Mandaue City Mangrove Eco Park

1. General information

Location and description of the intervention

City or FUA

Mandaue

Region

Asia

Short description of the intervention

Touted as a long-term solution to flooding of Mandaue City, establishment of a mangrove eco-park has begun, having received funding from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) (Ref. 1). Through establishment of mangroves, the eco-park will "perform a significant role in shoreline protection, acting as a buffer against strong winds and waves", which is considered particularly important in light of the anticipated effects of climate change (Ref. 6).

A total 17-hectare plot is to be rehabilitated, as identified in the Mandaue City Government's Comprehensive Land Use Plan (Ref. 3). At present, it is unclear whether nature-based solutions (including mangrove restoration) are to be implemented across the entire 17ha of the site, but initial efforts have been focused on the restoration of a 5-ha section of mangrove forest (Ref. 2). Due to the lack of data on how exactly the remainder of the 17-ha area will be restored, the total NBS area for this project has only been recorded as 5-ha (5000m2) within this case study, rather than the entire 17,000m2 which is encompassed within the site.

The site is situated at the outfall of the Butuanon River which frequently overtops as a result of heavy rain and has been considered "biologically dead" since 1992 (Ref. 7). The site itself comprises a former dumpsite which had been "left derelict and filled with piles of trash", hence in addition to reducing flood risk, its rehabilitation will serve as green space in which "the residents of Mandaue City [can] gather and enjoy a breath of fresh air" (Ref. 2). The eco-park is considered to bring the added benefit of filtering water as it enters the Mactan Channel, in addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through carbon dioxide absorption (Refs. 1 & 6).

Address

605 Pakna-an
Mandaue City
Philippines

Location

The NBS is situated in an area, with clear delineation of boundaries and a specific shape (polygon). The NBS project can also have more than one area location (more than one polygon, situated close by).

NBS area image

Source of NBS area image

Whilst the exact location of the project remains unclear and geocodes cannot reliably be determined, the above images depict the general location of the site. The following images and their corresponding sources are:

1. Photos of the Mandaue Eco-Park both prior to, and post, its rehabilitation (the former inset). Sourced from Ref. 2 at: https://sugbo.ph/2020/dumpsite-turned-eco-park [accessed 13/10/21]; and
2. Aerial view of the Mandaue Eco-Park as sourced from Ref. 6, at: https://dbm.gov.ph/index.php/secretary-s-corner/press-releases/list-of-press-releases/1092-green-green-green-pushes-city-governments-to-build-better-open-spaces [accessed 13/10/21].

Total area

170000.00m²

NBS area

5000.00m²

Type of area before implementation of the NBS

Previous derelict area

Website of the intervention

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1767971/Cebu/Local-News/DBM-grants-city-P123…

Timeline of intervention

Start date of the intervention (planning process)

2014

Start date of intervention (implementation process)

2018

End date of the intervention

ongoing

Present stage of the intervention

Ongoing

2. Objectives of the intervention

Goals of the intervention

The project falls under the "government’s public open space development program launched in 2017 by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM)" which seeks to assist local government units in "making their communities more livable, sustainable, and well-connected through the development or enhancement of public open space by creating esplanades, parks, arboretum, or botanical gardens, and building bike lanes, walkways, and green infrastructure" (Ref. 6).
Development of the Mandaue Eco-Park focuses on reforestation, and also aims to provide green space for tourists and more than 300,000 residents of Mandaue City (Refs. 2 & 6).
The intervention seeks to provide flood protection, filtering to improve water quality (Refs. 1, 3 & 7) and is also intended to help in a wider plan to revive and rehabilitate the adjacent Butuanon River which is the city's largest waterway and has been considered "biologically dead" since 1992 (Ref. 7).

Quantitative targets

To date, the quantitative targets determined include:
- installation of a bamboo 1,047 meter long boardwalk during Phase I of the intervention and a further 700m during Phase II (Ref. 1);
- increased access to greenspace for 300,000 residents of Mandaue City in addition to visitors (Ref. 6).

