Models for Mangrove Co-management
3C carried out a study tour to Kung Krabaen Royal Project Development Center on the coast of Chanthaburi Province located in the eastern part of Thailand. The objective was to learn from this 30-year old model of mangrove restoration that has flourished and provides local communities with a supplementary source of livelihood. The center has been in existence for nearly three decades and is doing well. The area consists of replanted mangrove stands that now provide a protective belt for the coastline against storm surges and coastal erosion. There is a mangrove nursery to ensure stock replenishment should any area need replanting. There are also demonstration fish and shrimp farms on site to teach local communities how to maintain a supplementary livelihood. This is one of the many projects in Thailand that can serve as a model for other places around the world to balance mangrove conservation with sustainable livelihoods. It is something that 3C can replicate in other mangrove areas to include participation by government and local residents.
