Mesoamerican Reef Conservation
Supporting marine and coastal protected areas in Central America
The Project
The objective of the Mesoamerican Reef Conservation project is to contribute to the consolidation of marine and coastal protected areas, the protection of biological diversity, and the sustainable use of their resources, in addition to promoting the economic well-being and improving the quality of life of the resident populations of the reef system shared by Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras.
Context
The lines of work that guide the actions of the Mesoamerican Reef Conservation project are:
- Consolidation of marine protected areas (MPAs) to ensure the use of marine resources in the medium term.
- Promoting the economic well-being and improving the quality of life of local populations.
The Mesoamerican Reef Conservation project is focused on the reef shared by Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras.
Achievements
Since 2015, 38 projects have been approved that have strengthened local MPA communities in monitoring, coral restoration, good practices in tourism, solid and liquid waste management, climate change, and participatory MPA management, among others.
As part of the MAR Fund Small Grants Program, during the first half of 2024, the Akumal Ecological Center continued its coral restoration efforts in the Akumal Bay Refuge Area for the Protection of Aquatic Species (ARPEA, acronym in Spanish), as well) by as strengthening the capacities of local stakeholders in coral restoration techniques.
Allies
Donors:
- Fonds Français pour l'Environnement Mondial
- KfW Development Bank
- The Summit Foundation
Partners:
- National Commission of Natural Protected Areas
- Mesoamerican Reef Fund