10%

Valuing water in practice for the Mesoamerican Reef Ecoregion

GEF-WWF-CCAD Mesoamerican Ridge to Reef project

By IW:LEARN

March 22^nd, 2021

GEF IW:LEARN World Water Day 2021 Special Bulletin

The Central American Commission on Environment and Development (CCAD) is implementing the Integrated Ridge to Reef Management of the Mesoamerican Reef Ecoregion project (MAR2R) in coordination with the ministries of the environment of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico. MAR2R is a Global Environment Facility (GEF) project, with WWF as implementing agency. The project, in coordination with the Alliance for the Water Security of San Pedro Sula (ASHSPS), are supporting the design of a public-private mechanism in Honduras as part of its results that will contribute to the management of the Manchaguala watershed (lower part of the Chameleon watershed). One of the principles underlying the design of the mechanism is the recognition that the water represents an ecosystem service of the forests located in the upper watershed. This valuation makes it feasible to formalize a mechanism to collect, manage and prioritize investments for the protection of forest ecosystems that provide the ecosystem service of water, not only for human activities (agriculture, industry, domestic consumption, etc.), but also for the ecosystems of the watershed and the coastal marine zone, such as the Mesoamerican Reef Ecoregion". In addition, the MAR2R project is executing a demonstration project on good practices for the management of water resources in the Manchaguala watershed.

Pulic-Private Mechanisms for the Comprehensive Management of Water Use in Watersheds (Image credit: GEF-WWF Mesoamerican Ridge to Reef Project)

For more information about the project kindly contact the Project Manager, Mario Escobedo (mescobedo@sica.int). Additional resources can be found on the project page of iwlearn.net.