Sustaining our Coasts: The Ridge-to-Reef Approach A Compilation of Technical and Policy Papers Mangrove Management Sustaining our Coasts: The Ridge-to-Reef Approach A Compilation of Technical and Policy Papers Mangrove Management By Department of Environment and Natural Resources Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau, Coastal and Marine Management Office Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center, North Avenue, Quezon City and Integrated Coastal Resources Management Project (ICRMP) 2013 Printed in Manila, Philippines Citation: Department of Environment and Natural Resources. 2013. Sustaining our Coasts: The Ridge-to-Reef Approach -- A Compilation of Technical and Policy Papers: Mangrove Management. Integrated Coastal Resources Management Project (ICRMP) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Quezon City, Philippines, 79 p. This publication is made possible through funding assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB Loan No. 2311-PHI) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF Grant No. 0071-PHI). This publication may be reproduced or quoted in other publications as long as proper reference is made to the source. Photo Credits: Front Cover: Chen Reyes-Mencias ISBN 978-971-8986-89-9 Table of Contents ICRMP Background v Foreword ix Director, DENR-PAWB Message xi Undersecretary and Chief of Staff, DENR Message xiii Secretary, DENR Introduction xv Executive Director, DENR-PAWB-CMMO About the Papers xvii Mangrove Management 1 Policy Study Acknowledgements 79 ICRMP Background cosystems are interconnected; what happens in one will ultimately affect the other. Forest EXPECTED OUTCOME denudation, for example, results in soil erosion Sustainable Management of Ecausing siltation of rivers and estuaries. Improperly coastal resources and increased managed solid waste/waste water end up in coastal areas and pollute these resources, a major source of food and income for coastal communities livelihood for millions of Filipinos. Development efforts – establishment of industries, ports, tourism programs, EXPECTED IMPACT various sources of livelihood – also have to take into Enhanced coastal resources consideration the carrying capacity of our environment and natural resources. The Integrated Coastal Resources Management SCOPE AND COVERAGE Project (ICRMP) promotes the “ridge-to-reef” approach in managing coastal resources. This management The project covers provinces and municipalities approach -- addressing threats in the uplands, lowlands surrounding four “extremely high” marine biodiversity and coastal areas in an integrated way -- is expected corridors of national and global importance as identified to result in the development of coastal resources that by the Philippine Marine Biodiversity Priorities. These is sustainable, allowing these resources to continue are: (i) the Babuyan corridor along the northern coast providing environmental services to support livelihood, of Luzon joining the Pacific Ocean and West Philippine eco-tourism, industrial and other socio-economic Sea; (ii) the Ticao Pass-San Bernardino Strait-Samar activities. corridor; (iii) the Daan Bantayan corridor straddling the Visayas Sea and the Tañon Strait; and (iv) the Pujada The ICRMP is a seven-year project (July 2007 Bay corridor, an important point of convergence of to June 2014) implemented by the Department of bioregions of the Pacific Ocean and the Celebes Sea. Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Bureau of The Zambales marine ecosystem in the Sulu Sea and Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and Municipal the Bohol small-island marine ecosystem between the Development Fund Office (MDFO). It aims to follow the Bohol Sea and Sulu Sea were added to the project areas “ridge-to-reef” approach for sustainably managing the for their “high” to “very high” priority marine biodiversity coastal resources and to increase income of the fisher significance and proximity to marine corridors. folks by providing them greater access to livelihood opportunities. Its implementation is supported by US The project covers 80 municipalities as shown in the $33.8M loan proceeds from the Asian Development map and table below: Bank (ADB) and US $9M grant proceeds from the Global Environmental Facility (GEF). v Component B - ICRM and Biodiversity Conservation This component promotes basic ICRM and biodiversity conservation practices. Technical assistance was provided to participating LGUs to develop and adopt municipal ICRM plans that shall guide local development initiatives towards sustainable management of coastal resources. In 2011, 63 out of 80 LGUs have already allocated budget to implement ICRM plans. The component also supports the rehabilitation and reforestation of mangrove and watershed areas with active participation of