Building Capacity for Mangrove Health Monitoring in Belize

The University of Belize Environmental Research Institute (UB-ERI), in collaboration with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC), recently completed a week of fieldwork and training aimed at strengthening mangrove health monitoring in Belize.

Led by Dr. Suvarna Punalekar, Postdoctoral Research Scientist at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, the visit combined field assessments with technical training to develop new remote sensing approaches for understanding the condition of mangrove forests. The activities form part of a collaborative pilot project that combines long-term satellite observations with rapid field assessments to provide a more complete picture of mangrove health.

As part of the visit, the UB-ERI team was joined by Dr. Punalekar at Bourdon Canal, to carry out rapid mangrove health assessments. The surveys recorded indicators such as canopy condition, tree height, aerial root density and leaf condition, alongside observations of surrounding environmental pressures. These field measurements will be linked with more than 35 years of satellite-derived maps to help identify where mangroves are healthy, recovering or under stress, and, importantly, the factors driving those changes.

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The visit concluded with a workshop hosted at the University of Belize, where participants explored how field observations and remote sensing can be integrated to improve mangrove monitoring and management. The training introduced participants to the use of satellite imagery alongside rapid field assessment methods, demonstrating how combining these complementary approaches provides a more comprehensive understanding of mangrove ecosystems than either method alone.

The workshop also strengthened technical capacity by introducing participants to approaches for interpreting long-term satellite data, designing field surveys and integrating multiple sources of information to support restoration planning and conservation decision-making. Building local expertise in these methods is an important step towards developing practical, evidence-based tools for monitoring one of Belize's most valuable coastal ecosystems.

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📷: Ian Guerra

By strengthening collaboration between international researchers and Belizean scientists, the project is helping build the knowledge, tools and local capacity needed to support the long-term conservation and restoration of Belize's mangrove ecosystems.