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Due to climatic, economic and social variables, women in cocoa and shea communities are gradually adopting alternative livelihood strategies, particularly off season, a period when there is light or no harvest at all. We explore the effect of such alternative livelihood sources on the physical environment using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with 131 respondents, of whom 88.7% were women drawn from ten communities in three regions in five geographic districts in Ghana. Our results indicate that 18 alternative livelihood sources pursued by women were key in providing the needs of most households and their effect on the physical environment was negligible. The exceptions were vegetable cultivation, guinea fowl rearing, and dawadawa (locust bean) processing in some communities, which had appreciable negative effects largely due to poor management practices. We recommend the adoption of adequate waste disposal practices and the enforcement of policies and laws that prohibit the use of pesticides and other harmful chemicals used in alternative livelihood activities to avoid degradation of the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Seagrass ecosystems provide vital services but face increasing threats from human activities. Marine protected areas (MPAs) aim to mitigate these threats, but inadequate funding and management hinder effective conservation. Seagrass-associated tourism presents an opportunity to fund conservation efforts, enhance MPA implementation, and improve local livelihoods. This study explores stakeholder perceptions of seagrass benefits, tourism feasibility, and threats on Bintan Island, Indonesia, using quantitative (349 household surveys) and qualitative (focus group discussion with 15 participants) methods. Our findings show strong stakeholder support for seagrass-associated tourism, but challenges such as ongoing anthropogenic threats and governance shifts in MPA management remain to be addressed. For successful seagrass-based tourism and better conservation, ongoing engagement with local communities and stakeholders is crucial. This approach not only secures conservation funding but also fosters local ownership and stewardship. The study emphasizes understanding stakeholder perceptions to develop a sustainable tourism sector and ensure more effective, inclusive management strategies. • Local communities and key stakeholders support the implementation of seagrass-associated tourism in Bintan Island. • Seagrass ecosystems should not be the main focus as a tourism venture. • Anthropogenic pressures and shift in MPA governance could hindered this concept. • Engagement with local communities and key stakeholders in the development of seagrass-associated tourism is crucial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]