As featured by the Pontianak Post by Ashri Isnaini, Pakedai Bay The mangrove forests in Sungai Nibung Village, Teluk Pakedai District, Kubu Raya Regency are in fairly good condition. However, due to local misunderstandings, some residents exploit these forests to the point where some of the mangrove areas near the village can be damaged. As understanding of the importance of this incredible habitat increased, the local community finally agreed to make joint rules to conserve mangroves. They also carry out regular planting to restore degraded mangrove habitat. The time is 13.30 in the afternoon, in mid-December 2021. Nurdin (39) and several of his colleagues have just planted about a thousand Rhizophora mangrove seedlings or red mangroves in Tanjung Burung Hamlet, Sungai Nibung Village, Teluk Pakedai District, Kubu Raya Regency. At this time, thousands of mangrove seedlings were planted in the damaged area. This area is located just about 1.5 kilometers from the residential areas the planters had come from. The location is difficult to get to, and can only be reached via the river by canoe or boat. The local community agreed to plant mangroves by working together. The target is that, within 20 days, they plant more than 20,000 mangrove seedlings in an area of about 15-20 hectares. “ Once agreed, there are about 10 residents who plant the mangrove seedlings together but the speed of planting also depends on the weather, ” said Nurdin. Nurdin, whose main livelihood is fishing, hopes that the seeds will grow and make the coast fill with the color green along the river near his village. With the preservation of the mangrove ecosystem and the increase of seedlings, Nurdin hopes that the income of the residents can increase as well.  Apart from marine products in the form of fish, shrimp crabs and the like, residents are also expected to be able to produce many new products in the form of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs). “ In the future, I also hope that rural communities can produce NTFP products such as mangrove honey and mangrove syrup to increase their income. I am sure, if we are able to manage it, the potential exists and can be developed in our village, ” he said. Sungai Nibung Village is located just 61.6 kilometers from the capital city of West Kalimantan, Pontianak. If you use a speedboat from Rasau Jaya Pier, you can reach the village in about 1.5 hours. This village has a population of 1,318 people, of which 40 percent are fishermen. The rest work as farmers, laborers, and small traders. Given the large number of people who depend on their livelihood from catching fish, shrimp, and crabs, the preservation of mangroves is important. The mangrove area in this village reaches 4,127 hectares. Unfortunately, since 2010, about 200 hectares of mangrove forest in Sungai Nibung Village have been deforested resulting in a significant decrease in crab yield. Down from the usual 200-250 kilograms per month to only 100 kilograms per month. The decline in marine products has inspired Nurdin and other residents to plant in damaged areas since 2015. This citizen movement was supported by the local village government by issuing Village Regulation Number 2 of 2015 concerning Marine and Coastal Protected Areas in Sungai Nibung Village. One of the main reforestation implementations of the village regulation is to impose sanctions for destroying mangrove areas. For residents who cut down a mangrove tree, they must replace it with 10 mangrove seedlings. This effort turned out to be fruitful with the damaged area showing signs of recovery. Nurdin is now not only relieved that his catch is starting to return but he is also excited about the influx of tourists to the village of Sungai Nibung for eco-tourism. Planet Indonesia Even during the crisis due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the residents of Sungai Nibung Village can still earn income by maintaining the mangrove ecosystem. “ In addition to selling fresh catch, since the pandemic period, some villagers have also intensified their catch by making prawn crackers, ebi, shrimp paste which are then sold at higher prices to urban areas. Alhamdulillah, the results can help residents to fulfill their daily needs, ” he said. The initiative to preserve the mangrove ecosystem was also carried out by the community of Pasir Village, Mempawah Regency, which is about 110 kilometers from the Nibung River. This village has 45 hectares of mangrove forest. Since 2012, the local community has been actively planting mangroves. This is because the 800 meters long coastline that was previously covered with mangroves has been denuded. One of the mangrove conservationists in Mempawah Regency, Iswanto (32) said that the destruction of mangroves is what causes this village to often experience coastal erosion. Forest damage occurs because of the rampant fish farming business. Gradually the ponds that were built were neglected. The ex-pond land then leaves a hole that is easily crushed by the tidal wave. Not only is erosion an issue, but the shrinking of mangroves also makes it difficult for local fishermen to get marine products. Most of the residents of Pasir Village make a living as fishermen. In response to this problem, a number of mangrove conservationists in Mempawah have begun to embrace the local community. They educate residents about the benefits of mangroves and invite them to replant barren lands. “ Alhamdulillah, since the last few years, with the increasingly active efforts to plant and conserve mangroves, now there are around 150 meters of land that was previously abraded and recovered. The catch of fishermen is also increasing ,” said Iswanto. Similar to Sungai Nibung Village, Pasir Village residents also use their mangrove forest as an ecotourism area. The