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United Nations University,
International Network on Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH)

175 Longwood Road South, Suite 204, Hamilton Ontario L8P 0A1 CANADA

Phone: 1-905-667-5511
Fax: 1-905-667-5510
Email: contact@inweh.unu.edu

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Coral Reef Research and Capacity Building

 

 

Connectivity Science &

Coastal Reef Management in the Caribbean

 

Best Western Belize Biltmore Plaza, Belize City
9-11th November 2009

 

 

This workshop will be the final event of Phase One of the CRTR project. It will be a final opportunity to relay new research findings and exchange ideas on marine environmental management with managers from the Mesoamerican region. The objective will be to demonstrate the need for effective integration of connectivity science into coastal management, and develop mechanisms to achieve this.


 

Project Description

 
This is a global project that focuses on understanding coral reef ecology, existing threats, and ways to improve the situation worldwide. It also emphasizes capacity development to facilitate research and monitoring by experts in developing countries. The first US$14 million, five-year phase of this World Bank-GEF-University of Queensland project commenced in December 2004. UNU-INWEH executes one of the six research components – that concerning Connectivity and Large-scale Ecological Processes. Connectivity among local populations of coastal marine organisms, chiefly via dispersal of pelagic larval stages, is of major importance for any form of spatially explicit management - such as use of Marine Protected Areas. In general, the extent of connectivity is very poorly known for many marine organisms in coral reefs. The UNU-INWEH program features demonstration projects, and capacity-building workshops and advanced training of students to develop tools, measure connectivity for selected species at specific sites, and extend local knowledge of the importance of connectivity in management and  planning. The core budget is set at US$1.6 million for the 2004-2009 project.Research and training is being undertaken in the western Caribbean, along with initiatives in the northern Philippines and in Palau. The preliminary design and feasibility study for this project component were completed in June 2004.

 

Fellowships in the Connectivity Project
The Connectivity Project supports five students from the Caribbean region through fellowships, each focusing on specific research subjects.
Workshops and Training

The Connectivity Project features capacity building activities through a series of annual training workshops for working group staff, symposia within key international technical conferences and regional information workshops for senior management agency and NGO personnel.

 

Partners in the Connectivity Project

 

 

Monitoring Data 2005-2008

 

 

Further Information about the Connectivity Working Group and its activities can be obtained from:

 

Dr. Peter Sale
Assistant Director, Coastal Zone Ecosystem, UNU-INWEH
Chair, Connectivity Working Group


Connectivity Working Group Brochure (pdf 130KB)

Connectivity Working Group Fact Sheet (pdf 187KB)

Coastal Development and Habitat Connectivity Brochure_EN (pdf 865 KB)

Coastal Development and Habitat Connectivity Brochure_SP (pdf 856KB)



Last Updated: 30 April 2009