'%Healthy Reefs for Healthy People - A Guide to Indicators of Reef Health and Social Well-being in the Mesoamerican Reef Region%'%by Melanie McField and Patricia Kramer%

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P REFAC E

The people who care for and depend on the Mesoamerican Reef (MAR) have seen many changes in the

past decades. Some of our most spectacular coral reefs have crumbled in the wake of coral bleaching,

hurricanes, and disease. Large fishes, sea turtles and manatees have declined, and sea urchins have nearly

disappeared.

Yet, we have surprisingly few data to document these dramatic declines or to measure the state of recovery (if

this is, indeed, occurring) and few large-scale evaluation tools to monitor the effectiveness of our conservation

efforts to promote the health of the reef ecosystem, including the human dimension.

Now, the Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative is garnering an impressive network of partners to develop

better ways to take the pulse of the reef and the people who live, work and play in its crystal waters.

Written for a non-specialist readership, this Guide to Indicators of Reef Health and Social Well-being in the

Mesoamerican Reef Region provides the first version of an evolving toolkit for field scientists, managers and

other stakeholders engaged in long-term study and conservation in the Mesoamerican Reef ecoregion.

Inside you will find:

· A menu of 58 carefully chosen indicators of environmental and social health tailored to the

MAR;

· An overview of the current status of each indicator in the Mesoamerican Reef region;

· A discussion of available data, methods, feasibility and caveats;

· "Red flag" thresholds to help recognize when our indicators are signaling time-to-take-action

conditions; and

· Short and long-term goals on the path to achieving lasting sustainability for the Mesoamerican

Reef ecosystem and its people.

The guide also provides practical suggestions for how reef stewards can apply these indicators to real-life

situations--building on the appropriate linkages among indicators. Ultimately, this guide is about turning

indicators into action--to ensure the long-term ecological integrity and sustainability of our spectacular reefs.

Canon/Anthony B. Rath / WWF