Disseminating knowledge on CBERM approach through champions

Following the training, we nominated CBEMR champions representing CFAs, BMUs, youth and women groups. 11 are community champions while three are from key government agencies. In general, CBEMR champions create awareness, assist in capacity building, undertake actual restoration activities, monitor restoration activities, and conduct ecological and social assessments, among other roles. 

The community champions assist in mobilisation, awareness creation, training and actual mangrove conservation and restoration initiatives. The champions from the government agencies also serve as Trainers of Trainers (ToTs) during CBEMR trainings, working alongside the primary trainers. 

Strategic selection: When selecting individuals to serve as champions for mangrove conservation, it is necessary to prioritise those with inherent leadership qualities, a demonstrated interest in protecting mangroves and strong communication skills to effectively engage and mobilise their communities. Furthermore, ensuring representation from diverse groups, including women, youth, and established community leaders, as well as government officials, enhances inclusivity and broadens the reach of conservation efforts. Choosing champions who already hold (positive) influence and possess established networks within their communities can further amplify the impact of these initiatives, facilitating wider adoption of sustainable mangrove management practices.

Comprehensive training is key for equipping champions with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively promote and implement CBEMR. By providing champions with a thorough understanding of these areas, they are better prepared to fulfil their roles as advocates, educators, and facilitators within their communities. Furthermore, ongoing mentorship and support are essential to reinforce learning, address challenges, and ensure that champions feel confident and empowered in their work. 

Clearly defined roles and responsibilities help to ensure that champions understand their contributions and can effectively advocate for mangrove conservation within their communities and agencies. Wetlands International helped create a system for communication and coordination, feedback mechanisms through regular meetings, and opportunities for knowledge sharing and joint problem-solving. 

Other than training, empowering champions has been key to the success of the initiative. This involves providing them with the necessary resources, including tools and financial support to ensure they can effectively carry out their tasks. Equally important is recognising and valuing their contributions, offering incentives that motivate them and providing opportunities for personal and professional growth. This approach not only strengthens their commitment but also inspires others to actively participate in mangrove conservation efforts.

Champions are powerful agents of change: Restoring mangroves requires significant investment in terms of time and financial resources, particularly in areas that have changed considerably. Stakeholders therefore need to take a long-term view of restoration initiatives and consolidate their resources and efforts. Investing in targeted champions who influence their communities and are interested in the CBEMR approach is a good start as they can significantly amplify the reach and impact of sustainable mangrove restoration initiatives.

Diversity and representation are key: Selecting champions from diverse backgrounds ensures that the restoration initiative is not only inclusive, but also responsive to the needs of different communities.

Empowerment is essential: CBEMR champions create awareness, assist in capacity building, undertake actual restoration activities, monitor restoration activities, and conduct ecological and social assessments, among other roles. As such, they need to be empowered with the knowledge, skills, and resources to effectively fulfil their roles.

Collaboration is necessary and encouraged: Wetlands International facilitated collaboration and knowledge sharing among champions who represented different mangrove blocks in Lamu and Tana. This was seen to enhance their effectiveness and promoted cross-learning and collective action.

Monitoring and evaluation are important: Tracking the performance and impact of champions helps to ensure success of the initiative and identify areas for improvement.

Inception phase
Implementation
Documentation and dissemination of results
Local
Subnational
Capacity building, Knowledge sharing and awareness raising on CBEMR with Stakeholders

This building block empowers local communities, government agencies, and other stakeholders with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to implement and sustain effective mangrove restoration initiatives. Through strategic engagement and capacity-building efforts, stakeholders are equipped with the technical expertise and resources required for Community-Based Ecological Mangrove Restoration (CBEMR). These efforts include identifying and training CBEMR champions to act as catalysts for knowledge dissemination and practical restoration activities within their communities and institutions.

Wetlands International initiated capacity-building activities by engaging local communities in Lamu and Tana through CBOs, CFAs, and key government agencies, including KFS, KEFRI, KMFRI, the Lamu County Government, as well as CSOs such as WWF and the Northern Rangelands Trust. Women comprised 50% of the participants, taking a leading role in hands-on mangrove restoration efforts. Training sessions included sound restoration techniques based on the CBEMR approach, conducted in English and translated into Swahili for greater accessibility. These sessions integrated practical, relatable mangrove science with indigenous knowledge, fostering inclusivity and community ownership.

In addition, stakeholders were provided with simple tools such as refractometers and pH strips to conduct salinity and acidity tests, along with resources to support monitoring and adaptive management. 

CBEMR champions, nominated from CFAs, BMUs, youth groups, women groups, and government agencies, further amplified these efforts. These champions assist in mobilising communities, raising awareness, conducting restoration activities, monitoring progress, and performing ecological and social assessments. Government agency champions also serve as Trainers of Trainers (ToTs) to ensure continuous capacity building within their institutions and communities.

