Reef Resilience Summary Report

Table of Contents Toolkit Review & Updates ...... 2 Case Studies ...... 2 Article Summaries ...... 3 Newsletter ...... 8 Webinars ...... 37 Network Forum ...... 38 Online Course ...... 39 Learning Exchanges & Workshops ...... 40

This report was supported by The Nature Conservancy under cooperative agreement award #NA13NOS4820145 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Coral Reef Conservation Program, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of NOAA, the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, or the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Introduction

The Reef Resilience Network—bringing together managers from around the world to share ideas, experiences, and expertise—strengthens members’ ability to effectively manage coral reefs threatened by warming seas, bleaching, pollution, and overfishing. To achieve this, we:  Synthesize and share the latest science and management strategies to keep busy managers inspired and in-the-know  Connect managers and experts to share resources and lessons learned that inform and improve management decisions and inspire greater collaborations  Provide training and seed funding to launch necessary education, monitoring, and threat abatement projects

This report summarizes the activities of the Network during a 2-year partnership (2013-2015) between The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program.

Toolkit Review & Updates

To make sure busy resource managers have access to the latest coral reef and reef fishery science and management strategies—and are challenged and inspired by new ideas—the Reef Resilience Online Toolkit puts relevant, reliable information at their fingertips. Created and updated by global experts in coral reefs, fisheries, and climate change, the toolkit features:  Synthesized information on science and management tools and techniques  Easily searchable summaries of journal articles about reef resilience science  Case studies highlighting successful management strategies

After the successful launch of the revised toolkit in Dec. 2013, we worked to solicit feedback and modify the site as needed to better meet the needs of managers. We determined that there was a need to expand and update the Monitoring and Assessment section, with a focus on the pages on resilience assessments and analysis of resilience data; and adding pages on Selecting Indicators and Analyzing Relative Resilience. Jeff Maynard was contracted to further develop this section and the new content was added. In Year 2, we reviewed and updated the remaining Toolkit sections: Reefs & Resilience, Stressors, Management Strategies, Resilient MPA Design, and Communication. The Toolkit continues to receive a high number of hits with an average of 13,724 unique visitors per month. We also distributed the toolkit content through local partners and TNC field offices as requested.

Case Studies

The Reef Resilience Toolkit features case studies highlighting successful management strategies from 30 countries and territories around the world. Over the two years, 20 new case studies were added to the Toolkit. Each case study is tagged by key topic and location to make it easily searchable. These case studies were written using a new template to better highlight specific strategies for managers that can be replicated between sites. The new case studies are:  Social Marketing Campaign Engages Madagascar Fishing Villages in Sustainable Fishing Practices, Andavadoaka Coast, Madagascar  Protecting Reef Grazers to Enable Coral Reef Recovery: An Innovative Coral Reef Management Approach in Belize

 Boosting Marine Conservation Efforts Through Family Planning, Andavadoaka, Madagascar  Farmers of the Sea – Sea Cucumber Farming as an Alternative to Fishing in Madagascar  Pro-active Approach by the Bonaire National Marine Park to Combat the Invasion of the Indo-Pacific Lionfish  Partnering to Manage Lionfish in the Bay Islands, Honduras  Assessing the Relative Resilience of the Coral Reefs of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands  Field-based Assessments of Coral Reef Resilience to Climate Change in Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands  The Establishment of Man of Shoals Marine Park in Sint Maarten, Caribbean  Managing Communication to Mitigate Potential Damage of Coral Reef Bleaching in the Tioman Islands, Malaysia  Monitoring Coral Reef Communities in Hawai‘i’s First Herbivore Protection Area  Detection of a Coral Disease Outbreak in Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi and Lessons for the Future  A Well-Developed Community-Based Marine Protected Area Proves Resilient to a Crown-of-Thorns Sea Star Outbreak, Micronesia  Patrolling Paradise: The Evolution of Enforcement in the Galapagos  Reforming Palau’s Data-Poor Reef Fisheries through Community-Based Approaches  Shared Benefits of Protecting Fish Spawning Aggregations Leads to Cooperative Management, Papua New Guinea  Reef Responsible Sustainable Seafood Initiative – A Market-Driven Approach to a Sustainable Seafood Industry in the U.S. Virgin Islands  The U.S. Virgin Islands BleachWatch Program  US Virgin Islands Climate Change Ecosystem-Based Adaptation Guidance: Promoting Resilient Coastal and Marine Communities  How do we use our Marine Space? Mapping Human Uses of the East End Marine Park

Article Summaries

The Reef Resilience Toolkit features article summaries and links to recent scientific publications to provide synthesized information on science and management tools and techniques for managers. Articles are easily searchable by key topic and location on the Toolkit. Over the past two years we completed summaries of 52 articles:

Author Date Title Source Cinner J.E., C. Huchery, E.S. 2013 Evaluating Social and PLoS ONE 8(9): e74321. Darling, A.T. Humphries, N.A.J. Ecological Vulnerability of doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0074321 Graham, C.C. Hicks, N. Marshall, Coral Reef Fisheries to and T.R. McClanahan Climate Change Mcleod, E. K.R.N. Anthony, A. 2013 Preparing to manage coral reefs Frontiers in Ecology and the Andersson, R. Beeden, Y. Golbuu, for ocean acidification: lessons Environment 11:20-27. J. Kleypas, K. Kroeker, D. from coral bleaching doi:10.1890/110240 Manzello, R.V. Salm, H. Schuttenberg, and J.E. Smith Rossiter, J.S. and A. Levine 2013 What makes a “successful” Marine Policy. http://dx.doi.org/10. marine protected area? The 1016/j.marpol.2013. 08.022 unique context of Hawaii′s fish replenishment areas

Author Date Title Source Weeks, R. and S.D. Jupiter 2013 Adaptive co-management of a Conservation Biology 00(0): 1–11. marine protected area network in doi: 10.1111/cobi.12153 Fiji

Edwards C.B., A.M Friedlander, 2013 Global assessment of the status Proc R Soc B 280: 20131835. A.G. Green, M.J. Hardt, E. Sala, of coral reef herbivorous fishes: http://dx.doi.org/10. H.P. Sweatman, I.D. Williams, B. evidence for fishing effects 1098/rspb.2013.1835 Zgliczynski, S.A. Sandin, and J.E. Smith Graham, N.A.J., D.R. Bellwood, 2013 Managing resilience to reverse Front Ecol Environ. J.E. Cinner, T.P. Hughes, A.V. phase shifts in coral reefs doi:10.1890/120305 Norström, and M. Nyström Cohen, P.J. and T.J. Alexander 2013 Catch Rates, Composition and PLoS ONE 8(9): e73383. Fish Size from Reefs Managed doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0073383 with Periodically- Harvested Closures Gurney, G.G., J. Melbourne- 2013 Modelling Coral Reef Futures to PLoS ONE 8(11): e80137. Thomas, R.C. Geronimo, P.M. Inform Management: Can doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0080137 Alino, and C.R. Johnson Reducing Local-Scale Stressors Conserve Reefs under Climate Change? Van Hooidonk, R., J.A. Maynard, 2013 Opposite latitudinal gradients in Global Change Biology. doi: D. Manzello, and S. Planes projected ocean acidification 10.1111/gcb.12394 and bleaching impacts on coral reefs Alemu I, J. B. and Y. Clement 2014 Mass Coral Bleaching in 2010 in PLoS ONE 9(1): e83829. the Southern Caribbean doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0083829

Ruppert, J.L.W., M.J. Travers, L.L. 2013 Caught in the Middle: PLoS ONE 8(9): e74648. Smith, M-J Fortin, and M.G. Combined Impacts of Shark doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0074648. Meekan Removal and Coral Loss on the Fish Communities of Coral Reefs Heenan, A. and I.D. Williams 2013 Monitoring Herbivorous Fishes PLoS ONE 8(11): e79604. as Indicators of Coral Reef doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0079604 Resilience in American Samoa

Edgar, G.J., R.D. Stuart-Smith, 2014 Global Conservation Outcomes Nature 506: 216–220. Depend on Marine Protected T.J. Willis, S. Kininmonth, S.C. doi:10.1038/nature13022 Baker, S. Banks, N.S. Barrett, Areas with Five Key Features M.A. Becerro, A.T.F. Bernard, J. Berkhout, C.D. Buxton, S.J. Campbell, A.T. Cooper, M. Davey, S.C. Edgar, G. Försterra, D.E. Galván, A.J. Irigoyen, D.J. Kushner, R. Moura, P.E. Parnell, N.T. Shears, G. Soler, E.M.A. Strain, and R.J. Thomson Cote, I.M., E.S. Darling, L. 2014 What Doesn't Kill You Makes PLoS ONE 9(4): e94248. Malpica-Cruz, N.S. Smith, S.J. You Wary? Effect of Repeated doi:10.1371/journal.pone.009 4248 Green, J. Curtis-Quick, and C. Culling on the Behaviour of an Layman Invasive Predator

Author Date Title Source Vega Thurber, R.L., D.E. Burkepile, 2013 Chronic Nutrient Enrichment Global Change Biology 20(2): C. Fuchs, A.A. Shantz, R. McMinds, Increases Prevalence and 544–554. and J.R. Zaneveld Severity of Coral Disease and doi:10.1111/gcb.12450 Bleaching Johnson, A.E. and D.K. Saunders 2014 Time Preferences and the Ecological Economics 100: Management of Coral Reef 130–139. doi: Fisheries 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2014.01.0 04 Steneck, R.S., S.N. Arnold, and 2014 Experiment Mimics Fishing on Marine Ecology Progress P.J. Mumby Parrotfish: Insights on Coral Reef Series 506: 115–127. doi: Recovery and Alternative 10.3354/meps10764 Attractors Ferrario, F., M.W. Beck, C.D. 2014 The Effectiveness of Coral Nature Communications Storlazzi, F. Micheli, C.C. Reefs for Coastal Hazard Risk 5(3794). Shepard, and L. Airoldi Reduction and Adaptation doi:10.1038/ncomms4794

Green, A.L., L. Fernandes, G. 2014 Designing Marine Reserves Coastal Management 42(2): Almany, R. Abesamis, E. McLeod, for Fisheries Management, 143-159. P.M. Aliño, A.T. White, Biodiversity Conservation, doi:10.1080/08920753.2014.8 R. Salm, J. Tanzer, and R.L. and Climate Change 77763 Pressey Adaptation Jackson, J.B.C. 2014 Status and Trends of Caribbean Global Coral Reef Monitoring Coral Reefs: 1970- 2012, Network, IUCN, Gland, Executive Summary Switzerland. Bogdanoff, A.K., J.L. Akins, J.A. 2014 Invasive Lionfish in the Proceedings of the 66th Gulf and Morris Jr., and 2013 GCFI Marketplace: Challenges and Caribbean Fisheries Institute Lionfish Workgroup Opportunities November 4 – 8, 2013. Corpus Christi, Texas. Fox, H.E., J.L. Holtzman, K.M. 2014 How Are Our MPAs Doing? Coastal Management 42: 207– Haisfield, C.G. McNally, G.A. Cid, Challenges in Assessing Global 226. doi: M.B. Mascia, J.E. Parks, and Patterns in Marine Protected 10.1080/08920753.2014.9041 78 R.S. Pomeroy Area Performance Guest, J.R., A.H. Baird, J.A. 2012 Contrasting Patterns of Coral PLoS ONE 7(3): e33353. Maynard, E. Muttaqin, A.J. Bleaching Susceptibility in 2010 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.003 3353 Edwards, S.J. Campbell, K. Suggest an Adaptive Yewdall, Y.A. Affendi, and L.M. Abesamis,Chou R.A., A.L. Green, 2014 The Intrinsic Vulnerability to Reviews in Fish Biology and G.R. Russ, and C.R.L. Jadloc Fishing of Coral Reef Fishes and Fisheries. doi: 10.1007/s11160- their Differential Recovery in 014-9362-x Fishery Closures Weeks, R., P.M. Aliño, S. Atkinson, 2014 Developing Marine Protected Coastal Management 42(2): 183- P. Beldia II, A. Binson, W.L. Area Networks in the Coral 205. doi: Campos, R. Djohani, A.L. Green, Triangle: Good Practices for 10.1080/08920753.2014.877768 R. Hamilton, V. Horigue, R. Jumin, Expanding the Coral Triangle K. Kalim, A. Kasasiah, J. Marine Protected Area System Kereseka, C. Klein, L. Laroya, S. Magupin, B. Masike, C. Mohan, R.M. Da Silva Pinto, A. Vave- Karamui, C. Villanoy, M. Welly, and A.T. White

Author Date Title Source Pittman, S.J., M.E. Monaco, A.M 2014 Fish with Chips: Tracking Reef PLoS ONE 9(5): e96028. Friedlander, B. Legare, R.S. Fish Movements to Evaluate Size doi:10.1371/journal.pone.009602 8 Nemeth, M.S. Kendall, M. Poti, and Connectivity of Caribbean R.D. Clark, L.M. Wedding, and Marine Protected Areas C. Caldow Gilby, B.L. and T. Stevens 2014 Meta-Analysis Indicates Habitat- Global Ecology and Conservation Specific Alterations to Primary 2: 289-299. doi: Producer and Herbivore 0.1016/j.gecco.2014.10.005 Communities in Marine Protected Areas

McClanahan, T. R., J. E. Cinner, 2014 Perceived Benefits of Fisheries Ecology and Society 19(1): 5 C. Abunge, A. Rabearisoa, P. Management Restrictions in doi: 10.5751/ES-06080- Mahatante, F. Ramahatratra, and Madagascar 190105 N. Andrianarivelo Arkema, K.K., G. Verutes, J.R. 2014 Assessing habitat risk from Environmental Research Letters 9. Bernhard, C. Clarke, S. Rosado, M. human activities to inform doi:10.1088/1748-9326/9/11/114016 Canto, S.A. Wood, M. Ruckelshaus, coastal and marine spatial A. Rosenthal, M. McField, and J. de planning: a demonstration in Zegher Belize

Edmunds, P.J., M. Adjeroud, M.L. 2014 Persistence and Change in PLoS ONE 9(10): e107525. doi: Baskett, I.B. Baums, A.F. Budd, et Community Composition of Reef 10.1371/journal.pone.0107525 al. Corals through Present, Past and Future Climates

Emslie, M.J., A.J. Cheal, and 2014 Retention of Habitat Complexity PLoS ONE 9(8): e105384. doi: A.K. Johns Minimizes Disassembly of Reef 10.1371/journal.pone.0105384 Fish Communities following Disturbance: A Large-Scale Natural Experiment

Grorud-Colvert K., J. Claudet, B.N. 2014 Marine Protected Area PLoS ONE 9(8): e102298. doi: Tissot, J.E. Caselle, M.H. Carr, et al. Networks: Assessing Whether 10.1371/journal.pone.0102298 the Whole is Greater than the Sum of Its Parts Green, A. L., A.P. Maypa, G.R. 2014 Larval Dispersal And Movement Biological Reviews (2014): 000– Almany, K.L. Rhodes, R. Patterns Of Coral Reef Fishes, 000. doi: 10.1111/brv.12155 Weeks, R.A. Abesamis, M.G. And Implications For Marine Gleason, P.J. Mumby, and A.T. Reserve Network Design White

Graham, N.A.J., K.M. Chong-Seng, 2014 Coral Reef Community PLoS ONE 9(7): e101204. doi: C. Huchery, F.A. Composition in the Context of 10.1371/journal.pone.0101204 Januchowski-Hartley, and Disturbance History on the K.L. Nash Great Barrier Reef, Australia

McClanahan, T.R. and 2014 Community Change and Marine Pollution Bulletin 80 (1-2): N.A. Muthiga Evidence For Variable Warm- 107-113 Water Temperature Adaptation Of Corals In Northern Male Atoll, Maldives

Author Date Title Source Pinzon, C J.H., J. Beach-Letendre, 2014 Relationship Between Phylogeny PLoS ONE 9(8): e104787. doi: E. Weil, and L.D. Mydlarz And Immunity Suggests Older 10.1371/journal.pone.0104787 Caribbean Coral Lineages Are More Resistant to Disease

Pollock, F.J., J.B. Lamb, S.N. Field, 2014 Sediment And Turbidity PLoS ONE 9(7): e102498. doi: S.F. Heron, B. Schaffelke, et al. Associated With Offshore 10.1371/journal.pone.0102498 Dredging Increase Coral Disease Prevalence on Nearby Reefs

Rocliffe, S., S. Peabody, M. 2014 Towards A Network of Locally PLoS ONE 9(7): e103000. doi: Samoilys, and J.P. Hawkins Managed Marine Areas 10.1371/journal.pone.0103000 (LMMAs) in the Western Indian Ocean

Uthicke, S., M. Furnas, and C. 2014 Coral Reefs On The Edge? PLoS ONE 9(10): e109092. doi: Lonborg Carbon Chemistry On Inshore 10.1371/journal.pone.0109092 Reefs Of The Great Barrier Reef McClanahan, T.R., M. Atewberhan, 2014 Biogeography And PLoS ONE 9(4): e93385. doi: E.S. Darling, N.A.J. Graham, and Change Among Regional 10.1371/journal.pone.0093385 N.A. Muthiga Coral Communities Across The Western Indian Ocean

Agostini, V. N., S.W. Margles, 2015 Marine Zoning in St. Kitts and Ocean & Coastal Management 104: 1- J.K. Knowles, S.R. Schill, R.J. Nevis: A Design for Sustainable 10 Bovino, and R.J. Blyther Management in the Caribbean

MacNeil, M.A., N.A.J. Graham, J.E. 2015 Recovery Potential Of The Nature 520: 341-344. Cinner, S.K. Wilson, I.D. Williams, World’s Coral Reef Fishes doi:10.1038/nature14358 J. Maina, S. Newman, A.M. Friedlander, S. Jupiter, N.V.C. Polunin, and T.R. McClanahan

Adam, T.C., D.E. Burkepile 2015 Herbivory And The Resilience Marine Ecology Progress Series B.I. Ruttenberg, and M.J. Of Caribbean Coral Reefs: 520:1-20 Paddack Knowledge Gaps And Implications For Management

Hoegh-Guldberg et al. 2015 Reviving the Ocean Economy: WWF International, The Case For Action – 2015 Gland, Switzerland, Geneva, 60 pp. Wear and Vega-Thurber 2015 Sewage Pollution: Mitigation Is Annuals of the New York Academy Key For Coral Reef Stewardship of Sciences: 1–16. doi: 10.1111/nyas.12785 Griffin, J. N., E.C. Schrack, K.- 2015 Density-Dependent Effects On Restoration Ecology. doi: A. Lewis, I.B. Baums, N. Initial Growth Of A Branching 10.1111/rec.12173 Soomdat, and B.R. Silliman Coral Under Restoration

Robinson, J., J.E. Cinner, and N. 2014 The Influence of Fisher PLoS ONE 9(3): e91296. doi: Graham Knowledge On The Susceptibility 10.1371/journal.pone.0091296 Of Reef Fish Aggregations To Fishing Sciberras, M., S.R. Jenkins, R. 2015 Evaluating The Relative Fish and Fisheries 16: 58-77. Mant, M.J. Kaiser, S.J. Conservation Value Of Fully And doi: 10.1111/faf.12044 Hawkins, and A.S. Pullin Partially Protected Marine Areas

Author Date Title Source Daw, T.M. , S. Coulthard, W.W. L. 2015 Evaluating Taboo Trade-Offs In PNAS 112(22): 6949–6954. doi: Cheung, K. Brown, C. Abunge, D. Ecosystems Services And Human 10.1073/pnas.1414900112 Galafassi, G.D. Peterson, T.R. Well-Being McClanahan, J.O. Omukoto, and L. Munyi

Houk, P., R. Camacho, S. Johnson, 2015 The Micronesia Challenge: PLoS ONE 10(6): e0130823/ doi: M. McLean, S. Maxin, J. Anson, E. Assessing The Relative 10.1371/journal.pone.0130823 Joseph, O. Nedlic, M. Luckymis, K. Contribution Of Stressors On Adams, D. Hess, E. Kabua, A. Coral Reefs To Facilitate Science- Yaon, E. Buthung, C. Graham, T. To-Management Feedback Leberer, B. Taylor, and R. van Woesik Houk, P., D. Benavente, J. Iguel, S. 2014 Coral Reef Disturbance and PLoS ONE 9(8): e105731. Johnson, and R. Okano Recovery Dynamics Differ doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0105731 Across Gradients of Localized Stressors in the Mariana Islands

Brown, C.J., S. Abdullah, and 2014 Minimizing the Short-Term Conservation Letters 8(3): 180-189 P.J. Mumby Impacts of Marine Reserves on Fisheries While Meeting Long- Term Goals for Recovery

Newsletter

The bimonthly newsletter Reef Resilience Review is distributed to more than 650 people. New issues were sent in 2013: Dec. (2); 2014: Feb., Mar., May, Oct., Dec.; and 2015: Feb., May, Jun., Aug., Dec. The newsletter includes a main article highlighting current science and/or management news, provides brief program updates, and the latest publications and web resources relevant to coral reef managers. See full newsletters below.

