1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Fort Liberté
Region
Latin America and the Caribbean
Native title of the NBS intervention
Parc Marin des Trois Baies
Short description of the intervention
As a result of a ReefFix Project, an Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Coral Reef and Mangrove Restoration and Watershed Management Demonstration programme, the Three Bays Marine Protected Area (MPA) and associated Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Plan have been established in Haiti (Refs. 4, 5 and 7). Only the second MPA to be established in the country, the Three Bays MPA includes the bays of Limonade, Caracol and Ft. Liberté (the administrative capital of the Nord-East department of Haiti), as well as the Lagon aux Boeufs. As summarised by Ref. 8, the establishment of the MPA and ICZM "will help protect the mangroves, eel grass beds, reefs and habitats housing important fisheries that are crucial for providing livelihoods to nearby communities. It will also help protect the area from storm surges and provide local communities with ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, tourism value and more". Additionally, the MPA will afford protection to numerous threatened species, "including sea turtles, whales, manatees and migratory birds" (Ref. 8).
Address

Fort Liberté
Haiti

Location
The NBS is situated in an area, with clear delineation of boundaries and a specific shape (polygon). The NBS project can also have more than one area location (more than one polygon, situated close by).
Area boundary
POINT (-71.763306 19.705733)
POINT (-71.970619 19.932701)
POINT (-71.990173 20.04296)
POINT (-72.175213 20.068169)
POINT (-72.164394 19.699204)
POINT (-72.061238 19.653116)
POINT (-72.039004 19.664977)
POINT (-71.919777 19.628174)
POINT (-71.746564 19.628998)
POINT (-71.763306 19.705733)
NBS area image
Source of NBS area image
Image 1. MPA Locations: illustrating the potential MPAs to be established around Haiti. The very north east proposed MPA is the one which is considered within this case study. The image was sourced from Ref. 6 and can be accessed at: http://www.oas.org/en/sedi/dsd/biodiversity/ReefFix/Haiti/HaitiCaseStudy.asp.
Image 2. Three Bay MPA Location: illustrating the Three Bay MPA which was approved from the above list of potential MPA sites. This MPA and its associated integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) plan form the basis for this case study. The image was sourced from Ref. 7 and can be accessed here: http://www.oas.org/en/sedi/dsd/Biodiversity/ReefFix/Haiti/Haiti%20ReefFix%202013%20Final%20rev%201.pdf.
Total area
900000000.00m²
Type of area before implementation of the NBS
Residential
Public Greenspace Area
Central Business District / City Centre
Building
Other
Please specify “other type of area” before implementation of the NBS
In addition to encompassing terrestrial areas (both urban areas such as Fort Liberté and more rural areas outside of the residential settlements), the NBS as a whole also covers coastal waters and a section of the marine environment i.e. publicly accessible bluespace. Due to a lack of data, it is unclear whether the area also encompasses other landuse types such as industrial or agricultural land.
Website of the intervention
https://canari.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/PISCES-case-study-FoProBIM-FINAL…
Timeline of intervention
Start date of the intervention (planning process)
2000
Start date of intervention (implementation process)
2013
End date of the intervention
2014
Present stage of the intervention
Completed
Goals of the intervention
The establishment of the MPA aimed to support the objectives of the ICZM Coral Reef and Mangrove Restoration and Watershed Management Demonstration programme "to restore and effectively manage coastal resources through the use and development of cost-effective techniques and economic validation of ecosystems" (Ref. 6) such that ecosystem services could be best harnessed and "value of all three linked ecosystems: mangroves, seagrasses, and coral reefs" leveraged (Ref. 7). The programme sought to ensure increased ecosystem connectivity and resilience, particularly in light of the increasing impacts of climate change and specifically "climate change-induced sea-level rise and temperature increases" (Ref. 7). The ICZM further focused on social aspects including "improved governance with communities, awareness building [and promotion of] sustainable livelihoods" (Ref. 7).
Quantitative targets
Unknown
Monitoring indicators defined
Monitoring of the site does reportedly occur, as evidenced by establishment of the Gad Ekolojik Unit which was developed specifically to help monitor the 3Bays Marine Protected Area (Ref. 9). However, it is unknown what the monitoring consists of, and whether indicators were defined prior to the intervention occurring.
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
Climate change adaptation
Climate change mitigation
Coastal resilience and marine protection (SDG 14)
Coastal protection / hazard mitigation
Marine and coastal biodiversity protection
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Habitat and biodiversity restoration
Habitat and biodiversity conservation
Water management (SDG 6)
Flood protection
Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
Inclusive governance
Effective management
Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
Environmental education
Climate change adaptation: What were the goals of the NBS?
Reduce the impacts of climate risks events on urban places and communities
Build resilience
Climate change adaptation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?
Protect coastal and freshwater ecosystems to prevent coastal erosion and pollution
Restore wetlands and/or coastal ecosystems to dissipate the effects of flooding and/or storms
Climate change mitigation: What were the goals of the NBS?
Sequester and store carbon
Climate change mitigation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?
Implement sustainable forest management measures to increase carbon sinks/ improve carbon storage
Habitats and biodiversity conservation: What types of conservation goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention?
Species-focused
Ecosystem-focused
Habitats and biodiversity conservation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?
Protect and enhance urban habitats
Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
Preserve and strengthen habitat connectivity
Reduce negative impacts and avoid the alteration/damage of ecosystem
Protect species
Undertake specific measures to protect species
Undertake specific measures to protect endangered species
Undertake specific measures to protect valued species
Means for conservation governance
Manage biological resources for conservation and sustainable use
Public engagement
What types of restoration goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention?
Ecosystem-focused
What activities are implemented to realize the restoration goals and targets?
Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)
Restore ecological connectivity
Implementation activities
Beginning in 2000, a Haitian "apolitical, nongovernmental, non-profit organisation" (Ref. 4), the Fondation pour la
Protection de la Biodiversité Marine (FoProBiM) "outlined the original park boundaries; and undertook ecosystem valuation exercises for the area in 2009 and 2013 for the Organization of American States/Department of Sustainable Development (OAS/DSD)" (Ref. 8). FoProBiM further actively participated in the "preparation of the legal framework and final establishment of the present park boundaries to help bring about the MPA’s designation" (Ref. 8).