Based on the success of the initial trainings in Lamu and other sites, Lamu KFS officials together with Wetlands International identified the need to spread this knowledge mainly at the policy and management levels within KFS among other key stakeholders. In partnership with KFS and MAP, we organised a CBEMR managerial training for the senior managers and coastal forest managers at KFS, Directors of Environment Department from the Kwale, Kilifi, Mombasa, Tana River, and Lamu counties, academia from Kenya School of Forestry and Kenyatta University, partner organisations in Global Mangrove Alliance namely IUCN, WWF and TNC, and representatives from the Western Indian Ocean Mangrove Network and local journalists with specialisation in environmental issues. 

Collaboration with CSOs, the Global Mangrove Alliance, and other partners enhanced the initiative’s reach and impact, enabling regular training and knowledge-sharing activities across the mangrove regions.

 

 

Participatory and Holistic Approaches: CBEMR’s participatory design connects resource users with research institutions, local governments, conservation agencies, and civil society, leveraging their local and expert knowledge. This approach ensures holistic engagement and integration of diverse perspectives.

Strategic Selection and Empowerment of Champions: Champions were chosen based on leadership qualities, communication skills, and interest in mangrove conservation. Ensuring diverse representation, including women, youth, and community leaders, enhanced inclusivity. Champions were empowered with knowledge, skills, resources, and ongoing mentorship, ensuring effective community mobilisation and knowledge transfer. Clearly defined roles and responsibilities help to ensure that champions understand their contributions and can effectively advocate for mangrove conservation within their communities and agencies. Wetlands International helped create a system for communication and coordination, feedback mechanisms through regular meetings, and opportunities for knowledge sharing and joint problem-solving. Other than training, empowering champions has been key to the success of the initiative. This involves providing them with the necessary resources, including tools and financial support to ensure they can effectively carry out their tasks. Equally important is recognising and valuing their contributions, offering incentives that motivate them and providing opportunities for personal and professional growth. This approach not only strengthens their commitment but also inspires others to actively participate in mangrove conservation efforts.

Strong Partnerships: Collaboration between Wetlands International, KFS, KEFRI, KMFRI, local communities, and CSOs facilitated effective knowledge sharing, resource mobilisation, and policy influence.

Gender Roles and Social Groupings: Recognising women’s central role in mangrove restoration activities and the relatively well-established CBOs in Lamu fostered greater engagement and ownership among stakeholders. Gender-sensitive planning ensured that initiatives were inclusive and impactful.

Access to Information and Resources: Training materials in English and Swahili, simple-to-use tools, and practical workshops enhanced knowledge transfer, enabling stakeholders to implement CBEMR effectively.

Supportive Policy Environment: Training efforts influenced KFS and other government agencies to integrate CBEMR principles into national guidelines and management strategies, fostering a conducive policy framework for sustainable mangrove restoration. Working with KFS and KEFRI on the use and application of the CBEMR approach provided for review of the national restoration guidelines which take into consideration the information on CBEMR.

Adaptive Management Approach: Regular monitoring of restoration activities allowed stakeholders to adapt strategies, learn from experiences, and improve outcomes over time, ensuring long-term success.

Knowledge Sharing is Critical: Disseminating information and best practices in local languages ensures inclusivity, promoting wider adoption of the CBEMR approach. Making information accessible facilitates understanding, contribution, and participation across diverse communities.

Champions are Powerful Agents of Change: Investing in targeted champions with influence and networks amplifies the reach and impact of mangrove restoration efforts. Empowering them with skills, resources, and incentives strengthens their commitment and inspires broader community engagement.

Diversity and Representation Matter: Selecting champions from diverse backgrounds ensures that restoration initiatives are inclusive and responsive to varying community needs.

Collaboration Enhances Effectiveness: Facilitating collaboration among champions and stakeholders promotes cross-learning, knowledge sharing, and collective action, boosting the effectiveness of restoration efforts.

Policies Must Be Adaptive: Flexible policies informed by monitoring data and lessons learned are essential for addressing emerging challenges and improving restoration practices. For this National-level forest managers should be engaged in local and sub-national based restoration initiatives to aid in the development of mangrove forest policies. For instance, based on the success of the first CBEMR training in Lamu, area KFS officers identified the need to spread this knowledge to the KFS managerial team and senior policy-level managers, and other key stakeholders. 

Empowerment Drives Success: Providing champions with tools, financial support, and opportunities for personal and professional growth inspires commitment and fosters sustainable community-driven conservation.

Planning phase
Inception phase
Implementation
Local
Subnational
Why We are Building Capacity in Mangrove Restoration for Communities and Policy…
Establishing a set of race regulations that places science at the centre of racing activities
11th Hour Racing Team on arrival in Newport Rhode Island having won the leg
Team spirit
ailing Energy / The Ocean Race

The Ocean Race Teams Sustainability Charter and Code of Conduct was co-created with the teams to express a fleet-wide commitment to sustainable operations and supporting a healthy ocean. The charter includes themes of Advocacy, Science, Learning and Operations. It seeks to get all teams, staff, and sailors to stand up for the ocean through sustainable sailing, team, and personal actions. 

