Mangrove Forests are Recovering from Human Destruction

For decades, the world’s mangrove forests have been shrinking rapidly due to human activity.

Now they are making a comeback, according to a new study. Following conservation efforts in recent years, the forests have begun to heal themselves.

Decades of decline have been reversed. The world’s mangrove forests are no longer shrinking but are, on the whole, growing, according to a study from Tulane University in the US.

This is due, in part, to restoration efforts and natural processes.

“This highlights their strong resilience and their potential as a powerful nature-based solution for climate mitigation and coastal protection,” says lead author Zhen Zhang, a postdoctoral researcher at Tulane University School of Science and Engineering, in a press release.

Extensive deforestation

Fish farming, agriculture and the expansion of coastal communities have led to the deforestation of mangrove forests. From the 1980s until 2010, the forests declined by thousands of square kilometres worldwide, but since then, the gains have outweighed the losses. This recovery means that the total loss over the period from the 1980s stands at around 1 per cent, a significantly smaller reduction than previously thought.

Mangrove trees have been relatively unknown environmental heroes, but as well as being able to store large amounts of carbon dioxide, the trees’ tangled roots can also slow down waves and protect coastal communities. Furthermore, the forests are important habitats for fish species, among others, whose offspring can find plenty of food and protection from predators.

Changing attitudes

In many places, attitudes towards the importance of mangrove forests have changed in recent years, partly after certain mangrove-covered islands were very well protected during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and the 2008 Cyclone Nargis.

The study is based on four decades of satellite data and has been published in the journal Science.