mangroves
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Planted mangroves capture significant carbon, study shows
A new study finds that planted mangroves can store up to 73 percent of the carbon that naturally occurring mangroves hold, based on 40 years of data.
In short:
- Planted mangroves, in 20 years, can accumulate about 73 percent of the carbon stocks of natural mangroves.
- The study analyzed 684 sites globally, offering a comprehensive look at the carbon storage potential of restored mangroves.
- Mangrove restoration is essential but must be done correctly to be effective in carbon sequestration.
Key quote:
“If it’s successful, then yes, you can get 75 percent of the carbon stocks of a natural forest. If you do it unsuccessfully, you get zero.”
— Daniel Friess, coastal scientist at Tulane University
Why this matters:
Planted mangroves could be a vital tool in combating climate change by storing significant amounts of carbon. However, restoration projects must be carefully managed to achieve their potential benefits.
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International carbon credits lead to mangrove restoration in Senegal but raise social equity concerns
A $4.4-million carbon offset project funded by multinational companies restored mangroves in Senegal, but local workers saw minimal financial benefit despite doing much of the work.
In short:
- Restoration efforts, funded by carbon credits from European companies, helped revive Senegal's mangroves, benefiting local ecosystems and economies.
- Despite their crucial role in the project, local workers received low wages and were not informed about the origins of the funding.
- Critics argue that carbon offset projects often exploit local communities, providing little financial transparency and minimal involvement in project design.
Key quote:
"We know it’s the NGOs and their partners who are earning millions. Not us."
— Hélène Sonko, local worker
Why this matters:
Mangroves, known for their ability to sequester large amounts of carbon, provide an invaluable buffer against coastal erosion and support biodiversity. However, this ostensibly win-win situation belies a stark disparity in benefits. Despite their pivotal role in the restoration efforts, local workers have reaped minimal financial rewards. While corporate backers tout the project's environmental success, the economic uplift for the community remains disappointingly scant.
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Credit: David Clode/Unsplash
Mangroves are changing the landscape of the Texas coast
As temperatures rise due to climate change, mangroves are increasingly populating the Texas coast, leading scientists to explore their effects on the region's ecosystems.
In short:
- Black mangroves are spreading northward in Texas, altering traditional coastal ecosystems and displacing some native species.
- Scientists are studying the dual impacts of mangroves, which can protect coastlines but also threaten the habitats of certain wildlife like whooping cranes.
- Periodic freezes have temporarily curbed their expansion, yet the general warming trend predicts a continued northward spread.
Key quote:
"The expansion and also the contraction [of mangroves] is a really striking and powerful example of the role of climate."
— Michael Osland, research ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey
Why this matters:
Mangroves are reshaping coastal landscapes and biodiversity. As they move into marshlands that have historically supported different ecosystems, there could be significant shifts in local biodiversity. Some species may thrive in their new mangrove neighbors' presence, while others could be edged out, potentially disrupting existing food webs.
For coastal communities, the expansion of mangroves might offer increased protection against storm surges and rising sea levels, but it also poses questions about water management and land use planning.
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The mangrove grandparents of El Delgadito
For over a decade, Ana María and David have led their community to restore Mexico’s desert mangroves with dedication, experimentation, and plenty of heart.
Photo by Yves Alarie on Unsplash
Jamaica battles relentless plastic pollution in quest to restore mangroves
Currently there are several efforts to restore mangroves in the island country, as experts recognize the many ecosystem services they provide, including the protection and stabilization of coastlines as human-induced climate change worsens. However, restoration efforts face numerous challenges.
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Image by Gulzer Hossain from Pixabay
The Sundarbans: Severely affected by climate change
The Sundarbans in India's West Bengal state are one of the largest mangrove forests in the world. But also one of the most disaster-prone areas, where some of the most vulnerable communities live. Why is this region particularly affected?
UAE looks to salty, muddy mangroves in climate change fight
Against the heat, urbanisation and sand of the United Arab Emirates, the placid, muddy waterways of the Gulf state's coastal mangroves are being restored and planted in an ambitious fight against climate change.
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