Indonesian government has launched a mangrove rehabilitation program covering an area of 600,000 hectares during 2021 – 2024. The rehabilitation program was launched because of a total of 3.3 million hectares of mangrove forests in Indonesia, about 8.6 percent have been damaged. This is according to data from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry in 2020. Meanwhile, in West Kalimantan, the Kapuas River Basin and Protected Forest Management Center (BPDASHL) stated that the area of mangrove forests in this province reached 162,167.63 ha. The area decreased by 14.3 thousand ha, compared to 2018 which reached 176,454.62 ha. The area of mangrove forest in West Kalimantan is divided into 160,927.11 hectares of dense mangrove area, 527.79 hectares of moderate condition, and 712.34 hectares of poor condition. The Peat and Mangrove Restoration Agency (BRGM) targets a target of accelerating the rehabilitation of mangroves in West Kalimantan in 2021, covering an area of one thousand hectares. As for 2022, it will cover an area of 500 hectares. The shrinkage of mangrove forests has been caused by various factors, ranging from logging for charcoal to the conversion of land into ponds, settlements, and plantations. Professor of the Faculty of Forestry, Tanjungpura University, Dwi Astiani, states that the restoration of the mangrove ecosystem is not enough just to plant it. According to him, planting also needs to be accompanied by alternative economic development utilizing non-timber forest products around the mangrove area. The form can be in the form of kelulut honey farming and making syrup from fruit or tea. “ That way, people don’t have to cut down mangroves, but they can still get income from managing non-timber forest products, ” he explained. For that, said Dwi, it is necessary to build an understanding so that residents will continue to maintain mangroves even though other plantations will be opened in them. Because there are some mangrove areas in West Kalimantan which are included in other use areas. “ So, if there are people who have land in mangrove areas who want to create gardens, no one can prohibit them, ” he said. Head of BPDASHL Kapuas, Remran said, to restore mangroves, since the last three years, his party and relevant stakeholders have rehabilitated 789 ha of damaged areas in North Kayong, Ketapang, Mempawah, Sambas, Singkawang, Kubu Raya and Bengkayang. Then in 2021, 50 hectares of mangrove seedlings have been planted in the villages of Kubu and Mengkjalang Jambu, Kubu Raya. The rehabilitation also involves community groups. Residents who prepare seeds and plant mangroves will receive wages paid every week. In this way, residents gain new knowledge, understanding and awareness to protect mangroves and at the same time earn income. “ So during this Covid-19 pandemic, they will be helped to earn income by participating in planting mangroves, ” he said. A resident of Pasir Village, Mempawah Regency, Saparudin (37) admitted that he was greatly helped by the program, especially during the pandemic. Every day Saparudin works as a fisherman. However, when the weather is bad, he chooses not to go to sea and looks for a side job, including planting mangroves. In the program, only 33 villagers were involved. Apart from mangrove activists or conservationists, the average person is affected by the pandemic. Saparudin said, in a day, the wages he got from planting mangroves amounted to Rp. 95 thousand. If calculated, in a week his income from here is around Rp. 570 thousand. “ In addition to being given wages to meet the needs of family life, we can also learn and understand more about the importance of mangrove conservation, ” he said. The Conservation Manager of the Planet Indonesia Foundation (YPI), Muhammad Syukur Wahyu Putra, assessed that currently the number of mangrove logging activities by residents is starting to decrease. Even if there is, the logging is limited to local needs such as to build cottages, houses and simple public facilities in the village. Muhammad Syukur Wahyu Putra, also known to his colleagues as Ucok, added that although not all coastal villages have village regulations, the village head, who is supported by the residents, has banned the logging of mangroves for commercial purposes. This progress is thanks to the many educational programs carried out by various parties to support mangrove conservation in West Kalimantan. “ Now that there is assistance, the community is more aware and smart about how to preserve mangroves. They know what to do when they see mangroves being cut down by people outside their village, ” he said. Planet Indonesia has planted more than 300,000 seeds and continues to assist residents, such as in Nibung Village. They motivate by providing incentives to residents who are involved in seeding and planting. Although the value is not large, this effort is considered to be able to help the people’s economy as well as educate them to be more self-sufficient. According to Ucok, the alternative economic potential of the mangrove ecosystem is still quite large. So far, local people only understand that the results obtained from mangroves are only wood and catches of fish, crabs and shrimp. Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) have not received much attention, such as mangrove syrup, mangrove honey, mangrove flour and the like. He hopes that the government’s efforts to rehabilitate mangroves can also maximize non-timber potential. “ Residents are certainly more enthusiastic about developing and utilizing NTFPs when there is government support. However, we admit that a process is needed for the development of non-timber forest products in this mangrove area, ” said Ucok. If you have any questions please reach out to Planet Indonesia via admin@planetindonesia.org .

