SITE DESCRIPTION
The Mesoamerican Reef Region (MAR) encompasses all barrier and
fringe reefs and associated ecosystems that extend from the tip of
Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula south to Belize, eastern Guatemala and
northern Honduras, including the Bay Islands. This region is unique
because of its sea turtles, manatees, more than 65 species of stony
coral and more than 500 species of fish, including the mammoth
whale shark. It includes ocean habitats, coastal zones, tropical and
cloud forests, and watersheds that drain the Caribbean slope.
The threats to the Mesoamerican Reef are well documented – from
local land-based pollution sources (effluents from shrimp farming,
agriculture, municipal and industrial sewage) and severe overfishing
to poor coastal/tourism development and global climate change
(increase in ocean temperature, coral bleaching, acidification, etc).
Those threats are being addressed to varying degrees by a cadre of
committed local and international organizations but a major bottleneck
exists in our collective ability to make an impact at the scale needed
because of limited opportunities for leadership training and cuttingedge project design and development. The MAR Leadership Program
was designed to address this bottleneck.
MAR Ecoregion boundaries (gray line), with
barrier and fringe reef formations shown in
purple.
The MAR Program operates in cohort cycles that focus on implementing conservation projects that address a specific
environmental threat to the MAR region. For instance, the 2010 cohort’s main theme is massive and uncontrolled
tourism and coastal development. The 2011 cohort’s theme will be promotion of sustainable fisheries and marine
protected areas.
The recently released 2010 “Report Card” of Healthy Reefs for Healthy People, shows a worsening trend in most key
indicators (including fish abundance and biomass). This underscores the urgency of addressing the dearth of highly
qualified professionals and emerging conservation leaders that can be strategically deployed in all sectors of society
that need to be involved in a concerted conservation effort to restore the health and vitality of the MAR.
TARGET AUDIENCE AND STAKEHOLDERS
At present, the MAR region’s conservation leadership community is small and isolated. Emerging fellows harbor
potential solutions to critical issues, but lack relative know-how and strategic resources to propel a conservation
project/idea to the next level. In many cases, expertise and skills in fields such as business management,
organizational management, planning, networking, and communications are essential to generate and act on high
impact ideas. New ideas guided and advanced by skilled fellows from all sectors of the region are key requirements
for significant advancement of critical conservation issues in the MAR region. To that end, the Program aims to attract
change agents with fresh ideas rather than traditional thinkers. Therefore, we are looking for charismatic, innovative,
energetic individuals who are active professionally in the MAR and have a commitment to the conservation of the
coastal and marine environment.
The MAR Leadership Program breaks the traditional paradigm of conservation practitioners working only with other
conservation practitioners, and NGOs talking only to other NGOs. Fellows are recruited from a variety of backgrounds
and professions, including tourism entrepreneurs, agro-industry managers, fishermen, attorneys, media professionals,
government officials, educators, community fellows, and from any other field or endeavour directly connected with the
conservation of the reef.
The program’s theory of change is that, if we succeed in identifying and recruiting the best people with the best ideas
and supply them with the right set of skills and knowledge (in an enabling networked environment), assist them in
finding social venture funds for implementing their bold new ideas, then demonstrable results will follow that will
accelerate conservation impact in the MAR region, led by local leaders.
OBJECTIVES AND INDICATORS
Objective 1: To accelerate conservation impact in the Mesoamerican Reef region by providing selected Fellows in the
MAR Leadership Program with the skills, knowledge and tools necessary to generate effective outcomes in their
marine conservation work.
Objective 1: Activities and time frame
The MAR Leadership Program operates on the basis of annual “cohorts” of 10-12 fellows who come together to
address the most egregious threats. Fellows are chosen from a pool of applicants solicited through nominators,
fellows and organizations from throughout the MAR region. Candidates apply through the Program’s website and are
selected by the MAR Leadership Executive Committee based on their commitment to the conservation of the MAR
Region and the strength of their innovative project idea.
