Improving mangrove conservation across the Eastern Tropical Pacific Seascape (ETPS) through coordinated regional and national strategy development and implementation

In partnership with Conservation International, the GEF-funded project “Improving Mangrove Conservation across the Eastern Tropical Pacific Seascape (ETPS) through Coordinated Regional and National Strategy Development and Implementation” works to conserve mangroves in the Eastern Tropical Pacific countries of Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama. Mangroves provide many benefits to the region: they protect and stabilize coastlines, sequester carbon, and are a critical source of food security. With these mangroves threatened by coastal development, aquaculture, and felled for wood products, local governments are taking action and have agreed to a regional initiative for “ridge to reef” mangrove management. Through this project, each country will implement national policies and plans to help protect 736,000 hectares of mangroves in the region.