Mangrove Management Research Articles

Local Communities Participation in Mangrove Management for Tsunami Disaster Mitigation at Palu City Coastal

In September 2018 there was an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 Mw in Palu Bay, which was followed by a tsunami. The impact of this disaster is the destruction of building infrastructure, the environment, and loss of life. 4,194 people died and damaged 8,107 buildings, 43 health facilities and 386 educational facilities. Mangroves as one of the ecosystems located on the coast can reduce the impact of the tsunami. This research aims to analyze the participation of local communities in mangrove management. The method used in this research is qualitative, and the analysis used in this research is descriptive and comparative method, and the data used in this research is the results of interviews obtained from several communities who live around the coast of Palu city. The importance of this research is to compare the participation of the community in three research locations. The results of the research show that communities at the research locations are starting to realize the importance of mangroves for reducing the impact of the tsunami, so that after 2018 many communities have started planting and managing mangroves.

Status and perspectives of mangrove management in Côte d'Ivoire

Status and perspectives of mangrove management in Côte d'Ivoire

Status and perspectives of mangrove management in Côte d'Ivoire

Mangroves are ecosystems characteristic of intertidal zones in tropical and subtropical regions. Rhizophora racemosa, Avicennia germinans and Conocarpus erectus are characteristic mangrove species found in Côte d'Ivoire. These mangroves could disappear without being fully studied due to the strong anthropic pressure. This study therefore proposes to establish a detailed cartography of the mangroves reported in Côte d'Ivoire and to model their potential distribution. Mangroves cover approximately 57.92 km², ie a linear coverage of 20.11% of the 540.14 km of coastline. The extent of these mangroves also decreased by 4.91 km² between 1996 and 2016. The maximum entropy model presents low-altitude coastal areas with high rainfall as well as average sunshine as favorable to mangroves. The particular ecological characteristic of mangroves as well as their particular mode of operation deserve to be taken into account in studies of flora in Côte d'Ivoire. It is therefore opportune to consider larger studies focusing specifically on the mangroves present in Ivory.

A qualitative systematic review of governance principles for mangrove conservation.

Management of mangrove ecosystems is complex, given that mangroves are both terrestrial and marine, often cross regional or national boundaries, and are valued by local stakeholders in different ways than they are valued on national and international scales. Thus, mangrove governance has had varying levels of success, analyzed through concepts such as principles of good governance and procedural justice in decision-making. Although there is substantial research on case studies of mangrove management, global comparisons of mangrove governance are lacking. This research aims to fill this gap by comparing relationships among qualities of governance across mangrove social-ecological systems worldwide. Through a systematic literature search and screening process, we identified 65 articles that discussed mangrove governance and conservation. Case studies in these articles, drawn from 39 countries, were categorized as top-down, bottom-up, or comanaged and thematically coded to assess the influence of eight principles of good governance in mangrove conservation success. Across all three governance systems, the principles of legitimacy, fairness, and integration were most important in determining conservation success or failure. These principles are closely related to the concept of procedural justice, highlighting the importance of stakeholder inclusion throughout all stages of mangrove management. Thus, we recommend clearly defined roles for all governance actors, transparent communication of policy development to stakeholders, fairness in both process and outcome, and careful consideration of sustainable access to conservation resources.

Nature-based Solutions in Bangladesh: Evidence of Effectiveness for Addressing Climate Change and Other Sustainable Development Goals

Many lower-income countries are highly vulnerable to the impacts of natural disasters and climate change, due to their geographical location and high levels of poverty. In response, they are developing climate action plans that also support their sustainable development goals, but conventional adaptation approaches such as hard flood defenses can be expensive and unsustainable. Nature-based solutions (NbS) could provide cost-effective options to address these challenges but policymakers lack evidence on their effectiveness. To address this knowledge gap, we focused on Bangladesh, which is exceptionally vulnerable to cyclones, relative sea-level rise, saline intrusion, floods, landslides, heat waves and droughts, exacerbated by environmental degradation. NbS have been implemented in Bangladesh, but there is no synthesis of the outcomes in a form accessible to policymakers. We therefore conducted a systematic review on the effectiveness of NbS for addressing climate and natural hazards, and the outcomes for other sustainable development goals. Research encompasses protection, restoration and participatory management of mangroves, terrestrial forests and wetlands, as well as conservation agriculture and agro-forestry, but there is an evidence gap for urban green infrastructure. There is robust evidence that, if well-designed, these NbS can be effective in reducing exposure to natural disasters, adapting to climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions while empowering marginalized groups, reducing poverty, supporting local economies and enhancing biodiversity. However, we found short-term trade-offs with local needs, e.g. through over-harvesting and conversion of ecosystems to aquaculture or agriculture. To maximize NbS benefits while managing trade-offs, we identified four enabling factors: support for NbS in government policies; participatory delivery involving all stakeholders; strong and transparent governance; and provision of secure finance and land tenure, in line with international guidelines. More systematic monitoring of NbS project outcomes is also needed. Bangladesh has an opportunity to lead the way in showing how high quality NbS can be deployed at landscape scale to tackle sustainable development challenges in low to middle income countries, supporting a Green Economic Recovery. Our evidence base highlights the value of protecting irreplaceable natural assets such as mangroves, terrestrial forests and wetlands, and the non-market benefits they deliver, in national planning policies.

Priority Areas for Mangrove Conservation to Support Disaster Mitigation Efforts in Pacitan Bay

Mangrove ecosystems at the estuary of Teleng River, Pacitan Bay, call for preservation, protection, and development as a natural vegetative defense against tsunami impacts. Limited availability of potential land for mangrove growth poses a challenge to sustainable mangrove management. To anticipate land acquisition for another use, it is necessary to study land suitability for mangrove and mangrove conservation priorities in the Pacitan Bay. The land suitability parameters consisted of landform, slope, soil texture, and tidal fluctuation, while the mangrove conservation priority was determined based on several aspects: mangrove land cover reduction, mangrove damage level, beach ridge and riparian zone, and land suitability. The results indicate that lands with high potential for mangroves are distributed along Teleng and Grindulu Rivers but not precisely at the estuary. Based on the suitability results, highly potential and potential lands are proposed for mangrove planting, while existing mangroves are for protection and preservation zones, especially on the sides where relatively young mangroves grow for their roots are not strong enough to withstand river currents.

Management Strategy of Mangrove Ecosystem in Siak Regency, Riau Province, Indonesia

Coastal ecosystems on small islands have a large enough pressure to be inversely proportional to a large island due to various resource capabilities and limited supporting factors. Mangrove is one of the ecosystems on the coast of a small island that is susceptible to disturbance because it is close to human activities. This study aimed to determine the mangrove ecosystem management strategy on the coast of the Siak Regency. The research was conducted from July to August 2020 using survey and interview methods. Data analysis used the Analytical Hierarchy Process to determine the mangrove management strategy. The results showed that community involvement is a priority for managing sustainable mangrove ecosystems with the assistance of the Government and NGOs. Management priority factors, namely ecology, while still paying attention to economic, social, institutional, and technological concerns.

Mangroves Fueling Livelihoods: A Socio-Economic Stakeholder Analysis of the Charcoal and Pole Production Systems in the World’s Longest Managed Mangrove Forest

The declining mangrove cover worldwide highlights the necessity of understanding the linkages between ecological and socio-economic dimensions of mangrove management. This study analyses the socio-economic aspects of the pole and charcoal production systems at Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve (MMFR), known as the world’s longest managed mangrove forest, in Malaysia. We performed a socio-economic survey to identify the roles and relationships among stakeholders in the pole/charcoal production system and quantified the cash-flows in monetary value. Altogether, 160 interviews were conducted with contractors, forest officials, workers, middle-men, and consumers. The contractors are functioning as a “hub” from production to commercialization and receive major economic benefits. The commercialization of most charcoal (>80%) aims to its exportation to Japan while the commercialization of poles is local. Although the workers’ income was less than the minimum wage, they still prefer charcoal production jobs because of the availability and geographic proximity of these jobs. Our research suggests a standard salary and health insurance schemes for the workers to reduce social inequality/poverty and improve their well-being. Considering that mangroves occur in over 120 countries, our methodology can be used as a reference to unveil the socio-economic situation of mangrove-dependent communities as well as to map the economic cash-flow of the local activities that form the basis for long-term sustainable mangrove management plans.

