To date, around 25 hectares of degraded mangroves have been reforested as a direct result of the project. The goal is to reforest an additional 20 hectares of mangroves within the next project cycle. Reforestation methods include the establishment of nurseries with the involvement of students, teachers, and community members, and transplanting mangrove plants to more favorable locations. In the long run, the aim of the project is to empower the local community to become self-sufficient.
Despite being a biodiversity hotspot due to its geographical variation, Nicaragua is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The Global Climate Risk Index recently listed the country among the ten most affected nations worldwide. Research indicates that in Nicaragua, the average temperature will rise by 1-2°C between 2020-2050 , posing significant threats to its coastal ecosystems, including mangroves, coral reefs, and salt marshes.
Mangroves are not only natural habitats for fish, plants, and shellfish; they also support the livelihoods of local island communities and serve as a natural buffer to protect the population from extreme weather events. Their dense root systems trap sediments and weaken the energy of waves, minimizing coastal erosion and protecting shorelines from hurricanes and tidal waves. Nevertheless, these “forests of the ocean”, as they are often referred to, are among the world's most at-risk ecological systems and are being destroyed four times faster than terrestrial forestlands.
To counter these negative developments, horizont3000, in collaboration with the Bluefields Indian and Caribbean University (BICU) and the University of the Autonomous Regions of the Nicaraguan Caribbean Coast (URACCAN), has been implementing the “WeADAPTogether” project, co-funded by the Republic of Austria and DKA Austria.
“WeADAPTogether” aims to strengthen the resilience of Nicaragua's coastal indigenous and Afro-Caribbean communities against the disastrous impacts of climate change. By focusing on sustainable management practices and the responsible use of natural resources, the initiative is committed to restoring and protecting vital ecosystems, in particular mangroves and coral reefs, both of which are fundamentally important for the survival of the local population. The project includes measures like reforestation, coral reef and beach restoration, alongside capacity-building activities implemented within the local Afro-descendent and indigenous communities.
“Education and capacity-building to change behavioral patterns is a key element of this project. The idea is to achieve a more responsible, rational, and sustainable use of the natural resources that the local population here depend on”,
Sofia Castillo, Project Officer for Sustainable Livelihoods at the horizont3000 regional office in Managua.
BICU University has therefore launched an academic study programme on good governance for community and ecosystem-based adaptation through the sustainable management of biodiversity and coastal ecosystems for the region’s local authorities.
“The idea behind this initiative is to support the ecosystem, which has suffered a lot of damage recently through hurricanes and climate change, but also because of bad practices around the reef. We are helping the ecosystem, which we all depend on, to survive.”,
Lindolfo Hodgson, marine ecologist from BICU University, one of the key stakeholders in this project.
Following the disastrous impact of Hurricane Julia in October of 2022, the vital role played by mangroves and coral reefs and the need for reforestation to protect the local communities has become even more evident. The hurricane severely affected the communities of Pearl Lagoon, Tasba Pouni, and Corn Island, destroying the livelihoods of a population deeply rooted in agriculture, fishing, tourism, and forestry.
“When the project officially ends, it will be up to the community governments, the territorial and the municipal governments to continue the work. For them, it’s crucial to sustain what we have jointly started. Therefore, it is important to provide them with all the tools and knowledge needed to carry on independently, for the sake of protecting their living space and livelihoods”,
