"Vital for human life and the economy of the country"
Statement from the Government of Honduras on World Mangrove Day 2017
On World Mangrove Day 2017, governments from tropical regions rich in mangrove habitat issued statements recognizing the important role these forests play in daily life and nature.
Honduras is a mega diverse country with a rich biological and cultural diversity. It contains very unique ecosystems ranging from coastal marine areas to high mountain habitats with cloud forest. According to the Forest Map of Honduras published by ICF (2014), the country has about 52,000 hectares of mangrove forest (ICF, 2014), located in 
the Pacific and Caribbean basins. The conservation and restoration of this ecosystem is a country priority, as established in the National Biodiversity Strategy and its Plan of Action (ENBPA) 2015-2020 developed by the Secretariat of Energy, Natural Resources, Environment and Mines, MiAmbiente + .
Mangroves are not only important for the conservation of the biodiversity of fish, mammals, invertebrates and birds, but they are also vital for human life and the economy of the country, as well as for protection before extreme climatic events. The Honduran government with strategic allies is promoting multiple actions to strengthen mangrove conservation and restoration efforts, including the formulation of the mangrove forest conservation and restoration plan in the Roatan Islands, the implementation of the system Biological monitoring of this ecosystem and some associated species and community initiatives that favor artisanal fishing and the conservation and restoration of mangroves.
As Minister by law of MiAmbiente +, we welcome the initiative promoted by the Global Mangrove Alliance; we hope it will be a tool to promote importance and cooperation for the conservation and restoration of mangroves in the world.
Carlos Pineda Fasquelle
Minister by Law; Secretariat in the Offices of Energy, Natural Resources, Environment and Mines, MiAmbiente +, Honduras
