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Mangrove ecosystem services and the potential for carbon revenue programmes in Solomon Islands

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 September 2011

KIMBERLEY WARREN-RHODES*
Affiliation:
The WorldFish Center-Solomon Islands, PO Box 77, Gizo, Solomon Islands
ANNE-MAREE SCHWARZ
Affiliation:
The WorldFish Center-Solomon Islands, PO Box 438, Honiara, Solomon Islands
LINDA NG BOYLE
Affiliation:
Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, and Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
JOELLE ALBERT
Affiliation:
The WorldFish Center-Solomon Islands, PO Box 77, Gizo, Solomon Islands
STEPHEN SUTI AGALO
Affiliation:
National Resource Development Conservation, Solomon Islands
REGON WARREN
Affiliation:
The WorldFish Center-Solomon Islands, PO Box 77, Gizo, Solomon Islands
ANDREW BANA
Affiliation:
Western Province Government, Solomon Islands
CHRIS PAUL
Affiliation:
The WorldFish Center-Solomon Islands, PO Box 77, Gizo, Solomon Islands
RINGO KODOSIKU
Affiliation:
National Resource Development Conservation, Solomon Islands
WILKO BOSMA
Affiliation:
National Resource Development Conservation, Solomon Islands
DOUGLAS YEE
Affiliation:
Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology, Honiara, Solomon Islands
PATRIK RÖNNBÄCK
Affiliation:
SWEDESD and Department of Biology, Gotland University, Visby, Sweden
BEATRICE CRONA
Affiliation:
Department of Systems Ecology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
NORM DUKE
Affiliation:
University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
*
*Correspondence: Kimberley Warren-Rhodes, Current address: NASA-Ames Research Center MS 245-3, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA e-mail: kwarrenrhodes@gmail.com

Summary

Mangroves are an imperilled biome whose protection and restoration through payments for ecosystem services (PES) can contribute to improved livelihoods, climate mitigation and adaptation. Interviews with resource users in three Solomon Islands villages suggest a strong reliance upon mangrove goods for subsistence and cash, particularly for firewood, food and building materials. Village-derived economic data indicates a minimum annual subsistence value from mangroves of US$ 345–1501 per household. Fish and nursery habitat and storm protection were widely recognized and highly valued mangrove ecosystem services. All villagers agreed that mangroves were under threat, with firewood overharvesting considered the primary cause. Multivariate analyses revealed village affiliation and religious denomination as the most important factors determining the use and importance of mangrove goods. These factors, together with gender, affected users’ awareness of ecosystem services. The importance placed on mangrove services did not differ significantly by village, religious denomination, gender, age, income, education or occupation. Mangrove ecosystem surveys are useful as tools for raising community awareness and input prior to design of PES systems. Land tenure and marine property rights, and how this complexity may both complicate and facilitate potential carbon credit programmes in the Pacific, are discussed.

Type
THEMATIC SECTION: Payments for Ecosystem Services in Conservation: Performance and Prospects
Copyright
Copyright © Foundation for Environmental Conservation 2011

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