Created in 1998 in the island of Musine, Ecuador, the Coordinadora Nacional para la Defensa del Ecosistema Manglar (C-CONDEM) brings together community leaders, ecologists and researchers from Afro-Indigenous communities of Ecuador. C-CONDEM promotes self-sufficiency in the local communities of Esmeraldas vis-à-vis food sovereignty by restoring the local habitat in a manner to facilitate sustainable resource use and environmental justice for local community members so that mutual benefits of nature and the local community are ensured.

C-CONDEM focuses specifically on the socio-ecological restoration of the mangrove ecosystem due to its classification among the “most important wetland habitats” globally. Morphology, sedimentation, nutrient availability, as well as tides, waves and estuaries, play an important role in determining the succession of the ecosystem that is vital in the tropical coast of Ecuador. Mangrove restoration is beneficial because mangroves serve as wildlife hotspots, carbon sinks, and natural and effective buffers for coastal communities against frequent tropical storms.