Lessons from Successful Mangrove Forest Restoration in El Salvador (Analysis)

[Judi Lynn]

Yet, though there are a great number of mangrove restoration projects out there, there is still a 70% or more failure rate, which cannot be ignored.

February 7, 2025 by Mongabay



By Alfredo Qua rto

Mangrove forests are important coastal ecosystems worldwide, and many areas that have suffered loss of these trees are the focus of restoration projects, but these suffer from a 70% failure rate.

Not only are they key habitats for numerous organisms from crabs to fish and birds, they also supply a wealth of seafood for local communities.

That makes community involvement a key aspect of the Community-Based Ecological Mangrove Restoration (CBEMR) method, which focuses on improving local hydrology and topography while removing or reducing mangrove stressors, and encouraging the trees’ natural regeneration.

This article is an analysis. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

The intrinsic value of mangroves and their related coastal ecosystems is getting more recognition than ever before, while actions to conserve and restore our planet’s coastal wetlands are gaining in scope and momentum. More funders are jumping on the bandwagon and supporting restoration efforts around the globe as they take on new significance.

Yet, though there are a great number of mangrove restoration projects out there, there is still a 70% or more failure rate, which cannot be ignored. There is a great need today to raise awareness among those attempting mangrove restoration — and those funders who seek to support the same — that there must be a change in emphasis, from numbers of mangrove trees planted to numbers that survive — not just for a month, or even just one year, but survive for over 10-25 years, i.e. the long-term.

If we are serious in our attempts to restore the mangroves, then we must incorporate a set of best practices. These must include involving local communities in the long-term effort to conserve, restore and co-manage the mangroves in their areas. What follows is a case where local communities and their supporting local NGOs have successfully undertaken such an approach.

“The first thing we learn here is to appreciate what we have. What I remember about mangroves when I was a child is that mangroves went through a time when they were degraded and things weren’t the same. Our experience here is that it is important to protect this. If you take care of something, it will grow and flourish. But it depends on how you care for it.” — Jose Manuel González, wetland ranger, Las Mesitas, El Salvador.

More:
https://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/lessons-from-successful-mangrove-forest-restoration-in-el-salvador-analysis/