Baseline Sites

Baseline sites are places where the Gaea Conservation Network has carried out in-depth ecological assessments to better understand Grenada’s coastal wetlands and the pressures they face. These locations act as reference points, helping us track change over time, guide restoration, and recognize the historical and cultural importance of each wetland.

At each site, we combine multiple approaches:

• Mangrove and vegetation surveys record species composition and forest structure, showing how plant communities respond to environmental conditions.

• Bird monitoring documents both resident and migratory species, with records shared through eBird to strengthen regional biodiversity databases.

• Aquatic surveys—including fish and invertebrate counts—capture the health of food webs and the role of mangroves as nurseries.

• Stable isotope analysis and water testing provide insight into freshwater and tidal influences that shape wetland dynamics.

• Archaeological context, provided through the research of Dr. Jonathan Hanna and colleagues, helps place today’s ecosystems within a much longer history of human settlement and use.

• Community knowledge grounds our work in local expertise and ensures that ecological findings are linked to lived experience.

By making these results publicly accessible, we aim to build a shared knowledge base that supports community stewardship, scientific collaboration, and the long-term resilience of Grenada’s coastal ecosystems.