- Mangroves are key sites for fishing on the southern coast of Guatemala, as they are nurseries for various marine species
- They are carbon sequesters, contributing to mitigate climate change
- Their intricate root systems are a natural barrier to natural disasters
Iztapa, Escuintla (July 24, 2025) - During Mangrove Month, WWF Mesoamerica hosted a media tour to promote the project “Conservation of Coastal Ecosystems for a Sustainable Future on the Pacific Coast of Guatemala,” financed by WWF Switzerland. Significant media coverage was obtained, highlighting the importance of mangrove forests.
Since 1950, Guatemala has lost approximately 50% of the country's mangrove coverage. This loss is mainly a result of changes in land use and illegal logging of mangrove trees. In this context, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in partnership with allies conducted a media tour to explain the importance of conserving the mangrove ecosystem on the southern coast of the country.
Mangroves in Guatemala are found mainly on the Pacific coast, with a smaller presence in Izabal on the Caribbean coast. The Pacific coast is home to 90.73% of the mangroves, distributed in the departments of San Marcos, Retalhuleu, Suchitepéquez, Escuintla, Santa Rosa and Jutiapa.
Mangrove ecosystems are threatened by contamination from solid waste, land use change for housing and commercial construction, as well as the expansion of agriculture and aquaculture or unsustainable development. It is also impacted by river and canal drainage, affecting the flow of freshwater to the mangroves.
Government agencies such as the National Forest Institute (INAB, for its Spanish acronym) and the National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP, for its Spanish acronym) are carrying out actions for the conservation and restoration of mangrove forests. Some of their actions are framed towards promoting the sustainable use of mangrove resources and the participation of local communities in their management. There are also initiatives for mangrove restoration, such as reforestation and recovery of degraded areas.
"The Government, through the National Forest Institute (INAB) has invested 11,693,735 quetzales to conserve 2,580 hectares of mangroves, distributed in 31 projects located on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. In addition, 10 Local Mangrove Committees have been established to promote forest governance and strengthen the capacities of the 42 communities that are part of these committees, in order to conserve and restore their mangroves," said Bruno Arias, Manager of INAB.
Local communities on the south coast depend on mangrove forests for resilience to extreme weather events and as sources of food. However, pollution from domestic and industrial discharges and solid waste, including abandoned fishing nets, and increased impacts from extreme climate events, aggravated by mangrove degradation, are threatening wildlife, human health, and livelihoods in the region.
Support for providing solutions
The project “Conservation of Coastal Ecosystems for a Sustainable Future on the Pacific Coast of Guatemala” implemented by WWF focuses on protection and revitalization of these ecosystem functions. It is especially aimed at the municipalities of Iztapa, San José and Sipacate, Escuintla, which total 877 square kilometers. This region, with mangroves, riparian forests, lagoons and estuaries, is home to diverse species, including 65 species of commercial fish and 150 species of birds. The presence of two species of sea turtles, Lepidochelys olivacea and Chelonia mydas agassizii, further highlights the area's biodiversity.
The initiative addresses sea turtle preservation and crucial challenges such as plastic pollution by implementing solid waste management plans and recycling initiatives in collaboration with municipalities and the Recíclalos initiative. It is implemented in close collaboration with municipal authorities, fishermen, communities, the private sector and lead agencies such as INAB, CONAP and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food (MAGA, for its acronym in Spanish).
Genoveva Martinez, Climate Change Officer for WWF Mesoamerica and in charge of this project, commented, "With this initiative we are addressing wetland protection, community-led coastal conservation, forest landscape restoration and plastic pollution prevention. Emphasis on mangrove protection and restoration and alternative fuelwood sources coincides with Guatemala's goal of restoring 1,500 hectares of mangroves by 2030."
These actions are expected to improve mangrove, beaches and sea turtle habitats by 2030.
END
News articles
These are some of the news articles that resulted from the media tour (Spanish only):
El proyecto que apuesta por revitalizar los bosques de mangle y sus ecosistemas
Reforestación de manglares en Guatemala: una experiencia de conservación ambiental en Iztapa
Conservación de área de manglar en el municipio de Iztapa
Alianza de WWF e INAB impulsa proyecto de conservación de manglares
Importancia de los manglares para el planeta
Guatemala enfrenta una alarmante pérdida de manglares
Les importan los manglares en el canal de Chiquimulilla al sur de Guatemala
