The ejido Conquista Campesina wanted to restore mangrove forests and the ecosystem services that these provide (biological diversity, water quality, protection against storms) with a view to strengthening its food security and resilience in the face of climate change.

The opening of hydrological channels was first carried out to replenish with water areas damaged by sedimentation; then the collection, translocation and sowing of propagules in the degraded areas was coordinated. Through the ‘payment of laboured days’ as restoration incentives (Payment for Environmental Services), these efforts also achieved economic benefits for the community. While the water open surface was improved in fishing areas, the community was also protecting itself against winds and storm surges in areas used for collecting, fishing and housing. In addition, family gardens (orchards), agroforestry and apiculture were implemented in some plots to diversify the products used by families for self-consumption. These processes provided important means of learning for ejido members, both men and women, who acquired technical knowledge (on mangrove restoration and managing plants in association) and a better understanding of the relationship between climate change, conservation and food security.

Under an ecosystem-based adaptation approach and a micro-basin vision, efforts in Esquichá focused on improving livelihoods and ecosystem resilience in order to reduce climate change vulnerability. Tropical storms and hurricans such as the Stand affected communities in the past (water infraestructure, erosion or loss of water springs). Applying an ecosystem approach was part of strengthening governance for climate change adaptation in the Esquichá micro-watershed.

Measures implemented are: 

• protection and recovery of forests in water recharge zones. E.g. protection of pine forests (Abies guatemalensis) that harbour water sources that supply populations in the lower part of the micro-basin.
• Restoration of degraded lands and stabilization of slopes
• Implementation and optimization of agroforestry systems.

Additionally, there was broad acceptance of the need for a more integrated approach to water resource management, partly due to the water scarcity that communities suffer during the dry season and in the upper parts of the micro-basin. The concept of environmental social responsibility was also promoted among communities, whereby upstream communities take measures that benefit downstream communities. 

Governance options and responses for adaptation to climate change are new and must be constantly evolving; desicions and governance pklan need to be flexible; hence adaptation must move forward under a flexible approach. This is possible with the application of EbA measures with a "learning by doing" while using best available sicientific information on climate scenarios and informing policy local and national instruments.

Climate vulnerability in Esquichá was assessed using the CRiSTAL tool ( “Community-based Risk Screening Tool – Adaptation and Livelihoods.")

After a first planing of EbA activities, actions for integrating flexibility were:

• The periodic evaluation of field EbA actions and the adoption of short-term decisions
• Monitoring and evaluation results will be key to include important adjustments
• Inclusion of EbA measures in the Microbasin Management Plan
• Assessment of measures to inform the municipality Development Plan.
• Informing of results to competent authorities as the municipality of the Forest Institute (INAB). This has lead INAB to seek tools to improve the way incentives are assigned and to identify communities located in key water catchment areas.

The objective is to establish and capitalize a trust fund, which is anchored to the Sustainable Environmental Investment Fund (FIAS), in order to protect, preserve and conserve the Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR), ensuring its financial sustainability.

The main long-term milestone to be achieved with this fund is to increase the 40 miles of the GMR. In addition, the fund will be used to develop and implement a plan for the prevention, conservation and preservation of the GMR. To achieve these milestones, three main programs were defined. However, two cross-cutting themes were identified as crucial to achieving good preservation and conservation of the GMR, namely Climate Change and Environmental Communication and Education.

The three programs are:

• Maintain and strengthen the Monitoring and Surveillance program of the GMR to protect the marine heritage;
• Guarantee the conservation of the GMR and its ecological integrity, through monitoring and research for the rational use of its environmental goods and services;
• Contribute to the development and implementation of the Emergency Plan for the GMR.

Knowledge of the hydrological cycle in watersheds supplying water resources is considered strategic to favor the provision of hydrological ecosystem services in quality and quantity that favor the different beneficiary sectors. In this sense, knowing through participatory monitoring the behavior and variability of water quality and quantity indicators of water sources is vital to understand how actions in the territory influence the state of the watersheds. Likewise, the inclusion of the communities represents an opportunity for the recognition and appropriation of the importance of conservation and the development of strategies that favor financial sustainability reflected in the attainment of monetary and in-kind resources that allow the development of ways of life of the communities in accordance with the conservation objectives of the protected area.

With our allies at KFW, we have been able to strengthen rural families and associations such as the Rural Women's Team of San Alberto in the municipality of Toledo, thus strengthening the gender perspective as an example of shared management in the planning and management of protected areas.

 The active contribution from local community and the support of other stakeholders has been a critical element to the success of FHA’s effort to protect Gishwati forest, together with a clear perspective on each players’ responsibilities and duties. Also, this successfully influenced the government to upgrade this forest to a national park. 

The Oasis de la Campana real estate project allocates a sector that is subdivided into properties of 0.5 hectares for real estate purposes and another sector of 1000 hectares to conservation of Mediterranean forest and its biodiversity. Through the legal framework of reciprocal environmental easements between the parcels of the real estate sector and the area destined for conservation and the delivery of these lands to a non-profit Foundation, the legal protection in perpetuity of the 1000 hectares is ensured.

On the other hand, this same legal framework ensures that the common expenses of the owners of the real estate subdivision finance not only the maintenance of their common areas but also the maintenance activities of the wilderness area to be conserved. This includes protection and restoration activities such as: construction and maintenance of perimeter fences to prevent the entry of livestock, personnel for horseback monitoring to control fencing deterioration, poaching and fire prevention; restoration activities with planting of native plant species and scientific studies with universities. And maintenance of trails, signage and infrastructure as viewpoints and a refuge.

A real estate project is created that not only includes subdivisions for housing. It is intended that the location of the project is in an area that helps the conservation of biodiversity, for example, the presence of endemic species or conservation problems, or ecosystems that are hotspots. The most important sector for biodiversity is dedicated to conservation and this is incorporated as an ecological Reserve for the project without the existence of subdivisions for housing. On the other hand, the section that is destined to the subdivision for dwellings also establishes environmental restrictions of constructibility (eg no fences that avoid transit of fauna) and behavior (eg, not hunting). It also promotes the protection and restoration of fauna and flora in subdivisions for housing and in the sector destined to reserve.

This is how a real estate project is offered with a plus that helps conservation.

The network of marine areas of responsible fishing today brings together more than 11 marine territorial areas and 2 in the process of being recognized, which provide protection to marine species through a responsible fishing effort. The areas protect biodiversity in the Pacific and Caribbean of Costa Rica. Citizen science and participatory research exercises have been developed that demonstrate the biological benefits of these types of marine areas under shared governance models.

The process makes it possible to address problem solving from the poorest and most vulnerable sectors and to give a voice to the voiceless. The process develops tools that allow a better distribution of benefits to the most vulnerable sectors. The role of women and young people in the value chain of small-scale fisheries is clearly strengthened. The strengthening of and spaces for learning-by-doing among fisherwomen and the discussion on access and rights to the benefits derived from fishing under equal conditions has been fundamental. The agenda of women from rivers, seas, lakes and lagoons is being developed with 4 strategic axes: health, economic empowerment, decent work and sustainable use.