Search Results

Fund what really works in mangrove restoration.    Written by Pieter van Eijk and Susanna Tol, Wetlands International    Investing in mangroves offers a massive opportunity to revive natural capital — they shield our coasts, lock away carbon, and support the livelihoods of tens of millions of people. As climate change and biodiversity loss escalate, the case for restoring them is stronger than ever.   But not all mangrove restoration works. Too many well-intentioned projects have failed, not for lack of ambition, but due to a fixation on quantity over quality. In pursuit of planting targets, countless initiatives have introduced monocultures in unsuitable places, often neglecting the ecological and social conditions that are required for successful restoration.   For funders looking to support initiatives that foster resilient, biodiverse mangrove ecosystems benefiting both people and planet, now is the time to embrace best practices. Here's what to look out for.  Tree planting is not the same as mangrove restoration.   Mangroves grow best when nature is allowed to take its course. They thrive in dynamic places where tides come up and down, water meanders, sediments build and salt and freshwater mix. Different species occupy specific zones across the intertidal with pioneer species creating conditions for others to settle over time . The strongest seedlings survive, anchoring into the mud and forming interwoven root systems that hold everything together. The result is a heterogenous forest with pools, channels, and dense root systems that provide feeding and nursery grounds for countless species, from clams to crabs and from fish to birds.    From aerial photos, a freshly planted mangrove stand may look like progress and show high seedling survival at first. But planting dense rows of a single species (a forestry mindset) rarely works in marine, dynamic settings. In many restoration sites seedlings are planted too high or too low on the intertidal and struggle to survive, natural recruitment is blocked. The hydrology and soil chemistry remain disturbed. Sometimes non-native species are used. At best, such stands deliver limited coastal protection and fisheries benefits; more often, they die—wasting funds and credibility. And even worse: planting over seagrass, salt marsh, or natural mudflats is already causing widespread destruction of these valuable ecosystems.    Rows of planted mangroves @Wetlands International     What works: Fix the cause, let nature do the “planting.”   Mangroves recover when the physical environment is right. Degradation often stems from blocked or altered water flows, sediment disruption, or infrastructure that breaks intertidal connectivity.    The evidence-based approach known as ‘ Community- Based Ecological Mangrove Restoration’ ( CB EMR) restores those conditions so mangroves can regenerate naturally.   Typical actions include restoring tidal exchange by breaching pond bunds, regrading compacted soils or altered ground levels, reopening natural creeks, protecting young trees from grazing, and installing permeable structures to stabilize eroding shores.   Once hydrology is restored, tides transport mangrove seeds and propagules naturally, selecting the right species for each microhabitat, often allowing mangroves to regenerate without planting.   The outcome is a biodiverse, structurally complex forest that survives longer, and often is more cost-effective than a grid of manually planted seedlings.   These forests store carbon, buffer coasts from storms, purify water, support fisheries, and yield sustainable products like timber, honey, and seafood. Such mangroves are also likely to be more resilient to climate change.   Hydrological restoration in Guinea Bissau @Wetlands International 2015 (left) - 2023 (right)   When planting helps.     Planting does have a role. If seed sources are too distant, enrichment planting can reintroduce native species after hydrological fixes and kickstart ecological recovery. In severely eroding areas (e.g. parts of the coast of Belize, the Philippines, or Indonesia), strategically planting mangroves on remaining bunds may offer short-term stabilization while longer-term measures take effect. Small-scale community plantings can also build ownership and a sense of pride over a project, so long as they're complementary to ecological restoration.   The key is to ensure planting is strategic , site-specific , and complementary to broader restoration goals, not the main act.  People are central to all of this . Long-term restoration outcomes require that local communities actively steward restored ecosystems and take ownership of the solutions that sustain them. Successful projects are co-designed, understand and consider land tenure and traditional knowledge, and integrate existing and future livelihood opportunities from the start. When communities benefit directly from restored ecosystems — whether through fishing, sustainable harvesting, or ecotourism — they are more likely to protect them for the future. Cash-for-work planting alone rarely secures long-term care.    