Total Ecosystem Carbon Stocks of Mangroves in Lamu, Kenya; and Their Potential Contributions to the Climate Change Agenda in the Country

Mangroves are carbon-rich ecosystems found in tropical and subtropical areas around the world. However, they are threatened by a combination of natural and human-induced factors. When mangroves are lost or degraded, their co-benefits to human society are greatly diminished along with the ecosystem’s ability to sequester carbon. The current study assessed mangrove cover and cover change, as well as measuring carbon stocks and their emissions levels from the mangroves of Lamu County, Kenya. We sampled above-and below-ground carbon pools, including soil organic carbon (SOC), in 191 plots distributed throughout the study area. Lastly, we evaluated the economics of avoiding mangrove deforestation based on the carbon-offset market. The total carbon stock of mangroves in Lamu was estimated at 20 million Mg C, with an average density of 560.22 ± 79.79 Mg C ha–1. Southern swamps recorded significantly higher carbon densities (p < 0.05) than other mangrove management blocks in Lamu. At least 1,739 ha of mangroves in Lamu were lost between 1990 and 2019 due to anthropogenic activities, representing a decline of 60 ha yr–1. Total emissions from loss and degradation of mangroves in Lamu is estimated at 140.1 Mg C ha–1; which translates to 30,840.1 Mg CO2e yr–1. Assuming an offset price of US$10/Mg CO2e, the estimated costs of avoided emissions in Lamu is US$308,401 yr–1 plus other co-benefits such as fishery functions and shoreline protection. Mainstreaming mangroves and associated blue carbon ecosystems into national development and climate change agenda could accelerate Kenya’s achievements of both Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement.

Governance issues related to the management and conservation of mangrove ecosystems to support climate change mitigation actions in Indonesia

Mangrove ecosystems in Indonesia show great promise in contributing to climate change mitigation, but they continue to experience significant degradation primarily because of aquaculture conversion. This work analyzes the mangrove governance in Indonesia and how it fits the country's high emission reduction. The study is mainly based on the analysis of existing regulations, interviews with relevant stakeholders, focus group discussions, and series of executive lectures from high-level government officials. Results indicate overlapping authority claims by government institutions stemming from the absence of strong regulations specifically dedicated to mangrove management and conservation. Different government institutions have varied philosophical conceptions and development priorities for sustainably managing and conserving mangroves. This study identifies specific operational regulations that potentially undermine synergies across institutions for mangrove ecosystems. The conflicting regulations relate to coastal reclamation activities, management of mangroves in non-forest zones, and expansion of commercial aquaculture. In addition, several emerging policies, which are anticipated to further encourage ecosystem degradation, are discussed. This work then provides recommendations that can be adopted to foster an improved management and conservation of mangrove ecosystems, with the far-reaching aim to support the country's goals to reduce its carbon emissions. These recommendations include improved orchestrations of policy priorities of different institutions, including the active participation of local communities in the protection and conservation of mangroves.

