Enhancing Community-Led Restoration in the Gulf of Guayaquil

Global Mangrove Alliance

WWF

Fondagua

Gobierno del Ecuador

Conservación International Ecuador

The Nature Conservancy Ecuador

Presentations on mangrove restoration activities from participants in government, academia, and NGOs

Practical site assessment training at three field sites

Dedicated training sessions on social research and community/stakeholder engagement

What we did

The Global Mangrove Alliance’s Ecuador National Chapter (GMA-Ecuador) works to engage environmental authorities, local NGOs, academia, decentralised autonomous governments, and leaders of organisations with agreements for the sustainable use and custodianship of mangroves (AUSCEMs). In partnership with Mangrove Action Project, GMA-Ecuador organized a comprehensive training workshop on Community-Based Ecological Mangrove Restoration (CBEMR).

Over six days, 39 participants took part in a mix of theoretical and practical training that brought mangrove ecology to life and reinforced CBEMR principles. Sessions covered key topics such as mangrove ecology, setting restoration objectives, site mapping and planning, and the role of social factors in successful restoration efforts.

The workshop also featured presentations on the state of Ecuador’s mangroves, insights from existing restoration projects, and findings from a study by The Nature Conservancy identifying priority areas for mangrove restoration in the Gulf of Guayaquil. A dedicated session on community and stakeholder engagement allowed attendees to share experiences and lessons learned in collaboration, conflict resolution, and benefit sharing.

Field trips to various sites provided hands-on experience in observing features of both healthy and degraded mangroves. Working in teams, participants collected environmental data, mapped sites, analysed biophysical and social conditions, and developed site-specific restoration plans.

By equipping participants with practical skills, ecological knowledge, and strategies for community engagement, the workshop empowers them to apply CBEMR principles to their own sites, contributing to more effective and sustainable mangrove restoration efforts across Ecuador.