the project
Bali Barat is one of the 13 sites that are being used as case studies for the Friends of the Reef project. It is also one of the most ambitious ones.
Here, coral bleaching monitoring and resilience studies, community empowerment and collaborative management activities are being rolled out since 2003 - and results suggest that the approach is working.
Why Bali?
During 1998, bleaching affected 75 to 100% of corals in Bali Barat National Park, with many soft corals disintegrating. Studying this area is therefore a good opportunity to see how the coral reacts over time following the event.
The Park also happens to be a 'high-use' area, with fishers regularly coming in from nearby areas such as Java to exploit its rich marine resources. Moreover, Bali Barat receives divers from all over the world who come to admire its underwater sights. Yet, even those with the best intentions can damage the reef - anchors dropped on the reef, careless trampling and taking "coral souvenirs" can seriously degrade the beauty and integrity of the area.
These threats make it imperative that mitigation solutions are found, and fast.
A palette of coral reef communities
Bali Barat also happens to have a diversity of different coral habitats. Some are exposed to the Bali Sea, others are exposed to strong currents in the Bali Straits,while others again are close to mangroves.
The interesting thing about having such a broad range of habitats is to see how each one reacts to climate change. In fact, scientists have already documented how different environmental characteristics in one area - currents, upwelling, exposure to air and heat to name but a few - may affect the resistance of corals to bleaching.
In Bali Barat National Park, reefs also have a critical importance for local communities, while they provide an easy accessible "testing-ground" for campaign and science activities once (or hopefully, if) bleaching reoccurs.
A solid foundation
There are several other reasons why Bali Barat is a good choice as a pilot site:
- Several parties are willing to be partners for collaborative management. On the ground, these groups already work together on reducing stress factors on coral reefs through reef conservation and sustainable use.
- The potential to magnify the site results is high, and could contribute to policy efforts for improved management of Marine Protected Areas.
- A management authority is already in place and improved management of the Park has been initiated during previous engagement of WWF.
- Well established relations exist between WWF and local stakeholders, which have resulted already in the establishment of a co-management forum (Coastal Care Community Communication Forum of Bali Barat National Park, FKMPP-TNBB).
The stories and case studies on how the local communities identify their problems and work on the development of alternative livelihood is being used by the Friends of the Reef project to show developed countries and major reef countries that the impact of climate change on both biodiversity and people isn't just media buzz, but a reality.
These products are also being used as a case in point that developed countries must mitigate climate threats while developing countries must promote adaptive co-management of marine protected areas.