Monitoring indicators defined

Unknown

Sustainability challenge(s) addressed

Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)

Climate change adaptation

Climate change mitigation

Coastal resilience and marine protection (SDG 14)

Coastal protection / hazard mitigation

Marine and coastal biodiversity protection

Environmental quality

Waste management

Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)

Habitat and biodiversity restoration

Green space creation and/or management

Regeneration, land-use and urban development

Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development

Water management (SDG 6)

Flood protection

Stormwater and rainfall management and storage

Improvements to water quality

Health and well-being (SDG 3)

Creation of opportunities for recreation

Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)

Environmental education

Climate change adaptation: What were the goals of the NBS?

Reduce the impacts of climate risks events on urban places and communities

Climate change adaptation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?

Protect coastal and freshwater ecosystems to prevent coastal erosion and pollution

Restore wetlands and/or coastal ecosystems to dissipate the effects of flooding and/or storms

Climate change mitigation: What were the goals of the NBS?

Sequester and store carbon

Climate change mitigation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?

Increase green urban nature for carbon storage (wetlands, tree cover)

Raise public awareness of behaviours, lifestyle and cultural changes with mitigation potential

What types of restoration goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention?

Ecosystem-focused

What activities are implemented to realize the restoration goals and targets?

Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems

Public engagement

Implementation activities

The project began with the rehabilitation of a former dumpsite covering an area of 2000m2 (Ref. 2). After "levelling off the mountains of trash before covering the ground with healthy soil...the replacement soil was planted with seeds of different plants and trees" and the area is now reportedly "thriving with...verdant grasses and trees (Ref. 2).
Reforestation with mangroves over an area of 5000m2 is intended to filter water, protect adjacent areas from flooding associated with climate change by providing shoreline protection which acts as a "buffer against strong winds and waves", and help in absorption of greenhouse gas emissions (Ref. 1 & 6).
In addition to the planting of mangroves, new facilities will be implemented in the area, including an assembly area, bamboo boardwalk, and a viewing deck, with the idea that these facilities will not only increase the site's capacity to accommodate more visitors, but also "create more opportunities for people to appreciate the value of the mangroves" (Ref. 5). The project will also see installation of "bird blinds, a receiving area, a nursery and aquasilviculture [site as well as] integration of aquaculture within mangroves (Refs. 1, 3 & 7)

Type of NBS project

Coastal landscape management or protection

Ecological restoration of ecosystems

Transformation of previously derelict areas

Knowledge creation and awareness raising

3. NBS domains, ES and scale

NBS domain and interventions

Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented

Blue infrastructure

Coastlines

Coastal wetland, mangroves and salt marshes

Community gardens and allotments

Other

Grey infrastructure featuring greens

Other

Parks and urban forests

Large urban parks or forests

Please specify "other urban green space connected to grey infrastructure"

By culmination of the project, a bamboo boardwalk exceeding 1.5km length will have been installed (Ref. 1).

Please specify "other allotments and community gardens"

Aquasilviculture: integration of aquaculture amongst the mangroves (Ref. 7)

Please specify the number of plots or allotment gardens

N/a

Vegetation Type

Grass

Trees

Please specify how many trees were planted

The number of trees is unknown but should cover an area of 5000m2 (Ref. 2).

Please specify other amenities offered by the NBS

In addition to the reforestation of mangroves, the project will see implementation of "an assembly area, bamboo boardwalk, and a viewing deck...a receiving area, nursery... watchtower, and bird blind" (Ref. 6) and also lamp posts (Ref 7)

Amenities offered by the NBS

Educational or biodiversity trails

Complementing infrastructure (bathrooms, café)

Viewing and outlook points

Other

Services

Expected ecosystem services delivered

Provisioning services

Food for human consumption (crops, vegetables)

Regulating services

Air quality regulation

Coastal protection

Carbon storage/sequestration

Flood regulation

Water purification / filtration

Habitat and supporting services

Habitats for species

Cultural services

Tourism

Aesthetic appreciation

Mental and physical health and wellbeing

Scale

Spatial scale

Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level

Beneficiaries

Primary Beneficiaries

Citizens or community groups

Other

Please specify "other primary beneficiary"

Tourists (Ref. 6).