A legacy of science and traditional knowledge to conserve our wetlands. “ Mangroves, seagrasses, and local communities: the development and exchange of experiences of integrated management of biodiversity and its services in the Caribbean region “, referred to as MAPCO (MAPCO – ENV/2016/ 380-526) , has been co-financed by the European Union and co-executed by INVEMAR, Fundación Natura, local communities, national corporations, and international entities for two purposes 1) to identify best conservation and management strategies for the improvement of livelihoods and food security of communities and 2) to determine where, how, with whom, when, and with what planning tools to create new local Marine Protected Areas or help existing ones implement actions for their governance without losing sight of the impact on national policies and the international communication of their results. The goals and commitments of this valuable project   are reflected today.  We are excited to share that we have consolidated MAPCO results, leaving a legacy for the replicability and sustainability of its efforts and results regarding mangroves and seagrasses and the sustainable use of the goods and services they provide to local communities, Colombia, and the wider Caribbean region. MAPCO results are available in Spanish here: https://n2t.net/ark:/81239/m9x403 © INVEMAR

The Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina. In the Colombian archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia, and Santa Catalina, blue carbon stock (aboveground biomass, aboveground dead biomass, and soils) of the mangrove ecosystem is being evaluated by INVEMAR and the Corporation for the Sustainable Development of the Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina (CORALINA). Samples were collected in 34 circular plots of 452 m2, and analyses were carried out according to the physiographic type of the mangrove forest (inland, fringe and basin forests). On the island of San Andres, 22 plots were located; 13 of these corresponded to inland mangroves, 6 to fringe mangroves, and 3 to basin mangroves; whereas on the island of Providencia and Santa Catalina, 12 plots were located; 7 fringe mangroves and five basin mangroves. Currently, the results of total organic carbon in soils are in the analysis process but initial analysis of aboveground biomass shows the highest value of organic carbon content was recorded in the mangroves in San Andres (154.2 ± 36.8, 72.7 ± 8.0, and 70.7 ± 10.7 Mg C/ha for inland, fringe, and basin mangroves, respectively). Due to the impact of hurricanes Eta and Iota during October 2021, results from Providencia indicate the highest value of carbon content was recorded in aboveground dead biomass (76.0 ± 23.0 and 75.7 ± 27. 9 Mg C/ha for basin and fringe mangroves, respectively). The hurricanes severely impacted mangrove tree structure and caused the death and fall of more than 90% of mangrove trees. Thankfully, the island of San Andres was less impacted by the storms and aboveground dead biomass contributed less to the total aboveground carbon (27. 1 ± 13.1, 22.5 ± 9.2 and 18.2 ± 11.2 Mg C/ha for inland, fringe and basin mangroves, respectively). Photo 1. Measurement of mangrove forest structure (aboveground biomass). Smith Channel mangrove, San Andrés island, Colombia (Photo by Selene Rojas-Aguirre, 2021).

Mangroves and Big Cats Lunar New Year arrives on February 1st, 2022, and with it, a new animal takes the reigns of the Chinese zodiac. This year is the year of the tiger. In global culture and many belief systems, tigers are often represented as rulers of the forest: powerful, majestic, cunning, and even immortal. However, in nature, all subspecies of tiger are classified as endangered under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . Humans and tigers have long competed for the same land and as a result of deforestation, poaching, and human-tiger conflict, there are less than 4,000 wild tigers left. Despite their small population, tigers have an enormous habitat range across subspecies, from snowy Nepal to equatorial Indonesia. But one of the most unique tiger habitats are mangrove forests. While you may not expect tigers to live among the tangle of mangroves, Bengal tigers ( Panthera tigris tigris) have made the Sundarbans mangrove forest—split across India and Bangladesh—home, the only forest where tigers live along a marine coast. The Sundarbans is one of the largest continuous mangrove ecosystems in the world and covers more than 5,000km2 of coastal forest across dozens of islands along the Indian ocean. While the forest is an amazing expanse and supports incredible biodiversity, it still faces threats from deforestation and sea level rise. In fact, the entire ecosystem is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems . © Nitish Madan / WWF-International Fortunately, India and Bangladesh are working to preserve this unique tiger habitat. Sections of the Sundarbans were given World Heritage Site status in both Bangladesh and India and much of its extent is nationally protected by each government. That protection doesn’t mean that people are completely absent from the landscape, though. In fact, millions of people depend on the Sundarbans for their livelihoods and about half of the forest’s islands are inhabited. The forest has been cleared to support crops in some areas but there are still a variety of resources that are