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PROJECT NAME/TITLE:
Fostering Coastal Resilience: Empowering Fisherfolks in Davao Oriental through Community-led Mangrove Restoration
AREA OF FOCUS:
Environmental Protection and expansion of mangroves and natural resources in Davao Oriental, Philippines and Community economic development
PRIMARY HOST AND INTERNATIONAL CONTACTS:
PRIMARY HOST:
Rotary Club of Tagum Laces
INTERNATIONAL PARTNER:
Rotary club of Washington
Primary contaact
Rotary club of amherst
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Category* Description Supplier Cost in PHP Cost in USD
Personnel
1
Mangrove planters
persons
Local people's organizations in Mati and San Isidro
2.514.444
46.011,89
2
ME Forester (100% Project)
person-months
Mama Earth Foundation
1.760.129
4601,12
3
Woman association
Overhead cost
Local people's organizations in Mati and San Isidro
251444
18.036,62
Equipment
4
Maintenance costs of technical equipment (GoPro, camera, drone and cellphones)
lumpsum
Local service providers in Davao City 2,000.00 36
5
Salinity meter unit Lazada 10,000 179
Supplies
6
Office supplies
lumpsum
Local suppliers in Mati or San Isidro
10,000.00
179.00
Travel
7
Fuel allowance of Mama Earth foresters
lumpsum
Local suppliers in Mati and San Isidro
20,000.00
357.00
8
Transport allowance of DOrSU students
person-days
Local suppliers in Mati and San Isidro
30,000.00
535,71
9
Vehicle maintenance
days
Local service providers in Davao City
10,000.00
179.00
Project Management
10
Mama Earth Foundation administration costs
lumpsum
Mama Earth Foundation
30,000.00
535,71
Monitoring and Evaluation
11
ME Foresters (% level of effort)
person-days
Mama Earth Foundation
10,000.00 179
109150 USD
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PART 2: COMMITTEE MEMBERS
HOST COMMITTEE:
ROTARY CLUB OF Tagum Laces (Davao del Norte, Philippines)
Other contacts in the host committee.
Mr. Bertel Ingmar Bertelsen (Past President, RC South Davao)
Mr. Jack Rodriquez (Past President, RC Manila 2019-2020 and Past District governor 3810 )
INTERNATIONAL
COMMITTEE:
Insert details
CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATION:
None
PART 3: PROJECT OVERVIEW
The Project has the overall goal of supporting nature and biodiversity conservation within the Pujada Bay Protected Landscape and Seascape and within the gulf towns of Davao Oriental.
The Pujada Bay Protected Landscape and Seascape has been listed as one of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World (MBBW) during the 15th World Bays Congress in Toyama Prefecture, Japan, held on October 2019.
The reason for its inclusion in the MBBW lies mainly in its beautiful landscapes and seascapes marked by stretches of white sandy beaches in its shoreline and calm turquoise blue waters, and with the UNESCO-inscribed Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary in its backdrop.
The Pujada Bay was also declared as a protected area under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) through Presidential Proclamation No. 431 in 1994. Areas protected under this law are those with "national significance characterized by the harmonious interaction of man and land while providing opportunities for public enjoyment through the recreation and tourism within the normal lifestyle and economic activity of these areas".
The gulf towns in Davao Oriental are coastal LGUs within the Davao Gulf which have marine protected areas (MPA) within the Davao Regional MPA Network of the Davao Integrated Development Program (DIDP), through Resolution No. 2 series of 2018 issued by the DIDP Executive Board.
To achieve the overall goal, the Project will work towards the following objectives:
Support the protection of coastal and marine ecosystems in Pujada Bay and Gulf Towns: The Project will support the habitats of various fauna dependent on mangrove ecosystems, particularly those adjacent to reefs and seagrass. Mangrove forests have been known to support high biodiversity of faunal organisms such as fiddler crabs (Uca sp), olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) and green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), sea cucumbers (Holothuria scabra), various mollusks (Anadara maculosa, Antigona puerpera, Canarium urceus and Lambis lambis) and over 118 species of fish. Mangroves also serve as nurseries and feeding grounds for fish, invertebrates and other locally important faunal groups such as birds and reptiles. Higher numbers of marine fauna may also be found in mangrove forests adjacent to reefs or seagrass habitats. Proper zonation of mangrove planting allows for the optimum growth of seagrass beds which provide nutrients and physical habitats to many fish species, invertebrates, crustaceans and marine turtles. Mangroves will also minimize soil erosion and provide a cover to protect coastal communities against strong winds and coastal erosions brought about by typhoons and the monsoon season. The expansion of mangrove forests in the gulf areas of Davao Oriental will also provide legal protection to coastal areas against potentially harmful activities to the environment (e.g. ongoing mining activities in Davao Oriental), as the Davao Oriental Marine Protected Area Network (MPAN) Council prohibits the destruction of mangrove areas.
