SOUTH SOUND COASTAL MANGROVE RESTORATION TRIAL

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Sustainable Cayman, in collaboration with the Cayman Turtle Centre and partners, will pilot a pocket-scale red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) restoration along the South Sound boardwalk where mangroves historically grew. The pilot aims to demonstrate shoreline stabilization with native vegetation while building public awareness of mangrove roles in climate adaptation, biodiversity, and coastal protection. 

Globally, large-scale coastal mangrove restoration projects have often been unsuccessful, typically due to poor site selection, hydrological incompatibility, and lack of long-term community engagement. As a response to these challenges, we are proposing a small, highly visible “pocket” installation with strong community involvement and simple, low-impact methods: coir rolls installed first to retain moisture and soften wave energy; seedlings planted at wide spacing behind the coir ‘terrace’. A few coastal companion plants will be added above the high-water mark at the boardwalk to improve stabilization.