Global Mangrove Watch, an ideal platform for mangrove conservation and restoration
Wetlands International Africa is dedicated to the conservation and restoration of wetlands, particularly mangrove ecosystems. In Casamance, WIACO leads initiatives to mobilize local communities and partners such as protected area managers to promote best practices for mangrove restoration and conservation.
From July 8 to 10, 2024, Wetlands International Africa organized a training workshop in Ziguinchor. This workshop, part of the Mangrove Capital Africa (MCA) program and the Rooted Resilience project, aimed to promote the use of best practices for mangrove restoration, monitoring, and conservation.
Indeed, traditional mangrove restoration and conservation initiatives have experienced numerous failures due to the use of inappropriate restoration methods, a lack of reliable data on mangrove coverage and extent, and a lack of involvement of communities living near mangrove areas. WIACO, in partnership with other international institutions, has thus developed innovative conservation and restoration approaches and tools, such as Community-Based Ecological Mangrove Restoration (CBEMR) and the Global Mangrove Watch (GMW) platform.
Unlike traditional mangrove restoration methods, CBEMR promotes the restoration of ecological functions such as hydrology and the active participation of communities in creating ideal conditions for mangrove regeneration.
GMW, established by Wetlands International, is a platform that provides remote sensing data and the mangrove monitoring tools needed for conservation. With high-resolution information on topography, soil conditions, and hydrology, it provides universal access to near-real-time information on the location and evolution of mangroves worldwide.
This training, which combined classroom work and a field visit to the Kaloolaal Boulouf Fogny MPA, provided an opportunity for participants, including MPA management committees and other organizations present, to strengthen their capacity in these good conservation and restoration practices. Participants trained in the use of the GMW platform and the CBEMR method are better equipped to prioritize, plan, and monitor their conservation and restoration efforts. This workshop thus opens the prospects for greater synergy in mangrove conservation and restoration efforts in the Casamance landscape and more broadly in Senegal.