Marine Protected Areas, Ecosystem-based Adaptation: Building a Resilient Network of Partnerships

Ruth Blyther Director, Eastern Caribbean Program Anne Marie Hoffman Coastal Conservation Project Manager, USVI Program The Nature Conservancy

People at Risk & Reefs at Risk

Global analysis

Reefs at Risk Low Medium High Very High World Risk Index Very Low Low Medium High Very High # of People Living Below 10m and in Reef Zone

What cost?

Caribbean Challenge Initiative Caribbean Political and Business Leaders

4/26/2020 4

Building an integrated view of climate and disaster risks

Ecological Vulnerability Marjo Aho Total Vulnerability Socio-Economic Vulnerability

Integrated vulnerability

Exposure Sensitivity Potential Impact Adaptive Capacity Nature’s Services Vulnerability

Increase Adaptive capacity Reduce Sensitivity

Socio Economically Vulnerable Communities

Critical Infrastructure & Facilities Sensitivity Index

- Fire stations - Roads - Emergency Shelters

Social Sensitivity Index

- Age - Access to radio/internet

Adaptive Capacity Index

- Education - Health care - Income

MIKE 21 Flexible Mesh used for Storm Surge Modeling

Mangrove Vulnerability Framework

1. Where could mangroves potentially move?

2. Which mangroves are most/least vulnerable to SLR?

Mangrove Vulnerability Adaptive Capacity Exposure Sensitivity

Elevation relative to SLR Migration Index Size Shape Openness Habitat type Slope Elevation Adjacent land use Hydrologic connectivity Species richness Watershed characterization Basin size Basin land use

Mangrove Vulnerability Index

= Migration index * 2 + Shape + Size + Openness + SLR Exposure + Habitat type + Species Richness + Watershed index

LOWER HIGHER

Facilitating an understanding of climate and disaster risk

Photos by J Castano

Developing integrated adaptation and disaster risk reduction plans

+ Participatory mapping Science Community surveys ACTION PLAN

PILOT SITE WORK Grenville Area, Grenada

PILOT SITE WORK Grenville Area, Grenada

• • • • • • • • Opportunities Ideal situation to study wave attenuation, reduce flooding impacts and inform reef engineering solutions Opportunity to work on both reef and mangrove solutions Some interest from large fishing community and community involvement on implementing action plans Strong partner collaboration: GFC, Red Cross, fishers Government is already working with us via Physical Planning and Fisheries who are doing excellent work Opportunities for further funding from Caribbean Development Bank Short term goals: Building on VCA and P3DM, mangrove planting at telescope Long term goals: Mangrove island, fishers village/livelihood actions

All Connected in a Global Decision Support System WWW.CoastalResilience.Org