Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity

Of the 5,781 plant species recorded in the country, approximately 800 are endemic or nearly endemic [ ] 162 Strengthening capacity for biodiversity conservation Since its independence in 1975, the government of Mozambique has tak- en important measures to strengthen its capacity for biodiversity conserva- tion, with participatory management in natural resources an adopted strat- egy. In addition to the economic, eco- logical and institutional development objectives, the government’s policy for forests and wildlife incorporates social objectives, given that natural resource management is complex and involves the recognition of decision making mechanisms present in rural areas, upon which the exercise of power at the level of rural communi- ties is based. The main actors of community- based natural resource management are the state, private sector, NGOs and the local communities. Commu- nity participation is subject to various management models: committees of resources management; informal collaborative management; construc- tive relationships and mutual benefit; conversion to plantations, agroforest- ry systems, game farming; commu- nity forest concessions; promotion of products for local use; and co-man- agement with the private sector to promote market access. During the term of the previous National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), over 500 ini- tiatives in participatory management, covering 19 per cent of the produc- tive forest area, were implemented. Also, many practical knowledge and local institutions were identified, documented and stimulated. These practices included traditional and adapted techniques for natural re- source management in local commu- nities, especially in the management of species, varieties, soil fertility and related aspects. The country is implementing decen- tralization mechanisms, conferring an increased value and weight on local institutions. These institutions’ access to, and use of, natural resources such as land tenure systems and cultural practices that interact with the deg- radation of biodiversity and land are being strengthened and used for the development of sustainable manage- ment systems for natural resources and biodiversity. Traditional man- agement methods such as taboos, and sacred and profane forests are being implemented with substantial gains in the level of effectiveness of biodi- versity conservation. The model of the Chirindzene Reserve in Gaza province, with its supernatural forest manage- ment practices, rituals, and spiritual and sacred elements, is being replicated in the country. In other cases, the “One leader, one forest” initiative is driving the emergence of the protected forests that function for community needs. M ozambique is rich in biodiversity due to the high variety of ecosystems. There are four main categories of natural ecosystem: terrestrial, marine, coastal and lake. The country has five different biomes subdivided into 12 ecoregions. Up to four phytogeographical regions are recognized: Regional centre of Zambezian endemism, Swahilian regional centre of endemism, Swahilian-Maputaland Regional transitional zone and Maputalalad-Tongoland centre of endemism. In terrestrial ecosystems, forests have a prominent role, covering 406,000 km 2 . Marine and coastal ecosystems occupy an area of approximately 572,000 km 2 . In the marine environment, it is estimated that seagrass ecosystems cover 439 km 2 and Mozambique coral reef 1,890 km 2 , whose conservation status is generally good. Overall, approximately 10,000 species have been recorded. Mozambique sunrise Jana on Unsplash Mozambique