Redefine success with meaningful metrics . Another shift funders must embrace is to shift away from defining success by counting how many nurseries were built and how many seedlings were planted. This provides limited insight into real restoration success and provides an incentive for bad practice.  Instead, monitoring should assess the area under ecological recovery , tracking hydrological restoration and species composition and structure, alongside social outcomes like governance, equity, and income generation. These indicators provide a more accurate picture of long-term resilience.  Mangrove recovery does not happen overnight. Whilst many structural attributes of vegetation (cover, extent, density) can return within 5-10 years, full ecosystem recovery can take decades. Effective projects need to plan for the long haul, with phased implementation and adaptive management informed by regular monitoring.   Think landscape scale and long term. Equally important is understanding that mangroves are part of broader land- and seascapes. Their functioning is determined by freshwater, sediment and nutrient inputs, as well as their interaction with adjacent habitats like seagrass beds and coral reefs. Restoration that reconnects these systems boosts biodiversity and resilience across the entire coastal zone.  This work demands interdisciplinary collaboration, bringing together experts in ecology, hydrology, coastal engineering, climate science, governance, and community engagement — both to diagnose the drivers of mangrove loss and to identify solutions that are locally grounded yet scalable.  Investors must also consider long-term risks. Climate change is already reshaping coastlines through sea-level rise and extreme weather. Restoration plans must assess these risks from the outset, integrate mangroves within broader land and seascape planning, maintain ecological buffers and adopt 20-year-plus timeframes. This is essential not only for ecological resilience, but also for protecting the financial interests of investors with coastal assets or operations exposed to flooding and, erosion.     The investment opportunity: mangroves as blue carbon and beyond . For investors seeking climate- or biodiversity-aligned returns, mangrove restoration can deliver climate mitigation, adaptation, biodiversity protection and development benefits. Artificial monocultures may fail to provide the same value of ecosystem services delivered by more inclusive restoration projects. Therefore, poorly designed projects may increase the risk of non-delivery of credits, becoming financially unviable and eroding investor (or market) confidence.   Conversely, funders who redirect finance towards holistic, high-integrity restoration that follow best practice guidance, like the Global Mangrove Alliance’s Best Practice Guidelines , are more likely to support projects that deliver durable outcomes and safeguard mangrove ecosystems for generations to come.  This means demanding that projects go beyond numbers of trees planted, focusing on the integrity of the ecosystems that emerge and the communities that sustain them. By funding restoration with science and long-term vision, investors can help shift the global narrative from short-term fixes to real ecological recovery.   Resources   Global Mangrove Alliance (2023) – Best Practice Guidelines for Mangrove Restoration   Wetlands International (2024) – How to Effectively Restore Mangroves (YouTube Video Series)   The Mangrove Breakthrough (2023) - Guiding Principles   Wetlands International (2016) - Mangrove Restoration: To Plant or not to Plant?   Abu Dhabi Environment Agency (2025) Outcome document 1 st International Conservation and Restoration Conference   ORRAA (2025) – High-Quality Blue Carbon Practitioners Guide   World Economic Forum - Investing in Mangroves: The Corporate Playbook (2025)

