MangrovES
Mangrove Governance Innovation for Sustainable Ecosystem Service Provision
Mangrove forests are among the most productive and valuable ecosystems in the world. They provide essential ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, biodiversity support, wood and food provision, and coastal protection.
Despite covering only 0.7% of the world’s tropical forest area, mangrove forests provide critical ecosystem services to over 120 million people globally. These unique coastal ecosystems act as natural barriers against storm surges and flooding, support biodiversity, and store up to five times more carbon per hectare than most tropical forests. This ecosystem is increasingly facing environmental challenges such as deforestation, climate change, habitat degradation, urban development and complex governance issues that vary significantly from region to region.
To ensure the continued provision of the ecosystem services of mangrove forests, the MangrovES project was created as a pioneering study focused on developing innovative governance approaches for mangrove forest management.
The project is led by Professor Daniela Kleinschmit and Stefan Sorge at the University of Freiburg, in collaboration with the Corporation Center of Excellence in Marine Sciences and the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT)
Research Objectives
The project has four specific objectives and related work packages, which it pursues through the development of a governance framework
Consolidating information on mangrove ecosystem services governanace
Synthesising global and national data on governance structures, management practices, formal and informal institutions, and the influences of different levels on sustainable mangrove management.
Identifying success factors for innovative governance approaches
Analysing existing innovations in Colombia to develop a generalisable blueprint that can be adapted to different mangrove forest conditions, focusing on both commonalities and context-specific characteristics.
Scaling governance innovations for ecosystem services provision
Scaling governance innovations across three Colombian coastal regions, while exploring their potential for adaptation and transfer to other regions worldwide through research collaborations.
Strengthening knowledge exchange and implementation
Enhancing knowledge transfer among stakeholders; disseminating successful governance innovations to policymakers and communities; and establishing lasting networks for sustainable mangrove management.
Methodology and Framework
The research employs the social-Ecological-Technical-Forestry-Innovation-Systems (SETFIS) analytical framework, which builds upon Elinor Ostrom’s Socio-Ecological Systems Framework. This comprehensive approach integrates multiple disciplines including social and political science, economics, forestry, ecology, and transition science within a multilevel governance environment.
Outreach
Community level
Promoting the sustainable management of local resources to ensure that communities can maintain and benefit from their natural assets over the long term.
Regional Level
Collaborating with Regional Autonomous Corporations and other environmental institutions to strengthen governance capacities and support the scaling of sustainable management approaches.
Private sectors
Supporting sustainable value chains and innovative market opportunities based on mangrove ecosystem services, while empowering local enterprises through environmentally responsible and diversified economic activities.
Political decision-maker and civil society
Assisting political processes informing supportive structures and instruments aligned with global sustainability objectives while addressing local needs and challenges.