Sustainability Goal

We currently have a 5 year partnership understanding with the primary partner, INAPESCA (National Institute of Fishing and Aquaculture), an ongoing open-ended partnership with CONANP (National Commission of Natural Protected Areas), and the Healthy Reef for Healthy People Initiative to collaborate in the restoration and conservation of the coral reef ecosystem in the northern part of the state of Quintana Roo. 

Through these partnerships and in the stated time period we will:

– Generate a data set of the indicators that define the health of a coral reef system following the guidelines of the Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment Organization.

– Map the primary stakeholders and actors in the community and their relationship with the coral reef system.

– Generate a data set of the needs of the community in relation to achieving sustainable use of the coral reef ecosystem.

– Generate an environmental education plan to sensitize the Puerto Morelos community of the importance of the coral reef ecosystem.

– Generate the capacity for the partners to continue the generation of the data set and the plan once the project has terminated.

Sustainability Method

Our marine conservation project and its objectives are an ongoing project funded by the Mexican Federal Government through its Natural Resources Secretariat.  INAPESCA and CONANP in conjunction with the non-government organization Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative, work toward the same objective of the restoration and conservation of the coral reef ecosystem through sustainable use.

Our involvement in the project is greatly welcomed and helps to alleviate some of the problems and restrictions that partner organizations have through a collaborative effort. Still, as mentioned before, the project is ongoing and self-sustainable.

Being such the case, it will be through a combination of phasing down and phasing over that the sustainability goal will be reached as far as the involvement of GVI Charitable Programs is concerned.

Once the 5 year period of the project is reached, the plan is for continued involvement in the project but at a lower rate. Support will be given to our partner organizations by continued monitoring and evaluation of its achievements and definition of new challenges. Thus generating continued support but at a lower rate and with new secondary objectives.

Ongoing Sustainability Support

Once phased over, the collaborating partners will continue working together and employ the transition strategy provided by GVI Charitable Programs, which will be employed to allow continued contact and ongoing advice/support as required. The original project will be evaluated by GVI Charitable Programs after 6 months, and 1, 2, and 3 years after phasing over is complete. This will be done via inspection of data sets, interviews with stakeholders, and collaborative partner meetings.

Sustainability Schedule

This five year project is divided into three phases:

Phase 1, Establish data sets, strengths, and needs – 1 year

Collaboratively setting up and conducting research programs to establish data sets and understand the strengths and needs of partners and community:

– Establish a network of collaborative stakeholders. 

– Establish and refine research objectives, methods, areas, and programs of importance in the local context.

– Assess and identify the strengths of the needs of collaborating partners in relation to the objective.

– Assess and identify the strengths of the needs of the local community in relation to the objective.

Phase 2, Capacity building – 3 years

Continuation of research programs whilst conducting capacity building initiatives across partner organizations and the community:

– Continue the ongoing research programs of importance in the local context.

– Identify the roles and responsibilities of collaborating partners in relation to the objective and training supplied as required.

– Support fund generation for each collaborating party to be able to continue work toward the main objective.

– Identify the role and responsibilities of the local community in relation to the objective and training supplied as required.

Phase 3 – Withdrawal – 1 year

Collaborative parties increasingly conduct responsibilities as per above with an aim of our complete exit at the end of this phase:

– Each collaborating partner starts their post-exit role and increasingly takes on responsibility in preparation for the final exit.

– The local community begins their post-exit role and increasingly takes responsibility in preparation for the final exit.

– Ongoing support system and resources defined and in place.

– Final evaluation of the project.