Pilot Site: Santiago Island
Santiago island is Cabo Verde’s main island. The island is home to half of the nation’s population. An expedition led along the shores, between Gamboa beach and Ilheu Santa Maria, identified an extensive and healthy seagrass meadow of Halodule wrightii ascherson.
The extent of sediment accumulation and accretion throughout the meadow indicates that the seagrass has been present and undisturbed for a long period of time. As such, this meadow has a high potential for carbon sequestration and is home to important marine fauna such as sea turtles.
However, the ecosystem is endangered by coastal development. The seagrass meadows were found near a newly constructed bridge and an outflow pipe that would discharge directly into the beds.
Map of the Pilot Site
