Mangroves
Table of Contents
Introduction
Types of Mangroves
Black Mangrove (Avicennia germinans) "Growing inland from red mangroves, Black Mangrove is characterized by circular propagules and exposed roots, which burrow underground and send up pneumatophores that often stick out above the water like snorkels." - Restore Our Shores
Red Mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) "Found nearest the coast, Red Mangrove grows to about 20 feet tall and are characterized by arching roots and propagules known as long hanging seed pods. These pods can root immediately or float in the water until they find more suitable ground to grow." - Restore Our Shores
White Mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa) "Tidal areas, lagoons and ponds are home to White Mangrove, which displays rounded leaves and small, oval propagules. Two glands at the base of each leaf act as excretion glands removing excess salt and sugar which attracts helpful insects." - Restore Our Shores
Resources & Guides
Planting Considerations for Living Shorelines
"This video (18:36) covers important considerations for planting shoreline vegetation in Florida. This video is made for marine contractors and other shoreline restoration practitioners in Florida, but anyone interested in living shorelines would benefit from watching it."
Africa
Oceanium Dakar: The Daily Struggle for the Integrated Community-Based Protection of West Africa’s Marine and Coastal Ecosystems (PDF) "The coastlines and deltas of West Africa have suffered—and continue to suffer—significant environmental damage. Although they fulfill crucial functions, their mangroves have been subjected to widespread destruction. The Senegalese NGO Oceanium has been combatting this phenomenon since 2006 by sensitizing and involving the surrounding populations. The “Plante ton arbre” (Plant Your Tree) project is a rare example of the large-scale participatory restoration of a severely threatened coastal ecosystem. Its results deserve to be analyzed in greater detail, but it has already demonstrated that a proactive initiative designed to be friendly to people, as well as to the environment, really can make the difference."
Oceana
Australia
NSW
Salinity Indicator Plants (PDF) "This booklet is based on information provided in Spotting Salinity Using Indicator Plants, which was produced by the NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation, Hunter Region in 1998, with assistance from the Hunter Catchment Management Trust and NSW Agriculture. Information contained in the plant description section and pictures of some species have been taken with permission directly from the 1998 publication."
Queensland
The Flora Wetland Indicator Species List (WISL) "has been compiled to support the determination of whether a site is a wetland. The Wetland Indicator Species (WIS) in WISL have adapted to living in wetlands and are dependent on them.
The presence of a WIS at a site does not, in itself, confirm the site to be a wetland, but is one line of evidence towards determining the wetland status of a site."
Projects & Programs
Africa
Kenya
SeaTrees: Kilifi County: Marereni Restoration Project "Empowering local communities to plant and protect mangrove ecosystems. This project restores and protects 640 hectares of highly degraded mangrove forest within Kilifi County in Kenya. With the help of project partners COBEC (Community Based Environmental Conservation) and the local community, SeaTrees will support the planting of 500,000 mangrove trees at our new project site in Kenya.
The project site encompasses the Marereni mangrove forest ecosystems along Kenya’s eastern coast."SeaTrees: Mida Creek Region "This project restores 100+ hectares of degraded mangrove forest within the Malindi Watamu National Marine Park and Reserve - a UNESCO Designated Biosphere Area + one of the world’s oldest Marine Protected Areas.
In partnership with the local community, 1 million mangrove SeaTrees will be planted throughout the Mida Creek Region."
The Gambia
Gambia: Protecting mangroves using old oyster shells | DW English
3:50 minute video talking about the damage inflicted on mangroves from oyster harvesting, vs the new methods being taught by the TRY Oyster Women’s Association, which are now helping to protect mangroves as well as human lives. The mangroves have started to recover, fish are returning, and locals are actively planting new mangroves.
Senegal
Livelihoods Funds "is working with the Senegalese NGO Océanium to restore the mangrove forests. Mangroves are the richest ecosystems in the world and once they disappear, water becomes very saline and nothing can grow. This project will restore the shrinking mangrove forests and as a result, protect vital arable land since mangroves serve as effective filtration systems that prevent the influx of saline water which renders soil unfit for agriculture. It will also help restore the rice paddies of Casamance and Siné Saloum. When there are no mangroves, the salt content of water increases, impeding the growth of rice. This project will thus restore former rice paddies that have dried up in the area. Lastly, it will boost depleted fish stocks by producing up to 18,000 extra tons of fish annually, along with shrimps, oysters, and molluscs that mangrove forests harbour."
