Google.org and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) will work in synergy with universities, organizations, communities and government to implement a mangrove conservation project at Nayarit y Yucatanwith the use of artificial intelligence.
The project in which the technology giant and the leading wildlife conservation organization have joined forces is called MangroveIAThe project, an innovative initiative that seeks to collect, analyze and systematize large-scale data that will allow us to better understand how we can conserve, manage and restore the world's most important natural resources. mangrovesthe threat posed by the climate change.
"With tools such as high-resolution satellite imagery, drone flights, weather stations and the power of information technology and artificial intelligence, ManglarIA's goal is to provide technical recommendations to Mexican and international institutions in charge of mangrove conservation and restoration, so that they can manage these ecosystems for the future," WWF said.
This project will be implemented over the next three years at the Marismas Nacionales Biosphere Reservein Nayarit, and the Ria Lagartos Biosphere ReserveThe project will coordinate with universities, communities, partners and the Mexican government to carry out actions for the conservation of these sites.
"The project was selected from hundreds of proposals to receive a $5 million grant from Google.org's Impact Challenge on Climate Innovation and is part of a growing movement to strengthen nature-based solutions with technological advances. The initiative seeks more efficient outcomes and measures of nature-based climate solutions," WWF said.
It should be noted that Mexico has more than 900,000 hectares of mangroves, which places our country as the fourth in the world in coverage of this vegetation, which is present in the 17 coastal states.
Jorge Rickardsgeneral manager of WWF MexicoThe organization has been working for several years, in coordination with its partners, on mangrove conservation and restoration actions at the national level and in different parts of Mexico, he said.
"We also work with the communities that inhabit these sites and depend on the conservation of these ecosystems for their survival. The ManglarIA project comes to strengthen these efforts and generate information that will allow us to better direct our efforts in a context of climate change. In the medium and long term, this information will bring benefits to the livelihoods and economies of local communities," he said.
Benefits offered by mangroves:
- Protection against the force of wind and waves when tropical storms and hurricanes approach the coasts.
- Support of important economic activities such as fishing and tourism.
- They are "nature-based solutions".
Hugo Martinez McNaughtPublic Policy Manager of Google Mexicosaid that this project is a very clear example of how AI technology can work together with nature-based solutions to fight climate change. climate change.
"We are proud to support the World Wildlife Fund's research and look forward to learning how we can improve the conservation and critical restoration of mangrove ecosystems," he said.
WWF and Google.org will seek to share a model for MangroveIA in Latin America, the Caribbean and globally, contributing to the development of mangrove restoration and management measures in other sites, and even other ecosystems. The lessons learned from this initiative will be shared widely with the academic and conservation communities.
The world contains 16 million hectares of mangroves, a third of which are found in the Latin American and Caribbean region.
Source: WWF Mexico