Ecosystem restoration to build Caribbean resilience to climate change

Ecosystem restoration has been identified as a critical need in the Caribbean to secure valuable ecosystem goods and services and to address threats such as deforestation. Additionally, healthy ecosystems are increasingly recognised as essential for combating climate change and enhancing both climate and disaster resilience. Acknowledging the critical role of civil society and local communities as environmental stewards, the project aimed to empower them to lead the implementation of ecosystem-based solutions and contribute to sustainable and locally driven restoration efforts.

About the Project

From November 2021 to May 2023, the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) implemented the “Ecosystem Restoration to Build Caribbean Resilience to Climate Change” project. This initiative aimed to enhance climate and disaster resilience in six high-risk communities across Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Grenada through mangrove restoration, upland forest rehabilitation, and post-disaster landscape recovery.

The project built on ecosystem restoration activities initiated under the Inter-American Foundation-funded “CSOs for Disaster Resilience (Phase 1)” project (2019-2022), which had strengthened the capacity of six lead civil society organisations (CSOs) in these countries to deliver integrated community-based and ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction (CBDRR/Eco-DRR) solutions via training, technical support, and a sub-award program.

The NICaR project built on this foundation to provide additional technical support and micro-grants to the CSOs, further contributing to their capacity building and enabling them to expand and scale up restoration efforts in the six target communities. The project also developed practical knowledge products to support ongoing and future ecosystem restoration work across the Caribbean.

How has this project benefitted the Caribbean region?

• By empowering Local CSOs: Built capacity for local leadership in ecosystem restoration and resilience, including capacity to plan, implement, and monitor restoration initiatives for strengthened resilience to climate change.

• By boosting Climate and Disaster Resilience: Supported scaling/expansion of ecosystem restoration initiatives to help reduce climate and disaster risks in vulnerable communities.

• By promoting Nature-based Solutions: Developed and shared knowledge products on ecosystem restoration including recommendations, lessons and best practices relevant in the Caribbean context.

What activities did we undertake to achieve this?

• Technical assessment of restoration projects initiated under the CSOs for Disaster Resilience project to identify follow on actions and to enhance or strengthen ecosystem restoration activities.

• Implementation of a micro-grant facility with technical coaching and sub-awards provided to CSOs to expand or enhance restoration work initiated under the earlier project.

• Provided technical support to CSOs during their restoration projects, including expert advice, technical coaching on restoration practices, tailored recommendations for addressing challenges, and six virtual knowledge-sharing webinars.

• Documentation and sharing of best practices/guidelines for restoration in the Caribbean. A knowledge product showcasing over 50 restoration initiatives led by civil society and communities in the Caribbean was produced to guide future restoration efforts across the region .

What did we achieve?

• Successful completion of six sub-grants, valued at US$37,800, across communities in Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Grenada, supporting restoration efforts in hillside, riverine, mangrove, and coastal areas.

• Enhanced CSO knowledge, networks and capacities for ecosystem restoration via participation in technical coaching and knowledge sharing and exchange activities under the project.

• Development and dissemination of a technical knowledge product in the form of a GIS Storymap, showcasing over 50 CSO/community-led restoration initiatives across the region, and highlighting best practices, lessons learned, and recommendations to guide future restoration efforts.

• Overall, the project strengthened the capacity of key Caribbean CSO partners to plan, implement, and monitor restoration initiatives, improving resilience to climate change.

Project-related publications

GIS Storymap: From the Ground Up

Project news and information

Presentation: Ecosystem restoration to build Caribbean resilience to climate change, September 2023

More information about this project

• Download the project brief
• Contact Candice Ramkissoon, Senior Technical Officer, at candice@canari.org

Related projects and programmes

CSOs for Disaster Resilience