Enhance knowledge of Pujada Bay and Gulf Town communities on coastal resource management and pro-environmental behaviors: The Project builds on ongoing natural resource management and conservation efforts in Pujada Bay, where there is relatively stronger capacity and leadership from women's and mangroves' associations. This can be leveraged in the Project so that other fisherfolk associations in the gulf areas could build their own capacities and leadership. In addition to this, the Project will also continue to support knowledge- and awareness-raising on proper mangrove forest management, coastal solid waste management and ecotourism through various activities.
Support increased carbon sequestration to contribute to climate change mitigation: Various research indicates that mangroves and coastal wetlands possess a remarkable ability to sequester carbon, surpassing even mature tropical forests. They store three to five times more carbon per unit area, making them crucial in combating climate change. For instance, one mature mangrove tree can store up to 5 kg of carbon on average per year, with younger mangroves storing less than older ones. Given that mangrove trees' minimum life span is 25 years, this means that one tree can potentially store up to 125 kg of carbon.
The Project aims to directly benefit fisherfolk communities in the areas of Barangays Badas, Dahican, Mangihay and Mamali in Mati City and Barangays Bato-Bato, Bitaogan and Manikling in the Municipality of San Isidro, all of which are in Davao Oriental, Mindanao, Philippines. The Project will have the potential to expand to adjacent barangay's in the gulf-facing municipalities of Davao Oriental, particularly as their municipalities hear about the benefits of mangrove reforestation. Indirect beneficiaries will be the adjacent municipalities and cities in Pujada Bay and the gulf areas of Davao Oriental, which are also within the protected area network of the province.
This Project is eventually envisioned to support the development of sustainable alternative livelihoods for these fisherfolk communities such as the following:
Plastic Waste Recycling: Mama Earth Foundation works with Envirotech Waste Recycling Inc., a company that reuses recyclable materials such as plastics in the production of tables, school chairs, garbage bins and bricks, among others. Mama Earth has already initiated a supply chain for plastic waste in Dahican Beach, a 7-km stretch of open beach that produces a huge volume of plastic waste on a daily basis because of its high number of tourists. Currently, Mama Earth has trained several people's organizations on collecting and sorting the waste which is then paid an amount of PHP 5.00/kg. This initiative not only offers an alternative source of income for fisherfolks, but also supports the optimum growth of mangrove forests and overall coastal and marine ecosystem protection.
Ecotourism opportunities: The mangrove sites in Mati City, particularly the Guang-Guang Mangrove Park and Nursery, present many opportunities for ecotourism. For instance, the Mangrove Park and Nursery management can provide employment opportunities for fisherfolks. Other possible income opportunities can be food peddling in the Park and Nursery, plastic waste gathering (in relation to the above), transport for tourists, and touring/tour guide services. It is important to note, however, that all of these will rely upon the further development and promotion of the Mangrove Park and Nursery by the local government of Mati City.
High-value seafoods production: The mangrove sites in Mati City and San Isidro can be utilized for aqua silviculture of fish, crabs and other seafoods for consumption. Aqua silviculture is a multi-purpose production system that allows production of fish in a mangrove reforestation project. It is a mangrove-friendly aquaculture technique of producing fish in a watered area enclosed with net but does not allow cutting of mangrove trees. The women's and mangroves associations managing the existing mangrove forests and leading the mangrove reforestation efforts in Pujada Bay and gulf areas of Davao Oriental are well-placed to do this as this is could easily be linked to monitoring the mangrove nurseries and newly-planted mangroves. This initiative can be further explored with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) as they may have existing funding and support for aquasilviculture activities.
Support coral reef restoration efforts: Mama Earth Foundation is also currently working with rrreefs: rethinking, rebuilding, regenerating on restoring coral reefs to support sea turtle colonies and other marine wildlife in Pujada Bay. This aims to support the ridge-to-reef initiatives in the area, where mangrove ecosystems, seagrass ecosystems and artificial reef ecosystems are interconnected. Such initiatives will eventually provide another source of alternative income to communities that will be supported by this Project, According to past experiences of reefs within 5-10 years artificial reefs will have become more stable and attract more fish and marine organisms, thereby increasing fishing yields of fisherfolks as well as attracting divers to support ecotourism opportunities in the area.
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