Governing Through Networks: Working Toward a Sustainable Management of West Africa’s Coastal Mangrove Ecosystems

Abstract

The West African coastal environment’s extremely productive and biologically diverse estuaries and mangrove ecosystems have suffered increasing stress due to natural and humaninduced pressures. Conserving biodiversity in this region is full of complexity as a result of the myriad connections inherent in natural ecosystems and the variety of perspectives and interests arising at multiple scales and out of varying social and cultural contexts. Therefore, a participatory system of interregional governance is necessary in order to develop appropriate solutions to achieve effective conservation. Two case studies are presented that demonstrate the usefulness of the networked governance approach to engage actors as all levels in the preservation of mangrove ecosystems. The Regional coastal and marine conservation partnership in West Africa (PRCM) and the West African network of marine protected areas (RAMPAO) demonstrate the effectiveness of coordinating local actions with the development of national and regional policies. Challenges remain including the impact of competing goals, communication difficulties, uncertain funding, unequal capacity, and political instability.