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Community-Based Adaptation in the Protection and Conservation of Mangroves, Eco-Systems, and Coral Reefs - Vailu’u-tai
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Project details
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Program:
Leading Organization:
UNDP-Global Environment Facility (GEF)Implementing Agency:
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)Implementing Agency and Partnering Organizations:
Satoalepai Village Council, AusAidSummary:
The project will focus on Fasito’o-tai and Vailuu-tai, which are comprised of approximately 7,000 people located in the Aana Alofi III District, on the northwestern shore of Upolu island in Samoa. Fasito’otai and Vailuu-tai have the same traditional salutations (faalupega) therefore they are considered to be one village culturally, socially, and politically. These two communities depend on fisheries and agriculture for their livelihoods, with some also undertaking paid employment, or receiving remittances from overseas relatives to provide for family needs. The village also relies on its mangroves and coral reefs for food, medicine and materials. The land is all under customary land ownership, stretching from the mountain ridges and sloping down to the sea. There are numerous climate change-induced threats, which will be discussed below, to the mangrove system located on the border between the two villages. There are three springs of freshwater in the mangroves that are used for drinking and bathing. Of note, there has been a migration inland over the years because the sea level is rising and the coast is eroding. Sometimes, the seawater crosses the main road. In 1906 they started moving inland to form a new village center as a result of this rise. Finally, the first Missionary to officially start a church in Samoa, Rev. John Williams, lived in this village along the affected mangroves. The foundation of his house and place are now underwater and has been washed away. Sea-level has risen significantly relative to the village’s land since he lived there in 1840. The mangrove and coral eco-systems of this community are directly facing increased intensity of storm surges, increased intensity and frequency of tropical storms and cyclones, sea-level rise, increased water temperatures, changing salinity dynamics in near-shore lagoons, changing coastal geomorphology, and higher-intensity rains. The weakening of coastal ecosystems has lead to substantial coastal erosion, loss of flora and fauna and their habitats. In addition, community members have noted a change in average wind and wave direction in recent years, which they say has played a large role in this degradation. During the project-planning phase the proponents will research the effects of wind direction change on coastal erosion and try to determine whether or not changes in wind direction are related to global change. As part of this project, there will be a Climate Change awareness raising and training program, which will strengthen community resilience and adaptive capacity to respond to climate change. This will include the church youth groups, women’s committee and untitled men’s group therefore all segments of the village will be involved. Another aspect of the project will address natural resource management planning. Many villagers rely on the mangroves and coral reefs for their livelihood. By putting in place proper climate change resilient management plans and protecting these eco-systems the village will be able to sustainability use these resources for the future generations.
Project Components:
The UNDP CBA project will improve the adaptive capacity and reduce climate change vulnerabilities of Fasito’o-tai and Vailu’u-tai communities through management of mangrove and coral reef ecosystems. Strengthening the resilience of the mangroves will buffer the drinking and bathing pools, a source of drinking water, protect productive agricultural land from seawater inundation, preserve habitat for mud crabs, birds (such as the gogosina (Sterna sumatrana) and manumea (Didunculus strigirostris)) and fish, and protect coral from climate change-induced sedimentation. Without intervention, it is feared that they will lose this mangrove system, as the mouth of the lagoon will continue to widen – admitting more large waves and altering balance between salt water from the ocean and fresh water in the lagoon. Currently the mangrove forest is less dense and some of the mangrove trees are dying and other trees are being killed by salt water. In addition, reducing or eliminating non-climate stresses to coral reefs is recognized as one of the few adaptation measures that can be taken to address the risk of coral bleaching. By reducing anthropogenic stresses, corals can recover more quickly from bleaching events. Strengthening the resilience of the coral from climate change effects such as sea temperature rise and cyclones will help preserve biodiversity, secure food sources both terrestrial and marine for their families, and livelihoods of the fishermen and traditional healers.
Expected Outputs:
* 1.) Climate change considerations integrated into local policy and planning processes through the development of a Climate Change-Resilient Coastal Natural Resource Management Plan and the integration of Climate change projections and adaption practices into the village plans (such as Coastal Infrastructure Management Plans, etc) as relevant; * 2.) Local community with increased awareness of climate change through the training on and implementation of climate change and an education awareness plan; * 3.) Coral and mangrove ecosystems are better able to maintain ecosystem services in the face of climate change pressures by the re-enforcement of the river/lagoon mouth against erosion and widening that is being driven by changing wind and wave patterns (AusAID Co-financing) through the plantation in areas newly threatened due to changing coastal geomorphology and changing lagoon salinity dynamics, by establishing a Marine Protected Area (reducing non-climate stresses on coral, enabling them to more quickly recover from climate pressures such as bleaching), and constructing cement walls to protect springs from seawater inundation (AusAID co-financing) * 4.) Protection of ecosystems that buffer the community from climate change risks made more economically sustainable through the development of an eco-tourism plan, aimed at generating economic incentives for the protection of ecosystems the buffer the community from climate change impacts.
Contacts:
Mr. Pradeep Kurukulasuriya
Technical Advisor, BDP/EEG
Email:pradeep.kurukulasuriya@undp.org
Tel: +1 (212) 906 6843Project Status:
Under ImplementationResources:
