PROGRAM AREASConservation of the Mesoamerican ReefOverview | Program Objectives | Healthy Reefs Healthy Reefs for Healthy People is the slogan that embodies the Healthy Mesoamerican Reef Ecosystem Initiative, a multi-institutional effort designed to track the health and integrity of the Mesoamerican Reef system, the human choices that shape it, and progress in ensuring its long-term sustainability. The genesis of this Initiative goes back to Summit Board reflections in 2003 about what a healthy reef should look like under modern-day conditions, and how can we best evaluate whether the overall health of a reef is faring 'better' or 'worse' over time. The apparent lack of answers to Summit's seminal questions prompted the Foundation to recruit two marine biologists familiar with the region, Melanie McField (then with WWF and now also with the Smithsonian Institution) and Patricia Kramer (Perigee Environmental) to spearhead this quest. While there had been ongoing efforts to collect monitoring data on the Mesoamerican Reef, the region had been missing a 'common currency' of yardsticks and reference conditions to assess changes in structure, function and good governance of the Reef over time, as well as the impact of such changes on the local people and economy. In early 2004, we invited two other key players in the region to join in: the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (MBRS) Project of the Central American Commission on Environment and Development, and The World Bank. Newer partners include The Nature Conservancy, Environmental Defense, Smithsonian Institution, Conservation International, Coral Reef Alliance, Wildlife Conservation Society, and the MAR Fund, among others. The "Guide to Indicators of Reef Health and Social Wellbeing in the Mesoamerican Reef Region" was released in June 2007 and features 58 key indicators of ecological and social wellbeing. It provides reference conditions and status, where available, for those indicators. The Guide serves as an important data interpretation tool for field practitioners and decision-makers. It is available in English and Spanish. In addition, an updated "Quick Reference" guide has been produced that serves as an abridged version of the original indicators Guide, with new graphic analyses of the status of priority indicators. This Quick Reference guide will be available in both English and Spanish in the fall of 2008. A third product of the Initiative is a long-awaited "report card" that provides an easy-to-grasp, school-like rating of key elements of reef health. The rankings were generated with the assistance of more than 35 top scientists. The report card will be released in the fall of 2008. For the PDF version of these products and regular updates on the Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative, including how to participate, visit their web site at www.healthyreefs.org.
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