NEWSLETTER December 2013

Tool shows future predictions of bleaching Reef Resilience Program Updates and acidification On Our Network A new Google Earth tool contains the most recent projections of coral Upcoming Events bleaching and ocean acidification for all coral In the News reef areas. The projections are based on climate models from the IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report. To join the Resilience Using this tool, managers Practitioners Network or to can go to areas of interest and view: submit updates, contact us at [email protected]. The years by which two thermal stress levels known to cause bleaching are projected to occur twice per decade Learn more about The Nature and annually Conservancy's Reef Resilience Projected declines in aragonite saturation state as well as Program. corresponding declines in calcification The use of the tool and images obtained from it will help coral This newsletter is brought to reef managers to communicate about the threats posed to reefs you through the generous by climate change with their colleagues, stakeholders and with support of NOAA's Coral Reef policymakers. Conservation Program. The associated paper summarizes the results of the projections and highlights that under the fossil-fuel aggressive emissions scenario, there are no refugia from the onset of annual severe bleaching or the effects of ocean acidification. Under this scenario, by 2053, 90% of all coral reef areas will experience annual severe bleaching. There are opposite latitudinal gradients in these threats to reefs, meaning that areas projected to experience annual bleaching later are exposed to the effects of acidification for longer.

The Reef Resilience Program spoke with one of the authors, Dr. Ruben van Hooidonk, about the relevance of this tool for coral reef managers: Is there any good news from your findings? Overall, the news is rather pessimistic, but the projections do show that some reefs will experience bleaching conditions annually 20 years or more later than others will. Many of these locations are of both local and global significance, such as the southern part of the Great Barrier Reef.

How do you envision a coral reef manager using this tool? The tool we have built allows access to projections that have coarse resolution (1 degree by 1 degree) and for long periods of time (decades). Therefore, the results do not inform the targeting of management interventions like reducing pressures from fishing and scuba, though they do increase the impetus for such actions. The primary purposes for which the projections were developed and made available are long term planning and outreach/awareness-raising.

What next steps do you think a coral reef manager should take after reading this article to address the impacts of ocean acidification and coral bleaching at their site? Our article and the tool we have made available highlight the plight of coral reefs. Although a reef manager cannot easily 8 plight of coral reefs. Although a reef manager cannot easily address the global issues of increasing temperatures and acidification, managers can reduce local stressors that compound those associated with climate change and acidification. Perhaps more than any article before it, our work shows the urgency and necessity of local actions that support the natural resilience of reef systems. For the full article, please email [email protected].

Reef Resilience Program Updates We are excited to announce the release of the redesigned Reef Resilience Toolkit, including the new Coral Reef Module and new Introductory Online Course. Check them out today!

Upcoming Reef Resilience Webinar: Register here South Africa’s Coral Reef Custodians Try their Hand at User- based Monitoring for Reef Resilience January 22, 2014; 6:00 PM SAST, 12:00 PM AST, 4:00 PM GMT. Join us for a discussion of the challenges and advantages of using dive operators and members of the diving community to assess reefs and to act as an early warning system to bleaching and other stressors on coral reefs.

View our recent webinar: Sustaining MPA management and conservation: Experiences and lessons learned by Chumbe Island Coral Park, Zanzibar

On Our Network This month, the Reef Resilience Network hosted an Ask-the- Expert forum with Dr. Rod Salm, who was on hand to answer questions about implementing reef resilience at sites around the world.

Dr. Bob Steneck has been blogging about his trip through the Caribbean and you can read his trip reports here! It’s been fascinating to read about changes in coral over the last 40 years.

The Reef Resilience Network is a community space for coral reef managers from around the world. The site provides an interactive online resource for finding up-to-date science and tools, management support, and experts in different regions. We invite managers, practitioners, marine biologists, researchers and scientists directly involved with coral reef conservation to join our network. To learn more, email us at [email protected].

Upcoming Events Call for Papers for Special Issue: The Coastal Management journal invites submissions to a special theme issue of the journal: Community-based Vulnerability and Adaptation Tools and their Application. Abstracts of 400 words or less are due February 1, 2014. The theme issue is scheduled to be published in late 2014. For more information, please contact: Elizabeth McLeod at [email protected].

World Coral Reef Conference, May 2013 in Manado, Indonesia.

In the News How is the new9 Reef Resilience toolkit relevant to you?

MPAs can help relieve poverty according to a new TNC report. A fishier future for Fiji.

Less pollution = coral recovery.

Stakeholder mapping of marine resource use areas.

New user-friendly guidebooks on MPA design.

The Nature Conservancy 1917 First Avenue Seattle, WA 98101 USA

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10 ANNOUNCEMENT

New Website! Reef Resilience Program Today we are excited to announce the release of the Announcement: redesigned Reef Resilience Toolkit, including the new Coral Reef Module! Check them out today! New Website The Toolkit provides a comprehensive suite of training and New Coral Reef Module knowledge-sharing resources, including the latest coral reef science and management methods, making relevant science accessible to managers, and highlighting challenges and solutions for coral reef managers. Highlights of the Toolkit include: To join the Resilience Practitioners Network, contact us The Coral Reef Module, an accessible, interesting and at [email protected]. comprehensive source of management and science information on Reef Resilience for coral reef managers. Learn more about The Nature Our webinars are one simple click away on our website Conservancy's Reef Resilience Information about current and past trainings is available Program. on the new site Other resources available include journal summaries- an This announcement and new easy way to update yourself on recent science findings, website is brought to you and case studies- learn about other's work implementing through the generous support resilience at their sites of NOAA's Coral Reef See where our managers work on our new maps Conservation Program. Keep in touch with us- Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

On Our Network This month, the Reef Resilience Network is hosting an Ask-the- Expert forum with Dr. Rod Salm, who is on hand to answer questions about implementing reef resilience at sites around the world. Participate in the discussion here.

We invite those who are directly involved with coral reef conservation in the role of managers, practitioners, marine biologists, researchers or scientists to join our network. If you're interested in learning more, please email [email protected].

By The Numbers Since the start of the Reef Resilience program in 2005, we have worked with coral reef managers in over 70 countries and territories through in-person and virtual trainings, resulting in:

Over 4000 managers and practitioners reached through our program trainings and communication methods 16,033+ unique visitors to our website each month 1200+ participants in our online course 16 webinars attended by over 600 people 95 managers from 47 countries have participated in our 4 Training of Trainer's workshops Significant on-the-ground successes, including implementation of bleaching response plans 11 plans and trainings led by our network members in 21 countries

The Nature Conservancy Global Marine Team Reef Resilience Program 1917 1st Avenue Seattle, WA 98101

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12 NEWSLETTER February 2014

Increasing Resilience of Fijian MPAs Through Reef Resilience Program Updates Adaptive Comanagement A recent article published in Conservation Biology by Rebecca Weeks On Our Network and Stacy Jupiter describes the 9-year process of adaptive comanagement of an MPA network in rural Fiji. In 2005, the MPA was In the News designated and semi-annual monitoring took place. However, in 2011 the community and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) decided to revise the management plan to improve management effectiveness and increase the resilience of the MPA network to climate change. Weeks To join the Resilience and Jupiter discuss how a series of community consultations, led by Practitioners Network or to WCS, included the integration of resilience principles into the MPA submit updates, contact us at network design and the reconfiguration of the MPA boundaries to [email protected]. maximize compliance. This process of adaptive comanagement involved high levels of community participation and resulted in a larger Learn more about The Nature MPA network, increased measures to facilitate enforcement, and Conservancy's Reef Resilience increased representation of reef classes in protected areas. Program.

This newsletter is brought to you through the generous support of NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program.

Boundaries of the Kubulau MPA network before (red) and after (blue) revising the adaptive management plan for the network (from Weeks and Jupiter 2013, Figure 2).

We asked Drs. Weeks and Jupiter a few questions about what coral 13 reef managers could learn from their process. Here's what they had to say: How did you prepare the community for adaptively managing their MPA? (What did you find was the most effective way to get the community on-board with the concept of adaptive management?) We presented back to representatives of the communities biological monitoring data from some of the marine reserves and customary fishing closures that indicated that, while some of the protected areas were working to restore fish populations, others were not. We also presented back results from surveys in which we asked local fishers to indicate on maps where they typically fish. These maps did not have the protected area boundaries on them, and consequently, local people indicated that they were fishing quite regularly within boundaries of some of the protected areas. Finally, we presented back results from household surveys where the majority of people indicated that there was a high level of poaching coming from the neighboring district. Combined together, these scientific data matched very well with local perceptions, and people could immediately see that there were problems in their management implementation, but that these problems were fixable.

To start, the local chiefs went to talk to leaders in the neighboring communities to try to reduce the poaching problem. Secondly, local communities adjusted the boundaries of some of the protected areas to more recognizable reef features so that they could more easily locate and avoid fishing in the protected areas. Third, communities listened to our advice about requirements for MPA size to be at least twice the distance (in all directions) of the home ranges of fish that they are trying to protect, otherwise they risk getting caught during their daily movements, and they increased the size of their smallest customary fishing closures.

What would you recommend other managers consider doing to maintain engagement with the community during an adaptive management revision? Adaptive management requires more than a single consultation. There needs to be an ongoing dialogue whereby revisions to existing management are suggested, these are discussed among stakeholders, refinements are proposed, and then the cycle repeats until a broad enough consensus can be reached that leaders with governance authority are willing to put the changes into practice.

What was the most challenging part of this process? What part surprised you by being the easiest? I think we were most surprised by how readily the local communities incorporated science-based recommendations into their revised MPA network design to increase representation of different habitat types within the protected areas. This was facilitated by our development of visual aids in the form of large-format maps that clearly indicated in a color-gradient where would be the best places in the existing network to improve habitat representation. These maps were the selection frequency outputs of spatial planning analyses using Marxan software, but we did not need to talk to the communities about the complexities of the software. We only explained that certain areas clearly indicated by the colors on the maps would be better in terms of improving habitat representation, but that the communities themselves should pick how they wanted to adjust their MPA network.

The most challenging part is always carving away adequate time for local consultation and consensus building. There is often pressure to ensure that milestones are achieved within a specific funding cycle, but these funding cycles often move faster than the time that local communities need to ensure that they have minimized potential conflicts and sought the most equitable solutions. Access the article.

Reef Resilience Program Updates One of our Writing Workshop participants, Jahson Alemu I, was recently published! Read his article about monitoring Tobago's coral bleaching 14 event in 2010. Check out this blog post from Cool Green Science about his article.

View our recent webinars: South Africa’s Coral Reef Custodians Try their Hand at User-based Monitoring for Reef Resilience

Sustaining MPA management and conservation: Experiences and lessons learned by Chumbe Island Coral Park, Zanzibar

On Our Network Vineeta Hoon and Yoosuf Rilwan, participants in last year’s Zanzibar Training of Trainers Workshop, recently completed their trainer’s projects. These projects were funded in part by The Nature Conservancy. Vineeta led a comprehensive Reef Resilience training workshop for fishermen, students, and community members in Lakshadweep, India. Rilwan began a monitoring program of grouper spawning sites in the Maldives, which may lead to increased fisheries regulations.

In the News Using games to experience climate risk.

No “back to the future” button for coral reefs.

2013 tied for fourth-warmest year on record.

Palau's coral reefs resistant to ocean acidification?

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The Nature Conservancy 15 NEWSLETTER March 2014

Understanding Coral Reef Resilience in Reef Resilience Program Updates Tobago Jahson Berhane Alemu I (a participant in our 2010 Training of On Our Network Trainer’s Workshop) and co-author Ysharda Clement recently published the paper Mass Coral Bleaching in 2012 in the In the News Southern Caribbean. For 6 months, they monitored approximately 650 colonies (composed of 30 taxa) at three sites across Tobago during a bleaching event in 2010. The purpose of their research was to find nodes of reef resilience in Tobago by identifying taxa To join the Resilience resilient to bleaching. Practitioners Network or to We asked Jahson more about submit updates, contact us at his research. In particular, we [email protected]. wanted to know how coral reef managers could learn from his Learn more about The Nature experience. Here's what he Conservancy's Reef Resilience said: Program. How do you think your This newsletter is brought to findings will influence coral you through the generous reef management in Tobago? support of NOAA's Coral Reef Our findings now contribute to Conservation Program. an evidence-based foundation, on which reef managers can make more informed decisions. Our findings have now been integrated into a Bleaching Response Plan, where a suite of taxa have been incorporated to determine the impact of bleaching and other anthropogenic impacts on reef health.

What most surprised you during the analysis of your research? The wide variety of responses of taxa to the same stimulus. This will be the subject of future research.

What advice do you have for coral reef managers and practitioners who are trying to identify resilient reefs? Reef resilience means a bunch of things and it’s evolving. My opinion is that you're not going to figure it out in one assessment. (Well, maybe you can, and good luck to you!) But I'm no expert and I've just started. For me, having a clear personal understanding of what it means and how I intended to apply this knowledge for example through the development of a response plan and MPA selection was central in my approach. This study is but only one of several underway to better understand reef dynamics and the future of coral reefs in Tobago. Access the article.

Reef Resilience Program Updates Register for our upcoming webinar:

Helping Coral Reef Practitioners Address Ocean Acidification

Join Dr. Elizabeth McLeod of The Nature Conservancy and Dr. Yimnang Golbuu of the Palau International Coral Reef Center for a discussion on ocean acidification. At the forefront of research linking ocean16 acidification (OA) to coral reef management, Dr. McLeod will provide an update on the latest scientific developments regarding the impacts of OA on coral reef ecosystem health. Dr. Golbuu will discuss steps that Palau has been taking to conserve their reefs taking OA into account, and will provide management insights for coral reef managers and practitioners. The webinar will conclude with a discussion of how these management recommendations could be applied globally and Q&A.

Tuesday April 8th, 5:00pm PST / Wednesday April 9th 9:00am Palau / 12:00 AM GMT. Register here.

On Our Network Chad Wiggins writes eloquently about why he feels that conserving the ocean will ultimately be a successful endeavor.

Evelyn Wight is looking for examples of good enforcement. Know of one? Share it here!

In the News Improving marine protected areas.

MPA recognition system for the Coral Triangle.

How much are Caribbean coastal ecosystems worth?

New marine management apps: lionfish control, crowdsourced protection for MPAs, and Solomon Islands fisheries.

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The Nature Conservancy 17 NEWSLETTER May 2014

Five Characteristics of Effective MPAs Reef Resilience Program Updates Dr. Graham Edgar and his 24 co-authors recently stirred up the marine conservation world with their article: “Global conservation outcomes On Our Network depend on marine protected areas five key features”. In this article, they review 87 MPAs at 964 sites (in 40 countries) around the world using data generated by the authors and trained recreational divers. Their overall In the News conclusion is that global conservation targets for the Convention on Biological Diversity, that are solely based on the area of MPAs, do not optimize protection of biodiversity.

To join the Resilience Practitioners Network or to submit updates, contact us at [email protected].

Learn more about The Nature Conservancy's Reef Resilience Program.

This newsletter is brought to you through the generous support of NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program.

Map of 87 MPAs studied by the authors (from Edgar et al. 2014).

They found that effective MPAs (measured by biodiversity, large fish biomass, and shark biomass) needed to have 4 or 5 of the following characteristics: no-take, well enforced, >10 years old, >100 km2 in size, and be isolated by deep water or sand. Only 9 of the 87 MPAs had 4 or 5 of those characteristics, most of the remainder of MPAs were ecologically indistinguishable from non-MPAs. The authors hope that reserves that are serious about biodiversity outcomes will adopt the 5 characteristics (when possible) and quickly see a rapid increase in the potential of a site to have regionally high biomass and species numbers. You can read the abstract here, and see a conversation with some of the authors here.

We asked Dr. Edgar some questions and here is what he said:

What can a manager of a smaller, newer, or not isolated MPA take from this paper, as they might not be able to influence those factors? Concentrate on good enforcement, ideally through good will from the local community, and also through improved policing if required. Newer MPAs will age, so with good enforcement and some no-take zones, biodiversity goals are achievable in most locations. This is not assured, however, so ecological monitoring is needed to understand what is working and what can be improved, rather than assuming all is fine under the sea.

What would you recommend to coral reef managers who work with (or want to work with) recreational divers for their monitoring programs?We found group participation helped during surveys, which were more enjoyable when motivated and like-minded divers could interact with each other. Also, one-on-one training and support to Reef Life Survey (RLS) volunteer divers is fundamental to consistent data gathering. Our divers can see that their efforts contribute directly to improved marine conservation management. Virtually all of the active divers from the start of the RLS program six years ago remain enthusiastic and continue to participate, a very positive statistic. 18 What surprised you the most in doing this study? In terms of biology: the near absence of sharks and other large predatory fishes sighted by divers other than in MPAs, even off isolated unpopulated islands. By comparison with reports from cruising yachts and divers in the same areas only a decade or two ago, it seems clear that population numbers of big fishes and lobsters have declined precipitously in recent years.

In terms of governance: the fact that the developing world and the Southern Hemisphere are leading efforts to establish MPA networks. European and continental Asian countries have very few effective MPAs, despite huge ecological stresses and marine biodiversity assets that are remarkable and unique, but deteriorating.

What part of this research has made you feel the most optimistic for the future of MPAs? The recent establishment of large no-take MPAs in isolated regions is a very positive step. Of course this is only one component of a global MPA system – we certainly need effective MPAs of a variety of sizes to encompass all ecosystem types worldwide – but it is great to see some refuges established that will assist the survival of large wide-ranging species, at least in the tropics.

Reef Resilience Program Updates

Caribbean managers participate in Learning Exchange with Pacific managers in Guam

From March 10-14, thirty managers (four from the Caribbean and twenty-six from Guam) participated in the Adapting to Changing Climate Workshop held in Tumon, Guam. The workshop was designed to train a team of practitioners on use of new tools being used throughout the Pacific to provide community members and stakeholders with an understanding of climate change concepts and adaptation strategies. Workshop participants gained first-hand experience with facilitating a community-based planning process to improve the resilience of natural and social resources and reduce vulnerability to climate change. Additionally, Caribbean managers provided feedback on the possible modification of the tools for use in the Caribbean.

Latest Webinar Recording Available Notes from the Field: Caribbean Corals, 40 Years Later: Dr. Bob Steneck shares observations from his recent research, where he visited reefs throughout the Caribbean 40 years after his original research there! His 6- month journey through the Caribbean has taken him to a wide variety of sites—from well managed marine parks, to degraded reefs, and everything in between. View the recording.

Upcoming Webinar Series Innovative Approaches to Sustainable Fisheries Management In this series of three webinars, innovative approaches to sustain healthy fisheries and coral reef communities in the Pacific, Caribbean and Coral Triangle will be featured. Speakers will describe their approach, and share successes and lessons learned on working with local fishers, communities, 19 successes and lessons learned on working with local fishers, communities,

and restaurants. Please join us! Register here.

First webinar: May 28, 7:00 pm EDT, 4:00 pm PDT, 1:00 pm HAST, 11:00 pm GMT May 29, 8:00 am Palau, find your time here. Speakers: Carmen Revenga, TNC Global Marine Team & Steven Victor, TNC Palau

On Our Network Want to learn more about coral reef restoration? View our recent Ask-the- Expert forum with James Byrne. Curious about how to manage coral reefs to deal with ocean acidification? See what Dr. Lizzie McLeod thinks. Also, Dr. Rod Salm shares a paper on corals adapting to heat stress. Join the conversation!

In the News Coral reefs in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report Infographics on ocean acidification Coral reef resilience New guidebook for coastal ecosystem valuation in the Caribbean

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Lionfish Invasion in the Caribbean Reef Resilience Network Updates In the News

To join the Resilience Practitioners Network or to submit updates, contact us at [email protected].

Learn more about The Nature Conservancy's Reef Resilience Network. Photo © Bahamas Department of Marine Resources This newsletter is brought to Lionfish are a species endemic to the Indo-Pacific region. However in the 1990’s, due to you through the generous human introduction, lionfish arrived in the Tropical Western Atlantic and spread along the support of NOAA's Coral Reef eastern seaboard of the United States. Since then, lionfish have migrated throughout the Conservation Program. Caribbean Basin and into the Gulf of Mexico, threatening biodiversity and local economies. In 2009, the Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, St Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago responded to this threat by implementing a regional initiative titled Mitigating the Threats of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in the Insular Caribbean (MTIASIC).

The Bahamas has taken the lead to address the lionfish invasion, creating a Lionfish Taskforce to document, collect, and remove lionfish from Bahamian waters. The Taskforce includes representatives from government agencies and local NGOs. Mr. Frederick Arnett II, Assistant Fisheries Officer with the Department of Marine Resources, has played an integral role in the initiative, helping with lionfish awareness, control and outreach initiatives. We asked Mr. Arnett II a few questions about lionfish control in Bahamas, read the interview here.

