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Issue 03, February 25, 2004
Equator Prize 2004 Winners Announced!
The Equator Prize 2004 Jury has selected the following seven outstanding community initiatives for recognition with the Equator Prize 2004. These communities received their Prizes and international recognition at an Awards Ceremony held on 19 February 2004 at the Seventh Conference of Parties (COP7) to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Drawn from a pool of over 340 total nominations and 26 remarkable finalists, these communities represent outstanding achievement in the reduction of poverty through the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

In recognition of outstanding community efforts for poverty reduction and biodiversity conservation: In recognition of an outstanding community initiative associated with a World Heritage Site: Selection criteria for the Equator Prize recipients are outlined below:

Impact: Initiatives that have reduced poverty through the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, and/or through the equitable sharing of the benefits resulting from the use of genetic resources.

Partnerships: Initiatives that have adopted a partnership approach through linking activities with non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, the private sector, governments, research and/or academic institutions, and public or private foundations.

Sustainability: Initiatives that can demonstrate at least three years of successful and lasting changes in local socio-economic conditions and have positive impacts on biodiversity.

Innovation and transferability: Initiatives demonstrating new and adaptable approaches that overcome prevailing constraints and offer relevant knowledge, expertise and lessons learned.

Leadership and community empowerment: Initiatives demonstrating leadership that has inspired action and change consistent with the vision of the Equator Initiative, including policy and/or institutional change and local people's empowerment, especially that of marginalized groups.

Gender equality and social inclusion: Initiatives that incorporate diverse social and cultural needs and promote social equality and equity.

MORE INFO AT: www.equatorinitiative.org

Submitted by:
Reed Merrill
Protected Areas & Agriculture Advisor
NRM III Jakarta
reedm@nrm.or.id
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Issue 03, February 25, 2004
EcoReefs Aim to Restore Village Fishing Grounds in Bunaken
Source: Jakarta Post, February 10, 2004

By Mark Erdmann, Contributor, Bunaken, North Sulawesi

Throughout this country and Southeast Asia, the illegal practice of blast fishing has destroyed vast areas of once productive coral reef areas. Homemade explosives are effective in killing large schools of fish with a single blast, but unfortunately also destroy the delicate coral framework that serves as shelter for coral reef fishes. Repeated blasting of prime fishing grounds quickly reduces reefs to rubble fields that support very few fish and often show no signs of recovery, even decades after the blasting stops. The constantly shifting coral rubble smothers any new coral colonies and largely prevents recovery.

Fortunately, the science (and art!) of reef rehabilitation is beginning to make headway in "jump-starting" the natural recovery process for those reef areas where management has brought blast-fishing under control, but legacy damage remains. Villagers from Manado Tua Island in Bunaken National Park here recently received a generous grant from the Seacology Foundation of California (www.seacology.org ) to become the world's first large-scale demonstration site for the new EcoReef reef rehabilitation technology.

EcoReefs are snowflake-shaped modules made of nontoxic, microporous ceramic and designed to mimic branching coral colonies. The modules are anchored in clusters into rubble fields, where they act to stabilize the substrate and provide immediate shelter for reef fishes. Over time, the modules are colonized by corals and other reef animals that will eventually overgrow the ceramic modules, creating a natural reef that supports productive reef fisheries once again.

The Seacology Foundation awarded the EcoReefs grant (worth over US$20,000) to Manado Tua II village in recognition of the villagers' strong commitment to preserving their reef systems and the fisheries that depend upon them by designating a series of five "no-take" sanctuary zones around their island.

The villagers requested that Seacology fund a reef rehabilitation program for a roughly 1 hectare stretch of reef that was once the most productive fishing area on the island before blast fishers leveled the reef over 15 years ago. Over the course of three weeks of mostly heavy seas and bad weather, Manado Tua villagers worked in close coordination with USAID's Natural Resources Management Project and 11 dive operators from the North Sulawesi Watersports Association (NSWA; see website at www.divenorthsulawesi.com) to transport, assemble and install 620 EcoReef modules.

Beginning on Dec. 15, 2003, the villagers set up two enormous outside workshops, where men, women and children worked side by side for three days to assemble and epoxy the modules. On Dec. 17, the dive operators braved foul weather to return (with a number of interested guests) to transport the assembled modules to the rehabilitation site and install them underwater.

During the installation, the villagers held a special service to bless the reefs, followed by a gala feast together with the dive operator staff who were volunteering time to install the EcoReefs. Approximately 60 divers donated several hundred hours of dive time to install roughly half of the modules before large waves forced the boats to return home.

Over the course of Christmas and New Year's celebrations, several dedicated dive operators continued to make opportunistic runs to Manado Tua through heavy seas to install additional modules, but the weather prevented many from participating. Finally, on Jan. 10, NSWA operators showed up again in force to complete the job and install the remaining 190 modules. While the Manado Tua villagers have pledged patience in allowing three to five years for the rehabilitation project to increase coral cover and fish abundance in the area, many dive operators were astonished to see the rapid colonization of the EcoReef modules.