collected from the ecosystem sustainably including mangrove palm fruit, crabs, and fish . The most notorious livelihood of the Sundarbans, though, is honey. Collecting wild honey is a traditional and valued source of income for Sundarbans communities but each venture to collect from wild hives carries potential danger. Bee stings alone can make honey collection daunting, but the need to venture into Bengal tiger ranges within the forest brings an additional, deadly, risk. On average, human-tiger conflict kills 6 wild honey collectors every year. This presents a complex conservation issue—needing to protect endangered tigers and the biodiversity of the forest without continuing to endanger human lives. But there is a solution. Communities are beginning to bring hives closer to home with support from the government and conservation organizations via apiculture (maintaining beehives). Keeping beehives nearby makes honey collection easier for communities and lowers the conflict risk both for the tiger and any human that would otherwise have crossed its path. Several Global Mangrove Alliance members, including the Bangladesh Environment and Development Society (BEDS) and WWF , are supporting sustainable honey collection to protect tigers, help people, and sustain the awe-inspiring Sundarbans mangrove forest. There is still room to improve conservation efforts but there is good news—the last few decades have seen mangrove loss decline and tiger populations slowly grow. You can read more about ongoing conservation work to protect the Sundarbans mangroves and tigers in The State of the World’s Mangroves report . The mangrove forest in the Sundarbans. © WWF / Simon Rawles

An internationally-cooperative effort to provide a comprehensive national assessment of mangrove carbon stocks. C oastal wetland environments, like mangroves, seagrass meadows, and saltmarshes, are known to provide a number of ecosystem services, such as promoting biodiversity and increasing coastal stability. Despite their relatively small global extent, they are disproportionately effective at storing carbon within their sediments. Countries have responsibilities, as signatories to the Paris Agreement, to produce a plan of action towards mitigating certain aspects of climate change, called nationally determined contributions (NDCs). More and more interest resides in including these mangrove, seagrass, and tidal marsh ecosystems within their NDCs, because they are naturally incredible solutions to fighting many aspects of climate change. However, despite mangroves being recognized as an important nature-based solution to climate change, many countries still lack local data on carbon stocks and instead must use global or regional averages that might misrepresent the actual amount of carbon within the mangrove ecosystems of that country. Red mangroves - easy to spot with their extensive above ground root systems - are one of three species of mangroves that thrive on the Belizean coastlines. © Hannah Morrissette / Smithsonian Institution In September 2021, fourteen institutions collaborated in a field campaign to provide these data, with sampling that occurred at nine sites from the north to the south of Belize, and along the vast network of cayes, to provide as many representative sampling locations as possible. The coastlines of Belize are home to an expansive range of mangroves that are highly varied even within a hundred meters of each other – guaranteed to be immensely different from other regions in which carbon stock data has already been measured. The marked differences observed between the systems over the course of the sampling was clear validation that in situ measurements were necessary to accurately estimate the carbon storage capacity of Belizean mangroves. Field team participants from Belizean government agencies and local environmental NGOs are trained in taking sediment cores to share knowledge and build capacity. © Jon Lefcheck / MarineGEO, SERC In total, 102 sediment cores up to three meters in depth were collected and subsampled for bulk density, loss on ignition (LOI), and elemental analysis. Aboveground and belowground biomass were also non-destructively sampled through measurements of diameter at breast height (DBH), canopy width, tree height, and associated allometric equations. These measurements occurred at plots placed 25 meters apart on 125 meter transects. All fieldwork followed standard practices to provide the first national carbon stock estimate assessment that included carbon stored in soils for Belizean mangrove ecosystems. A sediment core from 2m depth in a dwarf mangrove plot is processed in the field, which includes bisecting the core, recording its characteristics, and collecting many subsamples for further analysis. © Hannah Morrissette / Smithsonian Institution A sliced surface sediment core is measured for total depth, depth of the organic peat layer, location of roots or other large objects, and any transition to mineral soils. © Hannah Morrissette / Smithsonian Institution Aboveground biomass is estimated through species identification, tree height, canopy width, and DBH measurements. © Hannah Morrissette / Smithsonian Institution An important component of this program was to provide training on methods and build capacity to allow for NDC updates to be conducted by local Belizean institutions. Key partners included the University of Belize Environmental Research