Global Mangrove Watch (GMW): Real-Time Data and Monitoring
GMW, a collaborative effort between scientific institutions and conservation organisations including Wetlands International, Aberystwyth University, soloEO, ICRI member The Nature Conservancy, JAXA, and NASA, is a game-changer in remote sensing data and monitoring. This online platform provides policymakers, mangrove practitioners, and investors with universal access to near-real-time information regarding the location, extent, and status of mangroves worldwide, along with data emphasising their ecological importance.
The GMW platform serves as the evidence based informing tool for the Mangrove Breakthrough. Recent developments include the release of a Global Mangrove Watch leaflet available in eight languages and three policy briefs detailing how GMW can be used to integrate mangroves into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), and support Ramsar resolutions.
For the latest updates and to explore near-real-time information on mangrove ecosystems globally, visit www.globalmangrovewatch.org. The GMW maps are also central to the State of the World’s Mangroves report for 2022.
Mangrove Restoration Tracker Tool (MRTT): Promoting Best Practices
The Mangrove Restoration Tracker Tool (MRTT), a collaborative effort between the University of Cambridge, Wetlands International, ICRI member WWF, and the Global Mangrove Alliance, is a powerful instrument for mangrove practitioners. This tool empowers users to record and monitor their mangrove restoration projects throughout their lifecycle while ensuring adherence to best practices for the long-term sustainability of mangrove groves worldwide.
MRTT’s flexible structure allows for the standardised capture of field and desk-based data related to mangrove restoration projects. It provides the conservation community with a means to quantify the impact of specific conservation actions on biodiversity, mangrove resilience, management effectiveness, community well-being, and governance. This data-driven approach promises to enhance mangrove conservation efforts and foster a supportive community for more effective mangrove restoration projects.
To guide users in maximising the potential of the MRTT, a comprehensive Mangrove Restoration Tracker Tool User Guide is available. Further insights into the launch of MRTT can be found in the Global Mangrove Alliance post here.
In a world grappling with the effects of climate change and habitat loss, these cutting-edge tools, GMW and MRTT, stand as beacons of hope for the preservation and restoration of mangrove ecosystems. ICRI is proud to advocate for coral reefs and their associated ecosystems.
Sources: Adapted from Julien Anseau, Wetlands International and The Global Mangrove Alliance
