Passeio dos Pescadores (2019)

Passeio dos Pescadores A summary of research work - Supplement -

Bartosz Radosław Gruszczyński - Gaïa Delépine - Umut Ulaş Polat - Tuğçe Selin Türk

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Authors Notes

The proposed project is presented within the Urban Design course Master 1 - Politecnico di Milano presented by Professor Maria Chiara Pastore and Professor Corinna Del Bianco Assisted by Alice Buoli

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Acknowledgments

Many thanks to Professor Corinna Del Bianco for giving us the opportunity to contact collaborators in the Mondlane University in Maputo Many thanks to Professor Maria Chiara Pastore for the comments and suggestions during the design phase of the project Many thanks to Alice Buoli for the advice delivered in the research and design phase Many thanks to Anna Mazzolini who as an external collaborator gave us access to data on the region Many thanks to Ana Beja Da Costa who shared her research work on the area of the Bairro dos Pesescadores Many thanks to our Sidonio Matusse from Mondlane University for answering our questions

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Contents 8

How Did It All Start?

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Environmental Research: Chapter 1

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Urban Research: Chapter 2

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Social Research: Chapter 3

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Set Of Values: Chapter 4

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Project: Chapter 5

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Sources

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How 8

did it all start?

INFRA STRUCTURE AND MOBILITY

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LANDSCAPE AGRICULTURE FOOD

HOUSING

How 10

did it all start?

The neighbourhood is disconnected within itself

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The coast has many issues. It is flooding and the mangroves are degrading

There are two trends in housing techniques, one is building on trash hills, the other is to gate the house

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Chapter 1

Environmental Research

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Figure 1: Mangrove cutting for construction wood in Maputo Source: Ana Beja Da Costa, 2017

Mangroves As characterized by Odum in 1971, mangroves are part of “high diversity tropical coastal ecosystems” hosting complex life cycles and organism adaptation, as mangrove roots adapt to salt water, and are organisms that adapt to intense luminosity hence consequently producing high levels of organic nutrients, and “produce disproportionately more services relating to human well-being than most other systems” (MA, 2005) They provide important ecosystem services that go beyond mere water or food security. Other ecosystem services provided by wetlands include nutrient cycling, food security (provision of crops and nurseries for fisheries), job security (maintenance of fisheries, soil quality for agriculture) and a range of cultural benefits, recreation and tourism (ten Brink and al. 2013).

They also have the capacity to act as storm buffers, reducing the cost of infrastructural works, shifting trends to “soft engineering solutions” (Kithiia and Lyth, 2011) as can be seen in the adjacent neighbouring Costa do Sol. They are regarded as service providers, such as food sources, environmental protection and for fuel and material for household provisions,

as well as the construction of boats and houses. Mangroves support the people in meeting their basic needs and in improving their quality of life (Roberts and al. 2011).

The area of Bairro dos Pescadores holds a considerable area of mangrove forest that has been progressively fragmented due to urban developments. In Costa do Sol, the developments have been taking over the alluvial plain. The zones previously accommodating seasonal tropical storm floods and tidal variation are progressively being used for agriculture, and low density urban 15 expansion, or infrastructure such as the Marginal ring road.

It was stated by de Boer (2002) that the mangroves in the Maputo Municipality have decreased by 90% in the Maputo city area, 49% in the Katembe area, 85% in the Costa do Sol and 22% in the Bairro dos Pescadores, between 1958 and 1991. As an effect, it has worsened the resistance of the area to water damage, mainly during the wet season, causing multiple inundations.

Mitsch and Gosselink (2007) stated that the services provided by mangrove wetlands include:

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Figure 2: EDEN Project, mangrove nursery Source: EDEN Reforestation Project, 2018

- Flood mitigation and stormwater flows abatement - Water quality improvement - Social elements - Biodiversity 1.

Flood mitigation and stormwater flows abatement Water is collected and detained following a storm event. Water is then released slowly over the period following the storm. Flow attenuation, especially important within the urban context where infrastructure and property are often located in close proximity to watercourses. Preserving natural wetlands helps reduce the cost of erosion control measures and flood damage reparations. However, they should not be used as flood mitigation areas into which urban stormwater is directed, as it would impair their ecological functions.

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Water quality improvement

Can decrease sediment load in downstream areas, promoting deposition as the flow is slower. Also promotes denitrification (Mitsch and Gosselink 2007). Cleansing property of wetland natural stormwater treatment. Thus, releasing untreated stormwater to natural wetlands will

destroy the present biodiversity (Hansson et al. 2005; Zedler, 2000).

3.

Social elements

Aesthetic enjoyment, hard to quantify.

Also important for the subsistence of human populations. Important for fishing, bird watching, and provision of other goods used by humans.

4.

Biodiversity

Support species dependent on them for survival. “Hydrology is probably the single most important determinant of the 17 establishment and maintenance of specific types of wetlands and wetland processes.� Mitsch and Gosselink 2007 We can hence propose multiple types of projects from mangroves restoration and conservation to their adaptation to new uses: - Incorporation in green corridors to a wider regional green structure - Recreational parks - Wastewater treatment areas - Local communities valorization and income source.

