Photo: Profonanpe
He Northwest Peru Mangroves Consortium (CONMANOPE), with the leadership of The Regional Government of Tumbes continues to advance with the project “Creation of the Regional Conservation Area (ACR) Mangroves of Los Tumpis”. As part of this effort, systematic monitoring of birds and vegetation cover is being carried out, along with blue carbon studies, which provide fundamental data for the effective and sustainable management of the mangrove ecosystem. These advances are essential for consolidating a conservation area that benefits both the environment and local communities.
Bird and Vegetation Cover Monitoring
Since January 2024, the project has carried out extensive monitoring the relative abundance of key birds of the ecosystem, identifying 13 species prioritized according to the monitoring protocol. Among the species observed are the Buteogallus subtilis (mangrove hawk) which has been prioritized by Conserva Aves, since it is categorized as threatened by the IUCN and also has the prioritization of the National Sanctuary of the Mangroves of Tumbes; Eudocimus albus (ibis) which has a high presence in the La Culebra Estuary and El Venado beach, being a species that fulfills an essential function in the nutrient dynamics of the mangrove and is one of the most abundant birds in the monitoring area; and the Setophaga petechia, a migratory and resident bird that is an indicator of the health of mangrove forests, contributing to the conservation of biodiversity in the area.
In addition, a monitoring of the vegetation cover of the mangrove ecosystem whose objective is determine and quantify the compositionand structure of the flora. This process includes the ecosystem zoning depending on the types of forest (mangrove and dry forest) and the use of satellite images and vegetation cover maps at a scale of 1/10,000 to design sampling strategies. Also, they have been established plots of permanent sampling, where a flora inventory, collecting and identifying key species and assessing their diversity and structure.
Furthermore, the calculation is being made Importance Value Index (IVI) to determine the frequency, density, and abundance of tree and shrub species in these plots. This diagnosis will allow identify the conservation objects and the indicator species of environmental changes or pollution, facilitating planning for the creation of the ACR and its sustainable management.
Photo: Profonanpe
Blue Carbon: A Strategy for Climate Change Mitigation
The project also addresses the estimation of blue carbon, A crucial aspect of climate change mitigation. It is being carried out studies to determine accumulated blue carbon in the mangroves of Tumbes, which will provide data on the capacity of this ecosystem to act as a carbon sink. This analysis is essential for strengthen climate change mitigation efforts both locally and globally, as well as a mechanism for the financial sustainability of the ACR proposal.
Photo: Profonanpe
Significant Progress
Through funding from Conserva Aves, this project has made substantial progress by joint work with local communities. Associations of artisanal fishers and harvesters play a key role in the ecosystem governance and sustainability, actively participating in the monitoring of the relative abundance of priority bird species and in the control of vegetation cover. These activities allow orTo obtain data that guides the protection of threatened species and the structure of the mangrove ecosystem. Furthermore, the blue carbon study The mangroves of Tumbes are generating valuable information about the capacity of these ecosystems to capture and store carbon, contributing to climate change mitigation efforts. This information not only highlights the environmental value of the area, but also It reinforces the proposal for financial sustainability and the long-term conservation projection.
As next steps, Monitoring of flora and fauna will continue in the mangroves of Tumbes with the objective of consolidate a comprehensive database that allows for detailed planning. With all the information gathered, it is hoped that the consolidation of the Conservation Area will be achieved, ensuring the preservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services for the well-being of local communities.
About Preserving Birds
Conserva Aves is protection of living territories. This is an innovative, bold, and visionary initiative for effective nature conservation. Thanks to its Its versatile and dynamic essence adapts to each territory to guarantee the creation and sustainable management of subnational protected areas. that allow to safeguard threatened endemic and migratory birds, and their habitats throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
Conserva Aves is a inclusive strategy for conservation and combating climate change, for the benefit of birds, biodiversity and present and future generations. In Peru This mission is the Fund for the Promotion of Protected Natural Areas of Peru (Profonanpe), an entity specializing in the raising and management of financial resources for the execution of programs and projects for the conservation of biodiversity, and ECOAN, a non-profit NGO dedicated to the conservation of endangered species and threatened Andean ecosystems.
Join us
José Otivo Barreto
Responsible for the Conserva Aves project at CONMANOPE
[email protected]
