**3.5 Averting land use and tenure issues as it relates to the sustainable management of mangroves in the study area**

A wide range of suggestions was put forward by the households as it relates to how the issue of sustainable management of mangroves at the community level could be addressed. The most important include:


These suggestions, in effect, form a list of recommendations to be evaluated and adopted by GMRP. It is suggested that the authorities place greater emphasis on improving local communities' knowledge about mangrove management, and their rights and responsibilities, through improved outreach programs. Further, reference was made to the need for consultations with the local communities before decisions that are likely to have great impacts on the land ownership are made. This suggestion is considered crucial because it can instruct the authorities to take precautionary actions and minimize conflicts. Some respondents suggested that—as a strategic approach to preservation of the vegetation—consideration be given to relocate some households that are found within proximity of locations where mangroves exist. However, after consideration of the extent of private lands, which ought to be brought under control for protection of the sea coast against the erosive action of the river current, the need to revisit the laws and regulations governing the 50 ft. extent from the shoreline for sea defense protection will have to be amended. The study has pointed to the fact that some residents are willing to commend portions of their private land toward mangrove protection—despite

*Land Use Change and Sustainability*

be converted to mangrove forest use. Altogether, approximately 64% of the households needed compensation. This variable is important because it is an indication of long-term land use change, which could limit other potential valuable uses. Fifty percent of the Indo-Guyanese households requested compensation, while 65% of the Afro-Guyanese households and 100% of the households of mixed ethnicity required compensation if they were to allocate parcels of their estate to mangrove protection. This data is significant because it points to the issue of unwillingness of the households to collectively relinquish interest in lands for mangrove protection. A critical factor for successful mangrove restoration and/or management projects is favoring community allocation over household allocation. For titled lands, the interest may be owned similarly, except in special cases such as where separate lots have been awarded to persons.

**Type Frequency Percent** Valid Titled 8 17.0

**Reasons/Period of Residence Reasons for being happy with mangroves on** 

Period of Residence Less than 5 years 1 1 0 2

Not stated 5 0 1 6 Leased 3 0 1 4 Titled 3 2 3 8 Transported 16 2 6 24 Disputed 0 1 1 2 Transport pending 0 0 1 1 Informal occupancy 1 0 1 2 Total 28 5 14 47

**private land**

**Compensation needed for Relinquishing Land Total**

5–10 years 9 3 3 15 More than 20 years 17 8 5 30 Total 27 12 8 47

**Yes Do not know No**

Transported 24 51.1 Disputed 2 4.3 Transport pending 1 2.1 Informal occupancy 2 4.3 Not stated 6 12.8 Leased 4 8.5 Total 47 100.0

**Total**

**42**

**Table 4.**

*Source: Questionnaire Survey.*

*Source: Questionnaire Survey.*

*Requirement for relinquishing land.*

*Source: Questionnaire Survey.*

*Types of land tenure.*

*Willingness to allow the growth of mangroves on private property.*

**Table 3.**

**Table 2.**

competition with other potentially lucrative uses of the land, such as farming aquaculture—but they need to be compensated.
