Analysing actor power networks in mangrove forest management: insights from high- and low-disturbance areas in Myanmar

Myanmar is among the top 10 countries worldwide in terms of mangrove cover, yet it is also one of the countries that has experienced the highest mangrove losses over the past 50 years. While the need for mangrove conservation and restoration has been acknowledged by the government of Myanmar, the scientific community, and the United Nations, local conservation efforts are hindered by several factors, including the volatile security situation in Myanmar and land cover changes driven primarily by agriculture and aquaculture. However, how mangrove forests are governed and utilized at the ground remains a largely underexplored area of research in Myanmar. This study aims to fill the knowledge gap by analysing the actor networks that influence mangrove forest management and to gain a better understanding of how the power of different actors is leveraged in the most effective way for mangrove conservation. The case study was conducted in two distinct reserved mangrove forest areas: a high-disturbance mangrove forest area in the delta region and a low-disturbance mangrove forest area in the lower coastal region of Myanmar. Using Actor-Centered Power (ACP) theory, this study identified the complex actor network shaping the use and conservation of mangrove forests, revealing the imbalanced power distribution among different political, economic, and social actors engaged in the local-level management. This power imbalance has led to several management practices encompassing both conservation and degradation of the mangrove forest. Notably, most practices, driven by a wide range of actors, continue to place pressure on the mangrove ecosystem through intensive use of mangrove-based resources. Therefore, incorporating an understanding of the underlying power imbalances within the actor network allows the reforestation initiatives to build on past lessons to achieve sustainable mangrove management outcomes, as demonstrated by the case studies from Myanmar. • ACP theory indicates power asymmetries in the local-level mangrove management. • Unequal power relations shape mangrove management and its resource nexus. • Reforestation programs risk failure if power asymmetries remain unaddressed.