Through the establishment of the ICZM Coral Reef and Mangrove Restoration and Watershed Management Demonstration programme and the Three Bays MPA, measures have been introduced to "protect the mangroves, eel grass beds, reefs and habitats housing important fisheries" in the area (Ref. 8). Project implementation activities directly related to NBS include mangrove reforestation/rehabilitation and coral reef rehabilitation (Ref. 4). Further activities undertaken by FoProBiM to support the implementation of the project include:
"• The development of environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative income-generating activities (such as kayaking, apiculture, breadfruit flour, aquaculture)
• Gear swaps (in which unsustainable gear is being replaced)
• Education/stewardship classes
• Development of a game wardens unit
• Capacity building for local stakeholder groups
• Installation of mooring buoys
• Installation of marker buoys to demarcate MPA boundaries
• Development of new laws/regulations for the management of the MPA".

A co-management agreement with the National Protected Areas Agency (ANAP) was further signed by FoProBiM (Ref. 4).
Type of NBS project
Coastal landscape management or protection
Ecological restoration of ecosystems
Protection of natural ecosystems
Knowledge creation and awareness raising
Strategy, plan or policy development
Improved governance of green or blue areas
NBS domain and interventions
Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented
Blue infrastructure
Coastlines
Coastal wetland, mangroves and salt marshes
Amenities offered by the NBS
Unknown
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Provisioning services
Food for human consumption (crops, vegetables)
Regulating services
Coastal protection
Carbon storage/sequestration
Flood regulation
Habitat and supporting services
Habitats for species
Cultural services
Tourism
Scale
Spatial scale
Meso-scale: Regional, metropolitan and urban level
Beneficiaries
Primary Beneficiaries
Citizens or community groups
Food producers and cultivators (i.e. farmers, gardeners)
Young people and children
Other
Please specify "other primary beneficiary"
Primary beneficiaries are considered to comprise "local women, church, youth, fishers, farmers, school, and salt producer groups", each of whom have also been engaged in project activities (Ref. 4).
Governance
Governance arrangements
Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Non-government actors
Non-governmental organisation (NGO) / Civil society / Churches
Citizens or community groups
Coalition with multiple of the above
Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative
The Foundation pour la Protection de la Biodiversité Marine (FoProBiM) "outlined the original park boundaries, and undertook ecosystem valuation exercises for the area in 2009 and 2013 for the Organization of American States/Department of Sustainable Development (OAS/DSD)" (Ref. 8). FoProBiM further actively participated in the "preparation of the legal framework and final establishment of the present park boundaries to help bring about the MPA’s designation", and led on capacity building for local stakeholder groups and development of new laws/regulations for the management of the MPA (Refs. 4 and 8). A co-management agreement with the National Protected Areas Agency (ANAP) was further signed by FoProBiM (Ref. 4).