Structural Characteristics of the Tallest Mangrove Forests of the American Continent: A Comparison of Ground-Based, Drone and Radar Measurements

The Panama Bight eco-region along the Pacific coast of central and South America is considered to have one of the best-preserved mangrove ecosystems in the American continent. The regional climate, with rainfall easily reaching 5–8 m every year and weak wind conditions, contribute to the exceptionally tall mangroves along the southern Colombian and northern Ecuadorian Pacific coasts (Nariño Department and Esmeraldas Province areas). Here we evaluate the use of different methods (ground-based measurements, drone imagery and radar data [Shuttle Radar Topography mission-SRTM and TanDEM-X]) to characterize the structure of the tallest of these forests. In November 2019, three mangrove sites with canopy heights between 50 and 60 m, previously identified with SRTM data, were sampled close to the town of Guapi, Colombia. In addition to in situ field measurements of trees, we conducted airborne drone surveys in order to generate georeferenced orthomosaics and digital surface models (DSMs). We found that the extensive mangrove forests in this area of the Colombian Pacific are almost entirely composed of Rhizophora spp. trees. The tallest mangrove tree measured in the three plots was 57 m. With ca. 900 drone photographs, three orthomosaics (2 cm pixel–1 resolution) and digital surface models (3.5 cm pixel–1) with average area of 4,0 ha were generated. The field-measured canopy heights were used to validate the drone-derived and radar-derived data, confirming these mangrove forests as the tallest in the Americas. The drone-derived orthomosaics showed significant patches of the Golden Leather Fern, Acrostichum aureum, an opportunistic species that can be associated to mangrove degradation, indicating that the mangrove forests investigated here may be threatened from increased selective logging requiring improvements and effective implementation of the current mangrove management plans in Colombia. The techniques used here are highly complementary and may represent the three tiers for carbon reporting, whereby the drone-derived canopy height maps, calibrated with local in situ measurements, provides cheap but reliable Tier 3 estimates of carbon stocks at the project level.

The Mangrove Forests of the Cameroon Coast and its Socio-Economic Significan


 
 
 The study analyses anthropogenic influence on the mangrove forests of the Cameroon coast and focuses on the development and improvement of the constructive- geographical foundations of rational nature management for the conservation and possible renewal of its natural resources base. The exploitation of mangrove forest landscapes has yielded significant benefits to the local population living within the mangrove forest limits, but the beneficiaries have not made commensurate investments in their sustainability and rational use. Therefore, this habitat must be carefully conserved or protected from wanton anthropogenic activities for the development purpose. The study made use primary and secondary data in establishing the facts analysed in this work. The secondary data comprised of materials of prominent authors who have contributed much to the findings related to coastal mangroves. Primary data collection was field visits carried out by the author in 2016. Questionnaires and semi- structural questions were used to collect information from mangrove exploiters. The findings confirm that the coastal mangrove forests in Cameroon have multiple functions beneficial to the communities adjacent to the coast, but, unfortunately, the beneficiaries have not made commensurate efforts to their sustainability and rationale. The Mangrove forests covered a surface area of 200 000 km2, but Cameroon lost 30 % of its mangrove forest cover in 1980–2006. If projected under ceteris paribus, Cameroon lost approximately 45 % of its mangrove forest cover in1980–2020. Haven understood that man has raped huge surfaces of mangrove forest for his selfish economic gains, the study proposed an urgent need for environmentally sustainable adaptive strategies like those earmarked in the Ramsay agreement and the ICZM (Integrated Coastal Zone Management) for the rational management of coastal mangroves in Cameroon.
 
 

LOCAL COMMUNITY’S ACCEPTANCE OF MANGROVE FOREST AS A SUSTAINABLE TOURISM PRODUCT: A PRELIMINARY FINDINGS

The study was conducted to examine the local community's acceptance towards mangrove forest as a sustainable tourism product in Kampung Rampayan Laut and Kampung Nanamun, Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia. In addition to the above, it is also to determine the level of knowledge of the local community on the importance of mangrove forests as well as to determine the level of willingness of the local community to participate in mangrove forest management. These two specific sites were selected due to the increasing tourists influx in the area for mangrove forest river-cruise and fireflies watching. Purposive sampling technique was used which involved distribution of questionnaires to 150 respondents from both Kampung Rampayan Laut and Kampung Nanamun, which is about 10% from the actual population size. Likert scale was used in the questionnaire form, ranging from one which represents strongly disagree to five which represents strongly agree for each item to measure respondents’ level of acceptance, knowledge, and willingness to participate in mangrove forest management. The study found that the level of local communities acceptance is high which supports the efforts to make mangrove forest as a sustainable tourism product. This study also found that local communities have the basic knowledge on the importance of mangrove forests to the ecosystems and are willing to be involved in mangrove management. This study has identified the community’s acceptance towards mangrove forest as a sustainable tourism product through their perception of benefits acquired through mangrove forest tourism which could be used as a baseline data for wetland resource management to ensure sustainability.

