Validating The Philippine Mangrove Map 2023 through Capacity Building and Crowdsourcing

Abstract. Mangroves are crucial coastal ecosystems. They provide numerous ecological and socio-economic benefits – shoreline protection, carbon sequestration, food security, and biodiversity conservation. The Philippine Mangrove Map 2023, generated through Machine Learning, improves understanding, accounting, and conserving these vital habitats. However, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of maps is imperative for informed decision-making and effective conservation efforts. Various validation methods were reviewed to develop a nationwide approach integrating practicality and statistical rigor, incorporating multiple data sources such as satellite and airborne imagery and GPS points from the government, civil society, and citizens. Capacity building enabled large-scale citizen science collaboration to gather quality datasets and foster reciprocal learning between scientists and local citizens. This collaborative effort aims to improve the quality of datasets and ultimately enhance the accuracy of the Philippine Mangrove Map 2023 and succeeding mangrove extents maps.