Each cohort cycle has an approximate duration of 18 months during which fellows will continue to carry their normal
job responsibilities but will have to commit around 60 days to program activities. A sample of a typical cohort cycle
(see Annex 1) includes 6 in-person workshops in the first year in which fellows are trained in project design (results
chains) and leadership skills (negotiation, conflict resolution, public speaking, how to prepare good PowerPoint
presentations, etc.); and 2 in-person workshops in the second year on fundraising skills and additional leadership
skills. Fellows go through a training needs assessment at the start of the Program to identify key areas of expertise of
the most value for their personal circumstances. Participation in individual training will be decided by each Fellow
according to his/her time availability and work schedule.
In addition, an average of three hours per week will be required to develop a project proposal with the support of a
group of consultants and a mentor. Professional development opportunities include coaching; workshops; individual
training; and hands-on learning opportunities such as site visits and exchanges.
By the end of Year 1, a small team of experienced external experts will evaluate the Fellows’ final project proposals.
The best proposals will be those are innovative, financially sustainable, and capable of “going to scale.” The best
projects will receive additional intensive support in fundraising, and seed capital necessary to secure financial support
for project implementation.
MAR Leadership is a Program with long term returns. Fellows will continue to use the skills they learn and the
network they develop long after the fellowship ends throughout their lives. Individuals who might have otherwise gone
in a different direction will acquire a lasting commitment to reef conservation.
Objective 1: Results or outcomes
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We expect our graduating Fellows to be effective leaders in advancing the following outcomes:
 At least 20% of the overall territorial waters that comprise the MAR Ecoregion should be under fisheries
replenishment zone (FRZ) status (or its equivalent under national legislations). These FRZs should include as
many viable spawning aggregations as feasible, as well as key nursery and protective habitats (such as seagrass
beds and mangroves) to ensure physical and ecological connectivity.
 Effective management (including strong enforcement) of entire MPA networks.
 Full representation (including ecological redundancy) of habitats to maximize the chances of success and spread
risk in light of global and local threats.
 Adequate connectivity to ensure biological and ecological flows among habitats.
Objective 2: Establish a network of fellows, mentors and partners who can play a leadership role and provide a
greater vision of long-term sustainability for the MAR region.
Objective 2: Activities and time frame
The Program will conduct a set of inter-linked, complementary activities to enable the proliferation of good practices
for coral reef management and conservation. The strategy of this network combines a conservation and sustainable
management approach with the creation of partnerships with the NGO’s, governments, academic institutions and
private sector to leverage resources and talents to find long-term solutions.
The Program is intended to accelerate the fellows’ trajectory to success and impact by immersing them in a network.
Fellows and volunteer professional experts or mentors in conservation, leadership or business will meet face-to-face
four times during the first year, engendering strong personal and professional ties. Meetings will be managed to
ensure high levels of interaction and feedback, enabling fellows to help improve each other’s projects and hold each
other accountable for on-going improvements and learning. In addition, a website with an intranet, social networks,
webinars and forum are available for on-going fellow interaction and idea-sharing.
Year 2 fellows will overlap and meet with Year 1 fellows through simultaneous workshops, webinars and shared field
visits and evening activities. We have witnessed leaders resolving questions with other leaders and also sharing
information about pertinent news, events and videos.
Objective 2: Results or outcomes
 A growing learning network of committed Fellows, alumni and mentors working to bring environmental
sustainability to the MAR Ecoregion.
 Cross-sector collaboration between government, civil society, academia, the private sector and community
groups.
We believe that these strategies help advance the Wildlife Without Borders Latin America and Caribbean Program’s
strategy of building the capacity of future conservation leaders through innovative training programs as well as
fostering networks to facilitate learning and collaboration across sites.
At the Fellows’ project level, conservation impacts and outcomes will be gauged using the indicators and parameters
generated by the Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative. At the overall program level, our original design for
phase one of the Program (2010-2014) contemplates a formal summative evaluation to be carried out by an
independent consultant at the end of this phase.
