How We Built the Suitability Map

The suitability maps are built from field data collected across Grenada combined with landscape-scale environmental information. We surveyed mangrove sites at Beausejour, Egmont, David Bay, Conference, Great Point Bay, Levera, Mount Hartman and Westerhall — recording which species were present and how they were growing. We then used environmental variables derived from a high-resolution LiDAR survey to model where each species is likely to establish based on conditions like elevation, wetness, and proximity to rivers and the coast.

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The map offers three views because there's no single "right" threshold for deciding what counts as suitable. Liberal casts a wide net and flags everything that might work. Youden finds the best statistical balance. Conservative is selective and only shows high-certainty areas. Which one you use depends on your priorities — more sites to explore, or fewer sites with higher confidence.

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The full documentation explains the variables we used, how we tested different models, what we learned about each species, and how to interpret the results.