Executive Summary :

The project aims to establish a sustainable and collaborative development model for the restoration, conservation and active management of degraded natural resources, ecological processes and biodiversity of a marine coastal wetland. All the activities that will be conducted within the site have been designed in an environmentally sound manner. Mariculture will be extensive and the targeted species for cultivation are exclusively native. The conservation and restoration of the mangrove forests will consist of intensive cleanup and maintenance, removal and control of pests and invasive alien species, and seedling planting. Moreover, by reinstating ecosystem services and embellishing the area through renovation and maintenance of existing structures, walking tracks, the project will allow the development of recreational and touristic facilities, based on community vision. Emphasis has been placed on awareness raising, sensitization and information dissemination to all stakeholders through various communication tools such as brochures, press releases, information panels, environmental education programs, eco-friendly interpretation panels and community-based events. Traditional knowledge and information resulting from the on-going fisheries, biophysical, socio-economic and governance monitoring will be collected and analyzed to evaluate and review the effectiveness and sustainability of the project, within the context of adaptive management. Information on project evaluation, lessons learned and best practices will be continuously shared with all stakeholders including government agencies which will in turn improve local decision-making capacity and harmonize legislation. Finally, the project will promote the development of local alternative livelihoods opportunities, sustainable local tourism, small community businesses, alleviating poverty and enhancing quality of life.