Some solutions to protect and restore Some solutions to protect and restore community based mangrove forests in community based mangrove forests in Hau Hau Loc Loc Distric Distric , Thanh , Thanh Hoa Hoa rovince rovince H H Ậ Ậ U L U L Ộ Ộ C District C District – – THANH H THANH H Ó Ó A A Province Province Implementing organization: People Committee of Implementing organization: People Committee of Hau Hau Loc District, Thanh Loc District, Thanh Hoa Hoa Province Province Author Author Tr Tr ị ị nh nh Cao Cao Sơn Sơn Bac Bac kan kan : 21/4,2010 : 21/4,2010 I. Rationale and objectives of the project I. Rationale and objectives of the project 1.1. 1.1. Rationale: Rationale: Hau Hau Loc is a coastal district, Loc is a coastal district, located in the north located in the north - - east of east of Thanh Thanh Hoa Hoa Province. Its total Province. Its total natural land is 14.367,19 ha, of natural land is 14.367,19 ha, of which 1.170 ha are alluvial site which 1.170 ha are alluvial site that to be suitable for planting that to be suitable for planting forest and raising sea food. The forest and raising sea food. The District has 27 authority units (26 District has 27 authority units (26 communes and 1 township). The communes and 1 township). The total population of the District in total population of the District in 2009 was 163.971 people, with 2009 was 163.971 people, with the density of 11,4 persons/km2. the density of 11,4 persons/km2. The District has 5 coastal communes The District has 5 coastal communes ( ( Da Da Loc, Minh Loc, Loc, Minh Loc, Ngu Ngu Loc, Loc, Hung Loc, and Hai Loc) locate in Hung Loc, and Hai Loc) locate in the East with the natural area is the East with the natural area is 3.442,25 ha (occupy 23,81% of 3.442,25 ha (occupy 23,81% of total land area of the District), the total land area of the District), the population is 57.068 people population is 57.068 people (34,8% of the district population) (34,8% of the district population) surrounded by rivers: Len River surrounded by rivers: Len River in the North, in the North, Lach Lach Truong in the Truong in the South, East Sea in the East, and South, East Sea in the East, and the coastal line is 12 km. the coastal line is 12 km. ¾ ¾ The coastal area of The coastal area of Hau Hau Loc plays a very important Loc plays a very important role of economy, politics and role of economy, politics and defence defence . . ¾ ¾ This area has high density of residents, boasts for This area has high density of residents, boasts for harveting harveting sea foods, and agriculture sea foods, and agriculture - - forestry forestry - - aquatic aquatic processing products. processing products. ¾ ¾ Annually, the District is heavily impacted by natural Annually, the District is heavily impacted by natural disasters, particularly from tropical typhoons. In disasters, particularly from tropical typhoons. In average, the average, the - - District is annually directly impacted by 5 District is annually directly impacted by 5 – – 6 typhoons. 6 typhoons. ¾ ¾ For Example: The typhoon number 5 For Example: The typhoon number 5 occured occured on on 28/8/2003 and the typhoon number 7 28/8/2003 and the typhoon number 7 occured occured on on 27/9/2005 destroyed and broke 3 km of coastal dyke 27/9/2005 destroyed and broke 3 km of coastal dyke without mangrove forests without mangrove forests Some pictures of damages by storm in 7/2005 Some pictures of damages by storm in 7/2005 Farmer was worry about storms Farmer was worry about storms Objectives of Community Forest Objectives of Community Forest Management Management Environmental objectives Environmental objectives   To increase the area of mangrove forest, improve To increase the area of mangrove forest, improve ecological environment ecological environment   Create habitat for sea organisms, and improve soil Create habitat for sea organisms, and improve soil fertility fertility   Contribute to the protection and development of Contribute to the protection and development of aquatic products, strengthen the durability of aquatic products, strengthen the durability of system of agriculture system of agriculture – – forestry forestry – – aquiculture in aquiculture in coastal area. coastal area. Social objectives Social objectives   To create jobs for local people, and limit the social To create jobs for local people, and limit the social evils. evils.   Improve awareness of community to protect mangrove Improve awareness of community to protect mangrove forest, protect the coastal landscape forest, protect the coastal landscape   Strengthen agreement within the community, and Strengthen agreement within the community, and contribute to retain security and defense. contribute to retain security and defense. Economical objectives Economical objectives   Increasing demand for the firewood, Increasing demand for the firewood, aquatic and sea food of the local people, aquatic and sea food of the local people, also to improve their living standard. also to improve their living standard.   Through the activities of rehabilitation Through the activities of rehabilitation and planting of mangrove forest, more and planting of mangrove forest, more jobs will be created, so that it will improve jobs will be created, so that it will improve income for local people in coastal areas. income for local people in coastal areas.   Protect coastal dykes and other Protect coastal dykes and other hydrological constructions, and to hydrological constructions, and to mitigate the impact from the natural mitigate the impact from the natural disasters. disasters. 2. Status and reasons for degradation of mangrove forest 2. Status and reasons for degradation of mangrove forest in in Hau Hau Loc District Loc District 2.1. Status 2.1. Status   Mangrove forest distributes in 4 communes: Mangrove forest distributes in 4 communes: Xuan Loc, Hai Loc, Xuan Loc, Hai Loc, Hoa Hoa Loc, and Loc, and Da Da Loc. Loc.   The best mangrove forest grows in Xuan Loc, The best mangrove forest grows in Xuan Loc, then then Hoa Hoa Loc, Loc, Da Da Loc and the worst forest grows Loc and the worst forest grows in Hai Loc. in Hai Loc.   Developed farms of sea food, mangrove forest Developed farms of sea food, mangrove forest has been dramatically destroyed both in quantity has been dramatically destroyed both in quantity and quality. and quality.   