Dr. Gretchen C. Coffman, Ph.D.
Session 9 by Gretchen C. Coffman, Ph.D. – Visual Storytelling with a Purpose
The power of film to inspire change and better understanding is the basis of a well-made documentary. Each of us have a specific film that was so impactful it remains etched in our minds forever. Not only can we see it in our mind’s eye, but we can also feel how much it moved us, almost as if we saw it yesterday.
Session 14 by Gretchen C. Coffman, PhD – Blue Carbon and Beyond: Community-led Mangrove Restoration
Mangrove ecosystems are pivotal in the global blue carbon framework, offering essential ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, coastal protection, and biodiversity support. However, these ecosystems are under threat from anthropogenic pressures, necessitating innovative restoration approaches that prioritize resilience and community involvement. I argue that we need to integrate the resilience concept into community-led mangrove restoration projects across Southeast Asia. By engaging local communities and incorporating their traditional knowledge with scientific practices, projects have successfully enhanced the resistance, recovery, and reorganization capabilities of mangrove ecosystems. Key strategies include meaningful community engagement, expansion of monitoring indicators, and upscaling restoration efforts across spatial and temporal scales. I will present case studies to demonstrate how local stewardship, combined with resilience-based approaches, leads to more sustainable and adaptive restoration outcomes. These findings underscore the importance of community-led initiatives in achieving the dual goals of ecosystem restoration and climate change mitigation, contributing significantly to global blue carbon efforts and the broader objectives of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
