Effectiveness of community participation in Mangrove restoration: the evidence from northern Sri Lanka

Background

Sri Lanka's mangroves, vital for protecting coastlines and supporting biodiversity, have been heavily damaged by human activities. After the 2004 tsunami, the government recognized mangroves as natural barriers against ocean surges and initiated restoration efforts involving community participation. Local organizations have mobilized people to help restore mangroves, but the outcomes of these efforts remain unclear. In the war-affected northern region, the government has focused on community-based restoration, but it's uncertain whether these communities have the motivation or resources to participate fully.

Goals and Methods

This study uses empirical modeling to investigate whether community participation in mangrove restoration produces favorable outcomes in northern Sri Lanka. Analyzing data from 131 fishing villages in the four coastal districts of the northern province between 2009 and 2020, the authors assess community participation using socio-demographic information from surveys and government reports. The study also includes war exposure—quantified as the annual number of times each village was forcibly displaced—as a key variable influencing participation. To test the impact of community participation on mangrove restoration performance, the authors use mangrove forest cover, mangrove density, fish production, and fisheries revenues as potential indicators.

Conclusions and Takeaways

This study finds that war exposure positively affects community participation in mangrove restoration, likely due to strong social connections formed in war-affected areas. Female wage rates also significantly influence participation. Community participation significantly improves mangrove restoration by increasing forest cover, mangrove density, fish production per boat and per person, and fisheries revenue. The authors recommend that the government foster social connections by promoting new social networks, reviving defunct ones, and enhancing existing networks with financial and technical assistance. This approach grants local communities more power, access, and shared responsibility, enhancing their sense of ownership and motivating them to protect the resources they rely on.