Since 1980 to 2010 planted 498 ha in which Since 1980 to 2010 planted 498 ha in which 224 ha planted previous projects such as British 224 ha planted previous projects such as British Children Fund, Japan Red Cross (JFC project), Children Fund, Japan Red Cross (JFC project), and CARE International 250 ha, and National and CARE International 250 ha, and National Dyke Department planted 24 ha Dyke Department planted 24 ha   2.2. Reasons for the degradation of 2.2. Reasons for the degradation of mangrove forest in mangrove forest in Hau Hau Loc District Loc District   People living in coastal area are poor, and People living in coastal area are poor, and their main incomes attained from the their main incomes attained from the exploitation of sea food from within and exploitation of sea food from within and outside the mangrove forest, so that they outside the mangrove forest, so that they can damage young forests. can damage young forests.   There is a serious lack of cultivated land, There is a serious lack of cultivated land, so that local people destroy mangrove so that local people destroy mangrove forest for development of sea food farms. forest for development of sea food farms.   The awareness of local people of The awareness of local people of protection mangrove forest and landscape protection mangrove forest and landscape is limited. is limited.   Local people lack firewood for daily Local people lack firewood for daily consumption, also lack food to raise animals consumption, also lack food to raise animals   Rubbish released from the district following the Rubbish released from the district following the flow of the flow of the Lach Lach Truong and Len Rivers could Truong and Len Rivers could damage mangrove trees, particularly the damage mangrove trees, particularly the seedlings. seedlings.   The salt level of the water varies according to The salt level of the water varies according to seasons of the year. The highest salt level seasons of the year. The highest salt level occurs in dry season occurs in dry season   The alluvial site for planting mangrove forest is The alluvial site for planting mangrove forest is normally not solid enough, so that seedling of normally not solid enough, so that seedling of mangrove is easily flowed by tide. mangrove is easily flowed by tide.   Limited funds for protection and Limited funds for protection and maintainance maintainance of mangrove forest. of mangrove forest. [...]... training courses on Planting and maintaining skills for plating groups Documents combining local experience and scientific knowledge are applied to technical transfer/training for groups of trainers Provide methodology very simply introduced to local people with much academy, Therefore, when planting in the field, many people did now know the right method to plant, tend and protect of mangrove forest In. .. Technical training courses and meetings supported by CARE Organize groups of farmers to successfully protect and tend mangrove forest This is an important task to insure the survival of seedlings It includes work of cleaning barnacles (shipworm) and removing rubbish sticking on the seedlings In Da Loc, Hai Loc, some project have treated barnacles by using chemicals, but it was not successful, and it damaged... breeding seasons When barnacles are young, we can clear them by hand without difficulty and without any damage to the seedlings Local community understands that cleaning barnacles is the most important task to ensure the success of the mangrove forest Maintaining Mangroves Maintaining Mangroves Nursery garden 3.3 Protection of community forest Enthusiasm residents living near the forest are selected to. .. fish, shrimp within the mangrove forest Through direct survey in the young mangrove forest and meetings with local people, the District understands why mangrove dies when planted on the sites with strong tide and wind, and the solutions to those problems Based on the indigenous knowledge learned from meetings with local people, two solutions are as follows: Cleaning barnacles Following local experience,... planted 90 ha in 2005 and 2006 This forest however completely died after 1 year due to strong tide, strong wind and the serious damage like barnacles Some experiences and solutions To organize meetings participated by local people, authorities, fish and sea food harvesters to discuss and comment on the plan to plant, tend and protect mangrove forests To mobilize participation of local people to promote... experience and creativeness Local people understand their role in protection and development of mangrove forests They are also awareness of the importance of mangrove forest that provide them with benefit Local people give comments on the best time to select fruit for seedling production, and to avoid typhoons that normally occur from April in Da Loc, Hai Loc Experiences and solutions Provide Technical training... selected to protect community forests Members of the community agree about the principle of activities implemented in the forest, particularly in young forest Local people managed community forest are mostly trained on the role of mangrove forests, how to plant, tend and protect forest The most importance for the success of community forest is that all meetings, discussions and planning should involve... coastal community When conflict occurs, local authorities and frontier post number 114 are available to overcome problems * Principles for the success in protection of community forest Organize meetings within the community to discuss issues of protection, responsibility of member, role of forests, fund sources, and activities They will agree to establish general principle of “tending, protection and. .. provides community with some fund to 3.4 Organize contests on "protection of environment and mangrove forest" to improve awareness of local people and the young Many kinds of contests have plentifully held in the District, such as: playing, drawing, answering questions, and camping… The contests have attracted both people living near and far from the mangrove forest The contests were held in each commune,... activities of local people pertaining to the protection of mangrove forest and the environment The initial results have been achieved from the community based forest management in Da Loc Commune that 200 ha of mangrove forest have been well managed by communities of 3 villages of the commune The new approach has been approved to be a good method for a sustainable protection and rehabilitation of mangrove . Some solutions to protect and restore Some solutions to protect and restore community based mangrove forests in community based mangrove forests in Hau Hau Loc Loc Distric Distric , Thanh. task to ensure the success of the task to ensure the success of the mangrove forest. mangrove forest. Maintaining Mangroves Maintaining Mangroves Maintaining Mangroves Maintaining Mangroves. distributes in 4 communes: Mangrove forest distributes in 4 communes: Xuan Loc, Hai Loc, Xuan Loc, Hai Loc, Hoa Hoa Loc, and Loc, and Da Da Loc. Loc.   The best mangrove forest grows in Xuan Loc,