Oceanium Project: “Plante ton arbre” "is a rare example of large-scale ecosystem restoration with and by local people. The reasons for its success include: the link perceived by the villagers between the disappearance of the mangrove and the decline in food resources; the ability of Oceanium to sensitize, mobilize, and coordinate the action of local communities; planting methods easily implemented by a large number of villagers, and therefore easily replicated; a supervisory team structure and logistics setup adapted to a project of this type; and, finally, a well-structured measuring and monitoring system."
WeForest: Casamance Mangroves "Restoring wetlands in Senegal"
We Forum: Sine-Saloum Mangroves "Restoring coastal ecosystems in Senegal"
How Senegal Is Saving Its Mangroves
8:24 minute video about the villages of Senegal which are at risk from rising sea level and the degredation of mangroves. This is a multi-lingual video including French, English, and Serere. They talk about the planting of new Mangroves and demonstrate their new oyster farming methods.
Asia
Indonesia
West Papua: Biak Island Region
SeaTrees has worked with Eden Reforestation Projects since June 2019, starting with a small plot of 60,000 mangrove trees on the main island of Biak, Indonesia. SeaTrees quickly maxed out the planting site at Mnurwar and in January 2020 began planting mangrove trees on the neighboring island of Padaidori. Just a few months later in October 2020, the project expanded to a second planting site on Padaidori.
By the end of this year, SeaTrees will have planted just over 700,000 mangrove trees with Eden Reforestation Projects in the Biak Island Region."
Philippines
Click A Tree: Trees for the Seas "Plant mangrove trees to protect marine wildlife and save the oceans. For every planted tree we remove 1 kg of plastic from the ocean."
North America
Mexico
Plant Mangrove SeaTrees in Baja "With your support ($2 per tree planted) - we work with our project partners WILDCOAST to plant 100,000 mangrove trees across 25 acres of mangrove habitat with the help of the local community members in the El Datil region of Laguna San Ignacio, Baja, Mexico.
This project provides living-wage employment and training opportunities for the local community, empowers gender equity, protects the area from increased climate change impacts, and safeguards critical habitats for several vulnerable species.
At the heart of this project is a local group of women, “Mujeres de El Dátil,” who were trained in 2019 by WILDCOAST on mangroves environmental services, seedlings collection and planting techniques, as well as monitoring and maintenance of restored sites."
USA
Florida
Restore Our Shores: Adopt-a-Mangrove Program "is a program that allows anyone in Brevard County to help raise Red Mangroves for lagoon restoration. Participation is available to homeowners as well as volunteers in clubs, schools, and local organizations. Brevard Zoo can provide a presentation with mangrove propagules and pots to get you started."
Oceana
Australia
Cairns Airport Mangrove Restoration "OzFish are working with Cairns Airport, Terrain NRM, Yirrganydji rangers and researchers from James Cook University to improve the hydrology of mangrove wetlands in Cairns, which will restore critical fish habitat and boost fish populations in the region.
The “Reel Big Fish” Mangrove Restoration Project "Habitat restoration works best with collaboration, and we are excited to be partnering with the Port Phillip and Westernport CMA for this project, along with many other groups, including Bass Coast Landcare, Parks Victoria, Mornington Peninsula Shire and Deakin and Melbourne Universities."
Westernport Mangroves "OzFish is working with Bass Coast Landcare Network, with funding from CoastCare Victoria, to restore the mangrove forests in Western Port Bay, Victoria."
Organizations
Africa
Cameroon
Cameroon Wildlife Conservation Society (CWCS) "is a lead national environment NGO in Cameroon founded in February 1997. The organisation’s head office is in Yaoundé. CWCS is administered by a board of directors with more than 100 registered members comprising environment experts, young conservation professionals and students."
