Quito, date — Ecuador has a major opportunity to accelerate the conservation and restoration of its mangroves, according to the new report “Mobilizing the Mangrove Breakthrough in Ecuador”, developed by the Global Mangrove Alliance and the Mangrove Breakthrough – and benefit significantly from scaling up mangrove action. 

Since 1969, Ecuador has lost nearly 23% of its mangroves (CLIRSEN). Historically, shrimp farming  expansion contributed significantly to mangrove loss, alongside other drivers of land-use change. Today, advances in technology, regulation, and management practices have improved productivity in the shrimp sector, creating opportunities to balance sustainable production with the conservation and restoration of mangroves.

However, an estimated 8,000 hectares remain under pressure from historical and ongoing land-use changes associated with shrimp production, particularly in northern Esmeraldas and the Gulf of Guayaquil. Additional pressures include agriculture, urban expansion around Guayaquil, Machala, and Esmeraldas, pollution, and overfishing. 

Published as the world meets in Armenia for the Convention on Biological Diversity COP17 to accelerate action on nature, the report estimates that 3,392 hectares of former mangrove and adjacent salt flat areas could be suitable for recovery, offering significant opportunities to strengthen resilience. 

Ecuador is home to some of the tallest and most biodiverse mangrove forests in the Americas, spanning  approximately 1,550 km², an area the size of Rome, covering 36% of its Pacific coastline and concentrated in six major estuarine systems. They underpin coastal food security and sustain centuries-old fisheries for crab, shellfish, and finfish. They also protect 3.4 million coastal residents and prevent approximately $250 million in annual flood losses.

A strong foundation to enhance protection and restoration

Ecuador has one of the strongest mangrove legal frameworks in the Americas. Mangroves are protected under the Constitution, the Organic Environmental Code, and multiple decrees that restrict clearing, degradation or land-use change, require restoration, and enable community stewardship. They are also protected under the Ramsar Convention and supported through Ecuador’s National Action Plan for the Conservation of Mangroves and national climate and biodiversity plans. 

Around 46% of Ecuador’s mangrove cover benefits from Protected Areas (MPA’s) and another 75% from Custody and Sustainable Use of Mangrove Agreements (AUSCEMs), which provide legally recognized ancestral and traditional user groups long-term with long-term custodial rights over mangrove areas and support their sustainable use. 

But effective implementation will be critical. Strengthening monitoring and enforcement, local governance capacity and coordination among national and decentralized governments, communities and other stakeholders can help close the gap between Ecuador’s strong legal protections and conditions on the ground.

This is particularly important in areas where local monitoring capacity is limited and where AUSCEM concessionaires and protected-area rangers operate under challenging conditions, including the constraints related to governance and law enforcement. Strengthening community stewardship, surveillance and enforcement is essential to halt remaining mangrove loss.

One of the region’s largest restoration opportunities

Ecuador’s historical mangrove losses also present a significant opportunity for restoration. The report estimates that around 3,392 ha of former mangrove areas could be suitable for recovery, with priority sites already identified and restoration efforts supported by national programs. Restoration efforts should prioritize the recovery of ecological functions and hydrological connectivity in areas where mangroves historically existed. Scaling restoration is particularly promising where communities have secure tenure and management rights.

Unlocking finance for mangroves

Ecuador also has a foundation for financing long-term mangrove conservation. The Forest Conservation Project (Socio Manglar incentive program) provides annual payments to AUSCEM concession holders for conservation and sustainable-use activities. Emerging blue-carbon and climate-finance mechanisms could complement this system and help scale investment. 

The report identifies several immediate opportunities to strengthen financing, including co-financing the Forest Conservation Project, supporting women-led associations, investing in community-driven restoration, expanding AUSCEM coverage and developing partnerships with the aquaculture sector, port operators, environmental funds, and international donors. Continued investment in monitoring, enforcement, and community capacity-building will also be essential for transparent and accountable implementation.

Elba Fiallo, Coordinator, Coastal Marine Strategy, The Nature Conservancy Ecuador: “Ecuador has made significant progress in strengthening mangrove conservation and sustainable management. Combining community-based governance, strong legal frameworks, and strategic partnerships have proven to deliver tangible conservation outcomes. By mobilizing greater resources and reinforcing collaboration among communities, government institutions, the private sector and conservation organizations efforts at a national scale can be further expanded and strengthened.”

About the Report
Mobilizing the Mangrove Breakthrough in Ecuador is part of the Mobilizing the Mangrove Breakthrough in the Americas Regional Report. Coordinated by Wetlands International and Conservation International, it assesses Ecuador’s mangrove ecosystems, enabling policy and institutional conditions, financing landscape and opportunities to accelerate progress towards the Mangrove Breakthrough targets. 

About the Mangrove Breakthrough

The Mangrove Breakthrough is a global movement to value, finance, and safeguard mangroves. The ambition is to mobilize USD 4 billion to protect and restore 15 million hectares of mangroves by 2030, fostering radical collaboration, advancing science-based financial and regulatory decisions, and investing in local leadership.

Media Contact:

Carolina Bustamante, Communicator, The Nature Conservancy Ecuador: [email protected]
Laura Lozano, Conservation International Ecuador: [email protected]