Hills to Ocean (H2O) / Biodiversity

Training of Trainors multiply capacitated individuals at national and local levels on science-based protocols on mangrove rehabilitation and conservation (Iloilo City, Sept 2019). Copyright: Philippine Army/Capt Parro

Community-managed floating restaurant, and other ecotourism services, provide alternative livelihood to men and women in coastal areas (Taklong Island National Marine Reserve, 2019). Copyright: GIZ/R.Capio

Learning visits allow learners to see for themselves best practices on coastal protection and talk to key stakeholders who make things happen (Leganes Integrated Katunggan Ecopark, 2019). Copyright: Philippine Army/Capt Parro

Ecotourism, balancing social, economic and environment spheres, is a major enabler for achieving environment conservation results (Suyac Island Mangrove Ecopark, 2019). Copyright: GIZ/R.Capio

• Promotion and dissemination of innovative and successful measures for the conservation and sustainable use of coastal resources in the region to secure protective measures and generate alternative income for the local population;
• Improved management of Marine Protected Areas and ecosystem-based land use planning in order to significantly enhance ecosystem services for coastal protection, securing habitat for marine organisms, towards increased biodiversity;
• The integrated management approach protects and conserves local fish stocks, coral reef systems, and coastal forests, thereby boosting the resilience of these ecosystems to climate change;
• The creation and introduction of a coherent policy and strategy for integrated coastal management to create conditions that promote greater involvement by the local population in the political process and encourage them to take greater ownership of it; and
• Participatory processes for rehabilitation initiatives and awareness-raising measures promote a positive social environment and boost cohesion within local communities.

ProCoast works toward ensuring that coastal areas and its inhabitants are better protected from the effects of climate change. The Project supports the Coastal and Marine Ecosystems Management Program (CMEMP), a 10-year national program of the Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), aimed at comprehensively managing, addressing, and effectively reducing the drivers and threats of the degradation of coastal and marine ecosystems.

The project supports technical measures in post disaster rehabilitation focus on mangrove and beach forest resources and Climate change mitigation and adaption measures through the provision of technical guides on the establishment of mangrove and beach forest nurseries and plantation; mangrove green gray engineering, promotion of Marine Protected Areas and mangrove ecoparks. Technical support on the reversion of Abandoned, Underutilize and Undeveloped Fishponds to mangrove forest.

ProCoast is working with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), an organization working for biodiversity conservation worldwide; selected local government units; and relevant public and private stakeholders including the academe, civil society, and other development agencies.

The protection of coastal communities and the environment from the effects of climate change can be achieved through the participatory implementation of innovative protective measures, focusing on the sustainable management of mangroves, coral reefs, beach forests and land use. The ProCoast will establish six Centers of Learning (COLs) where such innovative protective measures are showcased.

The COLs will serve as venues for scaling up through experiential visits and capacity development workshops. Awareness of the significance of coastal ecosystems in mitigating and adaptation to climate change and coastal protection will be increased through networking, knowledge exchange, and public relations work in local, national, and international fora. General framework conditions for sustainable conservation policies and measures will be improved by capacitating stakeholders at the local and national levels and enhancing their understanding of the correlation between biodiversity conservation and resilience to climate change.

1. Government personnel of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and other related government agencies
2. Personnel of selected local government units (at provincial, municipal/district and village levels) that are responsible for the planning and implementation of measures in areas especially threatened by typhoons.
3. NGOs that are involved in designing and implementing protective measures.
4. The local coastal population that depends for its livelihood on coastal protection and intact coastal ecosystems.

• Supported the National Mangrove Conference (2020);
• Supported the Best Mangrove Awards as part of the Marine Protected Area Support Network (2019 and 2021);
• Establishment of Centers of Learning;
• Development of Knowledge Products;

• Recording of Mangroves 101 Webinar Series
• ProCoast Factsheet

In 2013, social marketing – a behavior change campaign towards environmental conservation was introduced in Suyac Island, a 1.8-hectare fishing village, located within the Sagay Marine Reserve.  The island has a population of more than 700 people and home to 15 hectares of beautiful mangrove forest.

The intervention was introduced to address the existing challenges in the island – the lack of sense of pride of the community towards their island, lack of awareness of the importance of the mangroves and their lack of participation to conservation programs and solid waste management.

Aside from increasing the knowledge, changing the attitudes and directing conversations of people towards environment conservation, a mangrove ecopark was established to provide an alternative source of income to the community and capacitate them to become stewards and protectors of the environment. In 2019, 4 years after the establishment of the ecopark, it has generated a gross income of almost 3 million Philippines Pesos ($ 60,000).

The experience of Suyac Island is being shared to learners who visit the ecopark.  The process in changing behavior towards conservation can be applied by others who want to sustainably manage their resources through the social marketing manual produced by the ProCoast Project.

“Before we have those trainings, the local residents of Suyac do not care about proper waste disposal and some even used to cut mangroves.  But after we received the series of trainings, we understood the importance of maintaining the cleanliness of our island, especially on waste segregation and waste disposal. We also acknowledge the need of protecting our mangroves as they serve as home to different organisms and also provide protection during calamities.”

Mr Renante Villaflor, SIETAS Member (excerpt from SM video)