Mangroves

Mangroves are salt-tolerant trees that grow in coastal and estuarine areas throughout the tropics and subtropics. Their tangled root systems provide nursery habitat for 80% of tropical fish species, filter pollutants from coastal water, stabilize coastlines against erosion and storm surge, and store 5x more carbon per hectare than tropical rainforests. Mangroves were destroyed at a rapid pace in the 20th century — primarily for shrimp farming and coastal development. Countries that destroyed their mangroves (Thailand, Bangladesh, Indonesia) suffered catastrophically greater damage in the 2004 tsunami — communities protected by mangroves were largely spared. Mangrove restoration is now recognized as one of the most cost-effective climate solutions.