Coastal Communities Questionnaire for Cultural Ecosystem Study, 2021-2022

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Using outputs and lesson from NetComFish (the initial project), this follow-up project, NexAMS, aims to advance community engagement to identify optimum areas for mangroves protection for sustainable use and facilitation of business-community linkages. Provisioning and regulating services such as timber and coastal protection are globally known when people talk about mangroves importance. In terms of research initiatives, there are many studies conducted for these two types of ecosystem services due to their economic values. However, there is a growing need to study cultural ecosystem services so that policymakers and decisionmakers will understand that this type of services is crucial for natural resource management such mangroves. This is because cultural ecosystem services are important to understand the connection and the interaction local communities have towards an ecosystem. This research findings will be valuable for the local government and policymakers to make informed decision and help to identify potential mangroves replanting effort in Selangor.

Mangroves contribute to businesses and communities through multiple ecosystem services, yet are undervalued and under-protected in Malaysia and globally. Using outputs and lessons from NetComFish (Newton-Ungku Omar Fund project), capacity building and co-creation, NexAMS aims to advance policy and business initiatives for improved, inclusive mangrove protection through sustainable use and build public-private-community partnerships, focusing on the state of Selangor. Using stakeholder engagement, desk work and knowledge exchange, these aims will be achieved through: (i) analysis of local, state, federal and international plans, policies and commitments to identify gaps and learn lessons on how existing initiatives impact mangroves and can be modified to support sustainable development with mangroves; (ii) assessment of past, present and potential future social, economic and environmental threats to mangroves to identify mitigating actions targeted at public and private sectors; (iii) identify achievable actions for businesses to minimise their impact on mangroves, support mangrove restoration and contribute to coastal community development; (iv) community engagement to identify optimum areas for mangrove protection for sustainable use and facilitation of business-community linkages; (v) outreach, engagement and targeted communication along the policy pathway and among business networks. For lasting impact, NexAMS will: work with stakeholders across local, state and federal decision-making tiers, and mutlisectorally, with local communities, the private sector, government, NGOs and academia; build the capacity of stakeholders to better manage mangrove resources through sustainable use; and facilitate increased interaction between different stakeholder groups to enable partnership building. These impacts will support coastal community livelihoods and environmentally sensitive economic development in Selangor and beyond.