local communities, complementing the National Greening Program (NGP). The project already rehabilitated and reforested about 2,000 hectares of mangrove and about 7,000 hectares of watershed. Other on-going assistance to LGUs include development/adoption of Marine Protected Area (MPA) Management Plans, development of conservation projects, among others. Map of the covered provinces under the ICRMP. Component C - Enterprise Development and PROJECT COMPONENTS Income Diversification Implemented in collaboration between BFAR and Component A - Policy and Institutional DENR, this Component is committed to provide the Strengthening and Development municipal fisherfolks with supplementary income and reduce their reliance on fishing by promoting This component aims to (i) rationalize Government environment-friendly and sustainable enterprises and policy for ICRM and improving coordination livelihoods (e.g. natural salt production, reef discovery, mechanisms, (ii) strengthen national and local etc.). Assistance is on-going to establish about 370 government institutional capacity, and (iii) develop a enterprises/livelihoods that would benefit thousands of performance-based incentive and disincentive system households in the project sites in 2012 to 2014. for local governments. Major accomplishments include (i) development of the National Integrated Coastal Component D - Social and Environmental Management (ICM) Program as mandated by the EO 533, Services and Facilities (ii) completion of various policy studies (e.g. Mangrove Management, Foreshore Management, User’s Fees In collaboration with the Municipal Development and Resource Rents, Environmental and Social Impact Fund Office (MDFO), DENR provides assistance to LGUs Assessment, Live Reef/Food Fish Trade, etc.) which in realizing basic social services requirements of coastal provide corrective measures recommendation on communities and to complement with LGU efforts policy weaknesses and legal gaps in the management to address coastal pollution and mitigate resource of coastal zones and habitats, (iii) provision of trainings degradation. Technical assistance is on-going to LGUs on Biodiversity Conservation, Gender Sensitization, for the development, appraisal and approval of about Environmental Assessment and Review Framework, 30 infrastructure sub-projects (e.g. sanitary landfill, MPA Networks and Institutional Arrangements, Initial materials recovery facility, slaughterhouse, water Environmental Examination, for hundreds of staff from supply, etc.) amounting to roughly PhP 300M. DENR and participating municipalities. vi (Clockwise from top left) For Component A, a series of planning and review workshops have been conducted, such as the Environmental Assessment and Review Framework for ICRMP Subprojects; For Component B, rehabilitation and reforestation of mangrove forests and watershed areas have complemented the DENR’s National Greening Program (NGP); For Component C, environment-friendly and sustainable enterprises, such as eco-tourism, have been promoted and implemented by the DENR and DA-BFAR; For Component D, the DENR assists LGUs to develop, appraise, and approve infrastructure sub-projects vii Foreword Policies on mangrove management through the years have been varying in focus. The 1970s was the boom of aquaculture, hence, the conversion of mangrove areas into fishponds. Meanwhile, the succeeding decades saw efforts in the conservation and protection of the remaining mangroves. At the beginning of the new millennium, some mangrove wilderness areas have been designated as protected areas or wildlife sanctuaries under the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act (NIPAS). Since then, various issues have stemmed from mangrove management and development. In pursuit of resolving these issues, a mangrove policy study was conducted under the Integrated Coastal Resources Management Project (ICRMP). Related laws and department administrative orders were reviewed, policy gaps were analyzed, and the status of mangrove forests, as well as, those converted into fishponds were identified. These are all presented in this Policy Paper on Mangrove Management, including a more directed set of guidelines and policy recommendations. May the value of mangroves continue to be strongly recognized and mangrove management be actively executed with the proper policy guideposts, management tools, political and community will, and institutional arrangements. Theresa Mundita S.Director Lim Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau ix Message The matter of improving strategies on mangrove development and management is of utmost urgency. It is high time that the Philippines, being an archipelagic nation, recognize the value of its coastal and marine resources, particularly its rich mangrove forests. The benefits of food