Ecosystem Management Approaches

Coastal ecosystems as livelihood enablers essentials like food, fibre, medicines and indigenous construction materials. Mangroves, coral reefs and sea-grass beds are generally important resources for local livelihoods, as they support fishing and tourism activities. Indian Ocean Tsunami Early Warning Systems (IOTEWS) as one of the major responses to this disaster in order to reduce future tsunami risk under the aegis of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) IOTWS policies generally make a clear distinction between people with information and people at risk, which outlines the transfer of information from national warning centres to communities. This distinction disqualifies the competencies of local stakeholders, who are not considered knowledgeable. Women, in particular, often are given less opportunities to participate in disaster risk reduction and preparedness activities. For instance, womens knowledge of local ecosystems, hazards and their interlinkages is usually not represented in the generation of risk information. As a result, in managing risks from coastal hazards, there is danger of having only partial understanding of risks, especially associated with livelihood practices and the unsustainable use of natural resources. The Vulnerability Framework (Turner et al)