New York, 22 September 2025 — As climate threats intensify and biodiversity loss accelerates, a new set of reports released today during New York Climate Week highlight how countries in Asia, the Americas and West Africa can combat the rapid loss of mangroves —vital ecosystems that play a crucial role in climate adaptation and resilience, yet are disappearing at an alarming rate. Produced by the Global Mangrove Alliance and the Mangrove Breakthrough, the Regional Readiness Reports map regional trends, threats, as well as conservation and restoration potential and show the far-reaching impacts for climate, biodiversity, and sustainable development in nations with high mangrove cover. “These reports answer the critical question of where and how we can most effectively accelerate mangrove action,” said Irene Kingma, Wetlands International. “They point funders and decision-makers to opportunities and to places and partners ready to move.” Mangroves store up to four times more carbon than tropical rainforests, shield coastal communities from rising seas and storms, and provide vital habitat for over 340 threatened species. Yet, over 50% of their original extent has already been lost, and efforts to conserve and restore them remain severely underfunded. To close this gap, Mangrove Breakthrough partners are mobilizing $4 billion in public, private, and philanthropic finance to halt mangrove loss, restore half of degraded mangroves, and double their protection by 2030. These Regional Reports translate its Finance Roadmap into tangible, high-impact investment opportunities across the three critical regions. “The Regional Readiness Reports are blueprints to help donors, financial institutions, governments and NGOs align their resources and commitments—advancing the Mangrove Breakthrough into its next phase, driving system-level change across target regions, and delivering tangible benefits for frontline coastal communities and ecosystems”, Ignace Beguin, Director of the Mangrove Breakthrough.   Coenraad Krijger, CEO Wetlands International handing over the Mobilizing the Mangrove Breakthrough Regional Report to Alicia Bárcena, Minister for Environment and Natural Resources of Mexico Alicia Bárcena with Pilar Jacobo, WWF Mexico and Camila Zepeda, Mexico’s Chief Climate and Biodiversity Negotiator, posing with the new Regional Readiness Report Critical regions and countries to achieve the Mangrove Breakthrough targets The reports spotlight regions and countries that stand out with restoration potential or potential to increase mangrove protected area. Asia is home to around 40% of the world’s remaining mangroves. With 3,927 km² of restorable mangroves, the region could deliver nearly half (47%) of the global Mangrove Breakthrough restoration target. Around 27% of mangroves in Asia are under some form of formal protection. Due to the globally significant mangrove area in Indonesia , doubling protection levels there, would realize more than half of the Mangrove Breakthrough’s regional goal. Across Asia, conversion of mangrove forests to shrimp aquaculture ponds and agricultural plantations is the largest driver of loss and  resolving land tenure is the most common barrier to effective action. Home to nearly 28% of the world’s mangroves, the Americas region holds vast potential for restoration, with nearly 1,800 km² of restorable mangroves (22% of the global restoration target), particularly in Mexico, Brazil and Colombia. However, restoration efforts are often hindered by land tenure disputes and insufficient funding. While approximately 70% of mangroves are already under formal protection, effective and well-resourced management at a landscape level is crucial that these protections lead to meaningful outcomes. West Africa holds the world’s third largest mangrove area, vital for food, fuel, and coastal protection. The Regional Readiness Report shows the region has 14% of global restoration potential and urgent need for expanded protection. Nine of twelve countries already recognize mangroves in their commitments, under the Global Biodiversity Framework, underscoring strong political will to ensure the mangroves of the region remain in a healthy state. This is however one of the world’ s least developed regions with many challenges related to poverty. Conservation strategies for this region should be centred around improving livelihoods as part of an overall strategy. Overcoming recurrent barriers for upscaling  To overcome the recurrent barriers that limit both the scalability and long-term sustainability of interventions, the reports identify four critical enablers: to mobilize mangrove partnerships, incubate finance and investment, enhance policies and governance, and build local knowledge and capacities. For high-impact countries, the reports also summarize existing mangrove positive policies and governance structures, enabling finance mechanisms and existing partnerships, identifying where immediate support and investment can have the greatest effect. The Mobilizing the Mangrove Breakthrough Regional Reports and Country Summary for Indonesia can be downloaded here . The West Africa Regional Report will be available soon; further Country Summaries for Asia, the Americas and West Africa will be added prior to COP30. Regional Mangrove Breakthrough targets to Halt Loss, Restore Half and Double Protection of Mangroves in each of the Regional Reports are based on spatial data from Global Mangrove Watch . To learn more, read this press release. The reports were developed with support from the Bezos Earth Fund.

