Practicing governance: Local perspectives on mangrove management in northern Honduras

Mangrove ecosystems are under increasing pressure from coastal development, land-use change, and weak governance arrangements, particularly in regions where institutional capacity is limited. In northern Honduras, these pressures intersect with fragmented management systems and strong dependence on local resource use. This study examines mangrove governance in four municipalities of northern Honduras through a qualitative analysis of local practices, institutional arrangements, and stakeholder interactions. Drawing on interviews, field observations, and document review, we show that governance operates as an adaptive and uneven configuration rather than a fixed institutional model. Formal rules shape part of the system, but everyday practices, informal coordination, and community-led initiatives play a decisive role in sustaining conservation efforts. Our findings highlight persistent fragmentation of governance responsibility, short funding cycles, and limited coordination across levels of government, which weaken long-term planning. At the same time, local actors maintain a wide range of actions from reforestation to monitoring that function with minimal support yet remain essential for the continuity of mangrove stewardship. Material elements such as zoning clarity, boundary markers, and basic enforcement tools further influence what responses are feasible. By situating these elements within an assemblage perspective, the study shows how governance outcomes emerge from the interaction of discursive, institutional, and material conditions. The results offer a grounded understanding of the factors shaping mangrove stewardship in Honduras and point to the importance of strengthening the conditions that enable local action.