ReGrin - Rebuilding Green Infrastructure with Trees People Want

Through the ReGrIn project, ICRAF and its partners aim to promote economically valuable trees in the coastal landscape in tsunami and earthquake damaged areas of West Aceh and North Nias. The project is using productive trees that people want; those which can provide environmental protection and improve livelihoods. These productive trees help to increase the resilience of local communities to natural disasters and expedite livelihood recovery and economic development.

The western coast of Aceh was the worst hit among all areas affected by the 26 December 2004 tsunami. Economic activity in the region centres on the coast, and the damage caused to markets and transport infrastructure has also had a major impact on people inland.

Even before the tsunami, 40-60% of the economy of West Aceh and Nias depended on tree crops. Trees planted by coastal zone farmers that have economic value are more likely to survive and provide environmental services than trees planted in externally-led reforestation programs. A focus on the type of trees and the way they will be managed is a key to the success of coastal zone management.

The ReGrIn project focuses on 11 villages in West Aceh and North Nias, both in tsunami-affected and unaffected areas. The project includes:

• Comprehensively assessing damage to the natural resources and impacts on the livelihoods of the coastal zone population in West Aceh and Nias.
• Developing action plans to target rehabilitation in affected areas with economically valuable tree crops that have been selected on the basis of site-tree matching, remote sensing and soil data.
• Producing high quality planting material, with training and support provided to farmers.
• In the long-term, establishing local processing facilities for tree products and developing special markets and trade in developed countries for products from natural disaster affected areas.

Local people are involved throughout the project, from damage assessment through to plan development and implementation. They are supported by local capacity building institutions and non-government organizations (NGOs). ICRAF is providing technical assistance to farmers, local government and other institutions to improve land use planning and ensure there is integration between the coastal and upland areas.

The ReGrin project takes an innovative approach; focusing on building the social capital needed for effective coastal zone management rather than meeting physical targets. There is potential for this approach to be replicated in other affected areas, and NGOs are taking an important role in disseminating project information.

The sustainability of the ReGrIn project is enhanced by focusing on trees that people want and which positively contribute to their livelihoods. Through building social capital, improving market links for tree products, and providing farmers with opportunities to continually build their knowledge and skills, there is greater potential for long-term success of the project.

It is hoped results and lessons from the ReGrIn project, including the role of tree crops in disaster mitigation and socio-economic recovery, and the impacts of emergency response efforts on the tree crop sector will be valuable in unfortunate events of natural disasters in future.

World Agroforestry Centre
ICRAF Southeast Asia Regional Office
Jl. CIFOR, Situ Gede
Sindang Barang, Bogor 16115
PO Box 161 Bogor 16001, Indonesia
Ph: +62 251 8625415, fax: +62 251 8625416
Email: icraf-indonesia@cgiar.org