Abstract

The Community-based Mangrove Rehabilitation Project of the Zoological Society of London ran from 2008 to 2012 with the aim of increasing coastal protection, food resources and livelihood income of coastal communities in Panayand Guimaras by rehabilitating abandoned government-leased fishponds to mangroves, re-establishing legally mandated coastal greenbelts, and securing tenure on coastal land through Community-based Forest Management Agreements (CBFMAs). During the course of the CMRP, close to 100,000 mangroves were planted, with the rehabilitation of 107.8 hectares (56.3 ha shponds and51.5 ha greenbelt) of mangrove forest underway. More than 4,000 people have been actively engaged in the planting, with many receiving intensive training. Six peoples’ organizations were established or strengthened, with one of thesebeing awarded a CBFMA and ve more onstream. These four years have provided many important lessons in mangrove rehabilitation, for both nursery and growout phases.