4. Governance and financing

Governance

Governance arrangements

Government-led

Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative

Funding for the project arose from the national government’s public open space development programme, 'Green, Green, Green', which was launched in 2017 and falls under the Local Government Support Fund - Assistance to Cities (LGSF-AC) as provided by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) (Ref. 6).

Having received funding, responsibility for implementation of the project falls to the country's local government units, in this case, Mandaue City Government (Refs. 3 & 6). In 2018, DBM gathered "city mayors and two LGU officers from each local government in a technical workshop" with the intention of holding discussions which would focus on "the importance of establishing and maintaining well-designed public open spaces in an urban area, as well as the best practices and lessons on designing public open spaces in the Philippines" (Ref. 4).

Key actors - initiating organization

National government

Land owners

Public space owned by the city

Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)

National government

Local government/municipality

Private sector/corporate actor/company

Land owners

Public space owned by the city

Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used

Unknown

Policy drivers

NBS intervention implemented in response to an Regional Directive/Strategy

NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan

Yes

Please specify the national regulations/strategy/plan

The project falls under the national government’s public open space development programme, 'Green, Green, Green', which was launched in 2017 and falls under the Local Government Support Fund - Assistance to Cities (LGSF-AC) as provided by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) (Ref. 6). The programme is "a parallel endeavo[u]r to the massive national infrastructure development program Build, Build, Build" (Ref. 6).

NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan

Yes

Please specify the "local regulation/strategy/plan"

A total 17-hectare plot is to be rehabilitated, as identified in the Mandaue City Government's Comprehensive Land Use Plan (Ref. 3).

Mandatory or voluntary intervention

Voluntary (spontaneous)

Please specify other type of voluntary intervention

Whilst a national programme, the Green, Green, Green project awarded 77 of the 145 cities in the Philippines a portion of the earmarked fund (Ref. 7).

Enablers

Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS vision/strategy/plan - mentioned in connection to the project

Unknown

Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS section/part in a more general plan - mentioned in connection to the project

Yes

Please specify the general plan with GI/NBS section

Mandaue City Government's Comprehensive Land Use Plan (Ref. 3).

If there is a relevant strategy or plan, please specify the theme / type of the plan.

General municipal plan

Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project

Unknown

Presence of GI / NBS research project - mentioned in connection to the project

Unknown

Subsidies/investment for GI / NBS in the city - mentioned in connection to the project

Yes

Please specify

national government’s public open space development programme, 'Green, Green, Green', which was launched in 2017 and falls under the Local Government Support Fund (Ref 6.)

Co-finance for NBS

Co-financing governance arrangements

Co-governance arrangement

A fund / grant

Was this co-governance arrangement already in place, or was it set up specifically for this NBS?

Not applicable

Financing

Total cost

€100,000 - €500,000

What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?

Unknown

What are the total amount of expected annual maintenance costs?

Unknown

What is the expected annual maintenance costs of the NBS or GI elements?

Unknown

Please specify cost savings

Unknown

Please specify total cost (EUR)

12,300,000 Philippine peso = 210,084.52 EUR (1P = 0.017 EUR) (Ref. 1)

Source(s) of funding

Public national budget

Type of fund(s) used

Earmarked public budget

Non-financial contribution

Unknown

Business models

Risk reduction model

Green densification model

Urban offsetting model (biodiversity or water)

Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?

