Awareness and Participation in Mangrove Management of Coastal Communities in Baler, Aurora, Philippines

Abstract

Mangrove forests are among the most vulnerable ecosystems, necessitating unique protection regimes from the community through management and participation. Mangrove management is an efficient method of preserving and protecting forest functions while also providing a source of income for the surrounding communities. The study’s objective is to ascertain community awareness of mangroves and participation in mangrove management in selected areas of Baler, Aurora, and the correlations between community awareness and participation. Three hundred thirty-five civilians from four distinct communities participated in the study. The study made use of descriptive techniques such as questionnaires and field observations. The findings indicate that community awareness of mangroves is relatively high in selected coastal areas of Baler, Aurora, with a weighted mean of 3.79. It was also noted that community participation in mangrove management is moderate in the selected coastal portion of Baler, Aurora. Community awareness is positively correlated with coastal communities’ participation in mangrove management in Baler, Aurora. Furthermore, the respondents’ perceptions of the mangrove management interventions and extension programs required by the community in Baler Aurora’s selected coastal areas to include natural mangrove protection, seminars on the importance of mangrove resources, at least annual mangrove maintenance, mangrove planting, training on mangrove nursery establishment and plantation management, and mangrove nursery establishment, ranked from highest to lowest. The study concluded that the community is aware of mangroves’ characteristics, nature, and uses; they participate in mangrove management in a limited manner. Awareness has a positive effect on coastal communities’ involvement in mangrove management.