Capacity building and connecting practitioners through the Global Mangrove Alliance

Abstract

Mangrove forests are increasingly recognized as a natural bulwark against the impacts of climate change. They provide an array of ecosystem services, including coastal protection, fishery enhancement and carbon storage. Yet, over one million hectares have been lost since 1990 (FAO, 2020). To reverse this decline, mangrove restoration and conservation are key.

In 2017, five nongovernmental organizations created the Global Mangrove Alliance (GMA; https://www.mangrovealliance.org/), a network focused on promoting, coordinating and scaling mangrove conservation and restoration. In the beginning, the GMA operated through in-kind support, and later philanthropic funds were solicited to grow membership and global recognition. With now over 100 member organizations in more than 30 countries and 11 National Chapters (Figure 1), the GMA has become pivotal for successful mangrove conservation and restoration at a global scale. The Alliance established three science-based targets to achieve by 2030: (1) halt loss (reduce mangrove losses driven by anthropogenic actions), (2) restore half (restoration initiated in half of the restorable mangrove areas that have been lost since 1996) and (3) double protection (increase from 42% to 80% of remaining mangroves under formal protection).

Through capacity-building efforts, the GMA promotes best practices, addresses information gaps, avoids repeating past mistakes and streamlines efforts to safeguard mangroves. This work culminates in the leadership of our National Chapters, where GMA members and local actors use the network and tools provided by the GMA, combined with local expertise and knowledge, to catalyze action on the ground, resulting in improved management, conservation and restoration of mangroves.

Citation

Veverka, L., Christ, B., Pickard, H., Forinash, E., Roddom, E., Astra, A., ... & Leal, M. (2025). Capacity Building and Connecting Practitioners Through the Global Mangrove Alliance. Oceanography. https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2025.114