Case title
Belize Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan
This case study shows that ecosystem services modelling and scenarios are powerful tools to inform coastal and marine spatial planning decisions.
Scenarios were developed to inform coastal and marine spatial planning decisions in Belize. Stakeholders were engaged in an iterative process of scenario development and ecosystem service impacts were assessed. The results were used to develop the Belize Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan. This ecosystem-based plan -- the first of its kind -- provides guidance for spatially explicit management of coastal resources for multiple uses, including coastal development, conservation and fishing.
The results of this study were used to inform national marine policy decisions in Belize; The last iteration of one of the three scenarios (envisioned as maps) became the final zoning scheme incorporated into the coastal zone management plan.
The scenarios were made in:
2012
The scenarios look out to:
2025
Project facts
Belize
Coastal Zone
2012
Submitted by:
Katie Arkema
Project leader
September 23, 2019
How to cite this page:
Katie Arkema
Belize Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan
9/23/2019
Resources
Arkema, Katie K., Gregory M. Verutes, Spencer A. Wood, Chantalle Clarke-Samuels, Samir Rosado, Maritza Canto, Amy Rosenthal, Mary Ruckelshaus, Gregory Guannel, Jodie Toft, Joe Faries, Jessica M. Silver, Robert Griffin and Anne D. Guerry. 2015. Embedding ecosystem services in coastal planning leads to better outcomes for people and nature. PNAS 112 (24) 7390-7395.
Arkema K. and M. Ruckelshaus. 2017. “Transdisciplinary research for conservation and sustainable development planning in the Caribbean.” In Conservation in the Anthropocene Ocean: Interdisciplinary Science in Support of Nature and People. Levin, P & M. Poe, Eds.:pp. San Diego, CA: Elsevier.
Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute (CZMAI). 2016. Belize Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan. CZMAI, Belize City.
Project images
Stacey Solie
K. Arkema