 

On the science front, teams must pledge to agree to:

 

  • Supporting science-based decision making.
  • Participating in increasing knowledge and understanding of our ocean.
  • Hosting scientific equipment onboard.
  • Participating in sailor and citizen science programmes.
  • Contributing to the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science in collaboration with The Ocean Race.

 

Including science within a charter and requiring stakeholders to undertake various science-related activities whilst competing in a sailing race embeds science, as a core value, into race practices. This is unique in the sporting world as it requires teams and athletes to take on environmental responsibilities as well as their existing sporting responsibilities.

 

  • Awareness of climate change and the importance, and fragility, of oceans. 
  • Desire to protect oceans and sailing’s ‘racetrack’.
  • Understanding the importance of data collection for climate and ocean science.
  • Desire to use sailing and racing beyond sporting objectives, as a platform for scientific research.

Collaboration is key, everyone needs to take part and be responsible for a better future for all. 

 

Engagement with the teams, partners and host cities  needs to be early on and there is a need to support them in their journey - not as an afterthought or last minute addition. There needs to be someone within each team that is dedicated to Sustainability and maintaining the Sustainability Charter within their team and department. It is important not to underestimate the amount of work needed to maintain the Sustainability Charter and our sustainability goals - assign enough resources!

 

In an event like The Ocean Race, there are also challenges due to unpredictable circumstances like boat repairs from dismasting or collisions which can increase the footprint and environmental impact of the team and the Race. It is important to have some extra capacity and contingencies to offset unforeseen circumstances like these. 

Planning phase
Inception phase
Implementation
Monitoring
Multi-national
Global
A unique racecourse that provides access to geographically extreme and data-sparse areas across the planet’s oceans
Map showing observations from the Voluntary Observing Ships (VOS) Scheme, highlighting both the unique route taken by boats competing in The Ocean Race and the usefulness of their contribution to the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) programme.
Voluntary Observing Ships Scheme Map
NOAA

The underlying premise for The Ocean Race – racing to circumnavigate the world – means that the race naturally takes competitors to some of the most remote areas in the world. This makes it a unique platform for undertaking scientific research as it gives scientists access to remote areas, such as the Southern Ocean around Antarctica, that would otherwise rarely be accessible. Ships sailing outside of regular shipping routes play an essential role in the ability to deploy scientific instrumentation, such as the drifter buoys and Argo floats that are deployed during the race, across under-sampled locations. This affords rare opportunities for gathering data from parts of the planet where little information has been recorded, making the Race a crucial platform for collecting data that is otherwise unattainable and filling data gaps, contributing to furthering our understanding of our oceans. 

 

  • The underlying premise for The Ocean Race – circumnavigating the world as fast as possible – means that the race will invariably take boats to areas that are infrequently sailed. 
  • The design of the race route (race legs, race stopovers, etc.) will determine where boats go.
  • Sailing race boats allow access to some of the planet’s most remote seas as well as areas outside common shipping and research routes.

The race’s route, with stopovers in different countries, presented logistical challenges regarding the transportation of scientific equipment to stopover ports as well as the shipment of samples, material, and instruments back to scientific partners. For example, shipments were subject to varying import conditions and customs duties depending on their country of origin and destination. 

 

Working with local scientific institutions helped with equipment, transporting the equipment on person and working diligently with customs before, during and after transport. Logistics for an international science experiment needs to be well planned out in advance and all admin done in advance regarding shipment of equipment and samples etc.

Planning phase
Inception phase
Implementation
Monitoring
Documentation and dissemination of results
Global
Marine Management
FAD Data Management Training
Carriacou and Petit Martinique Fisher Folk who completed FAD Data Management Training
John James
FAD Data Management Training
Carriacou and Petit Martinique Fisher Folk during FAD Data Management Training
John James
Underwater drone
Underwater drone training
GIZ
underwater drone
Underwater drone training
GIZ

Much support was given to improve fisher capacity to manage their access to and use of Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs). The programme recognised that the establishment of marine managed and protected areas as a method of marine management has resulted in increased reliance on Fish Aggregating Devices installed outside the marine managed and protected areas, for sustenance of the fishery sector.  Fishers within the Carriacou Fisher Folks Inc also recognised this and the need for attention to be paid to the monitoring and management of this resource.  This beckoned the implementation of FAD Data Management training for fishers of Carriacou and Petit Martinique.  The training was facilitated through the Fisheries Department of the Government of Grenada, and included information sharing on, but not limited to data on marine conservation, history of FADs in the region, the importance of data collection, legislation, its challenges, development of informal protocols and rules, identifying fish species as well as data collection methodology and post data collection analysis.  The workshop also realised the commitment of fishers to establish GrenFAD, which will take the leading role in the management of the FADs.  The fishers agreed and signed off on the soft rules for FAD Fishing, membership and FAD fees, data collection, data collection templates and protocols for data collection and management.  Actors in the fishery sector and marine management/protection were also trained in the use of underwater drones for remote sensing. The Programme provided support for construction of at least 6 FADS for the St. Marks fishers in Dominica. In the case of Saint Lucia, the provision of navigational tools to assist in accessing the FAD locations, which are often many miles offshore, and generally speaking to assist with safety at sea.