Institute (UB ERI), the Pew Charitable Trusts, Silvestrum Climate Associates, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the Smithsonian Institution, Belize Fisheries Department, Belize Forestry Department, National Climate Change Office (NCCO), Coastal Zone Management Authority & Institute (CZMAI), Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE), Southern Environmental Association (SEA), Sarteneja Alliance for Conservation and Development (SACD), the Corozal Sustainable Future Initiative (CSFI), and the Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association (TASA). The high caliber of data and progress was only achieved through the hard work and investment of our Belizean colleagues. These data support Belize’s commitment to protect and restore mangroves as part of their NDCs. The information gathered from the sediment cores and biomass measurements will help inform coastal policy and management towards the goal of protecting mangrove ecosystems long-term. Our efforts and the dedication of our partners will hopefully serve as a blueprint for other countries seeking to conserve natural blue carbon sinks in meeting their climate targets. Sediment analysis and data management are ongoing, with plans to present a subsample of the data at the Scottish Blue Carbon Forum following COP26, and to have the data ready to share with the government of Belize to include in their NDC update in 2025. Check the twitter hashtag #BelizeBlueCarbon for previous posts and updates on the progress of the project, or contact Hannah Morrissette ( morrissetteh@si.edu ) with any questions. Written by Hannah Morrissette (Smithsonian Institution)

India's biennial State of Forest Report, 2021. Through cyclones and a pandemic, India's mangrove cover is on an upward trend according to the country's latest review. Every two years, the Forest Survey of India under the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, releases their “ India State of Forest Report ”, a comprehensive publication of the country’s forests, covering losses and gains in ground cover of all forest types, including mangroves. India has mangroves along more than 30% of its coastline and almost half of the country’s total mangrove forests are in the South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, thanks to the Sundarban mangrove ecosystem. The coastal trees help to mitigate damage from extreme storms, like cyclones and monsoons, are important wildlife habitat , store away tons of carbon below ground, and provide resources to communities through enterprises like fishing and beekeeping. While less detailed than 2019’s report , this year’s report offers an overall positive growth in mangrove coverage with small areas of change across the individual states. Below are featured highlights from the report and details on where gains and losses occurred: Chapter 1 Introduction “The information being presented in the latest ISFR 2021 has been derived by way of complete wall-to-wall mapping of the country’s forest cover using remote sensing techniques, sample plot based national forest inventory and special studies carried out at national level.” “The ISFR is widely used for formulation of policies, planning and management of forests as well as investments affecting country’s forestry sector. The report also provides a significant amount of data which meets India’s reporting requirements to international organizations like Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and also for the various conventions and commitments namely United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to which India is a signatory.” Chapter 3 Mangrove Cover “Important species of Mangrove ecosystems in India include Avicennia officinalis, Rhisophora mucronate, Sonneratia alba, Avicennia alba, Bruguiera cylindrica, Heritiera littoralis, Phoenix paludosa, Morinda citrifolia & Ceriops tagal. ” “ Mangroves show conspicuous tone and texture on the satellite images . The Mangrove cover in this assessment has been categorized into Very Dense (canopy density of 70% and above), Moderately Dense (canopy density of 40% and more but less than 70%) and Open categories (canopy density of 10% and more but less than 40%). Table 3.1 [below] presents status of Mangrove cover since 1987 onwards.” “The current assessment shows that Mangrove cover in the country is 4,992 sq km , which is 0.15% of the country’s total geographical area. Very Dense Mangrove comprises 1,475 sq km (29.55%) of the Mangrove cover; Moderately Dense Mangrove is 1481 sq km (29.67%) while Open Mangroves constitute and area of 2,036 sq km (40.78%). There has been a net increase of 17 sq km in the Mangrove cover of the country as compared to 2019 assessment. The States that show significant gain in Mangrove cover are Odisha (8 sq km) and Maharashtra (4 sq km) .The reason for the increase in Mangrove cover in Odisha, is mainly due to the natural regeneration, plantation activities in suitable land like on the banks of the rivers near the estuary and on intertidal mud-flats associated with the areas that are inundated by sea water on a daily cycle…. In Maharashtra , the increase in Mangrove cover is mainly due to natural regeneration .” The only state that is shown with measurable loss is Gujarat, which lost 2 sq km compared to 2019 results. Reasoning for loss in Gujarat is not addressed. You can read all 13 chapters of the Forest Survey report here .

