Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy supports the protection of a locally managed marine area through the Vanga Seagrass Project Committee, made up of local men, women, and youth, with scientific partners providing expertise. Research is progressing on biodiversity credits as a potential conservation financing tool, with two PhD students investigating systematic biodiversity monitoring methods and how biodiversity could serve as a proxy for carbon stocks. By protecting this seagrass ecosystem and empowering locals, the project is strengthening biodiversity, food security and coastal resilience of the local communities and testing a model for larger-scale replication.