Rainforest Trust "is working with local partner, Cameroon Wildlife Conservation Society (CWCS), to elevate the protected status of Douala-Edea Wildlife Reserve to a national park while increasing the reserve by 375,303 acres of mangrove forests, rivers, wetlands and marine habitats. Collectively, this expansion and conversion to a national park will actively safeguard a total of 741,000 acres."
The Gambia
TRY Oyster Women’s Association "brings together 500 female oyster harvesters from 15 villages in the Greater Banjul area. Harvesters are grouped into cooperatives where they exchange sustainable oyster harvesting techniques and receive training in small-scale enterprise development. These cooperatives have ensured access to appropriate equipment and technologies, set higher standards for working and sanitary conditions, and helped to coordinate the processing, packaging and marketing of oysters.
The cooperatives have also mobilized to reforest local mangroves and educate the local population on the benefits of environmentally responsible resource management. One of TRY Association’s biggest accomplishments to date has been its leadership in the development and implementation of the Oyster and Cockle Co-Management Plan for the Tanbi Special Management Area, synonymous with the Tanbi Wetlands National Park." Tumblr, Facebook
Senegal
Livelihoods Funds "is working with the Senegalese NGO Océanium to restore the mangrove forests. Mangroves are the richest ecosystems in the world and once they disappear, water becomes very saline and nothing can grow. This project will restore the shrinking mangrove forests and as a result, protect vital arable land since mangroves serve as effective filtration systems that prevent the influx of saline water which renders soil unfit for agriculture. It will also help restore the rice paddies of Casamance and Siné Saloum. When there are no mangroves, the salt content of water increases, impeding the growth of rice. This project will thus restore former rice paddies that have dried up in the area. Lastly, it will boost depleted fish stocks by producing up to 18,000 extra tons of fish annually, along with shrimps, oysters, and molluscs that mangrove forests harbour."
Océanium Pour l'environnement.
North America
Cuba
WildCoast CostaSalvaje "Our programs ensure the protection of vast areas of mangrove forests throughout Mexico and Cuba."
Mexico
WildCoast CostaSalvaje "Our programs ensure the protection of vast areas of mangrove forests throughout Mexico and Cuba."
USA
NEMESIS "Welcome to the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center's National Estuarine and Marine Exotic Species Information System (NEMESIS). Here you will find information on marine and estuarine invertebrates and algae introduced to the United States."
Florida
Oceana
Australia
OZ Fish: Mangrove & Saltmarsh Restoration "Making mangrove and saltmarsh habitat healthy again is an OzFish hallmark. We rebuild these habitats and improve our fishing opportunities, for this generation and those to come.
Sometimes, this includes simple fixes, like working with farmers to keep livestock out of saltmarsh. Sometimes, repairs are more profound, requiring long-term assessment and planning. But it is all possible."
South America
Colombia
Pro Aves "works to protect its 27 Nature Reserves, conserving more than 65,000 hectares of key ecosystems for Colombia’s biodiversity, including alpine tundra ecosystems such as the páramo and subpáramo, mountain forests, tropical rainforests, tropical dry forests, and mangrove swamps."
Maps
International
Mapping the Roots of Mangrove Loss includes map and graphs of mangrove loss rates and human vs natural causes.
Africa
Gabon
Gabon’s Towering Mangroves "The mangroves in Pongara National Park are among the tallest in the world, towering up to 60 meters."
Senegal
The Spread of Mangroves in Senegal "After decades of decline, satellites show mangrove forests are covering more area and growing more densely in this West African country."
Asia
India
Monitoring Mumbai’s Mangroves interactive satelite image allows you to see tree cover in 1988 vs 2017.
Malaysia
Mantang Mangrove Forest satellite image shows clearing and agricultural encroachment as of 2006.
North America
Belize
Seagrass Conservation & Protection in Belize (PDF) "Guidelines for management, conservation and protection" Includes multiple maps, including the ranges of mangroves, reefs, and seagrass meadows.
USA
Florida
Funding & Grants
North America
USA
Florida
Florida Sea Grant "is a university-based program that supports research, education and extension to conserve coastal resources for residents and visitors and enhance economic opportunities for the people of Florida."