Public actor (e.g. municipality)

5. Innovation

Type of innovation

Technological

Infrastructural innovation

Social

Policy innovation

Please specify technological innovation

The site itself comprises a former dumpsite, hence in addition to reducing flood risk, its rehabilitation will serve as green space for residents, improve water quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions through carbon dioxide absorption (Refs. 1 & 6). In addition to the planting of mangroves, new facilities will be implemented in the area, including an assembly area, bamboo boardwalk, and a viewing deck, with the idea that these facilities will not only increase the site's capacity to accommodate more visitors(Ref. 5). The project will also see installation of "bird blinds, a receiving area, a nursery and aquasilviculture [site as well as] integration of aquaculture within mangroves (Refs. 1, 3 & 7)

Novelty level of the innovation

Unknown

Please specify novelty level of the innovation

It is unclear whether a similar initiative was used as a basis on which this intervention was developed.

Replicability/Transferability

Unknown

Please specify Replicability/Transferability

It is unclear whether this initiative is to be transferred elsewhere.

6. Evaluation and learning

Impacts, benefits

Environmental impacts

Climate change

Strengthened capacity to address climate hazards/natural disasters

Enhanced carbon sequestration

Environmental quality

Improved protection against strong wind

Water management and blue areas

Improved water quality

Increased protection against flooding

Enhanced protection and restoration of coastal and marine ecosystems

Enhanced protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems

Green space and habitat

Increased green space area

Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems

Increased conversion of degraded land or soil

Increased number of species present

Restoration of derelict areas

Please specify other economic impact

Reform of the dumpsite was "problematic for the residents who relied on scavenging as a source of income" (Ref. 2). However, those implementing the intervention reportedly "convinc[ed] the residents to find other and better sources of income", and ensured development of a daycare centre in the area to enable education for those "children who weren’t provided with any proper education due to their financial difficulties" (Ref. 2).

Description of environmental benefits

At culmination of the project, it is hoped that reforestation of the area with mangroves will:
- strengthen resilience of the adjacent land and city's residents to deal with the impacts of climate change (particularly flooding) by providing shoreline protection and acting as a "buffer against strong winds and waves" (Ref. 6);
- enhance carbon sequestration by "absorb[ing] carbon five times more effectively than rainforests of the same size" (Ref. 6);
- improve water quality by filtering water outflow into the "biologically dead" Butuanon River (Refs. 1 & 7);
- enhance protection and restoration of both coastal and freshwater ecosystems (in addition to improving water quality through water filtering) as "a mangrove forest is an ecological community connecting freshwater and saltwater environments. A mangrove forests’ one-of-a-kind ecosystem is home to an incredible biological diversity" (Ref. 6), thereby increasing number of species present;
- see the restoration of previously derelict, degraded land through rehabilitation of the former dumpsite (Ref. 2); and
- increase access to greenspace for Mandaue's residents and its visitors (Ref. 6).
- "solve the problem of flooding and eventually clean up Butuanon River", providing a longterm solutions to recurring floods in Mandaue City (Ref. 1).

In addition to the reforestation of the mangrove area, its integration with aquaculture and development of "a receiving area, nursery, aquasilviculture...and bird blind" would likely further increase biodiversity in the area (Ref. 6).

Economic impacts

Stimulate development in deprived areas

Increase in agricultural production (for profit or not)

Other

Description of economic benefits

In addition to the above, residents remaining adjacent to the former dumpsite were to be provided "one hectare of the land where they would be able to plant vegetables which can become a new source of income" (Ref. 2).

Type of reported impacts

Expected impacts

Indicators

Unknown

Analysis of specific impact categories

Job creation: The NBS created ...

other

Environmental justice: The implementation of the NBS project resulted in ...

Improved access to green and/or blue spaces

Negative impacts: Did the project cause any problems or concerns?

Yes

What problem or concern was identified with the implementation of the NBS?

Other

Please specify other negative impact

Development of the former dumpsite led to relocation of some individuals and removed a source of income for those individuals "who relied on scavenging as a source of income", with "many of the residents living near the site [being] outraged when they heard that their only form of livelihood was going to disappear" (Ref. 2). Following relocation of some residents, "only 115 houses or around 500 individuals remained to help in the development of the eco-park" (Ref. 2).

