Multi-agency perspectives on managing mangrove wetlands and the mosquitoes they produce

Abstract

A group of researchers, mosquito and coastal managers, and consultants joined together to explore issues of concern to coastal and mosquito management in mangrove forests. At a 1-day workshop in Florida, participants identified issues that are important for their roles. The issues were subsequently compiled into a matrix and the participants were asked to individually assess the importance and urgency of each. The most important issues for everyone included habitat responses to management, community attitude, public education, interaction between agencies, local connectivity, sea-level rise (SLR) loss of wetlands, and conservation. Most urgent were public education, conservation easements, local connectivity, SLR, loss of wetland, restoration, and conservation. There were differing viewpoints among the roles that appeared to be related to responsibility for and ability to influence on-ground outcomes. This is reflected in mosquito and coastal managers who viewed issues broadly and ascribed higher levels of importance and urgency to them than did researchers and consultants. We concluded that collaboration is a key issue. Barriers to collaboration include knowledge differences between agencies. Facilitators of collaboration include interaction, trust, and shared goals.