Gef-iw5 etps mangroves

C.Socio-Economic and Cultural Context

The project fully recognizes that mangrove health and coverage is inseparable from the development of communities living within and around the natural resource, and that societies depend on those resources in often-complex relationships. These support livelihoods through the fisheries enhancement effects of mangrove nursery areas, and provide areas for nature-based tourism and recreation. Mangrove stands reduce storm damage, filter groundwater that affects local population health and helps consolidate sediments along the coastline that reduces erosion of shoreward populated areas. Work to encourage sustainable societies, benefits from understanding these relationships to help promote awareness regarding the importance of mangroves for local communities.

Four focal sites and their associated communities have been prioritized in consultation with national ministries MINAE (Costa Rica), ANAM and ARAP (Panama), MADS/CVC (Colombia) and MAE (Ecuador) as having particular conservation importance given the need to safeguard the mangrove resources, their natural and cultural value and their potential for cross-boundary learning:

1. Chira Island, Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica.

A northerly district of Puntarenas province, Isla de Chira (~ 3,000 ha) being Costa Rica's second largest Island, lies offshore from the town of San Pablo, Guanacaste in the path of the Tempisque river that outflows into the upper Gulf of Nicoya. The mangrove margin adjacent to tropical dry forest improves the water quality, reducing along shore erosion and accumulation of sediment outflow from rivers while creating nurseries and harboring reproductive aggregations for most fished species of local commercial interest. Upstream problems linked to Abangares and Bebedero rivers out flowing to the Gulf islands include mercury pollution from mining operations, oil residue from marine operations in the area, and accumulated waste washed down from inland cities.

Coastal fisheries and tourism resources in the region are subject to the needs of 2,400 residents and 6,000 small-scale fishers. Given stock collapse of shellfish in recent years, local women's associations, connected mangrove degradation with the down-turn in fisheries catch and local livelihoods. As a result they instigated local nature excursions in mangrove bays along with recovery projects that involve schools and visitors in mangrove reforestation, as well regularly reseeding of the black piangua mollusk fisheries among mangrove stands. Local fisheries cooperative Asopecupachi in the largest Chira community of Palito (~ 140 houses) established a Responsible Fishing Marine Area (AMPR) in 2012 across which tourism explaining local fishing practices has been developed. Recent estimates place 40-50% of the population as being economically active (Arguedas et al 2014).

2. David District communities, Gulf of Chiriquí, Panama.

The site spans 56,450 ha (Martinez, 2014) within the western margin of the Gulf of Chiriquí. It is flanked by Alanje district to the west and falls below the watershed that descends from Chiriquí province. It includes the town of Pedregal in the mouth of the mangrove bay which is one of the most densely populated areas with 15,120 inhabitants (ANAM, 2000) as well as the smaller adjacent communities of Chorcha Abajo (470 people), and San Pablo (Nuevo Arriba and Nuevo Abajo; 490 people). It is also one of the distribution centers for timber and fisheries resources harvested in the region (including bark extracts for tannin, housing support timbers, firewood, lobster, shellfish, shrimp and snapper fisheries). Recent interviews (2013) with timber workers to assess their roles suggest that most work is sustenance and family based where only ~1/4 of workers receive a salary. Jobs are evenly spread between bark collectors for tannin extraction, firewood collectors and active fishers. Firewood collections take place close to settlements, deforesting at a rate of around 22 trees per week (ANAM, 2014) across three mangrove species. The fuel is used in homes as well as sold to the few local pizzerias and bakeries. Variations of a least 4 types of mangrove trunk are used in different construction applications.

3. Community councils of Cajambre, Mayorquín, Río Raposo, Chucheros, La Plata, Naya, Juan Chaca and Bazan Bocana, Bahia Malaga, Gulf of Tortugas, Colombia.

Bahia Malaga is an inlet in the north of Buenaventuras Bay in the Gulf of Tortugas with particularly high mangrove cover. Surrounding settlements are organized by 46 community councils (~15,000 inhabitants) across the adjoining area (CVC, pers. comm. 2015). The bay area falls within the 650k ha jurisdiction of Buenaventura to the south, one of the largest populated regions on the Colombian coast with ~700k inhabitants. General Community Councils (Consejos Comunitarios Generales) were established to enable the cultural preservation of Afro-descendant and Indigenous Peoples communities in the Pacific region with the most developed organization being Cajambre and La Plata Community councils in Valle del Cauca Department (which represents various collective territories).

A supply of services and small-scale commercialization of basic products (plantain, yucca malanga, rice etc.) are becoming more important in the local economy, as well as the job opportunities offered by the local government for health, education, or public administration initiatives. The upper region of Bahia Malaga populated by mangroves is zoned as a reseeding area by local communities, but subject to continued fishing of piangua (Anadara sp.) mollusks by women and children employed by commercial agents for offshore export to Ecuador to the south, as is the case for both Valle de Cauca and Nariño (MADS comm.. 2015). Tourism around mangrove areas is also recently becoming an important economic activity, although local communities usually benefit the least, working in low-income jobs within the sector. It is important to mention that the region has also suffered from violence as a result of Colombia´s internal armed conflict. Communities in the Buenaventura region are relatively better connected through the Buenaventura port hub when compared to other truly isolated Pacific Colombian communities, although poor or no access to basic services persists and base-line information to date is more limited than the other ETPS country project areas. The departmental authority CVC has extended an invitation to the project to work in the region; specifically inside the bay, within the mangrove area of DMI la Plata or Isla Ají, further south towards Buenaventura bay close to the Cajambre river mouth.

4. Puerto El Morro, Gulf of Guayaquil, Ecuador.

The El Morro Mangrove Wildlife Refuge was established in December 2007. It is situated at the western edge of the Guayas delta spanning 10,130 ha just north of Isla Puná. The area has a particularly rich avifauna (at least 80 species), also being home to white tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), puma (Panthera onca), otters (Lontra longicaudis), bottle nosed dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), iguanas (Iguana iguana), boas (Boa constrictor), crocodiles (Crocodilus acutus), and amphibians found within the mangrove stands. Adjacent communities fall within the parishes of El Morro, Posorja and Puná comprising >29,000 inhabitants (Integrated Ecuadorian System of Social Indicators; version 4.5). Of these people, 4,011 live within the El Morro parish. El Morro has community organizations that range from dance groups to neighborhood committees and an ancestral commune with historical links to use of the mangrove resource. Poverty levels for unsatisfied basic needs is very high (over 93%) with extreme poverty estimated at 56-60% across the region and around 30% living in inadequate housing (based on recent government indicators). Basic education fluctuates between 33-54% of the El Morro community with less than 8% reaching secondary education and less than 4% a university degree.

Approximately 681 fishers were estimated in 2007 in the El Morro community, with some membership to local associations/ cooperatives (such as the Future Foragers with 70-80 members) catching clams (Anadara tuberculosa) (33%), red crab (Ucides occidentalis) (27%), fish (20%), oyster (Ostrea iridescens) (13%) and shrimp (Litophenaeus spp.) (7%) in mangrove areas mostly by hand, net and thrown harpoon. Most products are sold to intermediaries (50%) with the remainder sold to the neighboring town of Playas (42%) and Guayaquil (8%). As with other areas, mangrove is used for firewood, construction and charcoal as well as artisanal crafts. Tourism is also developing with 45 members registered between two local El Morro associations, mostly linked to the mangrove lined bays where dolphin sightings are consistent across 4 zones in the bay mouth, with varied birdlife guaranteed on 1.5 - 3.5 hour round trips (as far as the offshore Manglecito Islands). The development of tourism also creates demand for a local food service industry and fished produce from the mangrove area.