28. Involvement of Community in Managing Coastal Wetlands in South Asia: Status, Issues and Challenges

The development and population pressures on the coastal states of South Asia have significant impact on their coastal resources. As a large number of coastal communities are highly dependent on the coastal resources, the decline in resources affects their livelihoods. To manage the coastal resources effectively from further damage, a community-oriented mode of resource management is highly recommended, as it imparts the sense of stewardship and accountability in extraction and use of the resources. The community participation in ecosystem conservation and management has been implemented in South Asia through various enabling policies, regulatory frameworks and community practices. Conservation through involvement of people has not only yielded benefits to coastal environment and resources but also helped people to gain food security and income through tourism. This chapter discusses about various international and national policies and legal frameworks, which provide support for community-based resource management and empower the people of the local community in designing and implementing coastal resource conservation and management plans.