Mangroves: Cradle of Coastal Biodiversity and Partners in the Fight against Climate Change

The upcoming COP16 aims to set a milestone for conservation of biodiversity by calling on the world to make "Peace with Nature".  Today, this petition, undoubtedly takes on a greater sense of urgency given the continuous decline of biodiversity and accelerated loss of global species.

In light of this pressing appeal, we must also acknowledge that one of our most vital ecosystems is being decimated by development and human activity. It serves as one of the lungs of our planet and captures CO2, but mostly ignored when we hear about deforestation, resilience, and restoration. This ecosystem consists of the world’s mangroves.

An unrivaled natural treasure, mangroves cover an impressive 46,284 square kilometers of the Americas. However, they remain undervalued despite their vital role and ubiquitous presence extending from the Southern United States to Mexico, heading southwards to Panama, Peru, and Brazil, also including the Caribbean islands.  This vast mangrove landscape is a privileged habitat for biodiversity and a favored site for thousands of migratory and endemic birds.

Species habitat reduction is widely known as a leading cause of biodiversity loss. National Audubon Society, through Audubon Americas, its hemispheric arm,  established its  Coastal Resilience strategy as a response.  The action plan uses a broader, more holistic approach that considers ecosystems essential for biodiversity, such as mangroves, mudflats, estuaries, and coral reefs.

Defending the Mangroves that Defend Us

Mangroves act as the first line of coastal defense in the fight against Climate Change.  Its effects- namely rising sea levels and extreme weather, exert tremendous pressure on many coastal communities in the Americas, forcing them to adapt to safeguard their livelihoods. The gravity of this situation highlights the importance of protecting our mangroves and other vital coastal ecosystems.

In an effort to address these concerns, Panama has partnered with the Panama Audubon Society to execute the Blue Natural Heritage (BNH) project. The initiative, funded by the UK Blue Carbon Fund and managed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), integrates scientific research, valuation of ecosystem services, environmental education and advocacy to raise awareness about mangrove conservation.

The need to focus on current and future climate risk is evident from a resilience perspective. Research, therefore, centers on determining a carbon stock baseline for two pilot sites - Parita Bay and Panama Bay. Knowledge about the amount of carbon stock in these so-called "blue carbon ecosystems" not only emphasizes how mangroves contribute to mitigation. It also provides a basis to mobilize financial mechanisms and partial funding for future conservation efforts.

According to preliminary research data from monitored sites in Parita and Panama bay, 87 tons of carbon per hectare are stored aboveground at a depth of one meter. Above-ground carbon stocks refer to biomass that include leaves, trunk and branches. Belowground carbon storage, which considers both roots and soil, was estimated for Parita Bay at an average of 171 tons of carbon per hectare. These figures align with global estimates which state that mangroves store up to four times more carbon than the world´s terrestrial tropical forests, including the Amazon.

Audubon Americas is also exploring mitigation and biodiversity mainstreaming through  acoustic bird monitoring in carbon monitoring units.  By using birds to gauge  ecosystem health, a correlation can be made between bird density and carbon content which could then be used to potentially demonstrate the added value of coordinated mitigation and species conservation efforts. 

Contributions to climate adaptation are not left behind. Identifying ecosystem services, such as coastal protection and conducting additional research regarding nutrient impact, salinity changes, records of historical changes in mangrove cover and mapping of mangrove species through deep learning models,  all contribute to informed management and continuity of specific species and habitats of the ecosystem, as a whole.  Insight into the function and contributions of species and ecosystems is key to developing adaptation options, particularly for local communities that depend on natural coastal resources.

Present and Future Restoration

Future restoration opportunities are now available that involve an innovative mapping process of mangrove species, taking conservation a step further. Spatial distribution of mangrove communities can now be determined through field verification, satellite imaging through remote sensing and artificial intelligence. This not only contributes to land management, but also provides data for more effective restoration of degraded areas including buffer zones.

A renewed focus on biodiversity has furthered actions to protect species and elements crucial to the ecosystem. As a result, the Parita Bay Conservation Plan was developed under the direction of our partner organization, the Panama Audubon Society. The project involves identifying "Conservation Targets" that include essential species such as white shrimp, black conch, mangroves, and Wilson's plover (Charadius wilsonia), a flagship migratory bird for this site. 

The elaboration of conservation strategies for these targets provides essential input for municipal decision-makers and local organizations to aid in territorial planning and conservation efforts.  These and other actions also help countries meet their national and international commitments beyond the Convention on Biological Diversity, such as their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, and other key agreements. International support and information exchange is actively strengthened, as well, through the Global Mangrove Alliance (GMA) network

Audubon´s most recent strategic plan is to reverse the decline of bird populations and extend this approach to all species that inhabit coastal marine environments.  We are hopeful that our unique experience in Panama, will, allow us to continue to share our expertise in environmental management and policy, aligned with the Global Biodiversity Framework and future progress attained in Cali. This way, we will be able to enjoy the beauty and richness that mangroves provide in perpetuity and peace.

This blog was first published by El Espectador newspaper, on July 17, 2024.