SEKELUMIT MANGROVE DI SIRING MALAKA REKOMENDASI PENGELOLAAN BERKELANJUTAN A Little Bit The Mangroves In The Mallaca Ditch Sustainable Management Recommendations

A place in the corner of the Malacca Strait, precisely in Sungai Apit District, Siak Regency, the coastal area of Riau Province, has a role as the transportation routes that connect Bengkalis, Pekanbaru and Batam, as well as ships transit point in Malacca Strait. The area has a very small mangrove cover area but has many local communities who manage mangroves independently, in the midst of dense industrial operations in the area, especially with the Tanjung Buton area which is a development area of a national strategic project. The developments carried out in that place must be carried out in a sustainably, namely balanced in ecological, economic and socio-cultural aspects. Research in that place always discusses only one aspect of the three, moreover what is currently rife is ecotourism, so many researchers have explored the wealth of natural tourism and not a few have discussed its economic benefits. This study aims to analyse these three aspects to produce recommendations for sustainable mangrove management strategies. This research was conducted in 2019-2020 in a descriptive quantitative manner using the Rapid Appraisal method which collaborates the use of several modern technology instruments including remote sensing, transect mapping, and Monte Carlo analysis. The management strategy resulted from a layered analysis that is generally found in separate studies. The results of this study show that the level of sustainability of mangrove ecosystem management in Sungai Apit District is less sustainable. The ecological condition is classified as less sustainable, the economic condition is classified as quite sustainable, while the socio-cultural conditions are classified as unsustainable. The mangrove ecosystem management strategy from this research is the "SO Strategy", that uses Strength to take advantage of Opportunities. The strategy includes increasing wildlife observations as part of educational objects and attractions, as part of the mangrove ecotourism, and development of new ecotourism areas or of existing ecotourism areas by local wisdom concept. Strategy implementation should involve stakeholders and local communities as well as new concept development.

The Study of Mangrove Ecosystems’ Services Valuation in Semarang City

Introduction/Main Objectives: This study estimates how much economic value will be lost from contact activities within the coastal areas in the research location. Background Problems: The area of Semarang City has flood and tidal problems, the damage to the mangrove forests in Semarang City began with the boom in shrimp farming between 1980 and 1990. Hopefully, this valuation can provide an overview of the current health of the ecosystem and become the basis for a mangrove management strategy in the future. Novelty: The novelty of this study is that it uses a sharper satellite (Image Pleades Resolution 0.5 m) to calculate the mangrove area in the research location. Research Methods: This research uses a total economic valuation, an estimation of the mangrove’s carbon stock and heavy metals, the replacement cost to prevent tidal flooding, and the willingness to pay. Findings/Results: We find that the existing economic value in the study area is very large and should be preserved for conservation. Conclusion: The environment cannot produce something instantly, but it needs to be preserved as a balance to nature.

Mangrove planting strategies should consider the optimal ratio between the area of tidal flats and the area of mangroves

