Remote sensing-based mangrove management in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries

Brief

Ecoresolve aims to establish a baseline for monitoring mangrove forest ecosystems in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. These critical ecosystems have become increasingly threatened by natural and anthropogenic factors over the past 30 years. The importance of mangrove ecosystems concerning climate change mitigation is prominent, as they sequester carbon more efficiently than other forest land covers and are considered crucial long-term carbon sinks. They also contribute to water purification through filtration and retention of pollutants, nutrient cycling in coastal ecosystems, provision of food (e.g., shellfish, honey, seeds), firewood and timber, erosion control, coastal protection, and provision of habitats for fisheries in the regions above with conditions that make it difficult for other ecosystem types to thrive.

Specific goals

Ecoresolve established a baseline for using remote sensing technologies for mangrove cover classification and data acquisition for environmental modellings, such as predictive models for climate change response and suitability analysis for natural regeneration and planting sites.

Execution

Ecoresolve conducted a comprehensive analysis of published remote sensing studies from 2010 to 2020 in the GCC region to assess the status of mangrove ecosystems, the importance of mangrove forests, natural and anthropogenic threats, mangrove forest parameters and indices measured using various remote sensing data sources, UAV-based rules and regulations, and conservation and restoration initiative/plans implemented by local governments, organizations, and local communities in the GCC countries.

Impact & Results

Ecoresolve designed a detailed mapping of mangrove forest areas in the GCC, which was analyzed to support the improvement of sustainable forest management by allowing monitoring and evaluation of existing practices and initiatives, providing a baseline for future comparisons.

Based on the results, Ecoresolve emphasizes that mangrove benefits such as carbon sequestration and storage, species habitats, water purification, sediment, and erosion control are undermined by the increasing threats of coastal land reclamation and pollution driven by urban development and sea level rise, drought, and salinity extremes caused by climate change.