Mangrove conservation
Mangrove conservation in Western Madagascar: a vulnerability assessment
Background
Madagascar’s mangrove ecosystems were identified during a 2008 national climate change vulnerability assessment and adaptation workshop as being particularly at risk of the effects of climate change.
Rising sea levels, cyclones, changes in hydrological cycles and salinity intrusion all have the potential to harm these valuable ecosystems, and the species and local human communities that rely upon them.
Following the national workshop, a multi-partner program was agreed upon to carry out feasibility studies and testing in priority ecosystem pilot sites to develop strategic and long-term climate change adaptation initiatives.
As part of this program, WWF is implementing a project focusing on the mangrove ecosystems in the Tsiribihina and Manambolo areas in western Madagascar, which are amongst the most expansive and developed mangroves in the country.
The project will carry out a vulnerability assessment of the biophysical and socio-economic characteristics of these mangroves in the face of future climate change to inform restoration and conservation zoning activities.
The project will also serve as a useful case study of mangrove vulnerability assessment that can be implemented elsewhere.
Rising sea levels, cyclones, changes in hydrological cycles and salinity intrusion all have the potential to harm these valuable ecosystems, and the species and local human communities that rely upon them.
Following the national workshop, a multi-partner program was agreed upon to carry out feasibility studies and testing in priority ecosystem pilot sites to develop strategic and long-term climate change adaptation initiatives.
As part of this program, WWF is implementing a project focusing on the mangrove ecosystems in the Tsiribihina and Manambolo areas in western Madagascar, which are amongst the most expansive and developed mangroves in the country.
The project will carry out a vulnerability assessment of the biophysical and socio-economic characteristics of these mangroves in the face of future climate change to inform restoration and conservation zoning activities.
The project will also serve as a useful case study of mangrove vulnerability assessment that can be implemented elsewhere.
Project Data
- Started: June 2009
- Planned end date: August 2010
- Executant:
- Managing Office: WWF Madagascar and West Indian Ocean Programme Office
- Address:
WWF Madagascar and West Indian Ocean Programme Office
B.P. 738
Antananarivo 101
Madagascar
+261 20 22 348 85 - Status: active
Overall goal and specific objectives
Build the key knowledge about coral and mangrove systems in Madagascar, develop effective approaches for building resilience in these systems and to work with the Malagasy government to incorporate that knowledge into conservation planning.
• Gain an understanding of the historic and existing biodiversity characteristics of mangroves of this region by conducting a structural inventory and natural regeneration assessments to determine the status of these mangroves and cover change over time.
• Gain an understanding of the value of and dependency of local people on mangroves and also any perceptions of local people to climate change by conducting qualitative socio-economic assessments.
• Assess the vulnerability and potential resiliency of the Tsiribihina and Manambolo mangroves using results of surveys and the WWF climate witness approach through joint consultative sessions with local stakeholders.
• Produce mapping of the studied mangroves to indicate their vulnerability and to support the identification of key resilient areas and restoration zones.
• Gain an understanding of the value of and dependency of local people on mangroves and also any perceptions of local people to climate change by conducting qualitative socio-economic assessments.
• Assess the vulnerability and potential resiliency of the Tsiribihina and Manambolo mangroves using results of surveys and the WWF climate witness approach through joint consultative sessions with local stakeholders.
• Produce mapping of the studied mangroves to indicate their vulnerability and to support the identification of key resilient areas and restoration zones.
Achievements and challenges
• Preliminary report compiling relevant conservation, scientific and biodiversity data on mangroves in Madagascar with a focus on the Manambolo and Tsiribihina mangroves.
• Completion of structural inventory and natural regeneration assessments to determine the status of these mangroves.
• Completion of structural inventory and natural regeneration assessments to determine the status of these mangroves.
Next steps
For the next six months the following activities will be carried out:
• Conduct qualitative socio-economic assessments to determine the value of and dependency of local people on mangroves and also any perceptions of local people to climate change.
• Assess the vulnerability of the Tsiribihina and Manambolo mangroves using the results of the mangrove surveys and the WWF climate witness approach through joint consultative sessions with local stakeholders.
• Share the results of the vulnerability assessment with national and international stakeholders.
• Conduct qualitative socio-economic assessments to determine the value of and dependency of local people on mangroves and also any perceptions of local people to climate change.
• Assess the vulnerability of the Tsiribihina and Manambolo mangroves using the results of the mangrove surveys and the WWF climate witness approach through joint consultative sessions with local stakeholders.
• Share the results of the vulnerability assessment with national and international stakeholders.