FoProBiM has "managed to undertake most of its activities with minimal contact with the public sector...operat[ing] with minimal interference and engagement from local authorities for various reasons...[having] discovered that engaging with local authorities often negatively affects the achievement of project goals" (Ref. 4). Local civil society organisations (CSOs) have also engaged in the project, with "FoProBiM...working with all levels of government from the Ministry of Environment and the National Protected Areas Agency (ANAP) down to the local area supervisors" (Ref. 4). Primary beneficiaries have also engaged in the project, including " Local women..., church, youth, fishers, farmers, school, and salt producer groups" (Ref. 4).
Key actors - initiating organization
Non-government organisation/civil society
Land owners
No information found
Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)
National government
Non-government organisation/civil society
Land owners
No information found
Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used
Dissemination of information and education
Co-management/Joint management
Policy drivers
NBS intervention implemented in response to an Regional Directive/Strategy
No
NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan
No
NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan
No
Mandatory or voluntary intervention
Voluntary (spontaneous)
Please specify other type of voluntary intervention
FoProBiM provided recommendations to the Haitian government for the creation of the Three Bays MPA, the country's first (Ref. 4).
Enablers
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS vision/strategy/plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS section/part in a more general plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Presence of GI / NBS research project - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Subsidies/investment for GI / NBS in the city - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Co-finance for NBS
Yes
Co-financing governance arrangements
Unknown
Was this co-governance arrangement already in place, or was it set up specifically for this NBS?
Not applicable
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?
Unknown
What are the total amount of expected annual maintenance costs?
Unknown
What is the expected annual maintenance costs of the NBS or GI elements?
Unknown
Please specify cost savings
Unknown
Please specify total cost (EUR)
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
Multilateral funds/international funding
Private Foundation/Trust
Type of fund(s) used
Unknown
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Business models
Risk reduction model
Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?
Private non-for-profit actor (e.g. NGO, foundation)
Citizens / local communities
Type of innovation
Social
Policy innovation
Governance innovation
Please specify social innovation
The establishment of the Three Bays Marine Protected Area and ICZM Coral Reef and Mangrove Restoration and Watershed Management Demonstration programme can be considered a social innovation. The MPA was only the second to be established in Haiti, and sought to alleviate issues identified regarding "little or no enforcement of Haiti’s environmental laws tak[ing] place", with a lack of governance and weak capacity of local civil society organisations leading to over-exploitation of resources (primarily fisheries and mangroves) and a "lack of environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative sources of income" (Ref. 4). Co-management of the area has been afforded through FoProBiM's capacity building and enablement of civil society organisations, resulting in civil society leadership (Ref. 4).
Novelty level of the innovation
Unknown
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
The Three Bays MPA is the second to be established in the country (Ref. 4). Similarly, FoProBiM has led mangrove restoration at other sites in Haiti, but it is unclear the extent to which this intervention has been copied from their work elsewhere.
Replicability/Transferability
Ambiguous (e.g. multiple interpretations)
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
Whilst unclear whether the innovation has as yet been replicated, it has been highlighted that "FoProBiM designed the project activities in the 3Bays MPA to be easily replicated at any other coastal site in Haiti (taking into consideration, of course, the local circumstances)" (Ref. 4).
Impacts, benefits
Environmental impacts
Climate change
Increased protection against sea level rise
Strengthened capacity to address climate hazards/natural disasters
Enhanced carbon sequestration
Water management and blue areas
Increased protection against flooding
Enhanced protection and restoration of coastal and marine ecosystems
Green space and habitat
Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
Increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales
Reduced biodiversity loss
Increased number of species present
Increased protection of threatened species
Enhanced support of pollination
Please specify other economic impact
Diversification of economic activities has been promoted within the area, see below.
Description of environmental benefits
As summarised by Ref. 4, the following environmental benefits have been achieved:
- Over 1,000 hectares of mangroves in the 3Bays MPA have been rehabilitated and/or restored and are being monitored with assistance from FoProBiM’s Game Wardens unit;
- Three nurseries have been established and 250,000 mangrove trees have been replanted; and
- Eight local CSOs are participating in mangrove-linked apiculture in the 3Bays MPA with 20 members of each CSO trained in apiculture and provided with starter hives to enable them to engage in honey production.