How satellites, and The Global Mangrove Watch, changed our perspective on one of Earth's most vital trees. Mangroves may only cover 12% of the world’s coasts but you can spot these salt-tolerant trees from space! All along tropical and subtropical ocean coastlines, leafy green canopies of mangrove trees can be seen from satellites orbiting just beyond Earth’s atmosphere. Some satellites, like those in NASA and USGS’s Landsat program, are specially designed to observe Earth and help us learn about our amazing biodiversity and landscapes. Monitoring mangroves with satellites helps scientists gather different information about the  global state of these coastal trees —especially information linked to countering the climate crisis. A range of amazing technology built into satellites can not only tell us where mangroves grow, but also help us to understand how tall they are and how much carbon they store. Combined, this information is incredibly valuable for both local communities and state governments interested in adapting and building their resilience to the climate crisis. Colombia, Fiji, Madagascar, and Mexico each have incredible and unique mangrove forests that store tons of carbon and support communities and a wide variety of wildlife. These countries have unique challenges that require access to the best information possible. WWF is working closely with stakeholders and partners in each country to integrate what we know about each country’s mangroves, both from the country’s coastal experts on Earth and from satellites in space, all collated in The Global Mangrove Watch . These knowledge-gathering collaborations will help us to better work together and support a resilient ecosystem for the future. Utría Sound, Colombia © Diego M. Garces / WWF Colombia The mangroves of Colombia grow across more than half of both the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean coastlines, making the forests highly diverse. Colombia’s mangroves are also some of the tallest in the world, towering over five stories (about 73 feet) high! However, the mangroves of both coastal regions are not well protected, and mangrove cover has declined by 7% in the last 25 years. Without better protections, the trees will continue to be at risk of being cut down for unsustainable aquaculture, fuel, or land use. WWF is working with Colombia to preserve hundreds of thousands of acres of mangroves in the next five years. Vanua Levu, Fiji © Tom Vierus / WWF-UK Fiji The pacific archipelago of Fiji may have the smallest mangrove extent of the four countries but protecting their trees will provide lasting benefits. Compared to other mangroves worldwide, Fiji’s coastal forests are on the higher end of underground carbon storage—at almost 90% of their ecosystem’s total carbon. Underground carbon storage is very stable and helps counteract climate change that otherwise will cause increasingly dangerous and frequent tropical storms that can devastate vulnerable coral reefs, like Fiji’s incredible Great Sea Reef. In addition to restoring and protecting mangroves, WWF is working with Fiji’s coastal communities to set up a community center that will support environmentally friendly businesses, including seaweed farms. Manambolo Tsiribihina, Madagascar © Martina Lippuner / WWF-Africa Madagascar Madagascar is the fourth-largest island in the world and holds the largest extent of mangroves across eastern Africa. Communities along the country’s coastline are very dependent on mangroves for their livelihoods, gathering shrimp, shellfish, and fish from the muddy waterways that move among the tree roots. Despite their value, mangroves are still being cut down across Madagascar at a rate of 1%-2% per year. WWF and Madagascar will work together to support the restoration, protection and sustainable management of 36.5% of Madagascar’s mangroves by 2025. This will help 75,000 people secure income and climate resilience. © Rodolfo Pérez / WWF-Mexico Mexico Mexico’s mangroves are powerhouses, they cover over 2.2 million acres of coastline and store the largest amount of carbon of these four countries. Mexico’s mangrove forests are also already on the path to recovery. The country has seen encouraging progress for mangrove restoration in the last 25 years and WWF is working with Mexico to enhance the protection and management of 75% of mangroves, benefitting 235,000 people and keeping more than 1 billion tons of carbon underground. Continuously evaluating the condition of mangrove forests across these four countries, from satellites and on the ground, will help us to better understand the pathways to successful restoration and protection and where we need to improve to secure a stable and sustainable future. Learn more:   The State of the Worlds Mangroves from WWF and partners This story was originally posted on WorldWildlife.org

