Building on work conducted under SUCCESS Tanzania and the Water and Development Alliance (WADA), Pwani protects terrestrial resources linked to coastal and estuarine ecosystems. The main biodiversity assets protected within this system are coastal forests, terrestrial wildlife (i.e. elephants), and the Wami River Estuary. Project actions have been designed to address biodiversity threats related to clearing for agro-industries, tourism, and energy. The geographic focus of the activities are the Wami River Estuary and areas of the Pangani and Bagamoyo Districts that cover Saadani National Park, however it begins by focusing on areas with similar issues but of immediate critical concern to the District.

1. Spatial planning in the Bagamoyo District: TCMP-Pwani is working to assist the District of Bagamoyo in taking an integrated approach to addressing the biodiversity conservation and development concerns in critical coastal areas. Over the life of project, we will apply the principles and approach of Special Area Management, as provided for in the National Integrated Coastal Environment Management Strategy and the Guidelines for District Action Planning, in greater depth to the integrated issues faced in the Lazy Lagoon/Mbegeni Bay system and its environs. In brief this involves providing a mechanism for local and district stakeholders to work together, using available information as well as the results of prior studies and selected information gathering on habitat, shoreline characteristics and dynamics, and functioning of the embayment, to clearly define the interrelated issues for the system; identify, select and adopt short and mid-term actions which the villages, wards, and District and national agencies can carry out. Low cost means for continuous monitoring of development trends and impacts will also be created.

2. Maricultlure zoning: Mariculture in Tanzania is in an early stage, but growing. There are almost 100 fish ponds (milk fish, mullet, tilapia, prawn) in the country. With some 50,000 hectares of salt flats, the potential for fish and prawn farming expansion is high and growth is likely to continue contributing to food security, income generation and employment in coastal communities. However, development of pond mariculture needs to be executed in a controlled and thoughtful manner. Building on the model established by the Mkuranga District Small-Scale Mariculture Zoning and Permitting Procedure adopted in September, 2009, Pwani is working to scale-up this good practice and prepare the analysis and ordinances necessary to carry out a functional, practical, coordinated and decentralized permitting system in Bagamoyo district for small-scale coastal mariculture projects (particularly for milkfish, mullet, tilapia and prawn farming) that can ensure sustainable development of mariculture.

3. Elephant tracking: Saadani National Park (SANAPA), Wami-Mbiki Wildlife Management Area (WMA), and the lower Wami-Ruvu River Basin provide important habitats and ecological links for elephants and other wildlife. Yet, the juxtaposition of extensive agricultural lands, deforestation and rapidly expanding rural communities pose significant challenges for elephants moving across the region and high potential for human-elephant conflicts. To conserve and enhance areas that provide important elephant habitats and facilitate their movements, it is essential to identify and map elephant habitats and conservation corridors within the region. Further, it is necessary to understand land use planning strategies that are needed to conserve and enhance these habitats and to understand how wildlife managers and communities can work together to strengthen elephant conservation efforts and reduce human-elephant conflicts.

4. Energy Efficient Technologies: Coastal communities’ dependence on biomass energy is a challenge that can be addressed through a combination of measures that include sustainable production and supply of fuel wood (e.g. establishing wood lots) and promoting more efficient utilization of existing biomass sources (e.g. more energy efficient technologies). Pwani will improve women’s welfare and reduce deforestation by working with the Tanzania Traditional Energy Association (TaTEDO) to expand the adoption of fuel efficient stoves and woodlots in villages adjacent to SANAPA. This will reduce the time and money spent on collecting firewood and will promote microenterprises that are connected to energy saving technology. A carbon audit worksheet will also be used to track the Pwani project’s overall carbon footprint. Activities will strive to make Pwani a carbon- neutral project. This activity area scales-up and expands work begun under the SUCCESS Project and seeks to saturate diffusion of fuel efficient stoves to all communities around SANAPA.