Mangroves provide a wide array of benefits to coastal communities, including wood and non-wood forest products and a wide range of environmental services encompassing coastal hazard protection, erosion control, water filtration and bio-diversity conservation. Mangroves are also valuable in terms of climate change mitigation due to high rates of primary productivity and the large amounts of carbon contained within above- and below-ground biomass and mangrove soils. In spite of their many values, mangrove areas continue to diminish in size around Asia and sustainable financing for their protection has not been forthcoming.
This publication guides the establishment of systems for allocating performance-based incentives to coastal communities in exchange for mangrove restoration and protection. It is aimed at potential financiers of mangrove restoration and protection including private entities, development organizations, government agencies and/or other proponents interested in supporting long-term mangrove restoration and protection initiatives.