With increased application of marine management strategies, there has been increased use of FADS to supplement the loss of access to fishing grounds which have been redesignated as protected areas, managed areas or reserves.  Thus, the CATS interventions to improve capacity to manage these FADS were quite opportune in timing, and the fishers were keen on participating in the interventions related to them.  In the case of the ROV’s this improved capacity enabled the beneficiaries to be ready to improve their monitoring efficiency and quality. 

The Programme recognised the need for practical, user-guided solutions and implementations as critical elements for success and long term and far reaching benefits from the same.  With regard to the FAD management and trainings, this process was smoothly executed with fishers taking ownership of this and taking the lead to put arrangements in place to better manage their FADs.

Planning phase
Inception phase
Implementation
Monitoring
Documentation and dissemination of results
Local
Subnational
National
Multi-national
Coral restoration in the SMMA in St. Lucia
Fisheries Management in Guyana
Water Quality Monitoring
Turtle Conservation in Grande Anse Beach
Diagnostico participativo e interinstitucional de humedales urbanos costeros

La metodología de intervención partió desde un análisis rápido de los humedales. El análisis se basó en revisión bibliográfica, entrevistas con actores clave y talleres participativos de validación del análisis. 

Este análisis mostró que los cinco humedales presentan una variedad de amenazas, las cuales se categorizaron en amenazas directas (las que inciden directamente en el ámbito biofísico del humedal) y amenazas indirectas (las que influyen en las amenazas directas). 

Las amenazas directos son: 

  • Desmonte/deforestación (Cambio de uso de suelo)
  • Residuos sólidos en el agua y sus bordes
  • Vertimiento de aguas negras y grises crudas
  • Contaminación por químicos (fertilizantes, pesticidas etc.)
  • Agotamiento de mantos acuíferos
  • Sedimentación
  • Relleno o depósito de escombros
  • Drenaje
  • Eutrofización
  • Extracción de especies animales y vegetales
  • Introducción de especies exóticas
  • Encauzamiento de agua

Las amenazas indirectos son: 

  • Crecimiento urbano sin considerar aspectos ambientales (incluyendo asentamientos irregulares)
  • Desarrollo inmobiliario y hotelero mal planificado
  • Construcción de obras/infraestructura en los bordes del humedal
  • Apertura de senderos y caminos (incluyendo relleno)
  • Actividad ganadera y agropecuaria poco sostenible
  • Turismo mal manejado 
  • Plantas de tratamiento de aguas mal manejadas
  • Falta o deficiencia de servicio de recolección de basura y drenaje sanitario
  • Desviación de agua cuenca arriba 
  • Drenajes y rellenos irregulares o mal planificados
  • Deficiencia en cooperación interinstitucional y fraccionamiento de competencias del manejo de humedales
  • Énfasis de voluntad política en crecimiento urbano, industrial y turístico, menos en conservación de los humedales
  • Falta de presupuesto para la gestión de humedales
  • Débil aplicación de las leyes y limitados esfuerzos de control para cumplimiento de normativa
  • Impunidad de los que no cumplen la normativa
  • Especulación de la tierra/aumento precios
  • Pobreza en asentamientos aledaños al humedal
  • Pesca para autoconsumo de comunidades marginales aledañas al humedal

En el análisis también se identificaron los servicios ecosistémicos que proveen los humedales urbanos costeros generando bienestar a la población, los cuales se presentan a continuacion:

  • Protección contra Inundaciones
  • Recreación y turismo
  • Provisión de alimentos (recursos pesqueros)
  • Purificación del agua y tratamiento de residuos
  • Investigación, educación ambiental y monitoreo ecosistémico y de especies
  • Moderación de eventos climáticos extremos
  • Reducción local de la temperatura ambiental

El servicio ecosistémico de provisión de agua fue mencionado durante los talleres como un servicio ecosistémico importante; sin embargo, el análisis evidenció que, por los altos niveles de contaminación tanto directo al humedal como en toda la cuenca aguas arriba, la mayoría de los humedales urbanos costeros han perdido la capacidad de proveer el servicio ecosistémico de agua para consumo humano o animal. El servicio ecosistémico de provisión de alimentos (recursos pesqueros) se ha comprometido y puede generar riesgos a la salud a las personas (intoxicación), afectando principalmente a familias vulnerables por su bajo poder económico. 

El tercer elemento que se analizó fueron los actores que inciden en la gestión de los humedales urbanos costeros: 

Actores públicos a nivel federal: Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, Secretaría de Desarrollo Agrario, Territorial y Urbano, Dirección General de la Zona Federal Marítimo-Terrestre y Ambientes Costeros, Comisión Nacional del Agua, Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas, Procuraduría de Protección al Ambiente, Secretaría de Marina y Armada de México, Secretaría de Turismo, Petróleos Mexicanos, Fondo Nacional para el Fomento al Turismo. 