Over the three-week period before the second "installation party", the EcoReef modules were colonized by various algae and were already sheltering a large number of young herbivorous fishes, who were busily grazing algae off the modules as divers worked around them. Villagers have been excitedly monitoring the progress of the rehabilitation site, which they consider to be a marine "community bank account" that will provide fish resources for their grandchildren -- provided they carefully protect it from further disturbances.

Photographs and video of the Manado Tua rehabilitation project are available for viewing on the EcoReefs website, www.ecoreefs.com
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Issue 03, February 25, 2004
Meity Mongdong, the Green Crusader
Source: The Jakarta Post, February 18, 2004

By Fabio Scarpello, Contributor

Bunaken, North Sulawesi

Barely known outside the country's environmentalist circle, the petite Meity Mongdong is softly spoken, has a gentle attitude, and a perpetual smile. Yet, she was 27 years old when she became the first Indonesian and the youngest person ever to receive the Seacology award. Seacology is an American foundation that has chosen to recognize the heroic achievements of indigenous leaders who risk their lives and/or wellbeing to protect their island's ecosystems and culture.

She confessed that she was surprised and a little abashed when in November 2000 she was flown to Honolulu, Hawaii, to accept the tribute. "I really did not expect it, and I am not sure I fully deserved it" she says. Despite her modesty, the prize was rightfully given in recognition of her tireless work to save Bunaken mangrove forests and coral reefs, while improving the livelihood of the villagers.

Meity's strengths rest in her mediation skills that have often bridged the gap between institutions and the villagers. Born 31 years ago in Kumu (a small village 90 minutes from Manado), Meity understands the locals' culture and needs. She is also a nature lover (as well as a proven diver), and presented a thesis on mangrove tree protection when graduating in Marine Science at Sam Ratulangi University, Manado.

To protect the environment while involving and educating the local people has always been her objective. "Locals have the right to manage the park and to reap the benefits, but they also have the responsibility for its sustainability" she says. In this case "sustainability" has meant stopping resource-destructive activities, like cyanide and dynamite fishing, mangrove harvesting for charcoal production, and coral/shell collection for the tourist curio trade.

Meity started working at the USAID-funded Natural Resources Management (NRM) while still at University. The group coached the management team for Bunaken National Park. Bunaken National Park was established by the Indonesian government in 1990 and it consists of 89,065 hectares, 97 percent of which is ocean. It also includes some mainland coast and the islands of Bunaken, Manado Tua, Siladen, Montehage and Nain.

In 1996, at the end of the NRM project -- together with other like-minded activists -- Meity funded Kelola, an NGO concerned with the conservation of the marine habitat. It was at this time that she started talking about the importance of the park, directly to the people. In 2000 she returned to NRM as a community facilitation specialist, a position that she still holds.

The benefits of Meity's (and her colleagues) work has not gone unnoticed, and in 2003 Bunaken National Marine Park won the British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow award. On this occasion, the management was praised for improving the livelihood of the 30,000 residents, while successfully ending coral mining, dynamite/cyanide fishing, and the destruction of mangroves. "We couldn't ask residents to give up their practices without offering valid alternatives, and today -- thanks to the development of the park -- people can find jobs as park rangers or within the tourism industry.

Fishing can still be practiced with nets or long lens (500 metres from the coral) and seaweed farming is growing in importance. Also, subsidies have been put in place to help those that have lost their main source of income," Meity adds.

Developing a national park is always difficult with several groups having different interests and ideas on how the park should be developed. In Indonesia, the groups involved include the Ministry of Forestry, the local government and the people living in the area. "It has been a difficult to get them to pull in the same direction. The establishment of the National Park Community Concerned Forum (FMPTB) and of the National Park Management Advisory Board (DPTNB) has really helped" Meity says. She then explains "The FMPTB is a forum where the representatives of the 30 villages meet once every two months, and the DPTNB is collaborative body consisting of 15 seats, filled by representatives of the government, community, university and NGOs".

From among the important developments in the last few years Meity names the NRM's zoning of the park and the setting up of the joint patrol system. "Maps, brochure, leaflets and calendars have been given to residents and tourist's places alike. In these, the park is dotted with three different colors that indicate what is permitted in the area. So for example, the red areas are off-limits for everything (fishing, snorkeling, anchoring and so on), while the blue areas are designed for tourist use, and the green areas for the community," Meity explains. "The patrolling of the park is a big problem. Rangers are not doing what they should, and the park is often left unattended. The setting up of the joint patrol with residents in 2001 has improved the situation, but there is still a long way to go," Meity adds pointing the finger at the Ministry of Forestry.

Manado's solid waste disposal is another pressing problem, and the way the DPTNB tackles it frustrates Meity. "They have no concept of the seriousness of the issue that if it is not tackled soon, it could mark the end of the park. The DPTNB allocates part of the tourists' entrance fee to it, but this is not adequate, and much greater government intervention is needed".

Meity's frustration grows as she appeals to politicians -- campaigning for the forthcoming election -- to maintain an ethical approach. "I do not want to generalize but some, in order to get votes are promising immediate benefits to citizens that contravene all we have fought for in the past few years. For example, Lean beach in Bunaken is a no-fishing zone and some have promised to reopen it if elected!" She leaves sighing: "I wish there was better environmental awareness in Indonesia....."

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