With the current environmental concerns, issues of resource management geared towards the conservation of the available resources have become increasingly important to governments and the public. Conservation efforts involve evaluating the most effective resource management practices. Traditional Management practices have been discussed as a viable option that offers a holistic conservation approach by including communities, the biggest ecosystem beneficiaries, in the management participatory processes. Essentially, “Traditional ‘Protected’ Management Resources” refers to natural resources that have been traditionally managed and conserved by local communities or indigenous peoples. These resources often hold cultural, ecological, and economic significance for these communities and have been protected through customary practices, local governance systems, and traditional knowledge passed down through generations. Following the current generational changes and westernization of cultural belief systems, scholars have raised concerns that traditional natural resource management practices may not hold the same potential as they previously demonstrated (Baruah, 2014). Therefore, this paper explores current literature material insights on traditional management systems’ contribution to the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources with a specific focus on natural resources, particularly in the Greater Cape Three Points Area in Ghana.
Ecosystem mapping
Generally, ecosystem mapping helps in the effective distribution, composition, and connectivity of ecosystems, which translates to the coordination of management and conservation efforts. More specifically, ecosystem mapping involves the spatial representation and classification of different ecosystems within a defined area. According to Mohammad et al. (2016), ecosystem maps are significant in representing ecological processes and patterns in specific regions. By representing these ecological patterns, ecosystem maps become useful in conservation planning, resource management, ecosystem estimates, budgets, and mitigation measures. Through the development of ecosystem maps, the State of Selangor, Peninsular Malaysia Mohammad et al. (2016) highlight that data obtained from these maps is highly useful in understanding areas that should be prioritized for biodiversity conservation. The author argues that mapping out the ecosystem offers reliable information to understand the ecosystem’s ability to produce goods and services that support the well-being of the universe. In addition, Mohammad et al. (2016) demonstrate the significance of ecological maps in the management of natural resources at the local, regional, and global scales. Adem Esmail et al. (2023) affirm that ecosystem mapping could be useful in informing conservation and resource management policies. Legislations need to understand which areas they need to prioritize and the resources that need to be protected, and mapping ecosystems has proved as a reliable source of information that supports evidence-based policies that can address the unique ecosystem needs presented by each region.
Impacts of Mangrove Cover on Ecosystem Goods and Services
Mangroves play a significant role in the ecological prosperity and stability of any region. Getzner and Islam (2020) argue that mangrove forests’ values to ecosystem services are substantially wider beyond what is currently discussed in differential study findings. Mangrove forests are considered subtropical and tropical systems that support regional and local coastal communities with necessary ecosystem services that help improve the livelihood in each community. More specifically, Getzner & and Islam (2020) have outlined that mangrove forests provide communities with services such as fuel, wood, and timber. They support the ecosystem by offering life-supporting habitats, and they regulate ecosystems by protecting and regulating the impact of floods, storms, and erosion. Therefore, mangrove forests support ecosystems in sustaining human well-being and ensuring that nature contributes to the welfare of the people. However, Getzner and Islam (2020) offer an important perspective that mangrove forests’ ability to support ecosystems and positively support the ecosystem’s production of goods and services is tremendously degrading with the increased impacts of climate change. Mangrove forests are currently under immense pressure produced by the increasing exploitation of resources, weak governance systems, and sea level rise, all of which are weakening this resource’s ability.
Livelihoods and Mangroves Degradation
In addition toGetzner and Islam’s (2020) cautionary arguments regarding mangrove degradation, Bera and Maiti’s (2022) specific discussions show that in the last 50 years, the global community has faced a 50% loss of mangrove cover. According to the author, 52% of mangrove degradation is associated with aquaculture activities, with 38% being shrimp farming, and 11% of mangrove degradation is a result of a reduction in freshwater supply. By focusing the study on the world’s largest mangrove forest, The Sundarbans Bera & Maiti (2022) study highlights that despite people understanding the role they play in the conservation of resources and the livelihood benefits provided by mangrove forests, some of the communities’ lack of alternative income sources have left them ignorant of mangrove degradation. Therefore, the study argues that Asia has been extremely dependent on Sundarbans mangrove forest for various provisions, which in turn is contributing to degradation, which affects the future livelihood of this area. The proposal is to ensure that there are alternative income sources for people in this region to reduce their dependency on mangrove forests and to ensure that the values and benefits are extended to future generations.
Community Participation in Conservation of Ecosystem Services
Various authors have echoed the significance of facilitating community participation in the designing and implementation of conservation of ecosystem services. For instance, Sagoe et al. (2021) argue that for conservation management practices to be effective, they have to consider complementing formal scientific research with traditional knowledge obtained from local communities that directly interact or live in the ecosystem. The authors’ findings are derived from a study conducted in the Greater Cape Three Points area where national efforts in establishing Marine Protected Areas and two communities in the region were engaged and involved in the mapping and assessment process. Firstly, Sagoe et al. (2021) argue that the livelihoods of the rural coastal communities are directly linked to the overall functioning of the ecosystem. Therefore, it highlights that local communities, even though they may lack the scientific skills needed to interpret significant ecosystems, their interactions with the inhabitants mean that they have valuable insights that may be overlooked by scientific research. Also, the author notes that community participation helps ensure that the local communities understand the significance of conserving the ecosystem to sustain their livelihoods; they understand the direct and indirect values of the ecosystem, understand the pressures that degrade the ecosystem provision, and increase their interest in participating in resource management plans. In addition, community participation is demonstrated as a reliable aspect of informing policies by offering information specific to each community and region. Therefore, governments the study illustrates that the government needs to consider community participation as a way of increasing effectiveness in the current efforts being employed towards resource management practices.
References
Adem Esmail, B., Cortinovis, C., Wang, J., Geneletti, D., & Albert, C. (2023). Mapping and assessing ecosystem services for sustainable policy and decision-making in Eritrea. Ambio, 52(6), 1022-1039.
Baruah, P. (2014). Traditional natural resource management practices: a review of local concepts and issues on change and sustainability. Glob J Biol Agric Health Sci, 3(4), 93-97.
Bera, R., & Maiti, R. (2022). Mangrove dependency and livelihood challenges—A study on Sundarbans, India. Regional Studies in Marine Science, 50, 102135.
Getzner, M., & Islam, M. S. (2020). Ecosystem Services of Mangrove Forests: Results of a Meta-Analysis of Economic Values. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(16), 5830. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17165830
Mohammad Imam, H. R., & Saiful Arif Abdullah, S. A. A. (2016). Developing ecosystem maps using eco-geological information for the sustainable management of natural resources.
Sagoe, A. A., Aheto, D. W., Okyere, I., Adade, R., & Odoi, J. (2021). Community participation in assessment of fisheries related ecosystem services towards the establishment of marine protected area in the Greater Cape Three Points area in Ghana. Marine Policy, 124, 104336.
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