Data from: Avoided emissions and conservation of scrub mangroves: a potential Blue Carbon project in the Gulf of California, Mexico

Mangroves are considered ideal ecosystems for Blue Carbon projects.
However, because of their short stature, some mangroves (“scrub”
mangroves, < 2m) do not fulfil the current definition of “forests”
which makes them ineligible for emission reduction programs such as REDD+.
Short stature mangroves can be the dominant form of mangroves in arid and
poor nutrient landscapes, and emissions from their deforestation and
degradation could be substantial. Here, we describe a potential Blue
Carbon project in the Gulf of California, Mexico, to illustrate that
projects which avoid emissions from deforestation and degradation could
provide financial resources to protect mangroves that cannot be included
in other emission reduction programs. The goal of the project is to
protect 16,058 ha of mangroves through conservation concessions from the
Mexican Federal Government. The cumulative avoided emissions of the
project are 2.84 million Mg CO2 over 100 years, valued at $US 426,000 per
year (US$15 per Mg CO2 in the California market). The funds could be used
for community-based projects that will improve mangrove management, such
as surveillance, eradication of invasive species, rehabilitation after
tropical storms, and environmental education. The strong institutional
support, secure financial status, community engagement, and clear project
boundaries provide favourable conditions to implement this Blue Carbon
project. Financial resources from Blue Carbon projects, even in mangroves
of short stature, can provide substantial resources to enhance community
resilience and mangrove protection.