Actores públicos a nivel estatal

  • QUINTANA ROO: Secretaría de Medio Ambiente del estado de Quintana Roo, Procuraduría de Protección al Ambiente del estado de Quintana Roo., Secretaría de Desarrollo Territorial Urbano Sustentable del estado de Quintana Roo, Universidad Autónoma de Quintana Roo, Secretaría de Desarrollo Turístico del estado de Quintana Roo, Comisión de Agua Potable y Alcantarillado del estado de Quintana Roo, Coordinación Estatal de Protección Civil del estado de Quintana Roo.
  • VERACRUZ: Secretaría de Medio Ambiente de Veracruz, Secretaría de Desarrollo Social de Veracruz, Universidad Veracruzana, Procuraduría de Medio Ambiente del estado de Veracruz.
  • BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR: Secretaría de Planeación Urbana, Infraestructura y Movilidad del Estado de Baja California Sur, Secretaría de Turismo, Economía y Sustentabilidad del estado de Baja California Sur, Comisión de Agua Potable y Alcantarillado del estado de Baja California Sur, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur

Actores municipales: Ayuntamiento de Bacalar en Quintana Roo; Ayuntamientos de Veracruz, Boca del Río y Medellín en Veracruz; Ayuntamiento de Los Cabos en Baja California Sur.Instituto Municipal de Planeación del municipio de Veracruz.

Actores privados: Empresas hoteleras, operadores turísticos, grupo Metropolitano de Agua y Saneamiento de Veracruz.

Actores comunitarios: Ejido Bacalar, Ejido Buenavista, Ejido Juan Sarabia, Ejido La Península, Ejido Aarón M. Fernández, Ejido Pedro A. de los Santos, Ejido Laguna Guerrero, Ejido Boca del Río, Ejido Medellín, Ejido Las Palmas. Cooperativas pesqueras, Asociación de Hoteles de Los Cabos

Actores académicos y de investigación:Instituto Tecnológico de México (Campus Chetumal/Campus Veracruz/Campus Los Cabos), El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Instituto de Ecología, A. C; Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste S. C.

Otros actores de la sociedad civil (OSC): Agua Clara, Ciudadanos por Bacalar A. C., Centinelas del Agua A. C., PRONATURA Península de Yucatán A. C., Amigos de Sian Ka’an A. C, ECOPIL A. C., PARES, A.C, Los Cabos Coast Keepers, Organización para la Sustentabilidad y la Conservación del Medio Ambiente.

Por otro lado, la fragmentación de competencias de los actores gubernamentales (federales, estatales y municipales) sobre los humedales, hace que la conservación, protección y restauración de estos ecosistemas carezca de esfuerzos coordinados y respuestas mancomunadas. Los municipios, encargados del manejo de desechos sólidos, aguas servidas y la planificación de uso de suelo, competencias que están directamente vinculado con las principales amenazas a los humedales, no identifican a los humedales urbanos costeros como su competencia dejando oportunidades de su cuidado sin abordar. 

Aunque la conservación, protección y restauración de humedales urbanos es de gran importancia para los actores, la complejidad de la problemática asociada a los humedales urbanos costeros es, a menudo, tan abrumadora/agobiante que conlleva a la paralización de procesos. Esta situación, obstaculiza la toma de decisiones, que podrían ser socialmente poco aceptadas o viables (principalmente por motivos de bajos o escasos recursos económicos y/o humanos para su desarrollo e implementación), políticamente poco llamativos, o complejos por otras razones. Los actores, tanto públicos como privados, realizan acciones aisladas y desarticuladas, intentando cumplir con las competencias/intereses institucionales y, aunque conscientes de la importancia de la coordinación, la ausencia de trabajo mancomunado sigue siendo un limitante para la adecuada gestión de los humedales. 

  • El involucramiento de actores públicos, privados, comunitarios, ONG y Universidades es clave en el proceso de diagnóstico para asegurar tener un panorama completo de la realidad actual y contexto local. 
  • Con el diagnostico con múltiples actores se identificaron visiones contrarias sobre el estado actual y expectativas de futuros pasos. 
  • La complejidad de la situación de los humedales urbanos costeros causo que la fase de diagnóstico tomo más tiempo que lo esperado. 
  • La problemática asociada a los humedales urbanos costeros es, a menudo, tan abrumadora/ agobiante que conlleva a la paralización de procesos
  • Realizar un análisis rápido de la situación de los humedales urbanos costeros, tal como inicialmente contemplado, no abastece por la complejidad y múltiple problemática que sufre estos ecosistemas. Solo con un diagnóstico participativo e interinstitucional profundo de los humedales se cuenta con la información suficiente para la planificación de medidas. 
  • Al haber múltiples actores con incidencia y competencia sobre los humedales urbanos costeros la problemática de la falta de coordinación fue una constante mencionado por todos los actores. 
Inception phase
Local
Diagnostico participativo e interinstitucional de humedales urbanos costeros

La metodología de intervención partió desde un análisis rápido de los humedales. El análisis se basó en revisión bibliográfica, entrevistas con actores clave y talleres participativos de validación del análisis. 

