The Alvarado Lagoon System area in Veracruz is the second largest mangrove zone in the Gulf of Mexico, providing various benefits such as water provision, disaster risk reduction, and habitat for species. The solution focuses on improving the quality of the mangrove ecosystem to strengthen its resilience to climate change and anthropogenic impacts. The use of two government schemes – private conservation areas & communal environmental management areas – for the protection and sustainable use of mangroves has been fundamental to enhance the restoration of a considerable area of wetlands (25 ha); activities have included reforestation, channel maintenance and restoration of water flows. Local communities and project participants received financial incentives for participating in awareness, restoration and management activities; they also received training and strengthened their technical capabilities on restoration, conservation and management of mangrove ecosystems.