The NOAA Blue Carbon Inventory (BCI) Project facilitated a three-day workshop in Palau in support of mangrove management. The NOAA BCI Project is a Department of State-funded multi-agency initiative to support partner countries’ efforts to include coastal wetlands in their greenhouse gas accounting and enhance the management of these critical ecosystems. The Climate Program Office’s Adaptation Sciences (AdSci) Program leads the NOAA BCI Project in partnership with NOAA’s Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Center. The recent workshop was part of an ongoing partnership between NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and National Ocean Service focused on building climate resilience and adaptation in islands throughout the Pacific, Caribbean and Indian Oceans in support of the President’s Emergency Plan on Adaptation and Resilience (PREPARE).
The International MPA Capacity Building Team (IMPACT) led the workshop. Participants included technical experts from the Palau Protected Area Network (PAN), the Palau International Coral Reef Center (PICRC), The Nature Conservancy, OneReef, Palau National Museum, Conservation International, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Environment (MAFE), and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The first two days focused on outlining a plan for monitoring mangrove areas within marine protected areas and conservation areas throughout Palau, as well as adjacent non protected areas. The participants noted that the key threats to mangroves are development and plastic pollution/marine debris. They developed a list of indicators that aligned with Palau’s national environmental monitoring indicators. The final day focused on education and engagement with communities and decision makers. The team outlined a strategy for the students and decision makers that included activities, implementation timeline, and budget needs.
Learn more about the NOAA BCI Project »
For more information, contact Lisa Vaughan.
