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Proceedings of International Conference on Climate Change, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for the Sustainable Development Goals : Policy and Practice 27-29 June 2016 at the Sirindhorn International Environmental Park, Cha-am, Phetchaburi, Thailand

IV.  DISCUSSION Land  use  policy  recently  developed  in  2016  is  expected  to  be  a  tool  to  minimize  deforestation  and  conversion  of  forest  to  other  land  use.  There  is  significant  mangrove  deforestation  at  a  rate  of  72,003.77  ha/yr  even  though  analyzed  data  variation  are  observed  among  different  researchers,  JAFTA,  FAO,  and FD.  Two  main  drivers,  anthropogenic  and  natural  actions,  on  mangrove  deforestation  are  observed.  Anthropogenic  actions  includes  population  pressure;  increasing  from  28.91  million  in  1973  to  35.31  million  in  1983  and  51.49  million  of  10,877,832  households  in  2014  (Department  of  Population,  2015),  limited job  opportunity,  increasing  community  needs  on  forest  products  such  as  wood,  pole,  post,  for  construction,  different  aquatic  animals  such as  fish,  shrimp,  crab,  medicinal  plants,  and  low income  of  community,  land  conversion  (both  illegal  &  legal),  are  all  observed.  In  the  context  of  natural  actions,  Cyclone  Nargis  among  11  cyclones  within  126  years  is  observed as  most  destructive  natural  disasters  on  both  community  and  mangrove  ecosystem  in  Myanmar.  Illegal  conversion  of  mangrove  into  agriculture  land  and  cutting  trees  is  more  significant  issues  than  climate  change  impacts  even  though  there  are  forest  law,  rules,  and  policy.  Weakness  in  law  enforcement,  limited  quantity,  capacity,  and  facility  of  human  resource  and  institution;  overlapping  or  not  clear  items  among  sectoral  policy,  laws,  and  rules,  and  too  few  of  researches  on  mangrove  ecosystem,  coastal  ecosystem  are  identified  as  potential  barriers  in  mitigating  process  of  mangrove  deforestation. To  fulfill  the  needs  of  people  is  one  of 6  categories  of  Myanmar  forest  policy  but  people  demand  is  exceeding  the  potential  supply of  mangrove  ecosystem  and  government  support  through  a  milling  and  marketing  service  of  Myanmar  Timber  Enterprise  (MTE). There  are  also  weaknesses  in  law  enforcement  due  to  insufficient  human  resources  capacity  and  quantity,  lack  of  logistic  support  or  facility for  patrolling  among  mangrove,  weakness  of  policy  concern  on  mangrove  ecosystem  and  its  vulnerability.  Laws,  rules,  and  regulation  exist  but  policing  is  a  concern.  Community  Forest  Instruction  (CFI)  is  technically  sound  but  it  is  filled  with  risky  issues  of  legislation,  socio- economy,  management,  communities,  and  institutional  constraints  in  development  of  CF.  After  CF  certificates  were  issued  as  confirmed  by  the  results  of  semi-structured  interview  and  self-experience.  It  is  clear  that  Myanmar  needs clear  and  strong  legal  framework  followed  by  enhancing  institutions,  collaboration,  raising  awareness,  alternative  job  opportunities,  to  protect  mangrove  taking  into  account  data  from FAO,  FD,  and  other  available  technical  data.  V.  CONCLUSION Myanma r   has   s y s temati c   f o r e s t  management  known  as  sustainable  forest  management  plan  (SFM)  and  institutional  arrangement  but  mangrove  degradation  and  deforestation  are  still  ongoing  and  are  a  complicated  issue.  Due  to  construction  of  massive  bunds,  excessive  land  reclamation  for  agriculture  and  aquaculture,  tree  cutting  for  timber,  fuel  wood  and  charcoal  production  on  a  commercial  scale,  10  out  of  13  unreserved  and  reserved  forests  in  the  Ayeyarwaddy  Delta  Coastal  Zone  have  been  converted  into  agricultural  land,  shrimp  pond  and  settlements.  To  fulfill  the  needs  of  people  it  should  be  considered  by  the  MONREC  in  alternative  ways  including  CF  establishment.  The ministry  should  try  to  strengthen  law  enforcement,  human  resources  capacity  and  quantity,  logistic  support  or  facility  for  patrolling  among  mangrove  through  coordination  with  ministries  concerned  and  international  technical  and  financial  support.  Proceedings  of  the  International  Conference  on  Climate  Change,  Biodiversity  and  Ecosystem  Services  for  the 97 Sustainable  Development  Goals  (SDGs):  Policy  and  Practice  27-29  June  2016,  Cha-am,  Phetchaburi,  Thailand


Proceedings of International Conference on Climate Change, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for the Sustainable Development Goals : Policy and Practice 27-29 June 2016 at the Sirindhorn International Environmental Park, Cha-am, Phetchaburi, Thailand
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