How mangroves contribute to living in harmony with nature by 2050. At the UN Biodiversity Summit in December 2022, governments are preparing to adopt a new global framework for managing nature through 2030. It will guide actions worldwide to preserve and protect nature and its essential services to people en-route to living in harmony with nature by 2050. In response, the global mangrove expert community presents a detailed guidance to illustrate how mangrove ecosystems contribute towards the achievement of multiple goals, targets and associated indicators so that “by 2050, biodiversity is valued, conserved, restored and wisely used, maintaining ecosystem services, sustaining a healthy planet and delivering benefits essential for all people”. “Mangroves are superheroes, a triple dividend of resilience, biodiversity gain and people”, says Minna Epps, Director of IUCN’s Global Marine and Polar Programme. “Protecting and conserving them is essential for achieving multiple goals and targets towards the 2050 vision for biodiversity. They are our roots of hope – it is time that their importance is widely recognized.” The conservation of mangroves constitutes a coastal nature-based solution for the biggest challenges humanity face today. They play a crucial role in combating climate change by storing 3 to 5 times more carbon than terrestrial forests. They provide habitat for over 3000 fish species and other wildlife, thus providing livelihoods to more than 120 million people, generating income and food security. They protect coastal areas by reducing wave height by up to 66%. If mangroves were lost, 15 million more people would experience annual flooding across the world. Achieving the ambitious 2050 vision will take a joint effort by all Parties. The “Guidance on Mangrove Indicators in the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework” provides a detailed collection of scientifically robust data and resources for consideration by governments in support of their national reporting and progress tracking against the goals, targets and indicators set in the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. The guidance is intended to contribute to the ongoing discussions convened by the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) towards the adoption of the Biodiversity Framework. ”This is urgently  needed”, states Julika Tribukait, Policy Advisor on Coastal Ecosystems at WWF Germany , “ to allow for mangroves and other coastal ecosystems to be taken fully into account in the development of and future reporting against the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.” The guidance was prepared by experts from Save our Mangroves Now!—a joint initiative by WWF, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Wetlands International, and the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)—as well as the Global Mangrove Alliance, the Global Mangrove Watch, and the IUCN Mangrove Specialist Group. You can find the full Guidance here . Notes Between 14 to 29 March, the Open-Ended Working Group on the Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework resumed its session, together with the twenty-fourth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA 24) and the third meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI 3):   https://www.cbd.int/conferences/post2020 The first part of the Working Group meeting was held online from 23 August to 3 September 2021: ( CBD/WG2020/3/5 ). Further information Download the full Guidance on Mangrove Indicators in the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework: https://www.iucn.org/sites/dev/files/guidance_on_mangrove_indicators_in_post-2020gbf_v.1_aug_2021.pdf Save our Mangroves Now! https://www.mangrovealliance.org/save-our-mangroves-now/ Global Mangrove Alliance https://www.mangrovealliance.org/ Global Mangrove Watch https://www.globalmangrovewatch.org/ IUCN Mangrove Specialist Group https://www.iucn.org/commissions/ssc-groups/plants-fungi/plants/plants-h-z/mangrove #Roots of Hope animation – https://vimeo.com/580213113 For more information, please contact: Anete Berzina-Rodrigo, Project Manager at IUCN’s Marine Global Marine and Polar Programme,  anete.berzina@iucn.org Emily Goodwin, Programme Officer on Ecosystem-based Adaptation at IUCN’s Global Ecosystem Management Programme, emily.goodwin@iucn.org

Written By: Evelyn Vargas Carmona, IUCN Regional Coastal Biodiversity Project IUCN / GOAL – USAID  People in western El Salvador have organized themselves into a unique mangrove governance model, known as a Local Sustainable Harvest Plan (PLAS), a management approach that has been receiving international attention. They run organized activities including daily mangrove surveillance, reforestation campaigns, maintenance of internal canals, waste collection campaigns, and even species relocation after extreme weather events. Additionally, they’ve created seasonal fishing closed periods and have also defined family quotas for permitted extraction. The Association was a response—by all the community groups in the Barra de Santiago region—to the degradation of the mangroves, the impact of extreme climatic events and the excessive extraction of natural resources. The Regional Coastal Biodiversity Project—funded by USAID and headed by IUCN and local implementing partners—has provided further support since 2018. They’ve helped generate sustainable alternative activities in biocommerce—including honey production from the mangroves—in an attempt to reduce pressure on the mangrove ecosystem. Teresita de Jesús García, El Salvador; Pia Hernandez, Evelyn Vargas Carmona, IUCN Teresita de Jesús García is President of the Local Sustainable Harvest Plan (PLAS) Group of Playa Metalío, in the Barra de Santiago area, western El Salvador. Her group plays a key role in regulating the use of mangrove resources and for monitoring compliance.

