Restoring mangrove ecosystems in the Caribbean

Mangroves are key to the conservation of coastal ecosystems, providing numerous ecosystem services including coastal protection and carbon sequestration. In the Wider Caribbean Region, mangrove coverage has declined by an estimated 24% over the past twenty-five years. This loss increases the vulnerability of populations in the Small Island Developing States of the Eastern Caribbean to the impacts of climate change and the associated rise in frequency and severity of extreme weather events—such as hurricanes and floods—to which the region is particularly exposed.

The project is structured around five components:

1. Improve knowledge on mangrove ecosystems, the drivers of habitat loss or degradation, and the stakeholders involved in selected pilot sites across the Eastern Caribbean States.
2. Strengthen the conservation status of mangrove ecosystems.
3. Raise awareness and engage communities in mangrove restoration and conservation practices, and mobilize stakeholders (public, private, etc.) involved in mangrove conservation at the pilot sites.
4. Collect and share knowledge at the regional level to promote best practices and lessons learned.
5. Build the OECS's capacity to implement conservation-oriented management and mangrove ecosystem restoration.

Regional networking and knowledge sharing will help strengthen the capacity of these territories for the conservation-oriented management of these ecosystems and support progress toward a common protection goal.

This ambitious project aims to strengthen the resilience of coastal communities in the face of climate change challenges, while focusing on the restoration and conservation of mangrove ecosystems. By integrating local knowledge and mobilizing communities, it seeks to create socio-economic opportunities while preserving the environment.

Collaboration between the OECS and local stakeholders is essential to ensure the success and sustainability of the proposed initiatives. The implementation of innovative restoration methods, such as Community-Based Ecological Mangrove Restoration, holds particular promise for generating long-term positive impacts.

Finally, the project envisions scaling up by building local capacities and establishing a sustainable mangrove management model, with results shared at the regional level to raise awareness and mobilize further conservation efforts.