Our Blue Carbon Program focuses on the restoration and protection of blue carbon habitats such as seagrass and mangrove habitats. The 2nd phase of this program is to conduct trainings for our partner communities to equip them with the knowledge and skills for mangrove restoration and monitoring. With this, our team recently partnered with the Bitaugan West Fisherfolk Association (BWFA) in Cagwait, Surigao del Sur, for a Community-Based Ecological Mangrove Restoration (CBEMR) training.

BWFA members, along with representatives from the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) and the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) – Lianga, learned about mangrove ecology alongside mangrove zonation and ecosystem services, the threats and stressors for mangroves, monitoring protocols, mangrove restoration failures and how to determine proper restoration techniques, and the core principles of CBEMR.

After the training, the participants went to abandoned fishpond sites to apply the theories they had learned in assessing and restoring fishpond sites. CBEMR empowers local communities to take ownership of restoration efforts. Furthermore, it equips them with the knowledge and skills to assess the needs and restoration potential of abandoned fishpond sites.

This training marks a significant step in the second phase of our Blue Carbon Program in Bitaugan West, Cagwait, Surigao del Sur. We sincerely thank the Bitaugan West Fisherfolk Association (BWFA), CENRO Lianga, LGU Cagwait, and MENRO Cagwait for their unwavering support and collaboration. Together with our dedicated partner communities and organizations, we are getting one step closer to restoring these abandoned fishponds to thriving mangrove forests and biodiverse wildlife. Stay tuned for more updates!

You may read more about our Blue Carbon Program here!

This project is funded by the Blue Marine Foundation.