Bicol Blue Mangrove Rehabilitation Project
A scalable blue carbon pilot restoring abandoned fishponds in Camarines Norte through science-based rehabilitation, community-led monitoring, and evidence-driven coastal restoration.
Capalonga, Camarines Norte, Philippines
10-hectare target area
CAMADA partnership
5-year project lifespan
39
Hectares Immediate Expansion
5
Years Project Lifespan
5
Mangrove Species
137
Community Members
From abandoned fishponds to a living blue carbon model
The Capalonga Mangrove Rehabilitation Project restores approximately 10 hectares of abandoned fishponds of Camarines Norte into functioning mangrove ecosystems through science-based restoration and community-led monitoring.
Funded and designed as a scalable pilot, to showcase the potential of restoration and aquasilviculture to expand from the immediate 39 ha of potential restoration at 1 People’s Organization.
The initiative combines active and passive restoration approaches to generate scientific data on growth and carbon sequestration, demonstrating how evidence-based rehabilitation can strengthen long-term blue carbon and biodiversity outcomes.
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Ways To Participate
Support Community Programs
Contribute directly to local livelihoods, nursery development, and forest protection initiatives.
Have Questions or want to invest $100k+ in equity Opportunities?
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Ecological Impact
Restoring coastal ecosystems from the roots up
Mangrove Restoration
Project Bicol Blue restores abandoned fishponds into functioning mangrove ecosystems through a mix of active planting, passive restoration, and hydrological repair.
The project focuses on approximately 10 hectares in Camarines Norte, helping re-establish natural tidal flow, improve habitat conditions, and support long-term coastal resilience.
Beyond planting, the project uses science-based monitoring to understand mangrove growth, survival, biodiversity recovery, and future carbon sequestration potential.
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Aquasilviculture & Coastal Livelihoods
The project showcases how restoration and aquasilviculture can work together to support healthier ecosystems and more resilient community livelihoods.
By restoring mangrove areas around abandoned fishponds, Bicol Blue can help improve nursery habitat, strengthen fishery productivity, and create a model where conservation and local livelihoods reinforce each other.
This makes the project valuable beyond carbon. It supports food systems, coastal protection, biodiversity, and long-term community stewardship.
Feasibility & Monitoring
Bicol Blue is built to generate measurable restoration evidence. The project collects data on mangrove growth, biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and ecosystem recovery.
This evidence helps demonstrate how a CSR-funded pilot can become a scalable model for blue carbon and biodiversity outcomes across Region V.
The goal is not only to restore one site, but to prove how science-based rehabilitation can unlock a much larger restoration pathway.
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Restoration Over Time
Project Bicol Blue is structured in clear phases, moving from legal and site validation into baseline science, restoration design, nursery setup, active planting, and multi-year monitoring.
2025
•
Begin Implementation
Launch restoration works across the 10-hectare target area with CAMADA and local partners.
2025–2026
•
Restore & Reconnect
Use active and passive restoration to re-establish mangrove cover, improve tidal flow, and support site recovery.
2026–2027
•
Monitor Early Growth
Track mangrove survival, species performance, biodiversity indicators, and early coastal resilience outcomes.
2027–2029
•
Build The Evidence Base
Generate data on growth, carbon sequestration, fishery productivity, and restoration performance.
2030
•
Scale The Model
Use project learnings to support expansion across 29 immediate hectares and future eligible areas in Region V.
Restoration LED With Local And Institutional Partners.
Project Bicol Blue is developed with the organizations and public stakeholders involved in Capalonga’s mangrove restoration pathway.
At the center is CAMADA, the local People’s Organization managing the project area through a Community-Based Forest Management Agreement awarded by DENR. The project also involves DENR and LGU-Capalonga for area verification, coordination, stakeholder engagement, and formal project alignment. Re-Earth Initiative can be shown as the funding pathway for nursery establishment, active planting, and monitoring phases.
Barangay Communities
6 barangays represented
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Scientific Advisors
3 advisors involved
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Camada
137 Members
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Government & Funding Partners
3 institutions engaged
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Restoring one site, proving a larger model
The Philippines has many abandoned, unused, and underdeveloped fishpond areas that may be suitable for mangrove rehabilitation. In Capalonga, Wovoka’s site assessment found 39 hectares of fishponds that have been idle or largely unutilized for more than 10 years, with mangrove species already regenerating naturally in many areas.
Project Bicol Blue uses this opportunity to build something practical: a tested model for restoring abandoned fishponds in a way that is locally managed, scientifically measured, and financially scalable.
The project can support coastal protection, biodiversity, local income, corporate tree planting requirements, and future blue carbon development. It is small enough to study properly, but ambitious enough to inspire replication across more sites.