Este análisis mostró que los cinco humedales presentan una variedad de amenazas, las cuales se categorizaron en amenazas directas (las que inciden directamente en el ámbito biofísico del humedal) y amenazas indirectas (las que influyen en las amenazas directas). 

Las amenazas directas son:

  • Desmonte/deforestación (Cambio de uso de suelo)
  • Residuos sólidos en el agua y sus bordes
  • Vertimiento de aguas negras y grises crudas
  • Contaminación por químicos (fertilizantes, pesticidas etc.)
  • Agotamiento de mantos acuíferos
  • Sedimentación
  • Relleno o depósito de escombros
  • Drenaje
  • Eutrofización
  • Extracción de especies animales y vegetales
  • Introducción de especies exóticas
  • Encauzamiento de aguas

Las amenazas indirectas son: 

  • Crecimiento urbano sin considerar aspectos ambientales (incluyendo asentamientos irregulares)
  • Desarrollo inmobiliario y hotelero mal planificado
  • Construcción de obras/infraestructura en los bordes del humedal
  • Apertura de senderos y caminos (incluyendo relleno)
  • Actividad ganadera y agropecuaria poco sostenible
  • Turismo mal manejado 
  • Plantas de tratamiento de aguas mal manejadas
  • Falta o deficiencia de servicio de recolección de basura y drenaje sanitario
  • Desviación de agua cuenca arriba 
  • Drenajes y rellenos irregulares o mal planificados
  • Deficiencia en cooperación interinstitucional y fraccionamiento de competencias del manejo de humedales
  • Énfasis de voluntad política en crecimiento urbano, industrial y turístico, menos en conservación de los humedales
  • Falta de presupuesto para la gestión de humedales
  • Débil aplicación de las leyes y limitados esfuerzos de control para cumplimiento de normativa
  • Impunidad de los que no cumplen la normativa
  • Especulación de la tierra/aumento precios
  • Pobreza en asentamientos aledaños al humedal
  • Pesca para autoconsumo de comunidades marginales aledañas al humedal

En el análisis también se identificaron los servicios ecosistémicos que proveen los humedales urbanos costeros generando bienestar a la población, los cuales se presentan abajo: 

  • Protección contra Inundaciones
  • Recreación y turismo
  • Provisión de alimentos (recursos pesqueros)
  • Purificación del agua y tratamiento de residuos
  • Investigación, educación ambiental y monitoreo ecosistémico y de especies
  • Moderación de eventos climáticos extremos
  • Reducción local de la temperatura ambiental

El servicio ecosistémico de provisión de agua fue mencionado durante los talleres como un servicio ecosistémico importante; sin embargo, el análisis evidenció que, por los altos niveles de contaminación tanto directo al humedal como en toda la cuenca aguas arriba, la mayoría de los humedales urbanos costeros han perdido la capacidad de proveer el servicio ecosistémico de agua para consumo humano o animal. El servicio ecosistémico de provisión de alimentos (recursos pesqueros) se ha comprometido y puede generar riesgos a la salud a las personas (intoxicación), afectando principalmente a familias vulnerables por su bajo poder económico. 

El tercer elemento que se analizó fueron los actores que inciden en la gestión de los humedales urbanos costeros:

Actores públicos a nivel federalSecretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, Secretaría de Desarrollo Agrario, Territorial y Urbano, Dirección General de la Zona Federal Marítimo-Terrestre y Ambientes Costeros, Comisión Nacional del Agua, Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas, Procuraduría de Protección al Ambiente, Secretaría de Marina y Armada de México, Secretaría de Turismo, Petróleos Mexicanos, Fondo Nacional para el Fomento al Turismo. 

Actores públicos a nivel estatal Secretaría de Medio Ambiente del estado de Quintana Roo, Procuraduría de Protección al Ambiente del estado de Quintana Roo., Secretaría de Desarrollo Territorial Urbano Sustentable del estado de Quintana Roo, Universidad Autónoma de Quintana Roo, Secretaría de Desarrollo Turístico del estado de Quintana Roo, Comisión de Agua Potable y Alcantarillado del estado de Quintana Roo, Coordinación Estatal de Protección Civil del estado de Quintana RooSecretaría de Medio Ambiente de Veracruz, Secretaría de Desarrollo Social de Veracruz, Universidad Veracruzana, Procuraduría de Medio Ambiente del estado de Veracruz.Secretaría de Planeación Urbana, Infraestructura y Movilidad del Estado de Baja California Sur, Secretaría de Turismo, Economía y Sustentabilidad del estado de Baja California Sur, Comisión de Agua Potable y Alcantarillado del estado de Baja California Sur, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur

Actores municipales: Ayuntamiento de Bacalar en Quintana Roo; Ayuntamientos de Veracruz, Boca del Río y Medellín en Veracruz; Ayuntamiento de Los Cabos en Baja California Sur.Instituto Municipal de Planeación del municipio de Veracruz.

Actores privados: Empresas hoteleras, operadores turísticos, grupo Metropolitano de Agua y Saneamiento de Veracruz.

