About the Project

Mangrove ecosystems of the greater Caribbean region face growing threats from increasingly frequent tropical cyclones. The resilience of these ecosystems is being tested by the combined effects of cyclones, sea level rise, hydrologic changes, and coastal development. In 2017, Jobos Bay NERR and Rookery Bay NERR sustained severe impacts from Hurricanes Maria and Irma, respectively. Just five years later, both reserves were again impacted by powerful hurricanes (Hurricanes Fiona and Ian). Both reserves realized a need to understand storm impacts and recovery trends in mangrove forests. A team of scientists, managers, and educators from Florida and Puerto Rico came together to address this need through the Mangrove Coast Collaborative project and the Limits to Resilience project. These projects have strengthened partnerships between the two reserves, increased understanding of the factors influencing recovery from hurricanes in Puerto Rico and Florida, and informed management to better maintain resilient mangrove forests.

About the Resource

This management brief is intended to help users integrate the science generated throughout the project into management practices. The brief is organized to provide the reader a synopsis of the methods, results, and participant feedback for each task. It also serves as a guide to the co-production processes used, providing examples of how techniques were used throughout the project and outlining the time and resources invested to achieve success. Finally, the brief is a conduit to widely share feedback from the participants engaged throughout the project and evaluate the impact of engaging advisory committees and reserve staff.

Suggested Citation: Mangrove Coast Collaborative Project Team (2025). Mangrove Coast Collaborative Management Brief. National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) Science Collaborative. 27 pp. https://nerrssciencecollaborative.org/resource/management-brief-mangrove-coast-collaborative.