As the Program is relatively new we have not had an official outside evaluation. However, the Program is designed to
continuously incorporate internal and external feedback and improve performance. At the end of each activity such as
the recruitment process, group workshops, service providers’ performance, individual trainings and staff follow-up, we
request fellows and experts to answer questionnaires and provide feedback through emails and teleconferences.
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Our goal is that by 2015 threat reduction indexes reflect improvements at data collection sites (collected by Healthy
Reefs for Healthy People) adjacent to projects managed by MAR fellows. The 2010 results from Healthy Reef data
sites nearest the implemented projects will be used as a baseline for comparison.
Depending on the specific project of each individual fellow, examples of conservation outcomes that will be measured
include % of the overall territorial waters of a given country under Fisheries Replenishment Zones status (or its
equivalent under national legislations), Effective management (including strong enforcement) of entire MPA networks,
among others.
One of the strengths of the MAR Leadership Program is the experience and reputation of its founding institution:
Fondo Mexicano para la Conservación de la Naturaleza, A.C. FMCN is a non-profit organization with over 15 years of
experience designing and financing on-the-ground conservation projects. It works closely with its partners to build
capacities and consolidate effective civil society organizations. FMCN maintains an accountable operation and has a
well-respected Board of Directors.
WHAT WILL THE PROGRAM LOOK LIKE BY THE END OF YEAR 5?
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Five cohorts of outstanding leaders will be in place (60+ Fellows).
At least 30-35 innovative conservation projects will be underway with significant, measurable impacts being
documented. At least 18-20 of those projects will have great replicability and scalability potential.
An active mentors network will be in place to enhance the effectiveness of the Fellows and their conservation
results.
A reliable feedback mechanism will be in place to continuously review and improve program structure and
operation; a high number of alumni (>75%) remain engaged and are motivated to provide mentoring services.
Cost-effective partnerships with training service providers will be operating at their fullest potential.
The program will have secured adequate funding beyond its original founders; a long-term fundraising strategy
will be in place and clear options will be available for the Program’s long-term viability (including the possibility
of a spin off to become an independent regional center of excellence for high-impact projects and leadership
development).
FEATURES THAT PROVIDE ADDED VALUE THE PROGRAM
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It breaks down traditional conservation approaches of conservation practitioners and NGOs talking only to
other NGOs. Instead, Fellows are recruited from a variety of backgrounds and professions, including tourism
entrepreneurs, agro-industry managers, fishermen, attorneys, media professionals, government officials,
educators, community leaders, and from any other field or endeavor directly connected with the conservation of
the Reef.
It maximize synergies among Fellows that conform a cohort by focusing every year on a major unifying theme
that addresses a major threat facing the Mesoamerican Reef, including uncontrolled mass tourism, overfishing,
land-based pollution sources and global climate change (including ocean acidification and temperature rise).
For instance, the 2010 cohort’s main theme is the promotion of sustainable tourism. The 2011 cohort will focus
on sustainable fisheries and marine protected areas, including no-take zones.
The training model offers a combination of group modules for project design and development, as well as
custom-made training based on an assessment of individual Fellow’s professional needs.
For cost effectiveness, all training is outsourced, thus enabling the program to maintain a lean administrative
structure.
Emphasis on concrete and measurable outcomes is another salient feature of the program. As part of the
selection criteria, candidates are required to present at least one transformative project or idea to be incubated
and launched through the program.
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WHAT SOME OF OUR FELLOWS ARE SAYING
“Beyond the tools, contacts and new knowledge I have gained through the MAR Leadership
Program for my own professional development, I have had a great opportunity to get to know
colleague leaders from the region with whom I share common interests. Furthermore, the
program has afforded me the opportunity to learn about success stories in the other MAR
countries that inspire us to work hard to maintain the Reef’s health and contribute to a new
development paradigm based on sustainability and a vision for a shared future.” Vicente
Ferreyra (MAR Leadership 2010, Cancun, Mexico)
For more information
Maria Eugenia Arreola
Director
MAR Leadership Program
Tel: (+52 55) 5611 9779 ext. 214
maria.arreola@fmcn.org
www.marleaders.org
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