Global Mangrove Watch User Story Interview with José Eliseu Benante from the Institute of Biodiversity and Protected Areas of Guinea-Bissau (IBAP) by Abdoulaye Ndiaye, Technical Officer, Wetlands International West Africa. The mangrove disturbance alert function of the Global Mangrove Watch platform is enabling changes in mangrove cover to be identified more quickly. Satellite remote-sensing data creates near real-time—currently monthly—alerts of mangrove losses in Africa. For now, this system is limited to Africa, but it will be upscaled to a global level in the near future. It enables rapid mobilisation of conservation and restoration efforts, like in Guinea-Bissau in West Africa. Global Mangrove Watch analysts noticed a high number of alerts in early 2021, approximately 20km north of the city of Bissau. Wetlands International workers, together with the Institute of Biodiversity and Protected Areas of Guinea-Bissau (IBAP), visited the site and discovered that a new dam had been built to convert an area of mangroves to rice agriculture. How was your experience working with the Global Mangrove Watch data in this particular case, where you visited the newly established rice field?  It was very interesting! It was a great experience! The site we visited was located away from the main street, and thus unnoticeable. We could never have found the site without the data from Global Mangrove Watch. Without the use of Global Mangrove Watch, how do you monitor threats to- and conversion of- mangroves in Guinea Bissau? Normally, IBAP monitors threats to and changes in mangroves with park guards, in the national parks. On top of that, if we encounter people conducting potentially illegal activities, like cutting wood, we can do enforcement. Even in national parks, mangrove areas are the most challenging ecosystem to monitor due to the practical constraints. We don’t have the resources to continuously keep track of what happens in all the mangrove areas of Guinea Bissau. The experience with Global Mangrove Watch was really helpful, because this allows us to act with little means. You gave us the coordinates, and we could assess the situation around the newly developed rice field. It was a great experience. If the system works on a regular basis, we can use it to monitor all areas that we cannot track with our current means. Do you only monitor in national parks or also in the other, non-protected mangrove areas? IBAP, when it comes to biodiversity, we work both in and outside national parks. However, monitoring we do only in national parks. For mangroves, we can’t even do regular monitoring. Here, we do only ad-hoc monitoring. What to you is the strength of the Global Mangrove Watch data? Currently, we only use remote sensing data from Landsat and Sentinel to classify the mangroves, for mangrove inventories, and ground truth these. But we don’t know which areas are degraded. We need to know that to conserve mangroves. Therefore, we need the data. We need to know which areas we are losing. Where do we need to focus our attention? The data provided turned out to be valid. The trip showed us that GMW is a credible source! On top of that, in Guinea Bissau, we don’t have good data on hydrology. We need that for conservation of mangroves. For example, in Cufada National Park, there are 3 zones, and rivers flow through all. We don’t know where the rivers are, or where the water flows exactly. This is valuable information for good management. We are currently in the process of updating the Cacheu (PNTC) mangrove management plan. Global Mangrove Watch data would be very valuable for this process. The same would go for the Cantanhez National Park! Lastly, we need to be able to monitor the restoration areas. Several organizations are restoring, but tracking the restored areas is a challenge that now requires a lot of manual labor. This use-case was done in 2021. Has this incurred a change in working with GMW? What would you need in order to use GMW further? Not yet.  We don’t have sufficient knowledge or skills at the moment to use the GMW data. We would like to be trained in the use! We need to know how to use it, and where the data is. At least some focal points of our organization need to know how to use it. © Eliseu Benante

The regional reports bring together the latest local and scientific knowledge about restoration best-practices in one place. REGIONAL READINESS REPORTS MOBILIZING THE MANGROVE BREAKTHROUGH The Mangrove Breakthrough Regional Readiness Reports are strategic tools developed by global and regional experts to accelerate targeted mangrove action. These reports provide governments, donors, financial institutions and NGOs with clear region-specific pathways to scale up efforts in support of the Mangrove Breakthrough goals. Explore how countries in Asia, the Americas, and West Africa can halt mangrove loss and deliver tangible benefits for people and nature. Country Summaries KEY FEATURES Country Propositions Aligned with the Mangrove Breakthrough Financial Roadmap , the reports aim to help mobilize $4 billion to halt mangrove loss, restore 50% of recent loss and double protection. By highlighting actionable opportunities, local partnerships, and finance strategies, the