Reef Resilience Network Updates Pacific Managers Participate in Strategic Communications Learning Exchange in Maui

From September 9-11, 2014, fourteen practitioners from Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands, and Yap participated in a Strategic Communications Learning Exchange in Maui, Hawaii. The workshop was designed to provide marine conservation professionals with training in strategic communications, including working with the media and facilitation skills with a focus on the practical application of these skills to a current project. In addition, 42 managers attended a half-day workshop on key components of strategic communications and select communications tools– including social marketing– that can be practically applied to meet their conservation needs.

Latest Webinar Recording Available Dr. Jorge Brenner, Associate Director of Marine Science, Texas Program at The Nature Conservancy discusses research and management being conducted by TNC to control invasive lionfish in the Gulf of Mexico. Agnessa Lundy, Conservation Coordinator at the 21 Nature Conservancy Bahamas, speaks about efforts to control lionfish in Bahamas and the Caribbean.This webinar was co-hosted with TNC Invasive Species Learning Network.

Welcome New Reef Resilience Team Members!

Aurora Justiniano is based in Puerto Rico and since coming to TNC in 2013 she has served as the Caribbean Regional Ocean Partnership (CROP) Coordinator, leading the implementation of the Marine Spatial Planning process between Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Read more.

Kristen Maize is based in Honolulu and her work focuses on developing and implementing communications strategies to support marine conservation practice and policy. Read more.

Changes to Come The Reef Resilience team is in the process of making a few improvements to our online forum--a community of coral reef managers from around the world-- including merging our discussion forum with reefresilience.org. While this won’t mean any major changes for Network members, we’re hoping these adjustments will make it easier for you to use the forum to connect with colleagues and share resources. If you have any suggestions or comments on how we can improve the forum platform, please let us know: [email protected].

In the News New handbook for Caribbean coral reef managers New Coral Reef Watch products Lionfish hunters New comprehensive online database of MPAs in the Philippines Reef Resilience in French Polynesia

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22 NEWSLETTER December 2014

New Reef Resilience Online Course Upcoming Webinar Launched In the News

Learn more about The Nature Conservancy's Reef Resilience Network.

This newsletter is brought to The new online course Advanced Studies in Coral Reef Resilience you through the generous is designed to provide coral reef managers and practitioners in- support of NOAA's Coral Reef depth guidance on managing for resilience. This free course Conservation Program. incorporates new science, case studies, and management practices described in the Reef Resilience Toolkit.

The course includes six modules that discuss local and global stressors affecting coral reefs, guidance for identifying coral reef resilience indicators, design principles for resilient MPA networks, methods for implementing resilience assessments, and important communication tools for managers. Course participants can choose to complete any or all lessons within course modules. Read more or enroll in the new course.

Upcoming Webinar: Accelerating Change Through A Social Marketing Campaign For Grouper In Fiji Join Scott Radway, Executive Director of SeaWeb Asia Pacific, Tuesday, December 9 for a discussion on accelerating change through social marketing in Fiji. Radway will present on the 4FJ campaign which has – within the last six months – galvanized support for reducing fishing pressure on grouper in Fiji during the peak spawning months. Read more and register.

Upcoming Reef Resilience Trainings Two new trainings are being offered: The Caribbean Coral Reef Resilience Training and Pacific Technical Writing Workshop. The Resilience Training includes an online course, in-person training in Puerto Rico, and implementation of a Resilience project. The Technical Writing Workshop, hosted in partnership with TNC Central Science, will be held Hawaiʻi in March 2015. Deadlines to apply are approaching! Read more.

23 New Guidance on Maximizing Benefits of No-take Reserves for Fisheries Check out the recent review of the best available information regarding larval dispersal and movement patterns of coral reef and associated fishes – 34 families and 210 species – worldwide. Practical, species specific advice is provided regarding the configuration (size, spacing and location) of no-take marine reserves to maximize their benefits for coral reef fisheries management and biodiversity protection. Read more.

In the News Coral bleaching recovery in the Pacific Co-management benefitting fishers in Kenya Podcast on bleaching and ocean acidification Climate change toolkit released

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24 NEWSLETTER February 2015

Understanding the Impacts of Land- Upcoming Webinars Based Pollutants on Coral Health in Network Updates Puakō, Hawai‘i In the News

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This newsletter is brought to you through the generous support of NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program.

“Coral cover is one of the most common indicators of reef health, but it can take decades to see changes in response to environmental degradation or restoration efforts,” says Dr. Courtney Couch, a postdoctoral researcher at the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology and The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) project coordinator of a study to understand the impacts of land-based pollution on coral reef health in waters off Puakō, Hawai‘i Island. “Luckily, if you know where to look, there are early warning signs of declining coral health.”

Couch is sitting on an empty dive tank aboard a small research skiff bobbing 100 yards off Puakō’s rocky coast. The reef below her is part of the Puakō-Mauna Lani reef system, and is the most extensive fringing reef on Hawai‘i Island. However, in the last 40 years, over half of the live coral at Puakō has been lost. Mask still in hand, Couch reviews the datasheet from her last dive where she spotted growth anomalies – a coral disease that results in tumor- like growths on corals’ skeleton.

Growth anomalies are cause for concern, since this disease impedes a coral’s ability to grow and reproduce – which may mean a slow death for coral. While the specific causes of the disease (e.g. bacteria, viruses, or genetic mutations) are currently unknown, scientists have found growth anomalies to be more common in areas with higher human activity and land-based sources of pollution.

Since 2013, Couch – along with other TNC scientists – has been mapping the groundwater springs along the Puakō-Mauna Lani coastline, and surveying coral health and water quality, including fecal bacteria and nutrient levels, across 12 marine sites. Reef Resilience staff spoke with Couch about her work and what she

25 has learned so far. The interview can be found on the Reef Resilience Network Forum. Have other questions we didn’t cover? Couch will be available TODAY – Wednesday, February 25 – and Thursday, February 26 to answer questions posted on the Network Forum.

Upcoming Webinars Using Wastewater Treatment Technologies to Reduce Nutrient Pollution Impacts on Coral Reefs - March 11, 2015 at 12 PM EDT Join Jim Bays, Technology Fellow at CH2M HILL, for an overview of wastewater and wastewater treatment technologies applicable to improving public health and mitigating nutrient pollution impact to coral reefs and sensitive marine ecosystems.

A range of technologies will be discussed including low-tech onsite treatment options and constructed wetlands up to large system- level upgrades designed to address growing urban environments. Jim will show how these approaches could apply to a range of project settings, from sparse housing to small communities, resort communities and small towns, and small and large cities. Read more and register.

Exploring Enforcement Strategies for Marine Protected Areas - March 17, 2015 at 3 PM EDT Join Marcel Bigue of WildAid as he discusses his experience of designing and implementing enforcement systems for both small and large Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). He will talk us through WildAid’s methodology and share lessons learned. The webinar will provide an overview of the law enforcement chain, the basics behind integrated coastal surveillance systems and how WildAid has applied different strategies based on different contexts in both the Eastern and Western Pacific. Q&A will follow the presentation. Register.

Reef Resilience Network Updates In case you missed it, the Reef Resilience Network launched an improved online discussion forum last month. Now part of the Reef Resilience website, this interactive online community is a place to connect and share with other coral reef managers, practitioners, and experts from around the world to better manage marine resources.

Nature Conservancy marine scientist, Stephanie Wear, kicked off the first Ask the Expert discussion on the updated Network Forum, addressing questions and comments posed by coral reef managers and practitioners on the topic of sewage and coral reefs. Coral reef managers from Belize, Saint Lucia, Grenada, and more participated in the discussion. Read posts from their conversation with Stephanie.

26 (Note: You’ll need to log in to the Network Forum first.)

In the News Warm ocean temperatures and coral bleaching outlook Lionfish web portal New study on the role of mangroves in fisheries enhancement New guidebook on mangroves as a coastal defense Communicating for success: Ensuring MPAs are valued

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May 2015

Building the capacity of coral reef managers and practitioners globally to better manage and protect coral reefs in a changing world.

The Nature Conservancy in Cuba: A Major Step in Protecting Caribbean Resources TNC has partnered with Cuban conservation agencies for more than 20 years, providing trainings, and developing tools to guide management decisions on habitat protection, mitigation efforts, and natural resource development. We spoke with TNC staff playing integral roles to advance collaboration and conservation efforts. Read the interview.

Recent Webinars: Wastewater Treatment for Coral Reefs and MPA Enforcement Strategies Watch two recent webinars on wastewater treatment and marine protected area (MPA) enforcement strategies. Jim Bays discusses wastewater treatment technologies that mitigate nutrient pollution impact to coral reefs. Marcel Bigue describes designing and implementing enforcement systems for small and large MPAs. View webinars.

28 Technical Writing Workshop for Pacific Island Managers In March six managers received expert mentorship from The Nature Conservancy chief scientist Peter Kareiva and team of reviewers to hone their writing skills and finalize a publication for submission to a science journal. Paper topics included: water quality and algae, market prices of coral reef fish, and communitybased fisheries management. Here’s a sneak peak of one project shedding light on the cryptic octopus. Read more.

Makai Watch HawaiiBahamas Learning Exchange Marine protected area staff from The Bahamas National Trust – a nonprofit tasked with managing Bahamas’ national parks – and two community representatives from an association of fly fishing guides visited Hawai‘i to meet with state and community managers. They learned about local partnerships between communities, government agencies, conservation groups and law enforcement authorities that serve to enhance the effectiveness of marine law enforcement. Read more.

Reef Resilience Network Updates Be sure to check in to the Network Forum May 4th to connect with Raimundo Espinoza, TNC Program Manager for Cuba. Raimundo will be available to answer questions related to coral reef conservation work in Cuba. Log in or sign up to the Forum – an online community of coral reef managers and practitioners – to see previous interviews with experts, start or join a conversation with other managers, or create your own private group to share resources and discuss topics related to a specific region.

In the news Sediment and turbidity linked to coral disease prevalence New IUCN report with a section on marine protected area management

Recovery potential of coral reef fish New report on the estimated annual value of coastal and marine ecosystems

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June 2015

Building the capacity of coral reef managers and practitioners globally to better manage and protect coral reefs in a changing world.

How parrotfish are good for our reefs: An interview with herbivore expert duo Katie Davis and Peter Carlson Parrotfish – and their role in reef resilience – have received some serious media attention lately, and for good reason: research continues to reveal that these reefgrazers play a crucial role in coral reef ecology. Read our interview with Katie Davis and Peter Carlson from the University of California Santa Barbara about their work studying the patterns of herbivores’ interactions with coral reefs.

Caribbean Coral Reef Resilience Training Eighteen Caribbean coral reef managers gathered in Puerto Rico from June 15 to learn how to use the latest science to improve MPAs as a management tool for fisheries in a changing climate. The inperson training, as well as the preworkshop 12week online mentored course, were designed to provide an atmosphere of exchange and creative problem solving and were facilitated by regional and global experts in resiliencebased management of coral reefs.

30 Upcoming webinar: Herbivores and coral reefs In honor of World Oceans Day, we are shining a spotlight on the role of herbivores in coral reef ecology and the actions managers can take to boost coral health. Stay tuned for an upcoming webinar with UCSB assistant professor Dr. Douglas McCauley as he presents on how bumphead parrotfish – also known as the elephants of the sea – shape coral reef ecology. Here’s a sneak peak of McCauley’s work. Keep an eye out for an email update on how to participate in this live and interactive webinar. .

Reef Resilience Network update Join herbivore experts Katie Davis and Peter Carlson online JUNE 8 on the Network Forum and have your herbivorerelated questions answered. To explore how managing for healthy herbivores can improve reef resilience in your region, log in and post a comment or share an issue you are experiencing. (Reminder: If you’re not yet a member of the Forum, you’ll need to sign up and be approved before you can access the discussion. Sign up now.)

The Network Forum is an online community of coral reef managers and practitioners. To access previous interviews with experts, join a conversation with other managers, or create your own discussion group, log in or sign up.

In the news New infographics highlighting ocean benefits. Paper on sewage pollution and coral reefs.

Designing marine protected areas with limited data.

Study finds coral 4 times safer in marine reserves. The first finescale projections of coral bleaching.

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December 2015

Building the capacity of coral reef managers and practitioners globally to better manage and protect coral reefs in a changing world.

We are 10!!! Can you believe it? A decade ago, TNC – with the support of partners AROUND THE WORLD– launched the Reef Resilience Network, creating what would grow to become a global network of resource managers sharing ideas, experiences, and expertise to effectively manage our coral reefs and reef fisheries. Curious to see what ten years can do for managers and reefs? Take a look. Special thanks to NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, and International Union for Conservation of Nature, whose committed support to the Network has helped managers innovate, accelerate, and leverage solutions for improved global coral reef health and restoration of reef fisheries.

Upcoming Webinar Restoring smallscale fisheries: Lessons in collective impact for systemic change February 24, 2015 at 11:00 AM HAST, 1:00 PM PST, 4:00 PM EST As a collaboration among NGOs, businesses, funders, and governments, 50in10 has worked to take the most promising tools and approaches in smallscale fisheries management to the next level by testing, strengthening, and replicating them on a global scale. As the network comes to a close in early 2016, join us for an overview of lessons learned, tools currently in development for smallscale fisheries management, and how you can apply the 50in10 principles to deepen and accelerate your own work in the future. Register. 34 Tools Training In cooperation with NOAA's International MPA Capacity Building Program and the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association, we hosted a handson training for MPA managers and practitioners in the Western Indian Ocean region on tools to address climate change and enhance resilience within their MPAs. In November, thirty participants from ten countries in the region attended the weeklong workshop in Mahe, Seychelles. Learn more.

Reef Resilience Network Update Are you a reef manager or practitioner in the Western Indian Ocean? If you are, then you should join the conversation happening right now in the WIO Group. In light of the anticipated coral bleaching event for the Western Indian Ocean, potentially as early as February 2016, Network Forum members are discussing existing bleaching monitoring programs that can be easily implemented in a timely manner.

Log in or sign up to the Forum – an online community of coral reef managers and practitioners – to join the conversation and see previous discussions between managers and experts.

In The News International Coral Reef Symposium abstract deadline coming soon

It’s not too late for coral reefs

Key principles and approaches for MPAs

Effects of sunscreen on coral

Lionfish invasion in Bahamian coral reefs

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This newsletter, learning exchanges, and webinars are brought to you in partnership with NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program and The Nature Conservancy.

Webinars

To connect resource managers and practitioners from around the world to each other and to leading experts in coral and coral reef fisheries-related fields, the Reef Resilience Network hosts interactive webinars on hot topics in marine resource management. Twelve webinars were held and can be viewed on the Reef Resilience Youtube channel, where they have been viewed over 3,000 times. See descriptions of webinars below:

2013-2015 Webinars Sustaining MPA Management and Conservation – What Can Make It Happen? Experiences and Lessons Learned by Chumbe Island Coral Park, Zanzibar – Chumbe Island Coral Park (CHICOP) has created a model of financially, ecologically and socially sustainable MPA management through ecotourism revenue which is channeled back into comprehensive conservation, research and environmental education programs. CHICOP has become an internationally recognized conservation success and a unique ecotourism destination. Conservation & Education Manager Ulli Kloiber, and Project Manager Kevin MacDonald discuss the model used, provide insight into lessons learned, and how these lessons could be applied to other places. South Africa’s Coral Reef Custodians Try their Hand at User-based Monitoring for Reef Resilience – Jennifer Olbers and Vasha Chetty discuss the challenges and advantages of using dive operators and members of the diving community to assess reefs and to act as an early warning system to bleaching and other stressors on coral reefs in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. They share specific lessons learned for working with different stakeholders and mechanisms for creating an ‘open door’ policy between the dive community, scientists and the conservation authority. Both speakers are from Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natalin Wildlife, the agency mandated to protect and conserve the biodiversity of coral reefs in South Africa. Helping Coral Reef Practitioners Address Ocean Acidification – Dr. Elizabeth McLeod of The Nature Conservancy and Dr. Yimnang Golbuu of the Palau International Coral Reef Center discuss research linking ocean acidification (OA) to coral reef management. Presentations include steps that Palau has been taking to conserve their reefs taking OA into account and how these management recommendations could be applied globally. Notes from the Field: Caribbean Corals, 40 Years Later – Dr. Bob Steneck shares observations from his recent research, where he visited reefs throughout the Caribbean 40 years after his original research there! His 6-month journey through the Caribbean has taken him to a wide variety of sites- from well managed marine parks, to degraded reefs, and everything in between. Sustaining Fisheries Through Collaborative Approaches – In this webinar Carmen Revenga and Steven Victor discuss innovative management approaches that result in viable local fisheries and marine conservation and how data-poor stock assessment methods are being used in collaboration with fishers in Palau to promote sustainable fisheries management practices. Sustaining Fisheries Through Building Partnerships with Fishers and Restaurants – Speakers discuss two approaches in the Caribbean to sustain fisheries and marine resources including a new sustainable seafood initiative underway in collaboration with local restaurants in the US Virgin Islands and working with fishers in Puerto Rico to increase local engagement in more sustainable management and conservation planning. Using Local Knowledge to Inform Fisheries Management in the Coral Triangle – Richard Hamilton of The Nature Conservancy’s Melanesia Program shares how local knowledge is being documented and used to increase understanding of fisheries and engage fishers through case studies from the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. This is a 30 minute webinar that includes a question and answer period. Using science, mapping, and partnerships to combat invasive species: a case study in controlling lionfish in the Gulf of Mexico – Dr. Jorge Brenner, Associate Director of Marine Science, Texas Program at The Nature Conservancy discusses research and management being conducted by TNC to control invasive lionfish in the Gulf of Mexico. Agnessa Lundy, Conservation Coordinator at the Nature Conservancy Bahamas, speaks about efforts to control lionfish in Bahamas and the Caribbean. This webinar was co-hosted with TNC Invasive Species Learning Network. Accelerating Change Through A Social Marketing Campaign For Grouper In Fiji – Scott Radway, Executive Director of SeaWeb Asia Pacific, discusses accelerating change through social marketing in Fiji. Radway presents on the 4FJ campaign which has – within the last six months – galvanized support for reducing fishing pressure on grouper in Fiji during the peak spawning months. Using Wastewater Treatment Technologies to Reduce Nutrient Pollution Impacts on Coral Reefs – Jim Bays, Technology Fellow at CH2M HILL discusses wastewater treatment technologies ranging from low-tech onsite treatment to large system level upgrades that improve public health and mitigate nutrient pollution impact to coral reefs and sensitive marine ecosystems. Case histories from small communities, resorts and large cities in coral reef areas are shared.

Exploring Enforcement Strategies for Marine Protected Areas – Marcel Bigue of WildAid discusses designing and implementing enforcement systems for both small and large MPAs. The webinar provides an overview of the law enforcement chain, the basics behind integrated coastal surveillance systems and how WildAid has applied different strategies in both the Eastern and Western Pacific. Preparing for Coral Bleaching - Outlook and Lessons in Response – Dr. Mark Eakin (NOAA Coral Reef Watch), Britt Parker (NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program) and Anne Rosinski (Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources) discuss the bleaching outlook for the Northern Hemisphere this year and provide guidance for managers to better prepare and respond to bleaching events. This webinar includes a description of tools for users to keep track of events, tips for response based on lessons DAR has learned from a 2014 bleaching event in Hawaii, and the Top 10 Things You Can Do Before, During and After a Bleaching Event.

Network Forum

The Reef Resilience Network Forum is an online member-only discussion forum where managers and practitioners have the opportunity to share ideas and resources, ask questions, and support each other. Membership in the Reef Resilience Network has grown during this time period from 90 members to over 130 members. The Reef Resilience Network has several blog features, resource pages (Events, Online resources), and active discussion forums. The network promotes collaboration between coral reef practitioners around the world through peer-to-peer learning and discussion, shared resources, training opportunities and access to coral reef experts. Members of the network have shared and discussed photos of coral reef bleaching, transect methods, and rare species of coral. We hosted 12 “Ask the Expert” Forums with the following topics and experts:

 Coral reef resilience, Dr. Salm  Reef restoration, James Byrne  Ocean acidification, Dr. Elizabeth McLeod  Sewage impacts to coral reefs, Dr. Stephanie Wear  Impacts of land-based pollutants on coral health, Dr. Courtney Couch  Conservation efforts in Cuba, Raimundo Espinoza  Ecology of coral reef, Katie Davis and Peter Carlson  Project REGENERATE (Reefs Generate Environmental and Economic Resilience in Atoll Ecosystems), Amir Schmidt  Enforcement strategies for Marine Protected Areas, Marcel Bigue  Bleaching outlook for the Northern Hemisphere and management strategies, Dr. Mark, Britt Parker and Anne  Bleaching outlook for the Southern Hemisphere and management strategies, Dr. Mark Eakin and Chris Bergh  Designing bleaching response plans for the Western Indian Ocean, Dr. David Obura

We also have worked to develop two exciting new partnerships for engaging managers on the Forum with the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) in Mauritius and the Hawai‘i Department of Aquatic Resources. The Indian Ocean commission (IOC) is an interregional organization created in 1982 and composed of Comoros, France –Reunion, Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles. One of its principal missions is to support the sustainable development of its member countries through regional cooperation. A regional online network to connect coral reef actors was a major priority of the region and the Forum was the perfect tool to help connect managers in the region and bring stories from the Indian Ocean to managers around the world. The Western Indian

Ocean Group was created on the Forum and includes 10 countries in two nodes of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network. This forum group is for monitoring teams, coral reef managers, project managers, and scientists to interact topics of interest such as capacity building, reporting on coral reef health, networking, and using reef resilience concepts in management. The group operates under the mandates of the Indian Ocean Commission and the Nairobi Convention.

