The Mangroves of Ecuador Project contributes to the still unexplored knowledge of this ecosystem, from the species that make it up at the taxonomic level through molecular biology and local names, information on herbarium vouchers, the genomics of its microbiota, the tree structure, its distribution, biodiversity, traditional and ancestral use, the evaluation of the mangrove borer insect, to develop methods of restoration of vegetation cover and levels of carbon sequestration. This study is contributing to the implementation of integrated sustainable management strategies between mangrove custodian communities and academia.
This project won the recognition of the United Nations Global Compact Ecuador Network in the II Edition of the ODS Recognition of Good Practices in Sustainable Development, an initiative that aims to highlight and celebrate these practices of excellence and thus contribute to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.
Important figures
- About 1.6 billion people depend on forests for their livelihoods.
- Forests are home to more than 80% of all terrestrial species of animals, plants and insects.
- Worldwide, 2.6 billion people depend directly on agriculture for their livelihoods.
- 33%: Nature-based climate solutions can contribute to about one-third of the CO2 reductions needed by 2030.
- The value of ecosystems to people's livelihoods and well-being is US$ 125 billion per year.
- Mountain regions provide 60% - 80% of the Earth's freshwater.
Actions during the Covid 19 pandemic: “Every Drop Counts” campaign. This campaign was recognized as one of the 50 most inspiring stories of solidarity in the annual UN Sustainable Development Goals Action Awards. It started as a project of the Sustainable Development class at Espiritu Santo University (UEES), where students had to choose one of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals and targets.
The first action was born in the sustainable development class, during the class period from January to April 2020. In this class the experience of the research projects is taught; in this case Mangroves of Ecuador.
As an integral part of the training, students develop a project to contribute to one of the SDGs of their choice: three teams chose SDG 2 Zero Hunger, which consisted of a campaign to collect food.
We coordinated and delivered the food kits that they made on March 6, 2021 to the Masa 1 and Masa 2 crab communities located in the Gulf of Guayaquil, since they were in the month of the red crab ban and it is critical for them.
For this reason, on March 16, when the quarantine began because of the pandemic, the ban ended, so they had a month without working, their request for help in a publication on my Facebook had immediate response from several institutions Conservation International Ecuador were the first, then the unconditional support of Daniela Hill with his Foundation Amiguitos del Oceano was key to the receipt of contributions and management of delivery to the communities, State and international institutions joined the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Aquaculture and Fisheries, Municipality of Guayaquil and FAO. Donations were received from the United States, England and Germany, helping 891 heads of families in the province of Guayas and 546 families from 12 associations in El Oro. Below are some of the links where the news was disseminated.
UN recognizes UEES students for solidarity project.
“Every Drop Counts” is the campaign that is among the 50 most inspiring stories of solidarity within the annual Sustainable Development Goals Action Awards of the #ONU.1TP5ProudlyUEES pic.twitter.com/Haeg6WUVh4
- Holy Spirit University (@uees_ec) July 24, 2020