Additionally, whilst the realisation of certain benefits are yet to be reported, it is thought that the establishment of the MPA and ICZM will further protect eelgrass beds (in addition to mangroves and coral reefs), and provide protection for "numerous threatened species, including sea turtles, whales, manatees and migratory birds" (Ref. 8).

The programme is expected to increase ecosystem connectivity and resilience, particularly linked to "climate change-induced sea-level rise and temperature increases" (Ref. 7). The project is also expected to help protect the area from storm surges and provide local communities with ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, tourism value and more". (Ref. 8)

The establishment of the MPA saw the protection of "90,000 hectares of coastal and marine areas, including mangroves, coral reef systems, and seagrass beds" in an area that had been recognised as an "unprotected priority key biodiversity area" (Ref. 8). The ecosystem services provided by the establishment of the MPA and ICZM has the potential to benefit the "eight main coastal communities with an estimated 150,000 inhabitants" which live adjacent to the site, "of which approximately 3,000 are active in the fisheries industry (such as fishers, merchants and boat builders)" (Ref. 4).
Economic impacts
Increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
More sustainable tourism
Increase in agricultural production (for profit or not)
Generation of income from NBS
Other
Description of economic benefits
As summarised by Ref. 4, the following economic benefits have been achieved:
- Honey production has been kickstarted, with "co-operatives [being] created for honey production and breadfruit flour production with community entrepreneurs to allow them to market their products and to diversify their income";
- Income diversification has further occurred within the Three Bays MPA, for example through "One local CSO ha[ving] successfully established an ecotourism community enterprise focused on kayaking tours and services and was provided with training and gear".
Additionally, whilst the realisation of certain benefits are yet to be reported, it is thought that protection of important fisheries nursery habitat (mangroves, reefs and eelgrass beds) will be "crucial for providing livelihoods to nearby communities", and further provide opportunities for tourism value creation (Ref. 8).
Social and cultural impacts
Social justice and cohesion
Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
Education
Increased support for education and scientific research
Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Safety
Improved community safety to climate-related hazards
Description of social and cultural benefits
As summarised by Ref. 4, the following social and cultural benefits have been achieved:
- Over 2,000 coastal community stakeholders in the 3Bays MPA have been successfully engaged in public awareness and education activities on marine sciences, basic sciences, mangrove restoration and sustainable gear use;
- Educational materials on mangrove and coral reefs educational have been developed;
- New partnerships have been developed with 22 local community groups and local authorities to support the co-management of the 3Bays MPA; and
- The establishment of the management plan for the Three Bays MPA is the first for an MPA in Haiti.

