STATUS AND TRENDS IN MANGROVE AREA EXTENT WORLDWIDE

Cayman Islands

Vegetation description

The Cayman Islands have widespread mangrove and associated swamp lands. There are 25 mangrove sites distributed over the three islands, among which 11 are protected. Seventeen of these occupy about 36 percent of Grand Cayman; three occupy about 1 percent of Cayman Brac and five occupy about 40 percent of Little Caiman. The most common species present are: Rhizophora mangle, Avicennia germinans, Laguncularia racemosa, Conocarpus erectus.

Spalding, M.D., Blasco, F. & Field, C.D., eds. 1997 World Mangrove Atlas. The International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems, Okinawa, Japan. 178 pp.
Bacon, P.R. 1993. Mangroves in Lesser Antilles, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. In: Lacerda, L.D. 1993. Conservation and sustainable utilization of mangrove forests in Latin America and Africa regions. Vol. 2 Part I- Latin America. p. 155-210. Mangrove Ecosystems technical reports ITTO/ISME Project PD114/90 (F). Okinawa, Japan. 272 pp.

National level mangrove area estimates

Year

Area
(ha)

Source

Trend

Methodology/Comments

1978

7 100

Spalding, M.D., Blasco, F. and Field, C.D., eds. 1997. World Mangrove Atlas. The International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems, Okinawa, Japan. 178 pp.

Map analysis. Scale 1:25 000.

1991

11 655

Snedaker, S.C. 1991. Personal communication

Cited in: Fisher, P and Spalding, M.D. 1993. Protected areas with mangrove habitat. Draft Report World Conservation Centre, Cambridge, UK. 60 pp.

1991

7 268

Bacon, P.R. 1993. Mangroves in Lesser Antilles, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. In: Lacerda, L.D. 1993. Conservation and sustainable utilization of mangrove forests in Latin America and Africa regions. Vol. 2 Part I- Latin America. p. 155-210. Mangrove Ecosystems technical reports ITTO/ISME Project PD114/90 (F). Okinawa, Japan. 272 pp.

X

Ground survey

1998

13 000

Faizool, S. 1998. Forestry policy of Cayman Islands. In Forestry policies in the Caribbean Reports of 28 selected countries and territories. p.167-180. Forestry Paper #137/2.

Approximate estimate of mangrove swamps.

Trends in mangrove area extent over time

Limited change over time appear to have taken place in recent years

Year	Area (ha)	Source	Trend	Methodology/Comments
1978	7 100	Spalding, M.D., Blasco, F. and Field, C.D., eds. 1997. World Mangrove Atlas. The International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems, Okinawa, Japan. 178 pp.		Map analysis. Scale 1:25 000.
1991	11 655	Snedaker, S.C. 1991. Personal communication		Cited in: Fisher, P and Spalding, M.D. 1993. Protected areas with mangrove habitat. Draft Report World Conservation Centre, Cambridge, UK. 60 pp.
1991	7 268	Bacon, P.R. 1993. Mangroves in Lesser Antilles, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. In: Lacerda, L.D. 1993. Conservation and sustainable utilization of mangrove forests in Latin America and Africa regions. Vol. 2 Part I- Latin America. p. 155-210. Mangrove Ecosystems technical reports ITTO/ISME Project PD114/90 (F). Okinawa, Japan. 272 pp.	X	Ground survey
1998	13 000	Faizool, S. 1998. Forestry policy of Cayman Islands. In Forestry policies in the Caribbean Reports of 28 selected countries and territories. p.167-180. Forestry Paper #137/2.		Approximate estimate of mangrove swamps.