Enhancing the sustainable management of mangrove forests: The case of Punta Galeta, Panama

Abstract

Mangrove forests fulfill essential socio-ecological roles, such as providing timber and other forest products, protecting coasts against erosion and rising sea levels, supporting healthy fisheries, and fostering biodiversity. Sustainable mangrove management (SMM) aims to address mangrove degradation and reverse trends of mangrove loss while empowering local stakeholders to participate in governance processes. This paper contributes to SMM scholarship through a case study of Punta Galeta, a protected mangrove forest located in the Colón District in Panama, near the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. Our primary objective was to understand the challenges and opportunities associated with SMM in Punta Galeta and to identify insights of relevance to Panama and Latin America. We identified several successful SMM strategies, such as local awareness-raising on the socio-ecological benefits of mangrove forests and corporate sponsorship of mangrove restoration. However, several facets of SMM remained challenging, such as implementing and enforcing management plans and fostering regular communication and collaboration between all stakeholders. Findings suggest that local-level SMM requires a greater focus on strategies to enhance communication, collaboration, and trusting relationships between diverse stakeholders, as well as a more cohesive vision for the sectoral uses of coastlines. Further experimentation with different forms of social organization in support of local sustainable mangrove forest conservation and management are needed.