Including local knowledge in conservation planning: the case of the western coastal protected areas in Suriname

Figures & data

Figure 1. The core subsystems in a framework for analyzing social-ecological systems (Adapted from Ostrom 2009).

Figure 2. Map of the western coastal protected areas of Suriname.

Table 1. Main characteristics of the western coastal protected areas in Suriname.

CHARACTERISTICS	BIGI PAN MUMA	NOORD CORONIE MUMA	NOORD SARAMACCA MUMA
Date of establishment	1987	2001	2001
Land size	68,000 ha	27,200 ha	100,400 ha
Districts	Nickerie	Coronie	Saramacca
Location	Located in the districts Coronie and Nickerie and partly in the Atlantic Ocean (Ministerial Decree 1987 No. 4423/0880)	Located in the district Coronie between Burnside and Jenny and partly in the Atlantic Ocean (Ministerial Decree 2001 No. 451/0129)	Located in the district Saramacca and partly in the Atlantic Ocean (Ministerial Decree 2001 No. 452/0130)
Governance	Government, Ministry of RGB Other governmental agencies have policies that apply to this MUMA.	Government, Ministry of RGB Other governmental agencies have policies that apply to this MUMA.	Government, Ministry of RGB Other governmental agencies have policies that apply to this MUMA.
Local LBB office	Game wardens and educational staff	Staffed by only1 educational officer. This MUMA is managed by the LBB office of Nickerie	Not operational. This MUMA is managed centrally
WHSRN site Hemispheric importance	1989	–	1989
RAMSAR site/Important Bird Area (IBA)	–	–	Within the boundaries of this MUMA is the Coppename Monding Nature Reserve, which is a RAMSAR site and internationally recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA)
Ecosystem & habitats	Mangrove forest, wetlands, shallow salt to brackish water, rice fields, rich of fish & coastal birds & migratory birds, mud flat near shore	Mangrove forest, wetlands, shallow salt to brackish water, coconut trees, rich of fish & coastal birds & migratory birds, mud flat near shore	Mangrove forest, wetlands, shallow salt to brackish water, rich of fish & coastal birds & migratory birds mud flat near shore
Main activities	Fishing, large-scale rice cultivation, hunting (mainly on birds), tourism	Fishing (near the coastline in the marine area, hunting (many birds), grazing and cow raising, beekeeping	Fishing, hunting (mainly on birds), large-scale cultivation of fruit & vegetable, grazing and cow raising, mining
Specific driving-forces on biodiversity	Hunting in closed season and also on protected birds, increased tourism activities, competition among user groups (fishermen and tour operators), land erosion at some places at the coastline	Hunting in closed season and also on protected birds, construction of a concrete sea wall (2018) due to many years of land erosion	Hunting in closed season and also on protected birds, oil exploration and extraction activities.
Residential areas	Not inhabited	Inhabited	Inhabited
Management plan	1990, 1995, 2013 (draft), 2019	2000, 2014 (draft), 2019	2000, 2014 (draft), 2019

Table 2. Stakeholders of the western coastal MUMAs.

	STAKEHOLDERS	BIGI PAN MUMA	NOORD CORONIE MUMA	NOORD SARAMACCA MUMA
Resource users (SES/U)	Fishermen	Livelihood strategy, practices within the MUMA	Livelihood strategy, practices in the marine area near the shore	Livelihood strategy, practices in the mouth of the Saramacca river
	Hunters	Mainly on birds	Mainly on birds & small mammals	Mainly on birds
	Farmers	Large-scale rice farmers	Small-scale Vegetable & fruit farmers, small-scale cattle farmers	Large-scale vegetable & fruit farmers, small-scale cattle farmers
	Tour operators	Some own lodges that are built in the open swamp	Not applicable (NA)	NA
	Beekeepers	NA	Medium & Large scale, making use of the mangrove forest	NA
	Fish processors (smoking fish)	Livelihood strategy Small group	NA	Livelihood strategy Small group
	Local NGOs	Conservation NGO has no resources for MUMA activities	Tourism NGO has no resources for MUMA activities	NA
	Students and school children	Excursion	Excursion	NA
	Mining	NA	Near shore & offshore oil prospecting activities	On shore and near shore oil extraction
Governmental agencies (SES/U)	Local office of Forest Service	Staffed with also game wardens	Educational office	Not operational since 1913
	Local Fishery department	No staff for monitoring activities in the MUMA	Well-staffed	Well-staffed
	Local Police	Jointly control	NA	NA
	District Commissioner	Head of local Government	Head of local Government	Head of local Government
	Local OWT&C office	Little to no resources for maintenance of infrastructural works in MUMA	Little to no resources for maintenance of infrastructural works in MUMA	Little to no resources for maintenance of infrastructural works in MUMA
Scientists	Anton de Kom University of Suriname	In preparation of reforestation mangrove project	Reforestation mangrove project (started in 2010)	NA
	Foreign bird researcher	Monitoring coastal birds (Scarlet ibis) and the migratory birds	Monitoring coastal birds (Scarlet ibis) and the migratory birds	Monitoring coastal birds (Scarlet ibis) and the migratory birds
		Collect annually data of migratory birds (ringed & transmitter device) from the bird tower.	NA	NA