Mangrove forests, seagrass meadows, saltwater marshes – these and other ‘blue forests’ are vital to coastal and island communities around the world
Ecuador
Conservation International in Ecuador (CI Ecuador) focused on mainstreaming information about mangrove ecosystem services into national policy frameworks and developing useful concepts, language and tools for policymakers to take actions on sustainable mangrove conservation and restoration.
All resources and guidance documents from Ecuador can be found on the resources page.
The Gulf of Guayaquil provides many ecosystem benefits and services including coastal protection, scenic beauty, blue carbon and food security. The project focused on informing key decision makers about both the biophysical information of the ecosystem services of mangroves and the economic value of those services.
Conservation International worked with local universities to conduct surveys and measure efficacy of mangrove conservation agreements, surveying six locations and 435 people including fisherman and their families.
Ecuador produced the National Biodiversity Policy and Strategy which addresses a range of themes in terms of process (participatory and decentralized governance) and substance (different ecosystems and species), as well as strategy of biodiversity as a quality of life measure.
Biodiversity of the Ecuador site
Blue Forests Ecosystems
Blue Forests Economy
The fisheries provide livelihoods and are managed through a partnership with fishing association concessions and the government through the creation of conservation agreements.
Ecotourism is popular in the Gulf of Guayaquil for bird, dolphin and whale watching. Two local associations work both to support sustainable ecotourism and fishing, they use socio manglar funds to design and built a flyover deck on a mangrove area. They take tourists who, in addition to doing the walking tour, sell crabs to tourists and show how to catch crabs.
Just outside the city of Guayaquil, the fishing is mostly recreational showing how the same service can support both livelihoods and recreation.
Meeting Fishermen's Association
Blue Forests Policy
CI Ecuador worked with local managers to create local policy for marine protected areas and other areas to create management of the mangroves for sustainable fishing practices.
Ministerial Resolution No. 056 establishes the cost for loss of environmental goods and services and the cost of restoration due to logging, use, alteration, transformation or destruction of mangrove forests in the amount of US $89,273.01 per hectare. With the blue forests project Conservation International developed an analysis on how this resolution is working. After the analysis we find case study locations where the local associations could initiate the enforcement process but there are also found bottlenecks slowing implementation of the regulations.
Following the Blue Forests Project, Conservation International is developing a Green Climate Fund proposal to enhance mangrove areas for mitigation and adaptation goals. This project is focusing in the four main estuaries and will works closely with local governments to reduce flooding threats.
Montserrat Alban
Blue Forests Communities
CI Ecuador engaged directly in outreach to the women fishers working in the Gulf of Guayaquil to support their inclusion in existing fishing associations and provide economic benefits for these women.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, fisheries associations provided sanitary provisions for community members and continued to hold monthly meetings online to discuss ecosystem and fisheries management. Throughout the Gulf of Guayaquil and further inland, fisheries associations have also helped to combat community food insecurity though bartering systems, whereby inland farmers can trade agricultural goods for seafood products caught by fishers in the gulf.
Question 3 - Blue Forests Communities and Social Justice Webinar
Village Life Ecuador
Blue Forests Communications
CI Ecuador worked on communication strategies at multiple scales - one for informing policymakers and decision makers and another strategy for outreach to rural communities.
Lessons Learned
Project successes and challenges in Ecuador
Successes
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The programs on sustainable use and custody agreements and Socio Bosque/Socio Manglar have so far (in parts) shown robust results, but the rollout is slow, and wide segments of the local population are (so far) excluded.
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Talking about the ecosystem services of mangroves has made a difference in interactions with Minister of environment and partners. They now realize the importance of including these ecosystems in legislation, climate change strategy, and future plans.
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There was high level of engagement with women that fish in the mangrove areas, including facilitating their participation with fishing associations that were recipients of Socio Manglar funds.
Challenges
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Despite a sound legal protection status for mangroves and the implementation of important incentive schemes for mangrove protection, deforestation and mangrove degradation are ongoing. Restoration activities, on the other hand, appear not to have advanced much.
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Policy-related initiatives like this one are always dependent on the interest and buy-in from government representatives. A change of government representative or government itself can mean that hard earned progress can be diluted or even nullified abruptly.
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Certain data are not available or require updating and consolidation such as mangrove area and carbon stock assessments; flood and natural barrier (mangroves) risk assessment and mapping of priority areas as well as detailed spatial mangrove reforestation maps.
Sustainable Development Goals Met:
The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) recognize that current models for economic growth are insufficient to provide for all people given resource and climate limitations. The SDGs, agreed by all parties of the UN General Assembly, are an international commitment to improve the outcomes of economic development for people and the planet. SDGs are focused on a variety of topics from poverty, hunger and well-being, to climate change, inclusivity, and infrastructure.
Harnessing the value of blue forests is an opportunity for coastal and island nations to achieve 15 of the 17 SDGs, fulfill national social, economic and environmental policies; and meet various international commitments, including on climate change and biodiversity conservation.
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1.3, 1.4, 1.5 Money to communities through mangrove concessions
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2.3, 2.4, 2.A Improving Fisheries, maintain ecosystems, improve market access for rural communities
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3.7 Ensure access to health-care and family planning through mobile visits of doctors to communities
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5.5, 5.A Ensure women participate, are represented and have equal opportunity for access to mangrove concessions and groups
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6.3. 6.6 Protect water-related ecosystems
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8.3, 8.8, 8.9 Support small enterprises, sustainable economics and secure working environments, sustainable ecotourism
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10.2, 10.4, Mangrove concessions- direct payments to fishers
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11.4 Protect natural heritage
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12.2, 12.8 Increased Information in harmony with nature
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13.1, 13.2, 13.3 Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity through conservation of environment, integrate climate change into national policies,
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14.1, 14.2, 14.4, 14.6, 14.5, 14.7, 14.A. 14.B, Protect coastal ecosystems, strengthen resilience, conserving marine area, increasing sustainable use, increasing scientific knowledge
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15.2, 15.5, 15.9, 15.A, 15.B Sustainable Management of Forests, Restoration, local planning, mobilizing resources, conservation finance
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16.7 Participatory decision making
Ecuador Blue Forests Project:
Diving deeper into project pathways