Actores comunitarios: Ejido Bacalar, Ejido Buenavista, Ejido Juan Sarabia, Ejido La Península, Ejido Aarón M. Fernández, Ejido Pedro A. de los Santos, Ejido Laguna Guerrero,  Ejido Boca del Río, Ejido Medellín, Ejido Las Palmas. Cooperativas pesqueras. Asociación de Hoteles de Los Cabos

Actores académicos y de investigación:Instituto Tecnológico de México (Campus Chetumal/Campus Veracruz/Campus Los Cabos), El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Instituto de Ecología, A. C; Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste S. C.

Otros actores de la sociedad civil (OSC): Agua Clara, Ciudadanos por Bacalar A. C., Centinelas del Agua A. C., PRONATURA Península de Yucatán A. C., Amigos de Sian Ka’an A. C.,ECOPIL A. C., PARES, A.C., Los Cabos Coast Keepers, Organización para la Sustentabilidad y la Conservación del Medio Ambiente.

La fragmentación de competencias de los actores gubernamentales (federales, estatales y municipales) sobre los humedales, hace que la conservación, protección y restauración de estos ecosistemas carezca de esfuerzos coordinados y respuestas mancomunadas. Los municipios, encargados del manejo de desechos sólidos, aguas servidas y la planificación de uso de suelo, competencias que están directamente vinculado con las principales amenazas a los humedales, no identifican a los humedales urbanos costeros como su competencia dejando oportunidades de su cuidado sin abordar. 

Aunque la conservación, protección y restauración de humedales urbanos es de gran importancia para los actores, la complejidad de la problemática asociada a los humedales urbanos costeros es, a menudo, tan abrumadora/agobiante que conlleva a la paralización de procesos. Esta situación, obstaculiza la toma de decisiones, que podrían ser socialmente poco aceptadas o viables (principalmente por motivos de bajos o escasos recursos económicos y/o humanos para su desarrollo e implementación), políticamente poco llamativos, o complejos por otras razones. Los actores, tanto públicos como privados, realizan acciones aisladas y desarticuladas, intentando cumplir con las competencias/intereses institucionales y, aunque conscientes de la importancia de la coordinación, la ausencia de trabajo mancomunado sigue siendo un limitante para la adecuada gestión de los humedales. 

  • El involucramiento de actores públicos, privados, comunitarios, ONG y Universidades es clave en el proceso de diagnóstico para asegurar tener un panorama completo de la realidad actual y contexto local. 
  • Con el diagnostico con múltiples actores se identificaron visiones contrarias sobre el estado actual y expectativas de futuros pasos. 
  • La complejidad de la situación de los humedales urbanos costeros causo que la fase de diagnóstico tomo más tiempo que lo esperado. 
  • La problemática asociada a los humedales urbanos costeros es, a menudo, tan abrumadora/ agobiante que conlleva a la paralización de procesos
  • Realizar un análisis rápido de la situación de los humedales urbanos costeros, tal como inicialmente contemplado, no abastece por la complejidad y múltiple problemática que sufre estos ecosistemas. Solo con un diagnóstico participativo e interinstitucional profundo de los humedales se cuenta con la información suficiente para la planificación de medidas. 
  • Al haber múltiples actores con incidencia y competencia sobre los humedales urbanos costeros la problemática de la falta de coordinación fue una constante mencionado por todos los actores. 
Inception phase
Local
Business and Technical Capacity Development
Business Development
Business Simulation with Fond St Jacques Agro-Processors.
GIZ
Business Development
Business Simulation with Fond St Jacques Agro-Processors.
GIZ
Business development
Business Capacity Development of Micro Enterprises in Fond St Jacques, Saint Lucia, 2019.
GIZ
Business Development
Business Capacity Development of Micro Enterprises in Fond St Jacques, Saint Lucia, 2019.
GIZ
Business Development
Business Capacity Development of Micro Enterprises in Fond St Jacques, Saint Lucia, 2019.
GIZ

Building resilience of the agricultural sector against the effects of meteorological variations includes building the resilience of small businesses along the value chains which use the produce from agricultural production.  Through the Business Capacity Development measure, two women-only local agro-processing groups which process local produce for the local and national market, benefitted from theoretical lectures and hands-on exercises on crucial business aspects (costs, revenues, new product ideas, design, marketing and the management of their business) so they could apply the knowledge gained to improve the quality of their decision making.  The core topics addressed during the training were:  Entrepreneurship Essentials, Introduction to Marketing; Basic Book-Keeping Principles; Essential Costing Practices; Office Administration, financial education, business management and investment-driven market expansion and borrowing.

Both groups acknowledged that they did need to improve their operations to achieve business success as their ability to improve sales relies on their being able to overcome hindrances in their daily operations. The capacity building exercise was therefore an opportunity for them to gain skills to help overcome these challenges.   

While these activities assisted the partners in facing, in a practical manner, technical and implementation challenges they would face in their operations there is also need for training in interpersonal engagement eg. Effective communication, conflict resolution, management and other soft skills critical for effectively managing the interpersonal components of business management. 

