Community-Based Conservation
Mahonia Na Dari has concentrated its conservation efforts around the coastal areas between Kimbe town and Talesea, through the implementation of Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMA’s). This compliments the wider work being carried out by the Nature Conservancy to establish Marine Protected Areas within Kimbe Bay.
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Community awareness is the foundation of the LMMA program as the entire community has to embrace it’s concept for it to work. The awareness programs focus on the importance of reefs to communities, the interrelationships between reefs and other habitats, and ways to sustainably manage marine resources to ensure the preservation of the high levels of biodiversity found there and ensure future food security.
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Mahonia trains local community marine educators through workshops and discussions as well as carrying out its own awareness program. The Marine educators become responsible for continually spreading the message about the marine environment in the community and also picking up on issues that might arise with the management and monitoring of the LMMA.
Locally Managed Marine Areas
Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMA) are a tool for local village communities to protect, use and sustainably manage their marine resources.
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The LMMA is an area defined by the community to be managed under a set of rules and regulations by the people who live in and own that area.
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Mahonia Na Dari, aware of the success of Marine Protected Areas throughout the world, introduced the concept to Kimbe Bay in 1996 and by 1997, a no-take Locally Managed Marine Area (LMMA) was established by the Kilu community adjacent to the Walindi Nature Centre.
For more information and to access reports on the LMMA head to the downloads page.