Please specify the negative impacts

Loss of income from scavenging the dumpsite, although residents were "convinc[ed]...to find other and better sources of income" and a daycare centre was constructed for "children who weren’t provided with any proper education due to their financial difficulties" (Ref. 2).

COVID-19 pandemic

The park became "inaccessible to everybody as a precaution due to the pandemic", but it is unclear whether this is still the case (cited from Ref. 2, published in November 2020).

Methods of impact monitoring

Process of recording NBS impacts

No evidence in public records

Methods used to evaluate the impacts of NBS

Unknown

Evidence for use of assessment

Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process

Unknown

Presence of indicators used in reporting

No evidence in public records

Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports

No evidence in public records

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No evidence in public records

Impact assessment mechanism

Name of any specific impact assessment tools

Unknown

Use of GIS in mapping impacts

Citizen involvement

Citizens involvement in assessment/evaluation

Unknown

Citizens involvement in the analysis of the assessment/evaluation

Unknown

Follow-up to the evaluation / assessment

Unknown

7. Sources

References

List of references

1. SunStar Cebu (2018). DBM grants city P12.3M for eco-park. Cebu City: SunStar Publishing. https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1767971/Cebu/Local-News/DBM-grants-city-P123M-for-eco-park [accessed 9/10/21];
2. Palomaria, J (2020). Former Dumpsite turned into an Eco-park in Mandaue City. Cebu City: Sugbo. https://sugbo.ph/2020/dumpsite-turned-eco-park/ [accessed 9/10/21];
3. Tudtud, C.F.M (2018). River Rehab Gets P12.3M from DBM. Cebu City: The Freeman. https://www.pressreader.com/philippines/the-freeman/20181007/281925953962038 [accessed 9/10/21];
4. Department of Budget and Management (2018). DBM launches "Green, Green, Green!" city public open spaces assistance program. Manila: Department of Budget and Management. https://dbm.gov.ph/index.php/secretary-s-corner/press-releases/list-of-press-releases/766-dbm-launches-green-green-green-city-public-open-spaces-assistance-program [accessed 9/10/21];
5. Diokno, B. E (n.d.). Local Government Support Fund - Assistance to Cities, "Green, Green, Green". Manila: Department of Budget and Management. https://dbm.gov.ph/images/pdffiles/PPT_LGSF_AC_SBED_14Mar2018.pdf [accessed 9/10/21];
6. Department of Budget and Management (2018). Green, Green, Green pushes city governments to build better open spaces. Manila: Department of Budget and Management. https://dbm.gov.ph/index.php/secretary-s-corner/press-releases/list-of-press-releases/1092-green-green-green-pushes-city-governments-to-build-better-open-spaces [accessed 9/10/21];
7. Tudtud, C.F.M (2018). Gov't allots (12.3M for Mandaue's eco-park. Cebu City: The Freeman. https://www.philstar.com/the-freeman/cebu-news/bottom-article-list/2018/10/08/1858124/govt-allots-p123m-mandaues-eco-park&ust=1539927120000000&usg=AFQjCNGx25VUFwZhetA4GktBLPPwhF9BEA&hl=en [accessed 9/10/21].

Comments and notes

Comments

A lack of data existed as regards employment opportunities which were created as a result of the site restoration/mangrove reforestation. Ref. 2 mentioned that "115 houses or around 500 individuals remained to help in the development of the eco-park", and that these "remaining residents will be receiving one hectare of the land where they would be able to plant vegetables which can become a new source of income". However, it is unclear whether the work undertaken in the 'development of the eco-park' was voluntary or paid. It is further unclear whether those residents enlisted have received access to the hectare of land on which they could potentially grow food, and on what grounds this access has been/would be granted i.e. access rights only versus ownership. It is due to this lack of certainty that 'other' has been selected as regards economic impacts generated as a result of the project.

Public Images

Mandaue EcoPark Before (Dumpsite) & After

https://sugbo.ph/2020/dumpsite-turned-eco-park/

Mandaue EcoPark Site

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1767971/Cebu/Local-News/DBM-grants-city-P123M-for-eco-park