100,000 Mangroves Campaign
What is the 100,000 mangroves campaign? It is a campaign to mobilise the public to contribute and support the mangroves nursery and help with planting of 100,000 mangroves at eight community fisheries in Kampot province from September to May 2020.
The campaign’s objectives:
- To mobilise the public to contribute and support eight community fisheries to nurse 100,000 mangrove plants, organise mangrove planting events, and other activities for their community development.
- To mobilise communities and the public, especially young people in Kampot province, to participate in the protection of mangrove forests.
- To raise awareness among the public on the significant roles and values of mangroves and the importance of their participation in protecting coastal areas, ensuring food sovereignty for the Cambodian people and to maintain the balance of ecologies and environment.
Why this campaign? Why now?
Mangrove, coral reef and seagrass are the heart of the sea. They play a significant role in maintaining the ecological balance in Cambodia’s coastal areas by absorbing carbon dioxide (CO2), filtering pollutants, protecting the shorelines from flood and storm, preventing soil erosion, and providing habitat and nursery grounds for sea creatures. Destruction of these natural resources will result in the loss of nurseries and feeding grounds, a reduction in fish stock and other coastal resources, and have a negative impact on human wellbeing.
Coastal areas of Cambodia used to have the largest seagrass bed in Southeast Asia. According to the IUCN report in 2004, the seagrass bed in Kampot was as large as 25,240 hectares; however, their report in 2014 showed a huge reduction of the seagrass bed to only 8,435 hectares. Many factors contributed to this reduction including urban development, sand mining, clearing of mangrove forest, illegal fishing by big boats, land conversion for agriculture or aquaculture, and climate change.
According to the 2018 report of the provincial department of fisheries, Kampot has 1,966 hectares of mangrove forest, and 953 hectares of coral reef. Each community fishery is working with local authorities and the provincial department of fisheries to protect conservation areas for seagrass bed, coral reef and mangrove forest. They are working towards increasing biodiversity along coastal areas in order to promote the livelihoods of communities and to maintain the natural and green beauty of Cambodia’s coastal area.
Through this campaign, we are bringing together communities, local authorities and the provincial department of fisheries to protect and increase seagrass, coral reef and mangrove forest to be as rich and diverse as they were before.
Who organised the campaign?
The campaign is co-organized by ActionAid Cambodia, CWDCC, SAMAKY, and eight community fisheries in Kampot, including Trapeang Sangke, Kampong Samaky, Trapeang Ropov, Prek Thnout, Kep Thmey, Toteung Tgnai, Koh Kreosna, and Lok, with collaboration with the Fishery Administration Cantonment.
ActionAid Cambodia (AAC) works with partners (CWDCC and SAMAKY) to support the community fisheries network in Kampot to promote their rights to land tenure, security and food sovereignty, and to strengthen the community's role in co-management of natural resources by protecting the fisheries community boundary, increasing ecological resources, and diversifying the benefits of natural resources to improve and sustain people’s livelihoods.
How will people benefit from this campaign?
Communities:
- Fund raised from this campaign will be distributed to eight community fisheries in Kampot to support their community activities including mangrove plant nursery, organizing planting events and other activities contributing to support their community development.
- Bio-ecological resources in the area will increase and livelihoods of the communities will improve, and the communities will gain more recognition and support from the government both at sub-national and national levels on their role in co-managing the natural resources.
- Each community will have the opportunity to present to a larger public to get to know their area and to support their local natural products as well as eco-tourism communities.
Participants:
- People will feel proud for participating in planting and protecting mangrove forest.
- We can continue enjoying fresh air, seafood, and green beauty at the coastal area.
- People, especially young people, who take part in the mangrove plantation event will gain knowledge about mangrove and community fisheries management from fisheries experts.
How can I support the campaign?
- Contribute/donate to support mangrove plantation. One mangrove is 4000 Riel or 1 USD. You can contribute for one mangrove or more through the following methods of payment:
- ABA BANK
Account Name: ActionAid International Cambodia
Account Number: 001017317
SWIFT: ABAAKHPP - ACLEDA BANK
Account Name: ActionAid International Cambodia
Account Number: 0001-20-469426-1-6
SWIFT: ACLBKHPP - WING
Account Name: ActionAid International Cambodia
Account Number: 03092855 - Or donate directly at ActionAid Cambodia office in Phnom Penh or CWDCC office in Kampot province.
- Participate in mangrove planting when you visit Kampot province
- Share this campaign information with your families, friends, or networks so they know how to take part to support the campaign.
To see the progress of our mangrove planting, please visit: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/11ohYTIt9Np6-7vTDouTlY5v7t7A1ZJM…