Another partnership was formed with the Hawai‘i Department of Aquatic Resources and a Coral Reef Response Group was created on the Forum to support managers in responding to coral reef events including coral bleaching, disease, and Crown-Of-Thorns Starfish (COTS) outbreaks. This group focuses on operational aspects of management response, including sharing successful response case studies, addressing common obstacles, and identifying novel strategies to mitigate the impact of these events and/or promote reef recovery.

We also partnered with Jorge Brenner, Associate Director of Marine Science for TNC, to establish the Gulf of Mexico Reef Resilience Network Group for protected area managers, resource managers, scientists, conservation communities, educators and other groups of interest to network and share needs, experiences and opportunities for collaboration.

We also use the Forum to foster communication and resource sharing between Network members before, during, and after Reef Resilience trainings and learning exchanges. Three online discussion groups were created and managed for this purpose:  Pacific Technical Writing Workshop  Caribbean Resilience Training 2015  Caribbean Strategic Communications LX 2015

These discussion forums, not only provide managers opportunities for exchange and networking, but create an efficient avenue for Reef Resilience staff to stay in touch with workshop/learning exchange participants and check in on the progress of their papers/ Trainer’s Projects / communications plans.

Online Course

The Reef Resilience Online Course provides coral reef managers access to the latest science and strategies for managing coral reefs in a changing climate. To help coral reef managers better utilize information housed in the Reef Resilience Toolkit and meet the growing demand for our in-person training, we offer a free online course. During this 2-year period, we developed a new version of the online course (both the self-paced and mentored versions) based on the revised Toolkit content and recommendations from our recent program evaluation. In order to increase the effectiveness of the course, the program evaluation recommended consideration of the development of certification and modification to create a tiered learning experience. We continued to administer and manage the self-paced version of the online course and promote and support opportunities to share the course with partners, managers and students globally. The new course, Advanced Studies in Coral Reef Resilience, incorporates new climate, coral reef, and reef fisheries science, case studies, and management strategies. It is available in English, Spanish, and French and is comprised of 6 modules and 19 lessons on the following topics:

 Advanced Reef Resilience

38  Stressors and Impacts  Identifying Coral Reef Resilience  Monitoring and Assessment  Managing for Resilience  Resilient MPA Design  Communication

A 16-week mentored online course was hosted for participants in the 2015 Caribbean Coral Reef Resilience Training using the new Advanced Studies course. The course combines self-paced lessons, quizzes to test participant knowledge, interactive discussions, and the development of a resilience project proposal. Additionally, throughout the course, participants completed bi- weekly discussions with experts and other training participants using the Network Forum. See the Workshops and Learning Exchanges section below for more information.

The main objectives of the online course were for participants to: 1. Understand local and global stressors affecting coral reefs 2. Identify coral reef resilience indicators and methods for implementing resilience assessments 3. Understand design principles and recommendations for the development of resilient MPA networks 4. Explore a wide range of management strategies implemented around the world to support reef resilience 5. Interact with global experts from academia and international governmental and non- governmental organizations

Discussions with coral reef managers and practitioners who have participated in Reef Resilience trainings have highlighted the importance of technical certifications and degrees for stimulating career growth opportunities. To respond to this need, a decision was made to seek accreditation for the Reef Resilience Curriculum so that individuals who completed the online course would receive course credit through a leading marine science institution. Through a scoping process, it was determined that the University of Guam (UoG) would provide accreditation for the online course. We are currently working with UoG to add the course materials to the UOG online course website.

Learning Exchanges & Workshops

To help managers incorporate resilience concepts into their management strategies and policies, the Reef Resilience Network provides training, networking opportunities, mentorship, and seed funding to launch necessary education, monitoring, and threat abatement projects. In-person trainings emphasize knowledge sharing within and across regions and are designed to prepare managers to apply cutting edge science. Based on the needs of managers, in-person trainings range in design, topic, and duration. Over this two-year period, we held 6 in-person trainings. Final reports from all trainings are included and start on page 45. Learning Exchange #1: CCA Workshop in Guam From March 10-14, thirty managers (four from the Caribbean and twenty-six from Guam) participated in the Adapting to Changing Climate Workshop held in Tumon, Guam. The workshop was designed to train a team of practitioners on new tools being used throughout the

39 Pacific to provide community members and stakeholders with an understanding of climate change concepts and adaptation strategies. Workshop participants gained first-hand experience with facilitating a community-based planning process to improve the resilience of natural and social resources and reduce vulnerability to climate change. Additionally, Caribbean managers provided feedback on the possible modification of the tools for use in the Caribbean.

Learning Exchange #2: Pacific Strategic Communications From September 9-11, 2014, fourteen practitioners from Hawai‘i, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands, and Yap participated in a Strategic Communications Learning Exchange in Maui, Hawaii. The workshop was designed to provide marine conservation professionals with training in strategic communications, including working with the media and facilitation skills with a focus on the practical application of these skills to a current project. In addition, 42 managers attended a half-day workshop on key components of strategic communications and select communications tools– including social marketing– that can be practically applied to meet their conservation needs.

Learning Exchange #3: Technical Writing Workshop for Pacific Island Managers A four-day writing workshop was held March 29-April 1, 2015 to build technical writing skills of Pacific Island coral reef managers and practitioners. With the support of The Nature Conservancy’s Central Science team and NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program, we supported the attendance of six participants from Hawaiʻi, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. Participants received expert mentorship from TNC’s Chief Scientist Peter Kareiva and team of science reviewers to improve writing skills, finalize a publication for submission to a relevant journal, and develop a timeline and plan for submission. Follow up with participants found that two of the participants had their work written up in the TNC Cool Green Science Blogs (see The Octopus’ Birthday: Understanding an Intelligent & Elusive Marine Creature, and Got Gonads?).

Learning Exchange #4: Caribbean Strategic Communications Learning Exchange A four-day learning exchange was held August 11-14, 2015 to help eleven marine conservation professionals approach their outreach and communications work strategically. Participants learned key components of strategic communications, and applied these concepts to create their own communications plan. Learning exchange coaches worked with participants prior to the event to identify a marine communication project to develop during the learning exchange. Based on participants’ needs, training was also provided in media relations, interviews, and the main components of social marketing, with opportunity for practical application of these skills. All participants left the learning exchange with a vetted (by coaches and other participants) strategic communication plan for their project, which included key messages and a timeline for project implementation. A private discussion forum was created for participants as a way to share communications resources, continue to network, and track the progress of participant projects.

Learning Exchange #5: Bahamas-Hawai‘i Makai Watch Learning Exchange In partnership with the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute, four participants (2 sponsored by Reef Resilience) from The Bahamas National Trust and the Abaco Association for Flying Fishing Guides visited Hawai‘i in April 2015 to learn about community-based management initiatives across the state, with emphasis on the State of Hawai‘i’s Makai Watch Program. This innovative program engages communities in the management of their nearshore marine resources by building voluntary compliance through outreach and the reporting of violations to state

40 authorities. Participants took part in a series of meetings with the coordinators and volunteers for the Makai Watch program, as well as with other programs, in support of marine conservation in Hawai‘i implemented in collaboration with the Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources, NGOs, and community-based organizations. From these meetings and site visits, participants discussed lessons learned and developed action steps for community involvement in MPA enforcement in The Bahamas.

Final training reports are posted on the Toolkit to share lessons learned from these exchanges. See below for final reports on these trainings.

Caribbean Coral Reef Resilience Training Workshop From June 1-5, 2015, eighteen managers participated in the 5-day in person workshop held in Guánica, Puerto Rico. The workshop had a focus on using the latest science to improve MPAs as a management tool for fisheries in a changing climate and building communication and facilitation skills of participants. It provided an atmosphere of exchange and creative problem solving and was facilitated by regional and global experts in resilience-based management of coral reefs.

The main objectives of the in-person training workshop were for participants to: • Understand the latest science for designing resilient networks of no take areas (NTAs) for fisheries management, biodiversity conservation and climate change adaption • Use the latest science regarding fish habitats, movements and recovery times to develop recommendations for the location, size and duration of no take areas • Build skills in facilitation and communication • Develop a Resilience Project to complete at their sites after the workshop

We continue to update and develop new training materials to meet the evolving needs of coral reef managers. We completed design and development of new trainings materials for use at the Caribbean Resilience Training and the Strategic Communications Workshops in the Pacific and Caribbean. All training materials are living documents and will be updated before any future trainings.

Support for Implementation of Trainers/Resilience Projects Support was provided for the implementation of 14 remaining Trainers Projects from the 2013 Training of Trainers Workshop held in Zanzibar. See the table below for a description of the project, country of implementation, and date of project completion.

41 Country Project Title Project Completed Egypt Climate change, coral bleaching and the future of Sep. 2014 Egypt’s Red Sea tourism industry Egypt Reef Resilience Capacity Building Program for reef Sep. 2014 managers and rangers at the Red Sea Marine Parks Egypt Monitoring for Resilience in Marsa Alam Area- Egypt Sep. 2014 Egypt Wadi El-Gemal National Park Coral Reef Resilience Sep. 2014 and Training India Incorporating resilience concepts into current reef Mar. 2015 monitoring in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago Kenya Capacity Building for Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Nov. 2014 staff on reef resilience and management Kenya Training community monitoring team and Kenya Apr. 2014 wildlife service rangers on resource monitoring, reef resilience and climate change. Madagascar Communication strategy on climate change impacts in Apr. 2014 Nosy Hara National Park and Ambodivahibe Marine Protected Area Maldives Critical Habitat Mapping Sep. 2014 Maldives Are sea grass beds really a nuisance? Aug. 2014 Mozambique Establishing the enabling environment for the multi- Apr. 2013 stakeholder process for development of a management plan for the Primeiras e Segundas MPA Seychelles Training Workshop on coral reef monitoring Nov. 2013 techniques aiming at establishing a functional coral reef network in the Seychelles South Africa Towards the implementation of a coral bleaching Apr. 2014 management strategy for iSimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa

Also, as part of the Caribbean Coral Reef Resilience Training, participants developed a Resilience Project for implementation at their sites. During the workshop, participants had time to finalize proposals drafted during the online course and work with mentors on finalizing their project proposals. Through facilitated challenge circles they shared their proposals and received feedback from mentors and other participants. After a thorough evaluation process, which included review and approval of several TNC staff, a total of 13 projects were approved for funding. See the table below for the list of projects completed. To see detailed project summaries, see the Caribbean Coral Reef Resilience Training report (pg. 112).

42 Country Project Title Project Completed Bahamas Increasing Knowledge & Capacity Building for Reef Resilience in Dec. 2015 Educational Programs in The Bahamas Barbados Using Fish Aggregating Devices to Reduce Fishing Pressure on Coral Oct. 2015 Reefs Belize Increase awareness of ecosystem services, climate change, Community Mar. 2016 Resilience proposal Belize Designing a Network of Replenishment Zones in Belize: Resilient Dec. 2015 System, Resilient Communities Dominican Build coral reef resilience by training and involving the dive centers in Jan. 2016 Republic the collection of data and dissemination of key messages to their customers Dominican Reduction of Parrotfish Consumption at Las Terrenas, Samaná Jan. 2016 Republic Grenada Sand Watch Grenada: A School Based Beach Monitoring Program Mar. 2016 Jamaica Improving Coral Reef Monitoring in the Portland Bight Protected Area Feb. 2016 Jamaica Training to assess critical factors influencing reef resilience of Nov. 2015 Jamaica’s reef Jamaica Oracabessa/Boscobel Relative Resilience Analysis and Resilience Jan. 2016 Management Planning Puerto Rico Cooking Oil Recycling Program in Isla Verde to Improve Coastal Feb. 2016 Water Quality Saint Lucia Training for Adopt a Reef Program Jan. 2016 U.S. Virgin Evaluation of effectiveness for the St. Croix East End Marine Park No- Jan. 2016 Islands Take Zones using abundance of the Caribbean Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus)

43 Pacific – Caribbean Learning Exchange: Climate Change Adaptation Workshop

March 9-16, 2014 Tumon, Guam

Learning exchange participants visit the village of Umatac to conduct a threat and vulnerability assessment. Photo © TNC.

This learning exchange and report were supported by The Nature Conservancy under cooperative agreement award #NA13NOS4820145 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Coral Reef Conservation Program, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of NOAA, the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, or the U.S. Department of Commerce.

44 Executive Summary From March 10-14, thirty managers (four from the Caribbean and twenty-six from Guam) participated in the Adapting to Changing Climate Workshop held in Tumon, Guam. The workshop was designed to train a team of practitioners on use of new tools being used throughout the Pacific to provide community members and stakeholders with an understanding of climate change concepts and adaptation strategies. Workshop participants gained first-hand experience with facilitating a community-based planning process to improve the resilience of natural and social resources and reduce vulnerability to climate change. Additionally, Caribbean managers provided feedback on the possible modification of the tools for use in the Caribbean.

Background The Reef Resilience Program works to strengthen and enhance training and capacity building opportunities for coral reef managers to address the impacts of climate change and local stressors to coral reefs. To address this goal, the program organizes multiple Learning Exchanges each year with the objective of providing intensive in-person trainings to coral reef managers in order to improve management techniques on the ground and address site-specific needs of coral reef managers.

Objectives From March 10-14, four managers working in the Caribbean participated in the Adapting to Changing Climate Workshop held in Tumon Bay, Guam. Twenty-six managers from Guam also participated in the workshop. Objectives of the Learning Exchange were: • To gain first-hand experience with the Adapting to a Changing Climate tool, build skills, and give feedback on how the tool can be modified and used in the Caribbean. • To connect with managers in Guam and learn how the tool is being used in the Pacific.

Participants & Facilitators See the table below for details on participants. The participants included two women from Puerto Rico and Grenada, and 2 men from Belize and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

PIMPAC regional advisor Meghan Gombos, and the Nature Conservancy’s Micronesia Program Director, Trina Leberer, facilitated the workshop. Additional field experts were also invited to share some of the latest science around climate change and potential impacts to Guam. These included: • John Marra – NOAA Climate Services • Mark Lander – University of Guam, Water and Environmental Research Institute • Val Brown – NOAA Fisheries on behalf of Dave Burdick of University of Guam

Agenda Overview Support for the participation of four managers was provided by the Reef Resilience Program Manager and Program Assistant at the five day workshop. Prior to the workshop Reef Resilience

45 Program staff sent announcements to specific managers who would be able to use the Climate Change Adaptation Tool in their work to encourage their participation.

DAY 1: Caribbean Learning Exchange participant welcome and orientation The first afternoon, before the start of the workshop, participants gathered for introductions and an orientation to the island of Guam by Valerie Brown of NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service. This allowed them to make initial connections with other managers from the Caribbean and to get an orientation of the area. The workshop agenda and their expectations were also reviewed.

Caribbean Learning Exchange participant welcome and orientation. Photo © TNC.

DAYS 2- 6: Climate Change Adaptation Workshop All participants attended the workshop and field work in nearby towns.

DAY 7: Caribbean Learning Exchange participant wrap up and next steps After the conclusion of the workshop, the Learning Exchange participants, Reef Resilience program staff, and one of the workshop co-facilitators met to review and discuss their notes from the week, how the tool could be adapted and used in the Caribbean, and two other relevant tools. Overall, feedback from the Caribbean managers indicated that the tools were very relevant to the Caribbean and little adaptation would be needed. Two key ways to adapt the CCA tool for the Caribbean given by participants were: • Since the workshop included climate change predictions for the Pacific, those would need to be developed for the Caribbean.

46 • Since flipchart drawings in the tool depicted human and natural communities for the Pacific, similar drawings depicting Caribbean species and communities and would need to be developed (can be general for the Caribbean and would be appropriate for diversity across Caribbean)

Further support needed by participants to implement the tool in their jurisdictions was discussed and included: • A facilitators agenda • More communication tools for communicating climate change to communities • More examples of adaptation strategies • More examples of alternative livelihood strategies • Alternatives to the Threat Action Model • More coaching on using CCA tool closer to implementation in community

Participants also discussed ideas of best practices for using the CCA tool with local communities in the Caribbean. These included: • Clearly define goals, objectives, and messages for the project with the planning team • Include experts from the region to help explain climate change concepts to the community and include local community experts in vulnerability analysis • Include experienced facilitators when working with local communities

Overall feedback from the Caribbean participants was very positive and was described: • Got out of workshop exactly what wanted • The CCA tool is not highly technical and is easy to use • The CCA tool deals with evidence and facts on the ground

A discussion of bringing the CCA tool back to their organizations and communities revealed next steps for the participants. In Puerto Rico, the CCA tool with be used to conduct a vulnerability analysis for five communities. In Belize, the CCA tool will be used to implement a climate adaptation plan in eight coastal communities, starting in 3 communities. In Grenada, the CCA tool will be used to conduct a threat and vulnerability analysis with the Red Cross when they are working with communities. In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a similar CCA Workshop will be held.

An electronic folder that includes all files was developed and shared with participants and includes all presentations, materials, and activities completed during the workshop.

Feedback “I think it was good to have the participants from the Caribbean as some of them were able to ask specific questions regarding the Guam situation and that helped the Guam participants think a little more critically about possible actions. Also, it was nice to hear about their islands and their challenges and see that Guam may have suggestions, or solutions, to address their

47 issues. I think the LEAP process is a really important tool since it deals with very localized situations and gets participants and communities to really address and realize how climate change will directly affect them.” (Guam workshop participant)

Lessons Learned and Next Steps Reef Resilience staff thought the learning exchange was successful and highlighted these contributing factors: • The partnership approach for choosing participants worked well, other suggestions didn’t work as well • The exchange contributed to work in Guam and interactions worked both ways • There is a high potential for participants to use the CCA tool immediately • Exchange objectives were achieved: there is a need for adaptation of the tool to the Caribbean and the exchange was a good way to ground truth • There is potential to move forward with a climate change adaptation module for the Reef Resilience Toolkit • The format for the exchange, having a pre-meeting, the workshop, and s post-meeting worked well

Recommendations for future learning exchanges are: • Contact TNC heads of operating units to discuss potential participants • Expect travel to be very expensive between the Caribbean and Pacific and budget accordingly (the average flight was $2920) • Have participants sign up for newsletter and RR Network

In the months following the exchange, Reef Resilience Program staff with work with the workshop facilitator to adapt the CCA tool to the Caribbean context and work with participants to support the development of their projects.

Appendices Appendix A: Learning Exchange Agenda

48 Appendix A

Adapting to a Changing Climate Workshop Report

Tumon, Guam March 10-14, 2014

This training and report were supported by The Nature Conservancy under cooperative agreement award #NA13NOS4820145 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Coral Reef Conservation Program, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of NOAA, the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, or the U.S. Department of Commerce. 49 Table of Contents

Background ...... 3 Workshop Objectives ...... 4 Workshop Participation ...... 4 Workshop Approach & Outputs ...... 6 Session One: Understanding and Communicating Climate Change Concepts ...... 6 Factors that Contribute to a Healthy or Unhealthy Community ...... 7 Developing a Local Climate Story ...... 8 Historical Timeline ...... 8 Seasonal Calendar ...... 10 Potential Future Impacts from Climate Change to the Communities of Umatac and Tumon ...... 12 Local Climate Story Development ...... 14 Session Two: Threat and Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Planning ...... 16 Developing a Community Profile and Prioritizing Targets ...... 16 Mapping the Site ...... 17 Field-based Threat and Vulnerability Assessments ...... 18 Threat Action Models ...... 19 Taking the Workshop to the Next Level ...... 21 APPENDIX A: Overview Agenda ...... 24 APPENDIX B: Guam Climate Predictions Summary ...... 26 APPENDIX C: Tumon Community Profile ...... 28 APPENDIX D: Threat Action Models ...... 29

50 Background

In 2010, The Micronesia Conservation Trust (MCT) supported the development of community based climate change (CC) adaptation tools for the Micronesia region. To design the most appropriate and useable products, consultants reviewed existing CC adaptation materials, spoke with various climate experts, and held a regional workshop with regional natural resource managers, community members, and climate change experts. Based on input at this workshop, the following products were developed:

Adapting to a Changing Climate Outreach Toolkit1 - which is designed to provide community members and stakeholders with an understanding of climate change concepts and adaptation strategies. This toolkit consists of:

• Large flipcharts visually depicting climate change concepts and actions that can be carried out to prepare and adapt to CC impacts. • Facilitators guide to accompany the flipcharts, which include page-by-page notes on things to point out on the flipchart and concepts to explain. • Booklets that provide the same visual content as the flipchart but offer more verbal description and explanations. These are to be used by community members and other stakeholders both during presentation of the flip chart material and afterward as they work on their adaptation projects.

Revised PIMPAC management planning guidance1, which now includes a climate change lens through: • Revised steps that ensure important stakeholders are involved and key questions are answered to address climate change in the planning process • New steps including historical timeline, seasonal calendar, strength/weakness analysis, and vulnerability assessment to help understand the social and biological resource vulnerability to the impacts of climate change.

This workshop focused on training a team of practitioners in Guam on the use of these tools.

Funding for the workshop was provided by the Nature Conservancy Micronesia Program, and the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program. The workshop was hosted by the Guam Bureau of Statistics and Planning.

1 Since the completion of the first phase of this project, much of the Outreach tool and the revised PIMPAC management planning guidance have been combined into one streamlined process and further revised in collaboration with Micronesia Conservation Trust and the US Coral Triangle Initiative and is now called Adapting to A Changing Climate: Guidance for Local Early Action Planning (LEAP) and Management Planning.

51 Workshop Objectives

1. To provide agency participants from various sectors in Guam with the understanding of climate change, the potential impacts to Guam, and necessary skills to effectively communicate climate change concepts.

2. To provide participants with skills and tools for facilitating participatory activities (e.g. field based vulnerability assessments) that result in actions that reduce vulnerability to climate change and other threats.

3. To share climate change adaptation training outputs with agency leaders and policy makers to gain support and guidance for further adaptation efforts.

4. To develop a timeline for participants to utilize the skills and tools from the workshop to carry out follow up activities

5. To share Pacific tools with Caribbean Learning Exchange participants to build skills, and collect feedback on how the tools could be used and modified for the Caribbean. (Belize, Grenada, and Puerto Rico)

Workshop Participation

The training was attended by approximately 35 people (participants and trainers). Participants represented various government agencies and non-governmental organizations within Guam. Participants included:

Last Name First Name Agency/ Organization Black Sheena Office of the Governor Brown Valerie NOAA Fisheries Calvo John Western Pacific Regional Fisheries Council Camacho Christine Bureau of Statistics and Planning Constantino Ambrosio Homeland Security Denney Peggy Gawel Mike National Park Service Gofigan Fred Hadley Alison University of Guam King Romina University of Guam 4

52 Lander Mark University of Guam Leon Guerrero Carlotta Loerzel Adrienne NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program

Lujan Vangie Guam Water Works Mafnas Joseph Marra John NOAA Climate Services Miller Genevieve University of Guam Center for Island Miller Roxanna Sustainability Parker Aaron Perez Terry Bureau of Statistics and Planning Quinata Tom Bureau of Statistics and Planning Quinata Marybelle NOAA Fisheries Quitugua Roland University of Guam Richardson Jim National Park Service Simpson Clint NOAA National Weather Service Taft Tammy Jo Guam Environmental Protection Agency University of Guam Center for Island Tyler Elvie Sustainability Caribbean Participants Barriteau Martin Sustainable Grenadines Toledo Institute for People and Environment, Budna Norman Belize Frederick Naella The Nature Conservancy, Grenada Justiniano Aurora The Nature Conservancy, Puerto Rico The Nature Conservancy, Reef Resilience MacGowan Petra Program The Nature Conservancy, Reef Resilience Wagner Cherie Program Facilitators Pacific Islands Managed and Protected Area Gombos Meghan Community Leberer Trina The Nature Conservancy, Micronesia

1. John Marra – NOAA Climate Services 2. Mark Lander – University of Guam, Water and Environmental Research Institute 3. Val Brown – NOAA Fisheries on behalf of Dave Burdick of University of Guam 5

53 Workshop Approach & Outputs

The workshop utilized a variety of methods including lectures, group discussions, classroom exercises, and fieldwork to help participants understand climate change concepts and practice utilizing the toolkit to carry out climate change outreach, vulnerability assessments, and adaptation planning. The training was broken into 2 sessions. The sessions included:

Session One: Understanding and Communicating Climate Change Concepts - The first session was aimed at ensuring that all participants have a solid understanding of climate change concepts so that they can provide accurate information to target audiences about climate change and climate variability. It included information on the best available projections for Guam and discussions on the potential impacts to various natural resource and social targets. It also included the use of participatory tools to help target audiences understand specific concepts and collect local information on changes in climate (i.e. historical timeline, and seasonal calendar). The output of Session One was a local climate story that describes climate impacts the community is most concerned about and why, based on past and present experience, and potential future scenarios.

Session Two: Threat and Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Planning (Days 3-5) Session Two built on the information learned in the Session One to support adaptation planning. In this session, participants; 1) learned specific terms to describe the different components of vulnerability (natural resource and social), 2) practiced completing a threat and vulnerability assessment in the field, and 3) developed early actions or adaptation strategies to address key threats and vulnerabilities. The outputs of the full week were shared with agency and community leaders to gain support on further climate change efforts.

The rest of this report will capture the main activities and outputs from these sessions.

Session One: Understanding and Communicating Climate Change Concepts

Session One began by first providing an overview of the Adapting to a Changing Climate: Guide for Local Early Action Planning (LEAP) and Management Planning tool. The group reviewed the four steps that would be completed throughout the workshop and for the development of a Local Early Action Plan. They also reviewed the first step focused on getting organized for Awareness and Planning which included actions such as developing a planning team, defining the geographic area for planning, defining stakeholders, and ensuring they have authority to plan for the area.

54 The rest of Session One focused on using the new CC outreach materials including the flipchart illustrations and participatory exercises to understand climate change concepts and discuss ways to communicate key messages to communities. Factors that Contribute to a Healthy or Unhealthy Community To begin participants were asked to describe, “What factors contribute to a community being healthy or unhealthy?”. The table below captures information that group listed to answer this question. These answers were then compared to the illustrations and information provided in the toolkit to generate discussion. The focus of this discussion was to demonstrate that several existing local (i.e. non-climate) threats are impacting communities and that the current condition of local natural and social resources will greatly influence how they are impacted by climate change. Resources that are facing several existing local threats will likely be more negatively impacted by climate change.

Factors that Contribute to a Factors that Contribute to an Healthy Community Unhealthy Community • Clean and sufficient freshwater supply • Drugs • Living without flooding • Crime • Safe homes • Unemployment • Ability to catch or produce your own food • Poor unstable infrastructure • Parks • Unsustainable environmental practices • Effective waste management • Corrupt government • Safe environment from hazards • Drought • Bike paths • Fast food • Strong respect for family • Outside intervention • Strong social networks • Lack of education • Strong leadership • Lack of leadership / community structure / 7

55 • Healthy forests, lakes, natural resources— guidance coral • Misuse of natural resources • Public safety • Lacking prioritization of agriculture and • Enforcement natural resources • Access to education • Improper storage of chemicals • Best community practices • Lack of community development plan • Healthy humans • Apathy • Access to information • Invasive species • Employment • Overpopulation • Cultural preservation and perpetuation • Natural disasters • Traditional knowledge • Poverty • Effective mass transit • Sole reliance on imports • Overdevelopment

Developing a Local Climate Story

Next the group began reviewing material and completing activities that would help them develop “a local climate story” for Guam. A local climate story explains past, current and projected climate hazards, and impacts the community is most concerned about.

Historical Timeline

To develop the story, the group began by reviewing toolkit illustrations and key messages about the following topics:

• What is difference between weather and climate? • El Niño & La Niña

The “historical timeline” is a participatory exercise that was used to explore historical natural/climate events that have occurred in the past 50+ years in Guam. The timeline was used to identify which extreme climate events have happened in the past, impacts those events had on the community, and ways the community coped with those impacts. The group also focused on looking at how some of the past climate events may have been due to natural climate variability, and specifically the influence of El Niño & La Niña impacts to weather patterns in the region. An example of the outputs from this exercise is pasted below.

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57 Next the group reviewed toolkit illustrations and key messages on the following topics: • What is Climate Change? • Why is Climate Change Happening? • What are the Potential Impacts from Climate Change?

In addition to the toolkit illustrations, John Marra of NOAA Climate Services Pacific Region provided information about recent science on climate change (e.g. CO2 emission trends) and climate variability (e.g. El Niño Southern Oscillation and Pacific Decadal Oscillation). John also provided information on potential impacts of climate change on coastal systems. Additionally, Mark Lander of University of Guam provided information on potential changes to weather patterns and extreme events such as typhoons to Guam. Finally, Val Brown of NOAA Fisheries presented on behalf of Dave Burdick (UoG), on the potential impacts of climate change on Guam’s marine ecosystems.

Seasonal Calendar

To engage participants in the discussion of local impacts, seasonal calendars were developed to explore changes they are noticing to normal seasons and associated events. This exercise was used to capture the “normal” seasons and natural and social events that occur within them and to begin identifying how those seasons may be shifting due to climate change and variability and what the impacts may be as a result. Outputs of this exercise are pasted below.

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59 Potential Future Impacts from Climate Change to the Communities of Umatac and Tumon

With a better understanding of 1) historical climate events that impacted Guam communities, 2) changes to normal seasons being observed, and 3) climate change science and projections participants broke into small groups to discuss how climate change might impact the specific Guam communities of Umatac and Tumon. To do this, the group split into two groups to further review climate projections provided by NOAA Climate Services in a simplified format (found in Appendix B). Each group discussed specifically how those projections might impact the natural resources and social systems in their respective community. Upon completing and reviewing the list of potential impacts, the group prioritized what they considered the most critical impacts of concern.

The complete list and prioritized list are found below.

Umatac Climate Impacts of Concern

Climate Indicator Short Term Long Term Air Temperature Fire Risk Erosion / loss of resiliency Vegetation –agriculture and Erosion / loss of resiliency forest habitat Biodiversity loss Infrastructure Economic cost for system and individuals Health Rainfall Agriculture Chemical Use – water quality, economics, nutrients, coral fisheries Extremes - Flooding Resource managers Access/ remoteness Infrastructure Economics (costs) Emergency response H2O Displacement Cemetery Cultural practices Extremes – typhoon “ “ drought Sea Level Rise Flooding – minor Potential location shifts nuisance/tidal

Variability – coastal erosion 12

60 Community center Sea Surface Temperature Reef is already stressed Bleaching possibility Fish kills? Phase shifts Cultural impacts Fisheries Community events/ food source/ cultural Upper ocean heat content/ Fish patterns? stratification Ocean Chemistry Coral Health Ecosystem Shift Fisheries Cultural impacts Overall – all CC impacts Migration Population Increase Subsistence Fisheries Land Use Resource use conflicts Infrastructure Top Climate Change Impacts of Concern for Umatac: • Impacts to Coral • Flooding • Increased Fire • Population • Cultural Impacts • Typhoons

Tumon Climate Impacts of Concern

Climate Indicator Impact Increased Air Temperature • Increase in indoor activities • Less walking/ increased traffic/ Increase in obesity • More nightlife activities • Added pressure on GMH (i.e. more heat stroke) • Increased water for hotel landscaping/ electricity for aircon • More road repair • Reduction in tourism • Increase cost for construction/ infrastructure/ utilities • Increase in night crime rate (increased nightlife)

Rainfall (moderate • Increase in urban flooding increase) • Increase in sewer overflow • Decrease in salinity (in some areas) – affect on marine life 13

61 • Algae blooms • Landslides along cliffs • Increase in invasive species • More pests/ disease in plants • More mosquitoes and mosquito borne disease • Reduced tourism • More shopping Strong Winds/ High seas • Choppy waters/ Increased drowning accidents • Vegetative power outages • Flying dust/debris – more clean up • Marine debris • Impact on corals (e.g. standing on corals due to choppy water) • Public safety hazards Drought • Increased infrastructure (immagration) • Loss/ stress on native vegetation • Increase pests/diseases in plants • Increase of boiled water • Decrease in tourism Sea Level Rise (moderate • Shoreline erosion increase) • Demand for sea walls • Flooding • Inundation • Salt water lens will increase • Salt water intrusion to wells Sea Surface Temperature • Coral bleaching and fish impacts • Disease increase • Marine disease • Spawning impact Upper ocean heat content/ • Possible shift in pelagic fish stratification Ocean Chemistry • Decreased growth of coral • Decrease in fish larval survival Top Climate Change Impacts of Concern for Tumon:

• Increased shoreline erosion/ Demand for Seawalls • Increase in urban flooding • Coral Bleaching • Increase in sewer overflow • More pests/ disease in plants • Inundation • Less outdoor activities

Local Climate Story Development

62 Based on the groups review of past, present, and possible future impacts, they were able to draft a “local climate story” to describe the climate hazards and impacts of most concern for Umatac and Tumon. Stories are presented below:

Umatac Community Climate Story In the past, our ancestors became more resilient communities by coping with disruptive events, involving geologic and climate changes. Over time, the community succeeding by adapting to challenges from typhoons, earthquakes, and usual season events. To cope with coastal events, homes were built and elevated on stilts, papa’ sa’gi. Throughout all these events, Umatac has preserved and maintained cultural practices of fishing, such as the manahak run and strong sense of community.

Our community is also seeing a change it the way it the amount and the timing of our rains. Dryer dry seasons could mean more fires. More heavy rain events could mean more flooding in homes and on our roads. Both fires and floods can cause more soil to wash out into our bays. These sediments, combined with warmer ocean water waters, threaten the health of our coral reefs. Our families and our community still depends on these reefs for food and village activity, and dead coral reefs will lead to less fish and less opportunity to connect as a village. The three hazards that were identified as having the greatest potential impact on Umatac are increased sea surface temperature, sea level rise, and extreme weather conditions. The expected/ potential impacts of these hazards are coral degradation from upland erosion due flooding, fires, and drought with the consequent of sedimentation. The degradation of corals and the sin-shore fisheries would have a highly negative impact on the community of Umatac and its culture. For the future, we hope to establish infrastructure that can withstand expected population increase and pressure on our resources in Umatac. We also need to address Umatac’s flooding, coastal, and ocean resource issues now, so that we will be prepared as more typhoons and other disruptive events.

Tumon Community Climate Story

In the 1960s to 1990s Guam was a very different place. Most families lived in structures that were not 100% concrete. People raised chickens and pigs and used suruhanus instead of GMH. Families fished together and no one had sewer connection. Seasons were of the utmost importance for farming and fishing. The main weather event that was significant enough that people use it to tell time, was the typhoon. As Guam changed, many things were added including concrete roofs, hotels, paved roads, sewer systems and more grocery stores. Some ways of life were lost and in times of disaster the recovery efforts changed. People during that time relied mostly on each other that changed and people began turning to government assistance to fix the newly adopted lifestyle and infrastructure.

We are seeing more rainfall, high seas out of season, urban flooding and an increase in tourism due to cold weather in temperate regions. Due to urban flooding we are seeing and increase in runoff into Tumon Bay which causes traffic congestion, the need to service storm drains more 15

63 often, and increase in bacteria loads in the water, and algal blooms. There’s also an increase in safety concerns due to high seas and the incidence of drowning. Some hotels are also talking about putting up seawalls.

Future climate projection indicate that Guam will experience increased air temperatures, sea temperatures and rain fall during the wet season. Under these conditions Tumon is likely to experience increased urban flooding which may damage key infrastructure assets and increase human health impacts due to sewage overflows. Moderately higher sea levels coupled with increased waves and wind will lead to accelerated coastal erosion which could affect key infrastructure which could affect services available for tourism. The frequency of coral bleaching events will increase due to higher sea surface temperatures which may have significant impacts to reef resources. All of these combined could have significant impacts on tourism and the overall economy of Guam.

Session Two: Threat and Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Planning

Session Two was aimed at building on the local climate stories for Umatac and Tumon, to complete field-based vulnerability assessments and develop adaptation strategies that address root causes of threats and vulnerabilities for priority targets in these communities.

Developing a Community Profile and Prioritizing Targets

To do this the group first began by developing a “community profile” for the Umatac and Tumon communities. The profile provides key information about natural resources and socioeconomic characteristics of the site that can help support the vulnerability assessment and development of early actions to address vulnerabilities. It includes identifying information such as the main income generating activities which can then be considered when deciding what targets to focus the vulnerability assessment on. For example if fishing or tourism are main income generating activities the threat and vulnerability assessment should include fish and/or coastlines/beaches. The Tumon community profile is included in Appendix C.

64 Based on the information collected through the local climate stories and community profiles, the group chose the following targets to focus on for the field based vulnerability assessments:

Umatac 1. Coral Reefs – based on potential impacts to cultural practices and subsistence fisheries if corals are negatively impacted by increased sea surface temperatures and ocean acidification. 2. Upland Forests – based on potential for increased upland fires, which will cause more upland erosion and landslides as well as sedimentation on reefs. Fires may become worse with increased air temperatures and drier dry seasons. Tumon 1. Shoreline – based on impacts to beaches and tourism. Increased rates of shoreline erosion may occur with higher sea levels and increased storm surges. This may create a demand for sea walls. 2. Infrastructure (stormwater/wastewater) – based on potential negative health and tourism impacts from increases in coastal flooding with wetter wet seasons, and sea level rise.

Mapping the Site

To prepare for the vulnerability assessment the group developed perception maps of the Umatac and Tumon communities to identify where key targets were located, where important social activities took place, and areas that were impacted by past climate events. These maps were used to help inform vulnerability assessment planning and discussion. The following are pictures of these maps:

65 Field-based Threat and Vulnerability Assessments

Prior to going into the field the group focused on understanding climate change concepts that are being used globally to discuss climate change adaptation and are critical for community

66 facilitators to complete a vulnerability assessments and write reports and grant proposals regarding climate adaptation. These terms include Vulnerability, Sensitivity, Exposure, Potential Impact, Adaptive Capacity, and Resilience. As part of this exercise in understanding these terms, workshop participants were asked to describe what exposure, sensitivity, adaptive, resilient, and vulnerable meant in an everyday situations rather than climate change. Although these words may not have the “same” meaning as the climate change term, they can be helpful when used to explain the concept behind the term, develop analogies, or consider for translation into local languages.

Over two days the group carried out vulnerability assessments for the two priority targets for both Umatac and Tumon. In each community field visit, participants broke into two small groups to view their target (where possible) and discuss the following: • Current condition of the target • Non-climate threats and root causes of those threats on the target • Existing and potential climate hazards that could impact the target • Exposure, Sensitivity, Potential Impact, Adaptive Capacity and Vulnerability of the target to climate hazards • Vulnerability of the community to potential changes in the resource (particularly highly vulnerable resources)

The field trip helped participants relate climate change concepts to real examples and gain a better understanding ways to understand vulnerability and therefore meaningful actions that could be taken to reduce vulnerability.

Threat Action Models

To further discuss and visually depict the information collected during the threat and vulnerability assessments, the group completed threat action models. These conceptual models are a way to map out the links between targets, non-climate threats and climate vulnerability, and root causes of threats and vulnerability. It also helps groups identify actions that will best address root causes of threats and vulnerability. Photos of some of the threat action models are provided below. An excel spreadsheets of these results can be also be viewed in Appendix D.

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68 Taking the Workshop to the Next Level

To conclude the workshop, participants were asked to develop a timeline and activities to move climate change working forward through the use of the skills and tools gained in the workshop. The following are actions and needs the group identified to continue using the skills and tools learned at the workshop:

69 ACTION RESPONSIBILITY Climate change included in earth • Tammy Jo and Christine day: • Include come projections into • New games

Sustainability Conference • Adrienne, Tammy Jo, Val, Rocky—write abstract

Work with NOAA to develop 1-pager • John, Chip, Mark, Val

Governor gets report from • Trina, Marybell, Val workshop Senior leaders (governor and • Use this opportunity president) • Work with Sheena to get NRM in the meeting on CC • Sheena, Vangie, Mark Cabo, Ambrose GVB and GHRA should meet with them (monthly meetings) • Go through process with them • Walk to area and point out areas (threats/impacts) • e.g. runoff—algae blooms • Vangie, Tom, John M.

Sitting down with Humatak • See what they are doing and expand on it—see Foundation CAP • Marybelle, Christine Follow up / present to mayor’s • Roland, John C. council; keep short

Go back to agency and share • Get the right messenger where needed information on CC with them • e.g. Mark Landerm Chip Guard

Develop different agendas of • Meghan workshop for different audiences

In November 2013, President Obama selected Governor Calvo to participate in the State, Local, and Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience. Governor Calvo delegated Sheena Black as a co-chair for Guam's task force. Sheena participated in the workshop and presented information on this initiative. She also held a session where she asked workshop participants to provide insights about how the federal government can better incorporate Climate Change planning 22

70 into its policies and programs. This was an initial discussion and further plans were made to continue to gather information.

Finally, the learning exchange participants from the Caribbean shared information and presentations throughout the week on some of the climate change activities they are involved with in their islands. They also met the day after the workshop closed, to discuss how they might utilize the tools and skills learned at the Guam workshop in their island efforts. A separate report will be developed with this information.

Contact Information of Facilitators and Workshop Outputs

The facilitators can be contacted with any questions about the tools, process, or any general support needed.

Meghan Gombos – [email protected] Trina Leberer – [email protected]

All information from the workshop including power point presentations can be found at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/qtmgabzgm7tvf4v/QWV8jxfjPi

71 Table of Contents APPENDIX A: Overview Agenda APPENDIX B: Guam Climate Predictions Summary APPENDIX C: Tumon Community Profile APPENDIX D: Threat Action Models

APPENDIX A: Overview Agenda

March 10 Session One • Background and Overview of Agenda and Tools • Telling Your Climate Story • Reviewing Factors that Make a Community Healthy or Unhealthy • Understanding weather and climate o Historical Timeline Exercise o El Nino/ La Nina • Understanding Climate Change o Causes of CC o Predictions for Guam o Seasonal Calendar Exercise

March 11 Session One • Telling Your Climate Story continued: • What does Climate Change mean for the community? o How will these changes impact a healthy community? o How these changes impact a threatened community –Cumulative Impacts o Review of Guam specific CC scenarios and impacts • Is There Anything We Can Do? o What are other communities doing? o Adaptation Strategies o Introduction to additional tools for corals/fisheries & coastlines • Drafting a Climate Story

March 12 Session Two • Background and Overview of Agenda and Tools • Developing a Community Profile • Community background • Prioritizing natural resource and social targets • Participatory mapping of community and its targets • Review of site specific information/models provided by NOAA • Threat and Vulnerability Assessment Field Work Preparation • Review Climate Change concepts and vocabulary • Review vulnerability assessment worksheets • Team preparation • FIELD WORK (Afternoon) - Completing the Field Based Threat and Vulnerability Assessment for a community site (Umatic) March 13 Session Two

72 • FIELD WORK (Morning) - Completing the Field Based Threat and Vulnerability Assessment for a community site (Tumon) • Lunch Webinar – Saipan Vulnerability Assessment • Review vulnerability of targets and develop threat/action model to address root causes of threats and vulnerability – Prioritize actions March 14 Session Two • Developing a Local Early Action Plan • Develop next steps to move climate change adaption forward in respective agency efforts and collectively • Report out to agency leaders (2hrs)

73 APPENDIX B: Guam Climate Predictions Summary

75 APPENDIX C: Tumon Community Profile

The Village of Tumon is located on the west coast of Guam and extends from the Hilton Hotel out to Two Lovers’ Point and in to Marine Drive. There are approximately 9000 residents who live in Tumon. However, there are also approximately 100,000 tourists visiting Tumon each month or 1.2 million per year.

Most residents of Tumon are employed by the service industry or high income professionals such as military, doctors, lawyers, contractors, ice skaters, zoo keeps, teachers. There are also those who are Talaya (hook and line fishing). There are several active social groups in the area including recreational water users, church groups, political parties, service clubs (Lions/ Rotary), Guam Visitors Bureau, GHRA, Chamber, JFK, St. Johns.

The main stakeholders in Tumon include the Guam hotel and restaurant association, Guam visitors bureau, Chamber, Rotary (4 clubs), Recreation users—Paddlers, Long-term residents, and short-term residents (military, ice skaters). However, decision are made in Tumon through the Mayor and council. Some decisions are also legislated. Guam Visitors Bureau (GHRA too) provide input to decisions. Regulatory and infrastructure decisions are made through respective agencies including (DPW, GLUC, GSPC, EPA, GWA, DAWR, SHPO, Parks and rec, forestry) Economics (hotel development) Resource management

There are a variety features in Tumon that are strong and provide benefits to the community. It is a strong economic driver (from tourism) for the community and the island. There is a marine protected area that is improving resource health. There are also a gathering areas, parks, and recreational areas used by residents and tourists. Shops and restaurants are present and provide a wide variety of entertainment. Transportation around Tumon is easy as it is pedestrian friendly with sidewalks and include a trolly service. While Tumon is a high density development area, it has a strong representation of a business community in the area, and offers community events for all Guam residents.

The main threats or problems in Tumon include limited parking, Enforcement issues, invasive Coconut rhino beetle, Stormwater / flooding / and bacteria issues, XXX, Public access / parking challenges, Development issues, Chemical use / improper use, Beach maintenance, Vegetation removal, Recreation user impacts (physical damage), Coral bleaching, Drunks and crime and illegal dumping, and Seawalls.

Some improvement projects are underway and include sewer upgrades and infrastructure (including funding), hotels improvement at managing green waste, Recycling, Outreach, education resource signage, Tumon better than other villages in litter, LAC.

76 APPENDIX D: Threat Action Models

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Pacific Strategic Communications Learning Exchange September 9 - 11, 2014 Maui, Hawaiʻi

Managers and practitioners from Hawaiʻi, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and Yap participate in the Pacific Strategic Communications Learning Exchange. Photo © TNC.

Executive Summary From September 9-11, 2014, fourteen practitioners from Hawai‘i, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands, and Yap participated in a Strategic Communications Learning Exchange in Maui, Hawaiʻi. The workshop was designed to provide marine conservation professionals with training in strategic communications, facilitation, and media relations, with a focus on the practical application of these skills to a current project. In addition, 42 managers attended a half-day workshop on key components of strategic communications and select communications tools– including social marketing– that can be practically applied to meet their conservation needs.

Background The Reef Resilience Program works to strengthen and enhance training and capacity building opportunities for coral reef managers to address the impacts of climate change and local stressors to coral reefs. To address this goal, the program organizes multiple learning exchanges each year with the objective of providing intensive in-person trainings to coral reef managers. These on on-the-ground trainings are designed to improve management techniques and address site-specific needs of coral reef managers.

Objectives From September 9-11, 2014 a three-day Strategic Communications Learning Exchange and a half-day strategic communications workshop were held concurrent with the 32nd U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Meeting to:  Provide practitioners with training in strategic communications, including working with the media and facilitation skills, with an opportunity for practical application of these skills to a current project.  Connect practitioners working in the Pacific to share challenges and lessons learned.

Participants Fifteen marine conservation practitioners participated in the Strategic Communications Learning Exchange, with an additional 27 practitioners participating in the accelerated half-day workshop. See the table below for details on the 11 women and 4 men who participated in the Learning Exchange.

Learning exchange facilitators included:  Sheila Sarhangi, Hawai‘i and Micronesia Program Director, SeaWeb Asia Pacific  Evelyn Wight, Senior Communications Manager, The Nature Conservancy Hawai‘i  Kristen Maize, Strategic Communications Manager, The Nature Conservancy Hawai‘i  Petra MacGowan, Reef Resilience Program Manager, The Nature Conservancy  Cherie Wagner, Reef Resilience Program Assistant, The Nature Conservancy

Agenda Overview Reef Resilience Program staff invited practitioners who would be able to apply strategic communications to their work and share these skills with others in their region. Participant

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support – leading up to and during the Learning Exchange – was provided by the Reef Resilience Program Manager, Strategic Communications Manager, and Program Assistant.

Welcome The learning exchange kicked off with a welcome dinner event to provide an overview of the three-day agenda and introduce participants to one another.

DAY 1: Strategic Communications for Marine Conservation Workshop Purpose: To help marine conservation professionals approach their outreach work strategically.

Outcomes: • Participants understand the key components of strategic communications and what it means to be strategic in communication efforts • Participants understand that there are numerous tools and approaches to tackle conservation issues, and are familiar with some of these options • Participants consider how this information can be applied to their own projects and/or conservation issues

Field Trip: Learning exchange participants gained first-hand experience of the Mauka (mountains) to Makai (ocean) concept as they worked side-by-side removing invasive species within the Honokōwai Valley – the site of an ancient agricultural village that dates back to 1200 AD. Maui Cultural Lands – the field trip organizer and stewards of the valley – introduced participants to native plants in the area and their significance in Hawaiian culture, as well as concepts central to Hawaiian culture, such as mālama ‘āina – human responsibility to care for the land.

DAYS 2-3: Strategic Communications Learning Exchange Days 2-3 of the learning exchange covered strategic communication topics. With assistance from Reef Resilience staff prior to the event, participants came to the learning exchange with an identified issue/project to focus on and apply during the breakout activities. Day two provided a detailed introduction of the Smart Chart process including the following steps:  Step 1: Setting Goals & Objectives  Step 2: Identifying the Context for your Issue  Step 3: Identifying your Target Audience  Step 3: Make your Messages Come Alive  Step 4: Messengers and Tactics for Communicating Messages  Steps 5 & 6: Measurements and Reality Check

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Participants learn about issue framing. Photo © TNC.

For each of these strategic communications steps, participants – with one-on-one guidance by facilitators – focused on their specific projects. Day 3 provided training on managing conflict and facilitation; storytelling to covey messages, create personal connections, and achieve objectives; and how to build relationships with the media and prepare/give a successful interview.

Learning Exchange participant practicing skills through mock media interview. Photo © TNC.

Feedback from Participants “During the learning exchange we worked hand-in-hand with a diverse group of people, which gave us the opportunity to experience unique cultures. With participants from all around the globe, we got to see different perspectives on environmental issues and how their cultures affect environmental management decisions. We also learned how to set clear goals, and how to map out a strategic communications plan to meet those goals. This learning exchange has

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helped me mentally prepare for upcoming public meetings/hearings, and has given me the tools to have a strategic response to community opposition.”

“I appreciated every detail that was given to us. It re-enforced my skills in planning and implementing community outreach. Even paying attention to the smallest detail of communication will affect how information is received by individuals or groups. I learned not to generalize messages and how to tailor them to the different audiences, interests, and target groups. I will incorporate these methods and strategic ideas into our AS-EPA anti-littering campaign to Keep American Samoa Beautiful (KASB) program.”

Lessons Learned and Next Steps Reef Resilience staff deemed the learning exchange successful, highlighting these contributing factors:

The partnership approach for identifying participants worked well  Exchange objectives were achieved and participant needs were met  There is a high potential for participants to apply skills learned to their specific project, which was the focus for the learning exchange

Recommendations for future learning exchanges are:  Plan for more time (half-day) to go through logistics with the planning team the day before the workshop  Have participants sign up for newsletter and RR Network

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Technical Writing Workshop for Pacific Island Managers Learning Exchange March 29 – April 1, 2015 Honolulu, Hawaiʻi

Managers and practitioners from Hawaiʻi, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa participate in the Technical Writing Workshop for Pacific Island Managers Learning Exchange. Photo © TNC.

85 Executive Summary A four-day writing workshop was held March 29-April 1, 2015 to build technical writing skills of Pacific Island coral reef managers and practitioners. With the support of The Nature Conservancy’s Central Science team and funding from NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program, we supported the attendance of six managers from Hawaiʻi, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), and American Samoa. Participants received expert mentorship from TNC’s Chief Scientist Peter Kareiva and team of science reviewers to improve writing skills, finalize a publication for submission to a relevant journal, and develop a timeline and plan for submission.

Objectives The aim of the workshop was to provide participants with access to science and writing experts in order to improve their writing skills and support the sharing and new coral reef science from the region through the publication of their work.

Participants Six coral reef managers and practitioners – three women and three men – participated in the Technical Writing Workshop. See the table below for details on the participants and their paper topics. The Reef Resilience Program staff will follow up with each individual quarterly throughout the year to monitor and encourage progress towards their publication goals, and provide support if needed.

List of Participating Organizations and Paper Topics: Organization Paper Topic CNMI Bureau of Environmental Submarine Groundwater Discharge, Water Quality, and Coastal Quality and Algal Communities at Laolao Bay, CNMI CNMI Division of Fish and Invasive alga accelerates fine sediment flushing in Wildlife Maunalua Bay, Oahu American Samoa Department Community-based Fisheries Management Program of Marine & Wildlife Resources in American Samoa The Nature Conservancy Hawaii Market Prices of Coral Reef Fish--Undervaluing a Valuable Resource? University of Hawaii, Fisheries Reproductive life history of roi, the introduced Ecology Research Lab peacock grouper in Hawaii The Nature Conservancy Hawaii Novel approaches for the assessment of abundance and life history of Octopus cyanea in support of local marine management in Hawai‘i 2

86 Facilitators Learning exchange facilitators included:  Peter Kareiva, Chief Scientist, The Nature Conservancy  Jennifer Molnar, Lead Scientist, The Nature Conservancy  Matt Miller, Deputy Director Science Communications, The Nature Conservancy  Kristen Maize, Strategic Communications Manager, The Nature Conservancy Hawai‘i  Petra MacGowan, Reef Resilience Program Manager, The Nature Conservancy

Agenda Overview Prior to the workshop, all participants submitted a full draft of their paper including the abstract, introduction, methods, results, conclusion, and references. Reviewers provided paper edits to participants prior to the start of the workshop. Participants were also assigned a partner and provided their paper ahead of time to review and share feedback before day one.

The learning exchange kicked off with a field trip to He‘eia, located on the eastern shore of Oahu, for a tour of the lo‘i (taro field) and fishpond. There participants learned about Native Hawaiian taro farming and aquaculture practices, were oriented to the island, and discussed management challenges and strategies of the area mauka (mountain) to makai (ocean) with the field trip guides, The Nature Conservancy Hawai‘i Marine Fellows. Later that evening, participants gathered for a group dinner and for introductions and an overview of the agenda and goals for the next three days. Afterwards, peer groups met briefly to discuss the progress thus far on their papers and discuss their target audiences.

During the next two days, participants worked to incorporate the feedback provided on their manuscripts. Most meals were working meals, serving to create space for informal discussion about progress on papers and journals targeted for publication and to provide mini presentations on related topics. Workshop reviewers/editors were available for one-on-one meetings during the day. In addition to these private meetings with the reviewers, participants were required to meet with their peer group each day to discuss their manuscripts. Manuscripts were due back to the workshop and peer reviewers at the end of each day, and were returned to participants with edits and comments by the next morning.

On the second day, Matt Miller presented tips for time management when writing, introducing the Pomodoro Technique, a strategy recommended that participants use for during the workshop. Students were given the morning to work on incorporating the peer and expert review comments into their drafts. The afternoon began with a brief discussion led by Peter Karevia on the changing scientific journal landscape, and concluded with a briefing by Jennifer Molnar on The Nature Conservancy’s partnership with DOW chemical. Throughout the day, participants continued to work on their drafts, which were submitted for review before the group dinner.

The third day followed a similar schedule, with workshop participants incorporating edits and comments from their peer group and the experts, meeting individually with the experts as needed, and participating in presentations – this time on “communicating science to a broader audience” and “what it takes to be a TNC scientist”. The day once again ended with participants submitting their drafts to the experts and their peers for review. 3

The final day workshop leaders conducted one-on-one exit interviews with the participants. Individually, participants discussed progress on their papers and a plan of action for finalizing their paper and submitting it for publication, as well as provided feedback about the workshop.

Lessons Learned and Next Steps Workshop participants successfully built their skills in writing through receiving daily feedback and recommendations of priority areas for improvement in their manuscripts from experts. They were also responsible for providing daily feedback on draft manuscripts from their peers further building skills as reviewers. After three intensive days of writing, reviewing, editing, and group discussions, each participant emerged with a draft paper ready for publication in a scientific journal. Publication of this new science from coral reef regions will contribute to the overall understanding of status of reef and reef resources and the workshop created new connections between managers in the region.

In workshop evaluations given to participants at the end of week all participants agreed that skills learned could be applied to their work and the workshop helped to improve their writing. Since the exchange two of the participants, Ily Igelisa and Eva Schemmel, had their work written up in the TNC Cool Green Science Blogs! See The Octopus’ Birthday: Understanding an Intelligent & Elusive Marine Creature and Got Gonads?

See below for additional comments from participant evaluations:

“This workshop was invaluable for developing my scientific writing skills. I got phenomenal feedback from the TNC scientists and delighted in the company of the other workshop”

“I found the knowledgeable tips and advice from the TNC scientists to be immensely helpful in improving my writing, and learning what to expect from the submission process!”

“I was able to make tremendous improvements to my paper! I am now looking forward to getting it approved and submitted”

Pre-workshop To avoid issues with participant access and/or familiarity with DropBox – the document sharing program used to submit, review, and distribute papers – Reef Resilience staff will work with our participants ahead of time to make sure they either have an account or to set one up. We will also set up editing folders for each participant and make sure all reviewers have access.

During the workshop Because the field trip plays a crucial role in introducing participants to the workshop location and each other before the start of the learning exchange, we plan to make participant attendance mandatory. We also think it would be beneficial to have the expert reviewers attend, so the participants can interact with them right away in this informal setting. From participant feedback we learned that opportunities to interact with the reviewers informally are important. Based on this feedback, we also plan to modify the group dinner the first evening so it’s more conducive to mingling and getting to know other participants and reviewers. 4

To help participants retain the main takeaways from group presentations, we plan to create and distribute handouts summarizing the main points and with links to relevant resources. These resources, along with participants’ planned timeline/benchmarks for publication, will be posted to a private group on the Reef Resilience Network Forum, where they can be easily accessed and housed in one place.

We also plan to pre-schedule check-in meetings between experts and participants on the first day to provide an opportunity for participants to receive feedback directly and ask questions. We heard from participants that they would have liked a set time to speak with the reviewers, as some people aren’t comfortable reaching out/approaching reviewers to ask for help. If a meeting were already scheduled, this issue is avoided entirely.

Post-workshop During the exit interview, participants identified a timeline for editing and finalizing their draft and submitting it for journal publication. Reef Resilience staff plan to check in with each participant near their planned submittal date. As previously mentioned, to help motivate participants and encourage them to share lessons learned, we created a private group for workshop participants on the Reef Resilience Network Forum. It is our hope that participants will use this private online discussion platform as a way to share their experience as they reach milestones with the rest of the group, i.e. “I submitted my paper to so and so, now let’s wait and see,” “I wrote to XX but haven’t heard back yet, any suggestions?” We’ll also use this discussion platform as a way to share resources and discuss your short term and long-term participant needs.

We also discussed opportunities for participants to share their work with coral reef managers and practitioners via a Reef Resilience webinar, article summary, and/or interview on the Network Forum.

89 Caribbean Strategic Communications Learning Exchange August 11 - 14, 2015 Miami, Florida

Managers and practitioners from Florida, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Bahamas, Belize, and St. Lucia participate in the Caribbean Strategic Communications Learning Exchange. Photo © TNC.

90 Executive Summary With the support of NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program, a four-day learning exchange was held August 11-14, 2015 to help marine conservation professionals approach their outreach and communications work strategically. Eleven participants from Florida, Puerto Rico, and the USVI were selected for participation based on recommendations from jurisdictional USCRTF points of contacts. They learned key components of strategic communications, and applied these concepts to create their own communications plan. Learning exchange facilitators worked with participants prior to the event to identify a marine communication project to develop during the learning exchange. During the workshop, facilitators provided one-on-one feedback on participant’s plans as they evolved and to the final plan. Based on participants’ needs and interests, training was also provided on the topics of social marketing, interviewing, and media relations, including social media, with opportunity for practical application of learned skills.

Background The Reef Resilience Network works to strengthen and enhance training and capacity building opportunities for coral reef managers to address the impacts of climate change and local stressors to coral reefs. To do so, Reef Resilience staff organizes multiple learning exchanges each year to provide intensive in-person trainings for coral reef managers to address their site- specific needs. These exchanges are designed to teach managers new skills and provide them with opportunities to apply these skills. They are also designed to create an environment of exchange where participants can share resources and lessons learned, provide each other with feedback, and expand their network of coral reef managers, practitioners, and experts.

Objectives The aim of the learning exchange was to introduce participants to the strategic communications planning process and guide them in creating their own communications plan for a coral reef conservation related project in their regions. In addition to this objective, we aimed to improve the communication skills of this cohort so they would be better prepared to talk about their project during an interview or pitch their project as an opinion editorial. The third objective was to connect practitioners working in the Caribbean so that they could share challenges and lessons learned.

Participants Eleven marine conservation professionals participated in the Strategic Communications Learning Exchange. Organizations that participated included:  Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources  U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources  University of the Virgin Islands  Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission  Florida Department of Environmental Protection  National Park Service  Saint Lucia National Trust  Belize Audubon Society  Bahamas National Trust

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Facilitators To provide the one-on-one coaching necessary for this type of faced paced learning and real world application, Reef Resilience staff aimed to have two facilitators (coaches) per participant. Learning exchange facilitators included:  Kristen Maize, Strategic Communications Manager, The Nature Conservancy Hawai‘i  Petra MacGowan, Reef Resilience Program Manager, The Nature Conservancy  Cherie Wagner, Reef Resilience Program Coordinator, The Nature Conservancy  Evelyn Wight, Senior Communications Manager, The Nature Conservancy Hawai‘i  Rocio Johnson, Marketing Manager Urban Strategies, The Nature Conservancy

Guest speaker: Alexander Britell, Chief Editor, Caribbean Journal

Agenda Overview Reef Resilience Program staff invited practitioners who were able to apply strategic communications to their work and share these skills with others in their region. Participant support – leading up to and during the learning exchange – was provided by the Reef Resilience Program Manager, Strategic Communications Manager, and Program Coordinator.

