Rehabilitation of marine habitats and their livelihoods in the province of Samaná for their adaptation to climate change.

The province of Samaná, at the northeastern tip of Hispaniola Island, has an area of 86.8 km2 and a coastline of 214.4 km1. On it lies one of the most significant estuaries in the insular Caribbean and the principal shrimp fisheries of the country.

In this area, coastal communities face a progressive increase in their vulnerability, resulting in losses of productivity and sustainability of coastal and marine natural linked resources and livelihoods. Therefore, a network of local organizations, together with economic sectors, local governments, and the ministries of environment, tourism, and agriculture propose implementing EbA methodologies to increase the resilience of communities and socio-economic systems to the effects of climate change in 36 months.

The project will address tourism, fishery, and agriculture problems derived from climate change-related impacts, increasing the resilience of economic activities through planning, and implementing sustainable practices. This will be done through the implementation of an integrated EbA approach, restoring and rehabilitating degraded coastal and marine ecosystems (mangroves, beaches, and corals) and terrestrial ecosystems (from the mid-watersheds to the coast). AbE methodologies will include coral and mangrove restoration and rehabilitation, ecosystem conservation practices, and agroforestry. All this will provide natural protection against storms and floods, reduce the effects of erosion in coastal areas, which is affecting corals and seagrass, and reduce the vulnerability of people to floods and storm surges. The project will involve communities in the conservation and restoration of marine-coastal ecosystems and watersheds and will connect scientific and local knowledge on climate change, creating enabling conditions for ecosystem-based adaptation practices linked with sustainable livelihoods.