Abstract Commodity-based land use change is a major contributor to the worldwide loss and degradation of mangrove forests. There are, however, few studies exploring the local context of mangrove loss and degradation. This is problematic since land-use change does not uniformly degrade mangroves; these impacts on social-ecological systems (SES) are contextual. For mangrove systems, this means that conservation efforts require mangrove ecological knowledge (MEK) to understand the effects of forest loss, as well as, other drivers of change on local livelihoods. This paper aims to examine the local context of mangrove forest loss by studying mangroves and their use in Batan, Philippines. The study includes two different research methods. First, mangrove vegetation was recorded in mangrove forests. Second, perceptions of local users of coastal change, desired coastal resource management, and the local use of mangrove resources were investigated in 107 household surveys across five neighbouring study sites. The vegetation survey listed a total of 12 tree species, including one endangered mangrove species Camptostemon philippinensis , and another mangrove species Nypa fruticans , which is an important material resource. Local people perceived several changes leading to the degradation of the estuary. Regarding management solutions, the interviewees advocated increased mangrove reforestation efforts, more frequent coastal waste cleanups, and coastal zoning for fisheries. Based on the findings, we conclude that even degraded mangrove ecosystems remain important for biodiversity and local livelihoods and should therefore be conserved.
Stiepani et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: