Cross-Border, Nature Based Market Solutions to Protect Blue Carbon Coastal Ecosystems in the Californias

March 2022

Nigeria. 7 While the Baja California peninsula’s only accounts for 3.4% of Mexico’s total mangrove coverage, these coastal ecosystems are important nesting ground for a number of threatened and endangered birds that are a priority for conservation in the State of California. In that sense, a compelling case can be made for the long term protection of Baja California mangroves, from the U.S. perspective. In spite of the Las Californias bioregion’s unique biodiversity, many of its critical habitats—from Southern California to the Tijuana-Ensenada coastal corridor and Baja California’s Cape region—face a variety of challenges due to the loss and degradation of coastal ecosystems from urbanization and development pressures, coastal erosion and water contamination, as well as the medium to long-term threat of climate change, including sea level rise. Although the threats to biodiversity are ever present on both sides of the border and are expected to grow over time, to date the greatest net habitat loss has been experienced in the State of California, particularly along the coastline of Southern California. In fact, according to the US Geological Survey, the Southern Coastal section of the California Floristic Province --including Southern California-- is the most threatened 5 State Wildlife Action Plan 2015, A Conservation Legacy for Californians, California Department of Fish & Wildlife, September 2015, Volume I, Chapter 2 (Diversity & Conservation Issues) page 2-9 https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentI D=109107&inline 6 https://agua.org.mx/wp content/uploads/2017/07/Manglares-de-México actualización-y-exploración-de-los-datos-del sistema-de-monitoreo-19701980-2015.pdf 7 https://mangroveactionproject.org/mangrove distribution/

California and Baja California Sur for various migratory bird species—including many that are U.S. Federally or California State listed 3 as endangered, or species of special concern 4 , and some that are protected under Mexico’s NOM 059. The cross-border connectivity of habitats for migratory birds is essential for their conservation, given that the various ecological impacts faced include habitat loss and fragmentation, disturbance, pollution, water shortages, diminishing food resources and climate change. 5 Here, of critical importance to migratory birds along the Pacific Americas Flyway, are the coastal wetland habitats of the Baja California peninsula— consisting of seagrass beds, mud flats, sandy beaches, salt marshes and mangroves—that serve as a winter home and nesting grounds for many species. Furthermore, these coastal ecosystems offer valuable ecosystem services (i.e. the sustainable provisioning of goods and services from natural ecosystems). Among the coastal blue carbon natural assets along the Baja California peninsula, its mangroves offer the largest carbon capture potential. In total, the extent of coastal mangroves along the Baja California peninsula account for 26,618 ha (65,774.5 acres). 6 From an international perspective, Mexico—with a total of 775,555 ha (1,916,438.1 acres) of coastal mangroves—ranks fifth among countries with the most mangrove coverage, surpassed only by Indonesia, Brazil, Australia and 3 California State Listed threatened species, California Department of Fish & Wildlife, https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentI D=84008&inline 4 W. David Shuford and Thomas Gardali (editors), California Bird Species of Special Concern, A Ranked Assessment of Species, Subspecies, and Distinct Populations of Birds of Immediate Conservation Concern in California, California Department of Fish & Wildlife, 2008 https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentI D=83841&inline

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