Pre-Learning Exchange Once participants were selected, they completed an online survey to assess their communications skill level and areas of interest. This survey was also used to help participants identify three project ideas to focus on during the learning exchange. Following the survey, Reef Resilience staff worked one-on-one with participants to help them think critically about their projects and identify one project goal to create a strategic communications plan for.

Day 1 The learning exchange kicked off with a group dinner, introductions, and an overview of the agenda, goals, and expectations – both participants and facilitators – for the next three days.

Day 2 The first training day began with an introduction to strategic communications and a detailed introduction to the strategic communications planning process. Our format for teaching this process was to introduce a planning step/topic in presentation format, and then work one-on- one with participants as they applied each step to their own project. The presentations and activities covered during Day 2 included:  Setting Goals & Objectives  Setting the Context for your Project  Identifying Decision-Makers & Target Audiences  Making your Messages Matter  Making your Messages Come Alive

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Day 3 During the second communications planning day, the last two steps of the planning process were introduced and applied:  Messengers and Tactics for Communicating Messages  Measurements and Reality Check

Participants were then provided with individual work time to tie the planning activities/steps together into a cohesive project plan, and share a particularly challenging aspect of their

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project for group feedback. Additional time was provided for participants to incorporate group feedback into their plans, which they then emailed to their coach for final review.

Later in the day, media topics were presented, which included: New Media and the Power of Storytelling and a Social Media Case Study. Participants also got a unique opportunity to hear from and interact with the publisher of the Caribbean Journal, Alexander Britell.

Day 4 On Day 4, participants were introduced to media relations, opinion editorials (op-eds), and social marketing, received instruction and practiced communicating their messages by interviewing each other, brainstormed how to successfully develop an op-ed, and met one-on- one with facilitators to discuss their summary project plans.

The learning exchange closed with participants sharing an important “take away” and completing workshop evaluations.

Feedback from Participants Participants’ evaluations of the learning exchange revealed that they all felt that skills learned during the workshop could be applied to their work. See the bullets below for additional comments from the participant evaluations:  I really enjoyed the real life examples. This goes for all sections of the LX, not just this one [Decision-Makers & Target Audiences]. A lot of these concepts are very abstract to me, but those examples make it more reliable/help clarify the concept.

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 This activity [Setting the Context for your Project] allowed me to put myself in the shoes of the people I am trying to reach out to and see how their perceptions and day to day responsibilities affect my outreach.  This activity was helpful in narrowing down the message/overall purpose  I learned how to measure some of my activities that I previously thought were impossible to measure.  After completing the summary I felt much more confident in acting on my strategies. While most people needed all of the time allotted, I finished early.  I was able to make a stronger linkage with my main overarching goal and reasons why my target audience should care [Project Sharing & Feedback].  I now feel like I am better equipped to manage our Facebook and Twitter pages.  I have acquired knowledge of how to strategically plan any form of media I employ.  Really amazing to be able to get feedback from professionals that are well versed in communications.  Wonderful, enriching experience. Wish this could be offered to a larger group.  Thank you so much to the trainers! You are all amazingly knowledgeable and great teachers. I’m happy I was able to participate.  Loved that the trainers were so well prepared and carried out excellent delivery of information.

Lessons Learned and Next Steps Reef Resilience staff deemed the learning exchange successful, highlighting these contributing factors:  The partnership approach for identifying participants worked well in identifying quality participants and strengthening partnerships with other networks and contacts in the region  Exchange objectives were achieved and participant needs were met and exceeded  There is a high potential for participants to apply skills learned to their specific project, which was the focus for the learning exchange  Learning from experience at a previous exchange, we connected participants to the online Network Forum during the event to decrease barriers to usage post-exchange

Recommendations for future learning exchanges Detailed debrief notes outlining specific suggested changes/adjustments were taken during the coaches meeting at the end of each day. Overall takeaways for future learning exchanges include:  Spend time with participants up front: Time spent communicating with participants prior to the learning exchange was time well spent. Surveying participants to understand their communications skills/training and interests resulted in a training that met – and exceeded – participants’ expectations. In order to help participants get the most out of the fast paced and relatively short training, we took the time to work with participants one-on-one to identify a project and goal (that would serve as the building block for their strategic communications planning process). This helped the participants feel confident enough to get started in the planning process rather than become overwhelmed in the beginning.

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 Maintain the intentionally small ratio of one coach for two participants. This proved to be essential during the individual activities. While this meant additional resources (staff time and money to support cost of additional facilitators), the extra attention and interaction with experts resulted in engaged and happy participants and quality final communications plans. Feedback from participants: o With complex projects, this activity [setting Goals & Objectives] was very challenging. Thanks for the extra time. I really appreciate having the individualized assistance coming up with these ideas.

o The group discussion amongst coach(es) individually at our tables was great!

Next Steps Reef Resilience staff will:  Continue to manage and monitor the Caribbean Strategic Communications LX online discussion forum on the RR Network Forum  Share related resources such as LX presentations and how-to guides with participants via the Network Forum  Follow up with each participant to monitor and encourage progress towards the implementation of their project plans

96 7 Bahamas – Hawai‘i Makai Watch Learning Exchange April 23-27, 2015 Oahu and Maui, Hawai’i

Managers and practitioners from the Bahamas and representatives from Hawai‘i state agency and non-profits, participate in the Makai Watch Learning Exchange. Photo © Emma Doyle.

97 Executive Summary With the support of NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program and the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute, four participants from The Bahamas National Trust and the Abaco Association for Flying Fishing Guides visited Hawai‘i to learn about community-based management initiatives across the state, with emphasis on the State of Hawai‘i's Makai Watch Program – an innovative program engaging communities in the management of their nearshore marine resources by building voluntary compliance through outreach and the reporting of violations to state authorities. Participants took part in a series of meetings with the coordinators and volunteers for the Makai Watch program, as well as with other programs in support of marine conservation in Hawai‘i implemented in collaboration with the Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources, NGOs, and community-based organizations.

Background The Reef Resilience Network works to strengthen and enhance training and capacity building opportunities for coral reef managers to address the impacts of climate change and local stressors to coral reefs. To do so, Reef Resilience staff organizes multiple learning exchanges each year to provide intensive in-person trainings for coral reef managers to address their site- specific needs. These workshops are designed to teach managers new skills and provide them with opportunities to apply these skills. They are also designed to create an environment of exchange where participants can share resources and lessons learned, provide each other with feedback, and expand their network of coral reef managers, practitioners, and experts.

Following an introduction to Makai Watch at the second peer-to-peer workshop “Building Compliance and Enhancing Enforcement for Caribbean MPAs” organized by GCFI and sponsored by NOAA CRCP in 2012, The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) was among the most motivated of MPA managers to build community involvement in MPA enforcement. Potential for this was also flagged in the Caribbean MPA Management Capacity Assessment. The Bahamas is unique in the Caribbean in having legislation that confers powers of enforcement on volunteers appointed by BNT, and the organization is currently exploring approaches to co-management of protected areas. The need now is to determine the most feasible level of community involvement in MPA enforcement in The Bahamas and to agree on how BNT’s existing wardens will work with volunteers from the community. Input is needed on how to train community members, on the needs for ongoing coordination of community enforcement efforts by BNT, and on how to evaluate performance of the program. The cost of the exchange was split between TNC and GCFI with each organization sponsoring two participants.

Objectives The aim of the workshop was to provide the opportunity for Bahamian participants to:

1. Learn about community-driven education and compliance programs taking place on- the-ground in Hawai’i (how Makai Watch operates in Hawai‘i and the challenges, successes and lessons learned in engaging, mobilizing and training communities in the Makai Watch program in Hawai‘i);

98 2. Understand the policies and procedures used to manage the Makai Watch program, including the staff capacity required of the MPA authority in order to support the program;

3. Identify aspects of these programs that can apply to marine resource management in the Bahamas;

4. Outline plans for a pilot project to implement this model of involving community members in MPA management, including enforcement, in the Bahamas; and

5. Feel inspired to lead and organize their communities in order to effectively implement co-management in The Bahamas.

Another important objective of this learning exchange was to share MPA management experience from the Pacific region with the Caribbean region.

Participants Two staff members of The Bahamas National Trust and two volunteer members of the Abaco Fly fishing Guides Association participated in the Makai Watch Workshop.

Facilitators Learning exchange presenters included:  Kristen Maize, Reef Resilience Strategic Communications Manager  Emma Doyle, Project Manager, Marine Protected Areas Support, Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute  Jason Redulla, Acting DOCARE Administrator  Luna Kekoa, Hawai‘i Makai Watch Coordinator  Emma Anders, DAR Hawaii Coral Program Coordinator and USCRTF POC  Anne Rosinski, NOAA CRCP Fellow  Erin Zanre, Community Based Subsistence Fishing Area Coordinator  Liz Foote, West Maui Kumuwai  Darla White, Marine Scientist, State of Hawai‘i DAR  Ekolu Lindsey, Polanui Hiu  Tova Callendar, West Maui Watershed Partnership Coordinator

Agenda Overview Day one kicked off with an orientation to the Hawai‘i Islands and marine resource management in the state at the Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) office in Honolulu, Oahu. Participants were welcomed by Hawai‘i’s Division of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) leadership and introduced to DOCARE and Division of Aquatic Resource (DAR) Programs that work with communities. Mike Lamier, NOAA, introduced participants to PIMPAC, and Eric Co, marine programs manager for the Castle Foundation, spoke from the perspective of a private foundation seeking to strategically fund marine management initiatives across the state. Kristen

99 Maize, TNC, provided an introduction to TNC’s work with communities in Hawai‘i and the Reef Resilience Program. Following lunch, participants visited Hanauma Bay Marine Life Conservation District (MLCD). Accompanied by key staff from DAR, they met with Sea Grant Extension and Hanauma Bay staff to learn about an advanced education and outreach program and understand the co-management of tourism and sustainable financing of Hanauma Bay.

Day two participants flew to Maui and were briefed on the geographical area, Ka’anapali Makai Watch history, and key lessons learned about organizing community groups from Maui Makai Watch coordinators. They also met with Community Fisheries Enforcement Unit representatives and learned about education and compliance in the area, and the challenges these officers face. They also heard their perspectives on design and functioning of the program, so they could consider how it relates to marine management in the Bahamas.

The next day, the Bahamians joined the Ka’anapali Makai Watch training to gain real world experience as participant in a training session with volunteers. DAR staff hosted this training. Day four, Sunday, the Bahamas team reflected on lessons learned from the exchange and drafted action steps for the BNT. The next day, and final day of the learning exchange, they presented a summary of their proposed action steps for community involvement in MPA enforcement in The Bahamas to various agency and non-profit staff involved with co-managed programs in Maui. Following the presentation by BNT staff, the Hawaii representatives in attendance, including RR staff, provided feedback on the proposed action steps during an informal discussion.

Feedback from Participants “On this visit we saw first-hand how other conservation managers address similar issues,” said Mr. David Knowles, Director of Parks for The Bahamas National Trust. “Sharing in the lessons learned by the Pacific region is invaluable as we step up to the challenges of protected areas management in The Bahamas.”

Lessons Learned and Next Steps

Pre-workshop While there are benefits to co-coordinating a learning exchange with another capacity-building network (GCFI) – such as sharing resources and expanding the reach of both programs – developing and implementing a workshop agenda collaboratively is a time consuming process. While this worked out for this learning exchange, the staff time required should not be underestimated when co-planning learning exchanges even for the organization playing a supporting role in the exchange.

Post-workshop The RR program has had limited contact with the participants and they have primarily coordinated with GCFI as they were the lead organization on the exchange. In order to better track and support the outcomes of exchanges when partnering on future exchanges we will clarify a process for follow up and better define roles with partners during the planning process

100 of the event. We will also encourage partner organizations to collaborate with the RR Network on the development of post workshop resources such as webinars, ask the expert forums and case studies to support the implementation of participants’ projects and share lessons with other managers throughout the Network.

101 Caribbean Coral Reef Resilience Training January 2015 - June 2015 Guánica, Puerto Rico

Managers and practitioners from Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, and the US Virgin Islands, participate in the Caribbean Resilience Training. Photo © TNC.

102 Executive Summary

With the support of NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program, 20 coral reef managers from 10 countries and territories across the Caribbean were selected to participate in the 2015 Caribbean Coral Reef Resilience Training. The training was made up of the following three main components: • 15 week mentored online course: Advanced Studies in Coral Reef Resilience • Five-day in-person workshop in Puerto Rico • Development and completion of a Resilience Project by workshop participants

From January 15- May 6, 2015, all training participants successfully completed the Reef Resilience mentored online course that covered local and global stressors affecting coral reefs, guidance for identifying coral reef resilience indicators, and design principles for resilient MPA networks. The mentored course combines self-paced lessons, quizzes to test participant knowledge, interactive discussions, and the development of a resilience project proposal. Additionally, throughout the course, participants completed bi-weekly discussions with other experts and other training participants using the Reef Resilience Network.

From June 1-5, 2015, eighteen managers participated in the 5-day in person workshop held in Guánica, Puerto Rico. The workshop had a focus on using the latest science to improve MPAs as a management tool for fisheries in a changing climate and building communication and facilitation skills of participants. It provided an atmosphere of exchange and creative problem solving and was facilitated by regional and global experts in resilience-based management of coral reefs.

Background and Training Objectives The focus of the 2015 Resilience Training—Using the latest science to improve MPAs as a management tool for fisheries—was determined from the results of a needs survey conducted with Network members and partners in the Wider Caribbean Region (See Appendix A). These survey results helped to guide the topics selected for the training and the online course as well as the selection of experts recruited for the workshop.

The main objectives of RR Network Trainings are that coral reef managers: • Receive inspiration and support to make progress on the implementation of strategies to address reef decline • Can access and understand current ecological, social, and socioeconomic scientific information to support strategy implementation • Develop the skills necessary to implement management strategies and use new science effectively at their sites

To achieve these objectives we designed more specific objectives for the Caribbean mentored online course and the in person workshop which are further described in sections below.

103 Participants See the table below for details on organizations that participated in the training. Twenty participants from Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, and U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) completed the online course. Eighteen participants completed the in person workshop. Two of the participants were not able to complete the in person workshop due to unanticipated medical issues.

List of Participating Organizations: Organization Country/Territory Bahamas National Trust Bahamas Ministry of Agriculture & Marine Resources Bahamas CARIBSAVE (INTASAVE Caribbean) Barbados and Jamaica TIDE Belize Belize Fisheries Department Belize TNC Belize Fundación Dominicana de Estudios Marinos Dominican Republic Reef Check Dominican Republic Fisheries Division - MPA Unit Grenada Caribbean Coastal Area Management Foundation Jamaica Oracabessa Foundation Jamaica National Environment & Planning Agency Jamaica Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve--National Commission of Natural Mexico Protected Areas Oceanus, A.C. Mexico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources Puerto Rico Arrecifes Pro Ciudad Inc. Puerto Rico Department of Fisheries St. Lucia Saint Lucia National Trust St. Lucia Department of Planning and Natural Resources USVI

Mentored Online Course The online course is hosted on conservationtraining.org and provides easy access to the latest science and strategies for managing coral reefs in a changing climate. The mentored course combines self-paced lessons, quizzes to test participant knowledge, interactive discussions, and the development of a resilience project proposal. Additionally, throughout the course, participants completed bi-weekly discussions with experts and other training participants using the Reef Resilience Network.

The main objectives of the online course were for participants to: • Understand local and global stressors affecting coral reefs • Identify coral reef resilience indicators and methods for implementing resilience assessments • Understand design principles and recommendations for the development of resilient MPA networks

104 • Explore a wide range of management strategies implemented around the world to support reef resilience • Interact with global experts from academia and international governmental and non- governmental organizations

Resilience Workshop The main objectives of the in person training workshop were for participants to: • Understand the latest science for designing resilient networks of no take areas (NTAs) for fisheries management, biodiversity conservation and climate change adaption. • Use the latest science regarding fish habitats, movements and recovery times to develop recommendations for the location, size and duration of no take areas • Build skills in facilitation and communication • Develop a Resilience Project to complete at their sites after the workshop

Content experts and facilitators for the workshop included:

Name, Title, Organization Topic Dr. Alison Green, Senior Marine Scientist for Using the latest science to improve MPAs as the Indo-Pacific Division & Global Oceans a management tool for fisheries Team, TNC Ann Weaver, Training Specialist and Certified Facilitation Professional Facilitator Engagement for the NOAA Office for Coastal Management Kristen Maze, Strategic Communications Communications Manager, TNC Kemit-Amon Lewis, Coral Conservation Coral reef restoration Manager Dr. Richard Apeldoorn, Department of Status of fisheries and coral reefs in the Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico Caribbean Additional TNC facilitators and coaches: Aurora Justiniano (Conservation Planner), Cherie Wagner (Reef Resilience Program Coordinator), Petra MacGowan (Reef Resilience Program Manager), Jeremy Rude (Fisheries Specialist), Amanda Wrona (Knowledge and Learning Lead), Raimundo Espinoza (Cuba Program Manager)

Agenda Overview

Day 1 Participants and coaches were introduced and an orientation on the objectives for the training, agenda and participant expectations was provided. This allowed them to make initial connections with other managers from the Caribbean and to get an orientation of the area.

Days 2 - 6 The majority of the training was conducted through a variety of presentations given by topic area experts and interactive facilitated group activities. See the following table for a list of the main training topics and session/activity objectives:

Session Title Type Objectives Using the latest science to Presentation • Understand the latest science for design resilient networks of designing resilient networks of no take no take areas to maximize areas (NTAs) for fisheries management, the benefits for fisheries biodiversity conservation and climate management, biodiversity change adaption conservation, and climate change adaptation Caribbean Connectivity Activity • Use the latest science regarding fish Exercise habitats, movements and recovery times to develop recommendations for the location, size and duration of no take areas Classify Major Habitat Types • Learn to develop and apply data layers and Identify Critical, Special required to apply design principles and Unique Areas That Need regarding habitat representation and to be Considered in a NTA risk spreading, and protecting critical, Design special and unique areas in a NTA design Apply Ecological Guidelines Activity • Apply ecological guidelines for resilient for Resilient NTA Design NTA design regarding habitat representation, risk spreading, protecting critical, special and unique areas, incorporating connectivity and

106 Session Title Type Objectives allowing time for recovery of key fisheries species Why Communications is Presentation • Understand the importance of strategic Important and Tips for & Activity communications to the success of their Communicating your Cause work • Have an opportunity to share and exchange with other participants about their place/work etc. • Practice to build communications skills • Understand tips on how to effectively communicate their cause • Understand specific tips for how to share the benefits of NTAs. Coral Restoration: Why, Presentation • To share current benefits and methods When, Where? & Activities of Caribbean coral reef restoration efforts • To provide a tool that can be used to determine whether coral reef restoration is a viable conservation option What is Collaboration? And Is Presentation • Define meeting types by purpose Collaboration the Answer? & Activities • Understand the collaborative process steps and when this process is useful. • Learn beginning facilitation skills • Practice beginning facilitation skills • Understand how to use a decision tree to determine if using a collaborative process (CP) is the best way to address the issue Engage the Stakeholders – Presentation • Analyze each potential stakeholder and finding the right people for & Activities determine what role they might play in each job collaboration • Know how to select people with the skill sets needed to fill each meat roll • Form a planning team of stakeholders to address an issue • Participants will practice facilitation skills and use tools to develop a mutual understanding of an issue by a group of stakeholders Dealing with Disruptive Presentation • Motivational factors Behaviors & Activities • More Facilitation Skills-review • Intervention strategy

107 Session Title Type Objectives Selecting the Best Presentation • Learn about three facilitation tools for Alternatives & Activities prioritizing alternatives • Practice facilitating the use of one tool to assist the meeting attendees in reaching a consensus on the best alternative Resilience Projects Activity • Sharing and problem solving between participants on their resilience projects • Help participants connect desired project outcomes to their planned activities • Participants finalize and submit project proposal to RR

As part of the training, participants also went on a field trip to a local coral reef site where they were able to observe the ecosystem, apply concepts learned about MPA design and no-take areas and practice skills. Experts pointed out interesting features of the ecosystem and encouraged participants to think about applying criteria of resilient MPA design learned earlier in the week to the site. Participants were asked questions such as: would this area be a good choice for a no take area? If so what species would you protect? Is it in good condition? What are the key species you are seeing? If it is a good choice what species would it work for? What species would it benefit and how?

