolling by Pred NaiMangrove Group

Human use of mangrove monitored and illegal uses and other incidents reported to relevant authorities

• Pred Nai Mangrove Conservation and Development Group • Pak Klong Namchieo Biodiversity Learning Centre• Tatapao Mangrove Conservation Group• Ao Grud Mangrove Conservation Group

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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Business Plan Development for the TratMangrove Demonstration Site

Community members trained in business planning by experts from Kasetsart University

Used to plan use of mangrove products within the site and as a financial tool for management plan implementation

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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Education, Awareness and Capacity Building Undertaken at Several Levels

Training in Mangrove Assessment and

Monitoring for Villagers

Seminars on Sustainable Use of Mangroves for Government Officials

Integration of Mangrove Awareness Classes in

School Curricula

Focused on the sharing of available information, knowledge, and capacity between and amongst villages, government departments, and schools

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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Mangrove Education Initiatives in Trat Province Schools

Three Youth Camp Activities1. “Green Power Conservation in a Small Hand” (teacher to student )2. “Youth Network Succeeds in Mangrove Conservation” (senior to junior )3. “Youth Mangrove hero” (from community experts to youth)

Objective was to raise awareness of benefits and values of mangrove ecosystems and service in Trat Province

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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Sharing experiences and knowledge between scientists, government staff, and communities

involved in mangrove management in TratProvince (Thailand) and Koh Kong Province

(Cambodia)

Establishing a Framework for Cooperative Management of Transboundary Water Resources

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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1st Joint Workshop between Trat and Koh Kong

Aimed to provide and share information and experiences in the field of mangrove rehabilitation, including propagule

production, nursery techniques, and planting.

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2nd Joint Workshop between Trat and Koh Kong

Aimed to share information and knowledge in the field of mangrove assessment and monitoring

Focused on Enhancing Cooperation in the Science and Management of Mangroves in Transboundary Areas

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Potential for ReplicationGood practices in the Trat Mangrove Demonstration Site will

continue with the support of the Thai Government, including management plan implementation

A project entitled a “Network of Six Sub-districts for Mangrove and Coastal Resources Conservation in Trat Province” will within the SGP-SCS Small Grants Programme

Strengthened community participation at the Trat Mangrove Demonstration Site will be used by Thailand’s Department of Marine and Coastal Resources as a model for use in other mangrove areas

Implementation of the sites “Business Plan” will be supported by MFF IUCN (with the assistance of Kasertsart University and DMCR)