Effective and enduring conservation in the Gulf depends on centering the knowledge, priorities, and leadership of coastal communities. This presentation highlights an approach to developing and maintaining community-led Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs) through stakeholder engagement, community science, and participatory monitoring. By integrating local ecological knowledge with scientific methods, communities can co-generate data that inform adaptive management while ensuring that conservation actions reflect local values and livelihoods.

We share lessons from the America the Beautiful for All Coalition’s collaborative initiatives across the Southeastern U.S. that demonstrate how inclusive engagement—from fishers and Tribal nations to youth and faith-based organizations—builds trust, transparency, and resilience in conservation planning. The session also explores strategies for empowering communities to advocate for themselves in policy arenas that shape their futures, including offshore drilling, habitat restoration, and fisheries management. Through training, capacity-building, and participatory mapping, communities are supported in articulating their priorities, navigating governance processes, and influencing decisions that affect their coasts and waters.

Ultimately, this work advances a model of conservation that is not only ecologically sound but socially just—where OECMs become vehicles for climate resilience, food security, and self-determination. Attendees will gain practical insights into how collaborative science and community empowerment can transform Gulf conservation from being community-informed to being community-led.