Planning phase
Inception phase
Implementation
Monitoring
Documentation and dissemination of results
Local
Subnational
Youth Engagement
Youth Engagement
PowerPoint presentations to sensitize participants for SSMR Day being delivered at primary schools in May/June 2017 in Soufriere.
GIZ
Youth Engagement
PowerPoint presentations to sensitize participants for SSMR Day being delivered at primary schools in May/June 2017 in Soufriere.
GIZ
Youth Engagement
PowerPoint presentations to sensitize participants for SSMR Day being delivered at primary schools in May/June 2017 in Soufriere.
GIZ
Youth Engagement
Sensitization march through the community.
GIZ
Youth Engagement
Schools prepared placards relating to the management of terrestrial and marine ecosystem.
GIZ
Youth Engagement
Agriculture Lecture at school.
GIZ

Educational and knowledge exchange programs were used to promote awareness of the importance of effectively managing ecosystems.  By focussing on the younger generation, the Programme sought to incorporate sustainability into its impacts as these youth would be the decisionmakers of the future. Further, there is the observation that children tend to share whatever they have learned with their parents. Thus, it is seen as an opportunity to reach the wider community with information.  Several approaches were executed.  In 2017, the Programme supported the Soufriere Scotts Head Marine Reserve (SSMR) Day in Dominica, a major collaborative effort between local authorities and the CATS programme.  500 primary school students and 81 teachers from 33 primary schools participated in activities that promote the understanding of the ridge to reef concept.  There was also adoption of the Soufriere Primary School as a Reef Guardian School.  This initiative served the dual purpose of educating and raising awareness of students and by extension, their parents, of the ridge to reef concept, and also making teachers more aware of these, so they could better instruct their students.  Also, in Soufriere Saint Lucia, three schools benefitted from support for the establishment of low chemical garden plots to produce food for the School Feeding Programmes embarked on these schools. The garden establishment also involved active participation of the children in the gardening process and revenue generation by the school through sale of excess produce.  This also realised development of management guidelines to be used by the schools for managing their existing plots as well as implementing similar. 

There is increased awareness of the importance of ensuring that the younger generation are fed good quality food.  This in addition to the need for easy access to good quality food secured the buy in needed for the execution of the school food production projects in St. Lucia.  In the case of Dominica, the SSMR Day event was already an initiative implemented by the Fisheries Division for years and thus there was already an appetite in the society for it.  The Reef Guardian programme could be considered an offshoot stimulated by the aforementioned SSMR Day. 

In engaging schools it is critical to incorporate parental support.  This not only is in an effort to ensure their consent, but also to create opportunities for parents to have a better understanding of the information being shared with their children, granted, these concepts are important for societal wellbeing.  They could also provide support for implementation even after the project would have ended.  It was also critical to obtain buy in from the school administrations which would have to put all conditions in place to support the establishment of the initiatives, but also the continuity of the same.

Planning phase
Inception phase
Implementation
Monitoring
Documentation and dissemination of results
Local
Subnational
National
Resilience in marine communities
Resilience
Active construction phase of the berthing jetty in Soufriere Bay, Dominica, 2021.
GIZ
Resilience
Berthing Jetty in Soufriere Bay, Dominica, 2021.
GIZ
Resilience
Berthing Jetty in Soufriere Bay, Dominica, 2021.
GIZ
Resilience
Berthing Jetty in Soufriere Bay, Dominica, 2021.
GIZ
Resilience
Formal handover of the jetty Facility to the Government of Dominica, 2021.
GIZ

To assist in disaster vulnerability reduction, the CATS programme assisted in the construction of a berthing jetty in the remote community of Soufriere, Dominica.  Considered the most economically viable option, the jetty can provide for quick unimpeded access for goods for the community and an escape route for times of emergencies.  This infrastructure reduces the emergency response time between Soufriere/Scotts Head communities and Roseau by nearly half.  At the same time, the construction of such a facility is expected to create and expand new and hopefully sustained economic opportunities for the Local Area Management Authority (LAMA) and the local communities. 

The need for this intervention was highlighted by the passage of multiple natural disasters, which significantly inhibited the access of the Soufriere community to goods and services from outside the immediate community, especially due to there being a compromised road network.  The jetty was therefore a welcomed opportunity to overcome this challenge. The benefits to the commercial sector, fisher access   and improved standard of living were other motivating factors which created the enabling environment for this intervention. 

Being a multi-partner, community focussed initiative, it was noted that before such a project commenced, it was necessary to have a meeting between the project team and beneficiaries (not just leaders) to clarify everything in detail-a meeting that would bring everyone together before the project starts, and not just the leaders, is a good way to achieve this.  The management of the facility post completion is a critical factor, and one to be considered and incorporated in facility design at an early stage, lest long term maintenance becomes a challenge once the partners take over.  Also the engagement with a locally assigned engineer and a local construction team help secure community buy-in and support and speed up processes and approvals from local authorities.

Planning phase
Inception phase
Implementation
Documentation and dissemination of results
Local
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