Global Mangrove Watch
Thriving mangroves play a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity, building resilient coastal communities and supporting effective climate action. The Global Mangrove Watch (GMW) platform is an online tool that enables universal access to the most recent information on mangrove extent and loss across the world. The Global Mangrove Watch Online Course enables managers and practitioners to confidently navigate the Global Mangrove Watch platform and learn how to utilize its data and tools in support of mangrove conservation and restoration efforts. Collectively, these lessons provide a comprehensive overview of how remote sensing is used to map mangroves, how the GMW platform can be used to access and interpret mangrove data, and generate reports. Course participants will also learn about the capacity of mangroves to store carbon, and the role mangroves can play in climate mitigation and policy globally.
The lessons were developed by Aberystwyth University, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Mangrove Action Project, Reef Resilience Network, The Nature Conservancy, University of Cambridge, and Wetlands International.
Introduction to Global Mangrove Watch – gives an overview of the Global Mangrove Watch (GMW) platform and its data. It provides examples of applications for management and policy at different spatial scales. The lesson was developed with the aim of providing policymakers and natural resource managers with an understanding of how the GMW platform supports conservation. (1 hour)
Remote Sensing of Mangroves – gives an introduction to the remote sensing approach to mapping mangroves, a review of the existing layers, the methodology to develop them, and hands-on exercises to become familiar with them. The content was developed with the aim of providing the basic concepts of remote sensing and giving users the background to understand the applications and limitations of each layer. (1 hour)
Mangrove Blue Carbon – gives an overview of mangrove blue carbon and its use in international climate change policies. It was developed with the aim of providing enough background to navigate blue carbon conversations as well as provide access to the relevant data through the GMW platform. (1 hour)