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Chapter 2

Urban Research

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Figure 3: Future extension map Source: PEUMM - Urban development plan for Maputo, own authorship, 2019

In the case of Maputo, the whole process of urbanization begun with first, informal settlements on periurban, coast areas. Later, following construction of the Marginal Avenue along the coastline, large-scale urban developments are started.

However, construction of the Marginal Avenue had an immense impact on coastal landscape- dunes flattening and mangrove deforestation hit the area of Costa do Sol, spreading wider with time. Local communities and large-scale investments take over most of the natural, coastal environment.

These phenomena speed up the process of erosion of the coastal ecosystem. Bay and foodplain pollution reaches its peakes (Bandeira and Paula, 2014). As a result, sea level rise and flooding become serious danger for inhabitants.

Ongoing changes are easily-noticeable on Bairro dos Pescadores and Catembe districts. Being the Northern end of Maputo, it is a typically estuarine ecosystem, lowly-urbanized with fishing-based economy.

Despite large scale urbanization, there are still areas that use natural landscape as a vital resource of e.g. food, fuel and building material.

Such activities are mostly popular in Bairro dos Pescadores and Catembe.

The biggest subsector- fishing, generates food and labour for the coastal communities. Except the open-sea fishery, it also includes shells, clams and mud crab collection.

In Mozambique, over 500 000 people (of which 100 000 directly involved) depend on artisanal fishing, thus it is greatly responsible for socioeconomic stability (IDPPE, 1999).

Another subsector is the collection and use of mangroves. Mostly, the wood is 21 used as building material and a source of fuel, thus it is a highly necessary asset. The forests are used as a place of cultural activities too- ceremonies, rituals and prayers are held there every Tuesday. Thus, highly important for the environmental balance and cultural heritage, mangrove forests deserve new protection policies and their proper execution.

Figiure 4: Bairro dos Pescadores, Costa do Sol 2000 Resource: Google Earth / Maxaar Technologies

Figure 5: Small scale housing filling the lowland with garbage, Bairro dos Pescadores, Costa do Sol 2019 Resource: Google Earth / Maxar Technologies

Figure 6: Bairro dos Pescadores, Costa do Sol 2000 Resource: Google Earth / Maxar Technologies

Figure 7: Medium scale residential developments in Bairro dos Pescadores, Costa do Sol 2019 Resource: Google Earth / Maxar Technologies

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Numerous especially in Bairro dos Pescadores, disorganised and scattered residential units, self-build by the poorest localss, are one of the hallmarks of Maputo. In Bairro dos Pescadores, the people cut the mangroves and fill lowlands with waste, later create platforms as foundation of the houses.

This provisional solution seems to be an anti-flood protection- accurate during the dry, insufficient during the rainy season. In some cases, the poorest can not afford any platformlike constructions, being forced to build their wooden sheds on the lowland level. These are the most vulnerable to water events.

Thanks to a good accessibility provided by the Marginal Avenue, Bairro dos Pescadores is being developed as a residential area.

Majority of the investors are medium-income newcomers, building settlements on low-cost lands.

As in previously shown cases, dunes flattening and mangrove deforestation. In order to protect the district from tides and flooding, breakwater walls have been built.

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Chapter 3

Social Research

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Q: Is it true that fishermen live in the Bairro ?

Do they use their boats in the river ?

How important are mangroves for the people ?

Do they collect seafood in the mangroves ?

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Do they have a market place ?

Is there any new public transports to the center of the city ?

Due to a lack of publically available data, we contacted Sidonio Matusse, a student of the Mondlane University in Maputo.

This short interview enabled us to confirm some of the assumption we had made from our previous studies of the areas.

Most importantly, it informed us of the habits of the people living in the Bairro dos Pescadores.

Do they go to the city center for their jobs ?

What is the economic condition of the area ?

What do mens do in the day time ?

What do women do in the day time ?

What do children do in the day time ?

How do they get freshwater ?

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Interview

Yes, most of them live in this Bairro.

Yes, for fishing.

The mangroves are important for people who live in the Bairro, because they constitute a crucial ecosystem and essential habitat, given it is where they extract different resources for fishing, material for civic construction and more.

Yes, they do.

Yes, they do. There is a market called Mercado do Peixe -fish market- where they sell the collected sea food and cooked food.

Yes, new buses called “Smart Kickas�, from a private transport company.

Yes, they do.

There are rich people living in front of Costa do Sol and poor people in the interior of the neighbourhood.

The men either work in the center or fish.

Most of them sell at the market.

They go to school or practice fishing.

The government has installed water channels in the neighbourhood. Private companies also use water pumps to distribute freshwater.

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Figure 8: Fishermen at sea, east of the Bairro Source: M. Alexandra, 2013

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Figure 9: Fish cleaning on the street Source: M. Alexandra, 2013

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Chapter 4

Set Of Values

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From the study of the area, we outlined a set of four values that will guide our process of design, with the final aim of valorizing the local identity and protecting the local heritage of the Bairro dos Pescadores.

