São Paulo – The Abu Dhabi Agency has launched an initiative to monitor and preserve mangroves in the Gulf region. In collaboration with the Mangrove Specialist Group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Abu Dhabi Environment Agency (EAD) has developed a kit with practical, science-based methods to carry out the work.
Formally called the Mangrove Ecosystem Monitoring Toolkit for the Arabian Gulf Region, it is a set of guides and guidelines developed for working with mangroves in environments across the countries that comprise the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), namely the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman.
The kit combines advanced approaches, such as environmental DNA (eDNA), with simple and accessible methods that can be used by professionals, government entities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and others, the UAE’s WAM news agency reported on Monday (23).
By standardizing methodologies and providing clear guidance, the kit enables more accurate assessments of ecosystem health, equipping decision-makers and environmentalists with the knowledge needed to plan, adapt, and expand mangrove conservation efforts effectively.
The Director of the Marine Biodiversity Division at EAD, Maitha Mohamed Al Hameli, said the toolkit is a gamechanger for the region. “For too long, success was measured by the number of mangrove seedlings planted. Now, we have a science-based, practical guide that ensures those seedlings and ecosystems are effectively monitored, protected and restored,” she said.
The toolkit was developed under the Abu Dhabi Mangroves Initiative (ADMI), with partners including UAE’s ADNOC, the British Embassy in the UAE, and ZSL. It is the result of a collaboration that brought together EAD, members of the IUCN Mangrove Specialist Group, and renowned scientists, including Norman Duke, a global authority on mangroves, and Stefano Cannicci and Sara Fratini from the University of Florence.
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Abu Dhabi has mangrove conservation project
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