Many countries, including China, have increased new areas of mangrove plantations to reverse the decline in mangrove ecosystem functions. However, this has led to the intrusion of mangroves into many tidal flat areas, which are important habitats for shorebirds. A reduction in the available tidal flat areas will reduce the diversity of shorebirds, therefore bringing mangrove conservation into conflict with shorebird conservation. In fact, a certain area of mangroves is an indispensable element of shorebird habitat. Therefore, this study proposes the maintenance of a ratio between the area of tidal flats and the area of mangroves within a mangrove ecosystem which is optimal for both mangrove conservation and shorebird conservation. This study recorded data for shorebird distribution, areas of mangrove and tidal flats, and other relevant data for Guangdong Province, China. The ratios of tidal flat areas to mangrove areas within mangrove ecosystems were established and a mathematical model was applied to establish the relationship between shorebird diversity and abundance and the ratios of tidal flat areas to mangrove areas. The results showed that: (1) there was no significant correlation between mangrove area and shorebird richness (r = 0.176, p = 0.230)and abundance(r = 0.104,p = 0.481), whereas there was no significant correlation between tidal flat area and shorebird richness(r = 0.153, p = 0.299)and abundance(r = −0.063,p = 0.670); (2) the relationship between the ratios of tidal flats area to mangrove area [x] and shorebird richness [f(x)] and abundance [g(x)] satisfied the cubic function equation f(x) =0.106x3−2.147x2+11.269x(0.0265≤x ≤ 13.8100) (R2 = 0.714, P = 0.000),g(x)=0.008x3−0.189x2+1.124x (0.0265≤ x ≤ 13.8100) (R2 = 0.713, P = 0.000); (3) the appropriate value of x is 3.5662or 3.9785, and maintaining this ratio can reduce the conflict between mangrove conservation and shorebird conservation and promote the sustainable development of the mangrove ecosystem. This information can contribute to the sustainable development of mangrove planting management strategies at various scales and will be invaluable in assessing the effectiveness of existing mangrove management approaches.

Elevation and Distribution of Freshwater and Sewage Canals Regulate Canopy Structure and Differentiate Hurricane Damages to a Basin Mangrove Forest

The coastal mangrove forest bears important ecosystem functions and services, including the protection of shorelines and coastal communities. While coastal mangroves often suffer severe damage during storms, understanding the vulnerability and resistance of mangroves to the damage at a landscape scale is crucial for coastal mangrove management and conservation. In September 2017, two consecutive major hurricanes caused tremendous damage to the coastal mangroves in the Caribbean. By utilizing LiDAR data taken before and after the hurricanes in a basin mangrove forest in Northeast Puerto Rico, we analyzed the spatial variation of a canopy structure before the hurricanes and hurricane-induced canopy height reduction and explored possible drivers by means of spatial regressions. Regarding the canopy structure, we found that the pre-hurricane canopy height of the mangrove forest decreased with elevation and distance to the freshwater/sewage canals within the forest, and these two drivers explained 82% of variations in the mangrove canopy height. The model, thus, implies that freshwater and nutrient inputs brought by the canals tend to promote the canopy height, and mangrove trees at lower elevation are especially more advantageous. Similarly, tree densities decreased with the canopy height but increased with the elevation and the distance to the canals. We also found that this mangrove forest suffered on average a 53% canopy height reduction, reflecting mostly heavy crown defoliation and the rupture of branches. The regression, which explains 88% of spatial variation in the canopy height reduction, showed that mangroves with a higher canopy or lower density, or growing in lower elevation, or being closer to the canals suffered more damage. Our findings indicate that delivered freshwater/sewage by means of human-made canals has a strong impact on the canopy structure as well as its resistance to tropical storms. Freshwater and sewage tend to release the salinity stress and nutrient deficit and, thus, to promote the mangrove canopy height. However, the addition of freshwater and nutrients might also increase the risk of mangrove damage during the storms probably because of an altered allometry of assimilates.