1.

Economy

As we are intervening in a low income area, our challenge is to bring the inhabitants of the Bairro dos Pescadores inside the economical sphere of Maputo.

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Climate

The Bairro dos Pescadores is particularily sensitive to climate. Our challenge is to protect the population from flooding due to the rains and tidal changes, through the protection of mangroves and education of the population.

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Security

Improve the general food security, pedestrian security, through the design of the promenade.

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Connections

As the neighbourhood is currently very segmented, our challenge is to improve the connections from the river, to the main land and between the different parts of the neighbourhood, through the protected mangrove area.

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Chapter 5 Project

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1.1

2.1 2

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4.1

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7.1

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The selected project area is located on the northern coastline of Maputo, within the neighborhood “Bairro dos Pescadores�. The area is delimited on the east by the natural border with the sea and marine mangroves, to north by the city’s boundaries and to the west, by the main ring road.

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The area is of particular interest due to its demographic situation, as well as its geographical location. In fact, the current main economic activity of the neighborhood is linked to seafood collection and wood selling from the mangrove wetland, and fishing from the sea. The developed project aims at improving the connection between the different parts of the neighborhood, and the living and working conditions of the fishermen, as well as the economical and nutrition security of the whole area while preventing further deterioration of the natural and built habitat.

This is achieved through the design of a promenade, from the river to the market place. The Passeio dos Pescadores is composed of various spaces allowing the fishermen to work while taking part in the public life, while we engage the community, in

connection to the surrounding nature.

A boat construction area is located at the border between the main land and the river, facilitating the access to the sea. A bridge then undulates between the mangroves towards the more central parts of the neighbourhood. There, it meets a pedestrian street connecting the with the main square and urban kitchen where the cleaning activities of fishes and seafood take place. The path then continues towards the Market area, adjacent to the ring road where fishes, seafood and wood are brought to be sold. This also creates the opportunity to transport the goods and sell them in the city center as a bus stop was added.

Also, the previously invisible mangrove waterfront is defined through the design. The promenade that allows the community to interact with the mangroves is bordered by a nursery, and a transplant area to progressively rejuvenate the mangrove wetland. Finally, a flood control park is designed in the most precarious area to avoid the flooding of houses.

There, basins will be available to the public as open spaces during the dry season and will allow the soil to offload excessive water.

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Figure 11: Market Place - Connected to the main road for easy access from and to the city center, this is the place where fishermen and inhabitants can sell their finished products.

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Figure 12: Urban kitchen and market - located inside the neighbourhood close to the mangrove bridge, the fishermen can clean their products as they come from the ocean, cook them and sell them.

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Figure 13: Solidarity center - Center which provides help to children in need, integrating them in the social life of the neighbourhood through education and leisure activities

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Figure 14: Mangrove nursery - for a sustainable use of the mangrove area, a nursery is provided where the inhabitants will work and get informed about the usage of the mangroves

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Figure 15: Farming community center - a community center with an urban farm attached to it, for the use of the inhabitants of the Bairro

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Figure 16: Flood control park - located in the most precarious area it will allow a new route for water during the rainy season and protect the nearby houses

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Figure 17: Boat park and construction deck - covered space connected to the river where fishermen can park their boats and construct new ones.

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^ Figure 18: Street Section 1.1, 12m typical two-lanes car street with lateral green drainage Fiigure 19: Street Section 2.1, 6m typical pedestrian street with central green drainage >

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Figure 20: Street Section 4.1, 11,5m typical two-lanes car street with lateral green drainage and waterfront

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Figure 21: Street Section 7.1, typical section of the bridge running through the mangrove are with access point to the wetland

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BANDEIRA, S. and Paula, J. (eds.). 2014.

The Maputo Bay Ecosystem. WIOMSA, Zanzibar Town.

BEJA DA COSTA, A. 2017. Merging Ecological Systems and Urban Infrastructure at Maputo Coastline.

Conselho Municipal Município de Maputo, “Plano de Estrutura Urbana do Município de Maputo” (PEUMM), Maputo, September 2008.

Conselho Municipal Município de Maputo, “Plano Parcial de Urbanização do Bairro Costa do Sol”, Maputo, August 2014.

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DE BOER, W.F. 2001 The Rise and Fall of the Mangrove Forest in Maputo Bay, Mozambique ELTON E. DEL GIUDICE A. MONTGOMERY K. ROBERTI L. Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA) for the living city. 2011. Wetlands Literature Review.

FAIFE. J. and LANSLEY J. Institute for the Development of Small-Scale Fisheries 1999 (IDPPE 1999). Technology study in Palma District, Cabo Delgado Province.

1999.

JENKINS, P. “City profile Maputo”, Pergamon Great Britain: Elsevier Science Ltd, 2000.

RAMSAR Convention on wetlands, briefing note n°6. 2013. Towards the wise use of urban and peri-urban wetlands.

Sources

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