Another main focus of the week was giving participants time to work with mentors on their Resilience Project proposals. Through facilitated challenge circles they shared their proposals and received feedback from mentors and other participants. Mentors helped participants connect desired project outcomes to their planned activities, finalize the proposal and submit project proposal to Reef Resilience team for review. All workshop participants successfully completed and submitted proposals by the end of the week. See Appendix B for project summaries.

On the last day of the training participants were presented with a Caribbean Coral Reef Resilience Training Certificate. An overview of the Reef Resilience Network resources was also provided including details on information in the RR Toolkit, options for future use of the online course, and Network Forum.

108 Participants engage in a hands on activity on the design of resilient networks to maximize the benefits for fisheries management, biodiversity conservation, and climate change adaptation. Photo © TNC.

Feedback from Participants Daily evaluations were conducted to receive feedback from participants on each session. These evaluations help us to adapt future trainings and improve presentations and activities if we are to offer them again. An evaluation was also given at the end of the training to measure our progress towards our specific training objectives. Overwhelmingly participants responded that their abilities and skills were improved due to the course or entirely because of the course. All sessions were evaluated positively, with the majority of the participants agreeing that activities presented during the training helped them gained knowledge and skills they will apply in their jobs. Participants also felt the information delivered was clear and helpful for the success of their work. The pace of presentations and activities and the time allocated to each activity were also evaluated positively. Finally, most participants wrote they would likely use the following skills and science learned during the training in their work: use of fish habitat, movement and recovery times, designing resilient no take areas, communication, and facilitation.

Comments from participants: • Activities were great, as it gave first-hand knowledge that we applied into what we learned. • Great summary of the latest science information was made accessible to all. • Very useful as non-communications experts are expected to deliver a communications strategy which is simply not our area of expertise, so this helps. • Exactly the type of information I wish I had before I facilitated and organized my first workshop. • Enjoyed the facilitation exercise—I conduct lots of meetings and some of these techniques I had been using but many were new and very interesting. Looking forward to learning more.

109 • I was excited to see the coral restoration program and how successful they could be. In addition, the field trip to the two sites illustrated the MPA design options which could be implemented.

Lessons Learned and Next Steps We will continue to use the materials developed from this training if the need for these topics are identified by managers in the region we work and modify them based on participant and coaches feedback.

Appendices Appendix A: Results of Survey on Training Needs for the Caribbean Region Appendix B: Resilience Project Summaries

110 Appendix A: Results of Survey on Training Needs for the Caribbean Region

111 Appendix B: Resilience Project Summaries

Caribbean Coral Reef Resilience Training

Resilience Project Summaries

Country Project Title Bahamas Increasing Knowledge & Capacity Building for Reef Resilience in Educational Programs in The Bahamas Barbados Using Fish Aggregating Devices to Reduce Fishing Pressure on Coral Reefs Belize Increase awareness of ecosystem services, climate change, Community Resilience proposal Belize Designing a Network of Replenishment Zones in Belize: Resilient System, Resilient Communities Dominican Build coral reef resilience by training and involving the dive centers in the Republic collection of data and dissemination of key messages to their customers Dominican Reduction of Parrotfish Consumption at Las Terrenas, Samaná Republic Grenada Sand Watch Grenada: A School Based Beach Monitoring Program Jamaica Improving Coral Reef Monitoring in the Portland Bight Protected Area Jamaica Coral Restoration and Fishery Enhancement of the Bluefields Bay Fish Sanctuary Jamaica Oracabessa/Boscobel Relative Resilience Analysis and Resilience Management Planning Puerto Rico Cooking Oil Recycling Program in Isla Verde to Improve coastal water quality Saint Lucia Training for Adopt a Reef Program U.S. Virgin Evaluation of effectiveness for the St. Croix East End Marine Park No-Take Islands Zones using abundance of the Caribbean Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus)

112 Reef Resilience Project Title: Increasing Knowledge & Capacity Building for Reef Resilience in Educational Programs in The Bahamas

Project Lead: Lakeshia Anderson, GB Parks Manager and Portia Sweeting, Director of Education, Bahamas National Trust

Location: Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas

Dates: July – December, 2015

Highlights or outcomes:

Through the Reef Resilience project 45 leaders/teachers from 9 Bahamian islands were lectured on understanding Coral Reef Resilience at the ‘Train-The-Trainers’ annual Leaders Symposium held from July 27 – 31, 2015. In addition, 41 copies of the Navigator’s Club Leaders Manual for teachers from various islands were printed, with a new lesson on coral reefs and reef resilience.

Summary of project:

The project aimed to build coral reef resilience into the Navigator’s Club Certification Programme, through incorporating a chapter lesson and associated field activities in the Teacher’s/Club Leader’s Manual. The teachers received a lecture on coral reefs and reef resilience, to better equip them in the classroom for delivering the lesson to the students. Furthermore, the project contributed to the publishing of the Navigators Leaders Manual/Teacher’s Manual. Club Leaders/Teachers and students will have a better understanding of the concept of Coral Reef Resilience, and the factors that contribute to a ‘resilient’ reef, while providing the students with the skills needed to monitor for reef resilience.

113 Reef Resilience Project Title: Using Fish Aggregating Devices to Reduce Fishing Pressure on Coral Reefs

Project Lead: Nikki Hassell, CARIBSAVE

Location: Weston, St. James, Barbados

Dates: October 2015

Highlights or outcomes:

A major outcome has been that the fishers, other members of the community and members of the WFA who attended, identified a mechanism for management and maintenance for the fish aggregating devices (FADs). Also, participants from the community have a better understanding of the following topics: Why grazing reef fish are important to the overall health of coral reefs; What FADs are, how they “work” and how they can reduce pressure on reef fish populations; How FADs have been used in other Caribbean islands; Benefits and risks of implementing a FAD programme; Initial designs for the FAD to be used off of Weston and plans for placement; Management and maintenance requirements for FADs; and the Importance of having a monitoring and evaluation protocol in place to assess the impact of the FADs on the fishing community and fish landings.

Summary of project:

The overall goal of this Reef Resilience project, funded by The Nature Conservancy, was to build awareness in the fishing community about the planned use of the FADs in Weston by hosting one workshop where members of the community could come together to learn about and discuss the benefits and drawbacks of FAD programmes; their connection to building reef resilience and supporting livelihoods; and management and maintenance requirements, including the importance of monitoring and evaluation to a successful FADs programme. The target audiences for this workshop were persons in the Weston fishing community; fishers and individuals involved in post-harvest activities. The ½ day workshop was hosted on October 15, 2015 and was attended by a number of persons from the Weston fishing community.

114 Reef Resilience Project Title: Increase awareness of Ecosystem Services, Climate Change, and Community Resilience

Project Lead: Norman Budna, Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE)

Location: Toledo District, Belize Central America

Dates: November 2015 to March 30, 2016

Highlights or outcomes:

Two Informal community meetings were held in Monkey River and Punta Negra fishing villages to discuss climate change and how the community benefits from ecosystems services. The meetings resulted in some adaptation measures to address negative issues experienced by climate change. Some small potential income generating projects were identified in order to relief pressure on the use of natural resources. Over 20 participants attended. A follow up meeting was planned by Monkey River community to prioritize community projects that ha d been identified.

An educational poster on the Southern Belizean ecosystem was also developed, printed and distributed to teachers, resource users and tour guides. This will allow further opportunities for group discussions and debate on ecosystem management and guide stakeholders to best practices, thereby building ecosystem resilience.

A survey was distributed to fishermen, teachers, resource users, and others within the urban area of Punta Gorda Town. The survey targeted how much knowledge the residents had on their environment and the issues it faces daily; pollution, removal of mangroves, and the negative impacts of humans on such delicate ecosystems.

Approximately 85% of the participants fully understood what global warming was and some of the contributing factors. In addition, 93% of the participants knew how to reduce the negative effects and have yet to do anything about it, mainly because of not having the resources or finances they would need in order for them to start a movement. The residents cared about their environment and were willing to assist in any way possible as long as resources can be provided.

Summary of Project:

Through the use of a survey, an educational poster, and informal community meetings, the Toledo Institute for Development and Environment increased awareness of ecosystem services, climate change, and community resilience in the Toledo District of Belize.

115 Reef Resilience Project Title: Designing a Network of Replenishment Zones in Belize: Resilient System, Resilient Communities

Project Lead: Seleni Cruz, The Nature Conservancy

Location: Belize

Dates: July 1, 2015 - December 15, 2015

Highlights or outcomes:

 Community support for replenishment zone expansion in the deep sea through a series of consultations that were held across various coastal communities in the country  Improved understanding of importance of and support for habitat protection for improved fisheries management  A bottom up approach to establishing the importance of Economic Alternatives and Fisheries Diversification a Establishing Economic; by fishers for fishers.  Established and strengthened relationships with key fishers

Summary of project:

The goal of the Reef Resilience Training project was to educate key stakeholders and resource users (targeting deep sea fishers) on the importance of having a minimum of 10% of Belize’s territorial waters under full protection, and to incorporate their input in developing a robust Replenishment Zone (RZ) Phase 1 design. The RZ design is aimed to meet the combined needs of climate adaptation; fisheries replenishment and biodiversity protection to maintain ecological integrity and environmental services. The expansion of these RZ will impact and can potentially displace fishermen from their fishing ground and as such, impact their livelihoods. An important component of this project was to identify and develop economic alternatives. Sustainable seaweed and sea cucumber were identified as potential projects. Under the Reef Resilience project a basic mapping exercise was carried out to identify potential areas for seaweed and sea cucumber farming based on suitable habitat and proximity to important ecological areas.

116 Reef Resilience Project Title: Build coral reef resilience by training and involving the dive centers in the collection of data and dissemination of key messages to their customers.

Project Lead: Rita Sellares, Director of CECOMAR, Centro de Estudios Costero Marinos de FUNDEMAR

Location: Bayahibe, La Altagracia, Dominican Republic

Dates: October - January, 2015

Highlights or outcomes:

 Program for dive centers designed- using the actual sells of each dive centers, so they can integrate the coral reef restoration program in their activities.

 Designs related to coral restoration program done.

 Dive centers trained on the coral restoration program Summary of project:

This project is complementing the coral restoration program by creating a platform that allows the involvement of customers. As part of this project, FUNDEMAR worked hand by hand with the dive centers that work with us to design a program adapted to the reality of the area and each center. We also used this platform to keep staff constantly involved in the preservation of coral reefs, keeping the diving community involved in the reef conservation program and using them to promote and spread the information to customers and other users to build coral reef resilience in the community.

117 Reef Resilience Project Title: Reduction of Parrotfish Consumption at Las Terrenas, Samaná

Project Lead: Rubén Torres, Ph.D., Reef Check Dominican Republic

Location: Las Terrenas, Samaná, Dominican Republic (DR)

Dates: January 2016

Highlights or outcomes:

 Las Terrenas restaurants participated in a workshop on the current state of coral reef health and the importance of parrotfish in regulating such important processes. The topics covered in the workshop included: the state of coral reefs in the Caribbean, local and international fisheries marine regulations such as marine protected areas, closed seasons, key species, among others.  A media product (flyer and social media post) was developed to promote the conservation of parrotfish  An agreement was reached with these restaurants to get certified with the local sustainable seafood certification Aquacheck

Summary of Project:

This project influenced the local seafood market in Las Terrenas, Samaná, DR, on the importance of parrotfish for the health of the reef and beaches, and proposed the reduction in consumption and/or the creation of small no-take zones to alleviate the fishing pressure on such an important herbivore. A workshop was implemented for local fishermen and seafood businesses on the current state of coral reef health and the importance of parrotfish in regulating such important processes, and an agreement was reached with them to apply for the seafood certification Aquacheck, which includes the criteria not to sale parrotfish.

118 Reef Resilience Project Title: Sand Watch Grenada: A School Based Beach Monitoring Program

Project Lead: Olando Harvey, Marine Protected Area Unit: Fisheries Division, Grenada

Location: St. George’s, Grenada

Dates: November 2015 to March 2016

Highlights or outcomes:

Through this project and the Beach Watch Program: An on-going “Beach Watch Program” with students from the Happy Hill Secondary School was established; the Molinière/Beauséjour Marine Protected Area’s “Beach Watch Program” adopted Dragon Bay Beach; 20 Students were educated about marine ecosystem and their services; 20 students were trained in conducting basic beach monitoring activities; and there was regular monitoring of the beaches within the Molinière/Beauséjour Marine Protected Area.

Summary of Project:

The Marine Protected Area Unit of the Grenada Fisheries Division partnered with the Happy Hill Secondary School to initiate the pilot class of the Molinière/Beauséjour Marine Protected Area “Beach Watch Program”. The goal of this program is to improve the awareness amongst secondary school students through experiential learning activities on the importantance of a resilient coral reef with regard to ecosystem services (e.g. sand production, costal protection, etc.) beyond the obvious benefit of food production. The pilot class consisted of 20, form 3 (Grade 9) students who are also participants in the Grenada Marine Protected Area’s “Reef Guardian School Program”.

119 Reef Resilience Project Title: Improving Coral Reef Monitoring in the Portland Bight Protected Area

Project Lead: Donovan Brandon Hay, Science Officer/Sanctuary Manager – Caribbean Coastal Area Management Foundation

Location: Portland Bight Protected Area, Jamaica

Dates: Sept. 2015 – Feb. 2016

Highlights or outcomes:

This project provided an additional set of SCUBA gear to allow more divers to operate simultaneously. Also, the project funded training of two additional Conservation Officers in SCUBA diving to the level of PADI open water Diver.

Summary of project:

The goal of this project was to enhance the ability of C-CAM to conduct coral reef monitoring and rehabilitation by providing training and equipment for underwater activities. Training was provided for field staff that are currently involved in enforcement and monitoring. The training and equipment will allow the field team autonomy to pursue routine maintenance and monitoring activities underwater. These activities currently include construction and maintenance of a Biorock artificial reef as well as biophysical monitoring of reef condition, e.g. continuous temperature monitoring using Hobo temperature recorders.

120 Reef Resilience Project Title: Training to assess critical factors influencing reef resilience of Jamaica’s reef

Project Lead: Monique Curtis, Environmental Officer, National Environment & Planning Agency

Location: Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory, Centre of Marine Sciences, University of the West Indies, Queen's Highway, Discovery Bay, St. Ann, Jamaica

Dates: November 2015

Highlights or outcomes:

 Twelve participants from non-governmental organizations, marine park administrators and academia were introduced to the basic principles of coral reef conservation and monitoring using the Reef Check method. All participants completed the Reef Check EcoDiver Certification Workshop as follows: 4 participants certified to conduct substrate, invertebrate and fish assessments; 7 participants certified to conduct invertebrate and fish assessments; one participant certified to conduct fish assessments.

 Four of the twelve participants certified will be able to participate in data collection activities for the resilience project within the Oracabessa and Boscobel Special Fisheries Conservation Areas. This project is spearheaded by Inilek Wilmot and funded by The Nature Conservancy.

 Increased capacity to conduct reef monitoring across two protected areas (Portland Bight Protected Area and Montego Bay Marine Park) and six Special Fisheries Conservation Areas (Oracabessa, Bogue Island Lagoon, Three Bays, Salt River, Discovery Bay and Boscobel) was strengthened.

Summary of project:

The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) in partnership with the Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory, Centre of Marine Sciences, University of the West Indies conducted a Reef Check EcoDiver Certification workshop. The workshop consisted of classroom and field training activities geared at familiarizing the participants on methods used to conduct Reef Check assessments. The sessions were led by Reef Check EcoDiver Trainers Loureene Jones, Sean Green and Monique Curtis of the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA). The course was designed for scientific and non-scientific divers to understand the goal of reef assessments and employ the standard Reef Check method in the collection of strong scientific data. Upon the completion of the course, participants were certified as an EcoDiver and would now be able to participate in Reef Check surveys throughout the Caribbean region.

121 Reef Resilience Project Title: Oracabessa/Boscobel Relative Resilience Analysis and Resilience Management Planning

Project Lead: Inilek Wilmot, Manager - Oracabessa and Boscobel Special Fishery Conservation Areas, Jamaica.

Location: Jamaica

Dates: July 2015 – January 2016

Highlights or outcomes:

The Reef Resilience Project exposed Fisherfolk to the concept of reef resilience. Two fish sanctuary staff members and two fishers were certified as Reef Check Data Collectors and eight Reef Check surveys were completed by fish sanctuary staff and fishers (four in each protected area). In addition, one mapping exercise of human activities and impacts involving fishers was completed as well as a relative resilience analysis of reefs within the two protected areas. Finally, the most important reef resilience variable was identified: Diadema Urchin.

Summary of project:

The primary goal of the project was to complete a relative resilience analysis of reefs within the Boscobel and Oracabessa Bay Special Fishery Conservation Areas and use the information generated to improve the management planning of the two protected areas. A secondary goal was to involve local fishers in a study of the resources they use in order to increase support for sustainable use management. A team consisting of two fish sanctuary staff members and two fishers were certified as Reef Check data collectors. This team completed 8 Reef Check Surveys within the protected areas with the involvement of other fishers who provided boat support.

122 Reef Resilience Project Title: Cooking Oil Recycling Program in Isla Verde

Project Lead: Francisco López – Arrecifes Pro Ciudad Inc.

Location: Isla Verde, San Juan – Puerto Rico

Dates: November 2015 – February 2016

Highlights or outcomes:

 After two months working on this project, organizations like Cease the Grease, Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority, San Juan Bay Estuary Program and Sea Grant have joined the effort.  An expansion of the Cooking Oil Recycling Program to all Isla Verde area and beyond is being considered.  Sea Grant joined because they will start the Program in Rincón especially in Tres Palmas Marine Reserve area.  The San Juan Estuary Program wants to utilize the graphic manual to implement the initiative in Santurce, Condado and Old San Juan.  The PDF version of the graphic manual has been included in the Pine Grove Condominium mailing list and it will be the preferred method of outreach.

Summary of project:

Understanding that one of the reasons our shallow coral reefs are impacted by sanitary overflows that end up in our beaches and that an Oil Recycling Program would help to keep the sanitary drainage free of obstructions, Arrecifes Pro Ciudad developed a graphic manual that explains about our sewage systems and how to keep them clean. This manual will serve as an instrument to inform and educate residents in 12 condominiums in the area located in front of the Isla Verde Coral Reef Marine Reserve and now will be used in the metro area and Rincón and can be used anywhere with a proper translation. The oil collection company (Cease the Grease Puerto Rico) will install the oil containers and collect the cooking oil periodically. At this stage of the project the thermometer has been turned on. Judging from the first meetings and presentations, we perceive approval and enthusiasm. For example, as soon we posted materials, residents in other areas of San Juan wrote to ask how they could start this project in their areas.

123 Reef Resilience Project Title: Adopt a Reef Program

Project Lead: Allena Joseph, Department of Fisheries (DOF) and Craig Henry, Saint Lucia National Trust (SLNT)

Location: Saint Lucia

Dates: Septembe 2015 to January 2016

Highlights or outcomes:

Through this project and the Adopt a Reef Program, 3 individuals (2 SLNT staff and 1 volunteer) received Training and certification in SCUBA Open Water to support reef monitoring within the Pointe Sable Environmental Protection Area (PSEPA); 10 participants affiliated with the Adopt a Reef program trained in reef assessment methodology (Theory); 10 participants affiliated with the Adopt a Reef program trained in reef assessment methodology (Practical); 7 dive shops affiliated with hotels resorts in Saint Lucia enlisted in the Adopt a Reef Program to support monitoring of specific reefs.

Summary of Project:

The Reef Resilience project – Adopt a Reef Program aimed to garner support and build local capacity for coral reef management in Saint Lucia. The Department of Fisheries (DOF) and the St. Lucia National Trust collaborated to develop an ‘adopt a reef’ program with funding from TNC to build local capacity for coral reef monitoring around the island. Dive shops and hotels were targeted given that they have a vested interest in maintaining the natural resource because it is an attraction for their clientele. This project enables the DOF to collect essential data on the status of reefs at various sites along Saint Lucia’s coast to design appropriate management activities. Additionally, the program strengthens the network of agencies involved in coral reef conservation so that there is greater involvement from the local community.

124 Reef Resilience Project Title: Evaluation of effectiveness for the St. Croix East End Marine Park No-Take Zones using abundance of the Caribbean Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus).

Project Lead: Leslie Marie Henderson, Department of Planning and Natural Resources Coastal Zone Management Program

Location: US Virgin Islands, St. Croix, East End Marine Park

Dates: October 2015 – January 2016

Highlights or outcomes:

 Previously “lost” data from the 2008 lobster surveys was recovered  Twenty out of twenty-five survey sites were successfully re-surveyed in 2015

Summary of Project:

The St. Croix East End Marine Park (EEMP) was established in 2003. In the early years of the park, Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) surveys were conducted to assess the abundance and distribution of spiny lobster within and around the No-Take Zones. Even though No-Take zones have been established, enforcement has been questionable and inconsistent. This project targeted the same sites that were surveyed in 2008 to determine in spiny lobster size and abundance within the different zones of the park has changed over time to inform marine protected area management activities.

125