Mangroves are extraordinary ecosystems, located at the interface of land and sea in tropical regions, which offer a considerable array of ecosystem goods and services.
Although they are found in 123 nations and territories, mangrove forests are globally rare. They represent less than 1% of all tropical forests worldwide, and less than 0.4% of the total global forest estate.
Mangroves are disappearing three to five times faster than overall global forest losses, with serious ecological and socio-economic impacts.
Management and restoration of mangrove ecosystems is an achievable and cost effective way to help ensure food security for many coastal communities.
These forested wetlands are rich in biodiversity. They provide a valuable nursery habitat for fish and crustaceans; a food source for monkeys, deer, birds, even kangaroos; and a source of nectar for honeybees. They support complex communities, where thousands of other species interact.
Healthy mangrove ecosystems are vital for the wellbeing, food security, and protection of coastal communities worldwide.
Mangroves can play an important role in reducing vulnerability to natural hazards and increasing resilience to climate change impacts.
Mangroves act as a form of natural coastal defense: reducing erosion, attenuating waves (and tsunamis) and even reducing the height of storm surges.
Mangrove soils are highly effective carbon sinks, sequestering vast amounts of carbon over millennia.
If destroyed, degraded or lost these coastal ecosystems become sources of carbon dioxide. Much of this emitted carbon is thousands of years old and other processes in the ecosystem do not balance its rapid release into the oceans and atmosphere.
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