Governance of coastal wetlands: Beyond the community conservation paradigm

Abstract

Governance plays an important role in coastal wetland protection and restoration. Through a review of the literature on the governance of coastal wetlands, we assessed the drivers influencing the governance of coastal wetlands. We found 66 cases addressing seven governance themes: politics, institutions, land tenure, economy, policies, resources, and behavior. The literature was dominated by studies focused on the protection of mangrove areas in lower-middle-income countries and at the local scale. We found 61 drivers that influence the governance of coastal wetlands. The literature highlighted the participation of local communities as a critical driver of protection and restoration practice..