PARTISIPASI MASYARAKAT DALAM PENGELOLAAN HUTAN MANGROVE DI KAMPUNG RAWA MEKAR JAYA KECAMATAN SUNGAI APIT KABUPATEN SIAK

Mangrove forest have a diversity of potential benefits for human life, so they need to be maintained so that their utilization can be sustainable. The surrounding community must be the main actor in the management of mangrove forests so that the benefits can be felt directly by the community. This study aims to determine the level and form of community participation in the management of Mangrove Forests in Rawa Mekar Jaya Village, Sungai Apit District, Siak Regency. Data were collected through observation, closed interviews with 73 respondents, in-depth interviews, and documentation studies. Data were analyzed descriptively qualitatively and processed with percentage techniques. The results showed that 69.87% of respondents had a low level of participation in all stages of mangrove forest management because management tended to be exclusively carried out by the Rumah Alam Bakau Tourism Conscious Group. 71.23% of respondents has a low level of participation at the decision making stage, implementation stage, and evaluation stage. 72.60% of respondents has a low participation rate at the stage of enjoying the results. Respondents who participated highly at every stage of management were those who joined the Rumah Alam Bakau Tourism Conscious Group. Forms of community participation in the management of mangrove forests are contributions of ideas / thoughts, energy, skills, and goods (property).

Physicochemical characteristic, nutrient, and fish production in different types of mangrove forest in North Sumatra and Aceh Provinces of Indonesia

Mangrove forests are highly productive ecosystems that sustain marine life, including fish communities. This study aimed to analyse mangrove characteristics, physicochemical parameters, nutrient and primary production derived from mangrove litter and estimate the fish production. The study was conducted at five mangrove sites in North Sumatra and the Aceh Provinces, Indonesia. Two sites represented natural forest at North Sumatra and Aceh (Jaring Halus and Langsa). In comparison, two sites were mangroves converted into oil palm plantations (Pulau Sembilan and Pulau Kampai, North Sumatra). The fifth site was a mangrove forest converted into aquacultural ponds (Percut Sei Tuan, North Sumatra). The study displays the dissemination of mangrove species in five different mangrove sites showing diversity. Avicennia spp found in estuarine near a coastal area, Rhizophora spp spread across the sites, and Sonneratia spp were more likely to occur in the mouth of the upstream river. Litter production at the present study site was dominated by Rhizophora spp., followed by Avicennia spp. This finding was very closely related to the nutrients resulting from litter decomposition in the mangrove ecosystem. The primary production value of 870-1,747 g C m-2 year had a significant role as the beginning of the estuary food chain. Our results show a close association between fish productivity and mangrove management, and conservation status. The highest fish production was found in the well-preserved forests (Jaring Halus and Langsa), followed by the sites converted to palm oil plantations (Pulau Sembilan and Pulau Kampai). At the same time, the least fishing productivity was identified at the fishing ponds (Percut Sei Tuan). The present study provides further evidence of the significant role of mangrove ecosystems for fisheries and calls for effective restoration programs to support local food security along the coast of Indonesia.

Mangrove Forest Restoration by Fisheries Communities in Lampung Bay: A study based on perceptions, willingness to pay, and management strategy

Mangroves provide benefits and various services to local communities living along coastal areas, particularly fishery communities. Fishery community perceptions are significant in determining attitudes towards improving mangrove conditions, which can also be addressed through restoration activities. This research was conducted to analyze fisheries communities perceptions, willingness to pay (WTP) for mangroves restoration, and mangrove forest management strategies. Field surveys were conducted from July-August 2019 and February-March 2020. Primary data were collected from respondents in four regions (Kalianda Regency, South Lampung Regency, Bandar Lampung City, and Pesawaran Regency) in Lampung Province, Indonesia, which consist of fishers, shrimp farmers, crab and wood seekers, and finfish farmers. The respondents were 193 people, and four experts were involved in the policy scenario analysis. Results revealed a gap in the value of WTP among fishery community groups, in which the average value for fishers is lower than shrimp farmers. The years of formal education significantly influenced the WTP for mangrove restoration. Based on the scenario analysis, scenario 01 become a priority strategy, where four policies (P1 = Mangrove ecotourism development in Lampung Bay; P2 = Mangrove knowledge education and training on processing mangrove based products; P3 = Restoration and conservation of mangrove forests; and P4 = Community-based management for mangrove forests utilization) show high likelihoods to be simultaneously implemented for mangroves management, with mangrove ecotourism policy as the most decisive policy. For future research, other explanatory variables can be added, such as information on family member characteristics, and to develop a bottom-up policy scenario by identifying and involving the role of the local community.