Mangroves are plants that grow in tropical and subtropical areas where land meets the ocean. They aren’t a single species of plant, but they tend to have adaptations that allow them to thrive in waterlogged soil and salt water. 

These plants not only provide rich habitat for a variety of species, stabilize shorelines and cleanse water, they also help slow climate change by absorbing greenhouse gas emissions from the air and storing them in their branches and the soils below. Hectare for hectare, mangroves can store several times as much carbon as tropical forests.

Mangroves have declined in recent years as agriculture, tourism, aquaculture, and road and dam construction have destroyed 20% or more of mangrove ecosystems. Restoring mangroves is possible by planting or allowing them to regrow naturally. However, mangroves thrive in a narrow range of water levels. As sea levels rise, so may the need for restoration efforts to help them to adjust to new conditions.

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• Coastal Wetland Restoration (Project Drawdown)

• Mangrove Restoration (Wikipedia)

• Mangroves (Smithsonian Institution)

• Support nonprofit organizations that conserve coastal wetlands

• If you live near a coast that suffers from mangrove destruction, work with your local government agencies to start or help with an existing restoration project.

• Contest efforts to build on or cut down mangroves in your area, and ask local politicians to support you.

• Tell others about mangroves and the many benefits they provide to people and our planet.