Additionally, whilst the realisation of certain benefits are yet to be reported, it is thought that the establishment of the MPA and ICZM will protect local communities from storm surges (Ref. 8).
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts
Achieved impacts
Indicators
Indicators used to date have included:
- number of coastal community stakeholders engaged in public awareness and education activities (2000 to date (Ref. 4));
- number of hectares of mangroves rehabilitated and/or restored (1000 to date (Ref. 4));
- number of mangrove trees replanted (250,000 to date (Ref. 4));
- number of nurseries established (three to date (Ref. 4));
- number of CSOs participating in mangrove-linked apiculture in the 3Bays MPA (Eight CSOs and 20 individual members (Ref. 4)); and
- new partnerships developed with local community groups (22 (Ref. 4)).
Analysis of specific impact categories
Job creation: The NBS created ...
No information available
Environmental justice: The implementation of the NBS project resulted in ...
Increased access to healthy food for humans and/or animals
Negative impacts: Did the project cause any problems or concerns?
No information was found regarding negative impacts of the project
COVID-19 pandemic
Unknown as of October of 2021.
Methods of impact monitoring
Process of recording NBS impacts
Collection of monitoring data at specific time intervals during the project to aid evaluation
Methods used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
Unknown
Evidence for use of assessment
Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Impact assessment mechanism
Name of any specific impact assessment tools
Unknown.
Use of GIS in mapping impacts
No evidence in public records
Citizen involvement
Citizens involvement in assessment/evaluation
Yes
Mode(s) of citizen involvement in evaluation/assessment
Other
Please specify other modes of citizen involvement in evaluation/assessment
Establishment of Gad Ekolojik Unit to help monitor the 3Bays Marine Protected Area (Ref. 9), but it is unclear exactly who the group comprised, what indicators were determined and what the frequency of evaluation/assessment was.
Citizens involvement in the analysis of the assessment/evaluation
Unknown
Follow-up to the evaluation / assessment
Unknown
References
List of references
1. Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (n.d.). CEPF and Climate Change. Arlington, Virginia: Conservation International. https://www.cepf.net/impact/global-goals/cepf-and-climate-change [accessed 14/10/21];
2. Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (n.d.). Biodiversity and Nature-Based Climate Solutions. Arlington, Virginia: Conservation International. https://www.cepf.net/impact/global-goals/CEPF-and-climate-change/biodiversity-and-nature-based-climate-solutions [accessed 14/10/21];
3. Schueler, K (2017). Nature-Based Solutions to Enhance Coastal Resilience. Washington, D.C: Inter-American Development Bank. https://publications.iadb.org/publications/english/document/Nature-based-Solutions-to-Enhance-Coastal-Resilience.pdf [accessed 14/10/21];
4. Weiner, J. 2019. Fondation pour la Protection de la Biodiversité Marine (FoProBiM): Enabling co-management of the Three Bays (3Bays) Marine Protected Area, Haiti through civil society leadership. Port of Spain: CANARI. https://canari.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/PISCES-case-study-FoProBIM-FINAL.pdf [accessed 14/10/21];
5. Organization of American States (2014). Haiti Creates New Marine Protected Area. Washington, D.C: Executive Secretariat for Integral Development (SEDI) News. http://www.oas.org/en/sedi/nl/0114/2_en.html [accessed 14/10/21];
6. Organization of American States (n.d.). ReefFix: An Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Ecosystem Services Valuation and Capacity Building Project for the Caribbean. Toward the Development of Haiti's System of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) - An Ecosystem Services Assessment for the Creation of Haiti's System of MPAs. Washington, D.C: Organization of American States. http://www.oas.org/en/sedi/dsd/biodiversity/ReefFix/Haiti/HaitiCaseStudy.asp [accessed 14/10/21];
7. Wiener, J (2013). Toward the Development of Haiti’s System of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs): An Ecosystem Services Assessment for the Creation of Haiti’s System of MPAs. ReefFix: An Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Ecosystem Services Valuation and Capacity Building Project for the Caribbean. Revision 1. Haiti: Fondation pour la Protection de la Biodiversité Marine (FoProBiM). http://www.oas.org/en/sedi/dsd/Biodiversity/ReefFix/Haiti/Haiti%20ReefFix%202013%20Final%20rev%201.pdf [accessed 14/10/21]; and
8. Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (2014). Annual Portfolio Overview July 2013 - September 2014: Caribbean Islands Biodiversity Hotspot. Arlington, Virginia: Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund. https://www.cepf.net/sites/default/files/caribbean_apo_2014.pdf [accessed 14/10/21].
Comments and notes
Public Images
Map of northeastern Haiti showing the location and boundaries of the 3Bays Marine Protected Area
Map of northeastern Haiti showing the location and boundaries of the 3Bays Marine Protected Area
https://canari.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/PISCES-case-study-FoProBIM-FINAL.pdf
FoProBiM is working with local communities to support mangrove based apiculture within the 3Bays MPA
FoProBiM is working with local communities to support mangrove based apiculture within the 3Bays MPA
https://canari.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/PISCES-case-study-FoProBIM-FINAL.pdf
Mangrove sapling
Mangrove sapling
https://www.foprobim.org/