reports guide investment into science-based, community-led mangrove initiatives, enabling large-scale impact across regions. What's inside the reports: Regional trends, threats, and investment opportunities for mangrove action Quantified benefits for people and ecosystems Country-specific summaries with enabling conditions and pathways to scale Asia Region Regional Readiness Report This report outlines key opportunities, challenges and strategic priorities for mangrove conservation and restoration Across Asia, mapping pathways to accelerate progress towards Mangrove Breakthrough goals. English Country Summaries Summaries of high-potential countries with enabling conditions for accelerated mangrove action. The India summary is coming soon. India Indonesia Philippines ASIA Susan Lusiana, Blue Carbon Senior Manager, Konservasi Indonesia “Asia’s vast and diverse mangroves are vital to the world’s coastal resilience. Our strength lies not in working alone, but in uniting the many efforts already in motion. It’s time to move beyond silos, to align our vision and actions. Asia must not only join the global mangrove movement — it must lead it.” AMERICAS Ixchel López, member of GMA Mexican Chapter and Oceans lead, WWF Mexico “The Mexico chapter of the GMA is working to ensure mangrove conservation and restoration become a national priority, integrating coastal communities, science and public policy. Our commitment is to promote national and regional strategies that recognize the ecological and social value of mangroves, strengthen legal protection and maintain participatory governance that delivers real benefits for both people and nature.” WEST AFRICA Ibrahima Thiam, Director Wetlands International West Africa “The Global Mangrove Alliance opened a new world frontier in the history of mangrove conservation and restoration. West Africa joined the movement with the creation of two GMA national chapters in Guinea Bissau and Senegal. Our partnerships are actively formulating their contribution to the GMA goals and the West Africa regional report is a critical milestone in this ambitious journey" Country Summaries KEY PARTNERS Supported by: The Mobilizing the Mangrove Breakthrough (MMB) is a project initiated by the Global Mangrove Alliance, supported by the Bezos Earth Fund. This initiative provides seed funding to develop propositions for programs at scale in an initial set of priority countries. This GMA-project is coordinated by Wetlands International in close collaboration with the Mangrove Breakthrough Secretariat.  The Regional Readiness Reports were led by Conservation International, working alongside national GMA chapters and a wide range of stakeholders. “The Regional Readiness Reports are blueprints to help donors, financial institutions, governments and NGOs align their resources and commitments—advancing the Mangrove Breakthrough into its next phase, driving system-level change across target regions, and delivering tangible benefits for frontline coastal communities and ecosystems.” Ignace Beguin, Director of the Mangrove Breakthrough "These reports answer the critical question of where and how we can most effectively accelerate mangrove action. “They point funders and decision-makers to opportunities and to places and partners ready to move.” Irene Kingma, Wetlands International

The Global Mangrove Alliance's local and global team that facilitates action towards our goals to restore half, double protection and halt loss. STEERING COMMITTEE Our work is only accomplished through true collaboration. The Global Mangrove Alliance (GMA) works behind the scenes through our Steering Committee and Working Groups . To scale mangrove conservation efforts, our work is carried out in partnership with Save Our Mangroves Now, The Mangrove Breakthrough, the NDC Task Force and more. Anete Berzina-Rodrigo IUCN Dominic Andradi-Brown World Wildlife Fund Emily Landis The Nature Conservancy Jayati Chourey SaciWaters Jen Howard Conservation International Julio Montes de Oca National Audubon Society Pieter van Eijk Wetlands International Working Group Tag WORKING GROUPS The Global Mangrove Alliance depends on Working Groups to facilitate action towards our goals to restore half, double protection and halt loss. Through the links below, learn more about each Working Group, how they connect to local action and how stakeholders can get involved. KEY PARTNERS

These resources are hot off the press. Dive into up to date news on mangrove initiatives, COP reflections, important restoration guidelines and more. PRESS RELEASES These resources are hot off the press. Dive into up to date news on mangrove initiatives, COP reflections, important restoration guidelines and more. Explore the Full Newsroom 1 2 3 Interested in a specific topic? Navigate by theme! National Chapter Update (23) 23 posts COP (18) 18 posts State of the World's Mangroves (17) 17 posts Global Mangrove Watch (16) 16 posts World Mangrove Day (15) 15 posts The Mangrove Breakthrough (14) 14 posts Risk Reduction (12) 12 posts Blue Carbon (11) 11 posts Restoration (10) 10 posts Award (8) 8 posts SOMN (7) 7 posts World Wetlands Day (6) 6 posts Guide (5) 5 posts Holiday (5) 5 posts Sustainable Development Goals (3) 3 posts