Increasing success and effectiveness of mangrove conservation investments : a guide for project developers, donors and investors

Mangroves are among the most important ecosystems on the planet. They provide nursery grounds for a wide variety of marine and landbased species, sustain livelihoods of coastal populations, and protection from ocean swell and extreme weather events. However, mangroves are being cleared, degraded, or lost at a rapid pace. This report is targeted at project developers, donors and investors. It aims to serve as a guide to improve the long-term environmental, social and economic returns from mangrove conservation investments by highlighting the opportunities as well as risks of such endeavours. The report provides a set of recommendations and lessons learned, derived from a literature search, interviews and case studies from Viet Nam, Kenya and Madagascar.