The "Global Wetland Outlook" highlights continuing declines in wetland extent (about 35% lost since 1970) and delves into trends, drivers of change, and steps needed to maintain or restore these critical ecosystems, both for the survival of nature and society. Today the Ramsar Convention  released its report  on the state of the world’s wetlands, a diverse type of ecosystem in which mangroves are included. This report summarizes wetland extent, trends, drivers of change, and the steps needed to maintain or restore their ecological character. Despite the highlighted result that 35% of wetlands have been lost since 1970 (a rate 3x greater than forests), action on wetlands remains minimal by policy and decision-makers. This fact doesn’t bode well for nature or people. Wetlands provide essential ecosystem services (i.e. water purification, protection from floods) and livelihoods for millions of people. They also store more carbon than any other ecosystem. The largest swath of wetlands is in Asia (32% of the global area), where also the largest containment of mangrove area remains. 17% of mangrove species assessed are globally threatened, with 3% labeled critically endangered. Particular areas of concern are the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Central America, with up to 40% of species threatened with extinction. The estimated losses of ecosystem services from mangroves and tidal marshes for a 14 year period (1997-2011) were US$7.2 trillion. Conversion for agriculture or aquaculture is the primary driver of mangrove loss, particularly in Southeast Asia. These changes in mangrove cover can be seen on an annual basis via Global Mangrove Watch for various years. Drivers of these declines can be direct or indirect. For Ramsar, direct drivers refer to natural or human-induced causes of biophysical changes at a local to regional scale. Indirect drivers have a broader, scattered effect, mostly by influencing direct drivers, and often relate to institutional, socio-economic, demographic and cultural processes. Human-induced drivers include land use change, climate change, sea level rise, water abstraction, introduction or removal of species, resource consumption and external inputs (e.g., fertilizers).   Water quality is in decline due to a wide range of pollutants such as plastics, pharmaceuticals, hormones, industrial chemicals, and other products. It is projected that by 2050 1 in 3 people will be at high risk of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution and 1 in 5 will be at high risk of water pollution from Biochemical Oxygen Demand. Wetlands maintain the global water cycle through complex hydrological and biogeochemical processes, such as the uptake and retention of nutrients and maintaining normal levels, volume, timing, and frequency of water flows. However, increasing human demands and changes in precipitation due to climate change create competition for available water, and that supply has been subject to increasing pressure from consumption and pollution as populations increase. Wetlands are one of the most biologically productive ecosystems; this productivity varies with wetland type, and mangroves remains the highest compared to marshes and peatlands, which would tend to support high animal diversity. This can be greatly affected by agricultural runoff and conversion. Responding to these multiple challenges, management, investment, knowledge, and the tools of institutions and governance are all required to stop and reverse these staggering declines and focus on conservation and wise use. These losses have serious implications for society. One critical response is the designation of Ramsar Sites, which are internationally important wetlands, that make up one of the world’s largest networks of protected areas. There are more than 2,300 Ramsar Sites covering nearly 250 million hectares, approximately 13-18% of terrestrial and coastal wetlands. Wetlands also need to be better integrated into planning and implementation of development agendas, like international policy frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 6.6.1). The aim should be for no net loss, which might be achieved through application of economic and financial incentives, such as tax provisions or subsidies. Further responses to mitigate impacts are described in the report. The Convention lays out a blueprint for saving these critical ecosystems via its Strategic Plan and by working with partners.

Celebrating World Wetlands Day 2021 through Mangrove Ecosystems. 50 years ago, in Ramsar, Iran, the Convention on Wetlands was adopted for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. To commemorate the international treaty, February 2nd was declared World Wetlands Day. Now often known simply as Ramsar, the Convention and commemorative Wetlands Day are more important than ever. Since 1971, climate change and industrialization of natural areas has only expanded and people and nature are losing out. The World Wetlands Day theme this year is “ Wetlands and Wate r” and mangroves fit right in. Mangroves build incredible ecosystems around tropical coastlines—tying together oceans, rivers, and people. Without mangroves, coral reefs would have fewer fish, fishers and shellfish gatherers would bring in less catch, and communities would be more exposed to extreme weather like cyclones and hurricanes. Mangroves also sequester a good deal of carbon, so losing mangroves and their passives roots would mean increasing carbon emissions. The Global Mangrove Alliance is committed to enhancing policy protection in mangrove-rich countries around the world, restoring the thousands of square km of mangroves lost in the last 25 years , and bringing mangroves’ powerful community and climate benefits into the global spotlight. In the updates from today’s World Wetlands Day Newsletter , learn more about how our members are working towards our Alliance goals at community, state, national, and global levels and have a happy World Wetlands Day! WWF-Malaysia / Mazidi Abd Ghani

An Interview with Dr. Stefanie Rog. There are many benefits of mangroves, and much of the time spent talking about them revolve around their benefits as carbon capture super-plants and providers of resources to communities. However, there is another major component to mangroves’ incredible nature that is less often mentioned – their amazing biodiversity. Stefanie Rog, PhD is a Technical Officer at Wetlands International and an expert in mangrove wildlife. She agreed to an interview with the Global Mangrove Alliance to talk about her research, her experiences, and the importance of shining a light on mangrove wildlife. Thank you for agreeing to this interview, Stefanie! Could you please introduce yourself and your background? Thanks for the opportunity! I am Stefanie Rog; from saving slugs from sidewalks in The Netherlands to studying wildlife in mangroves in Australia, driven to conserve nature  – that is me! You can find more about my work and research via my website and LinkedIn . Photo courtesy of Stefanie Rog, 2016 Wetlands International is based in The Netherlands, a country that mangroves sadly don’t grow in! What drew you to study the wildlife of mangrove ecosystems? Haha yes, maybe in the far future mangroves will migrate north to The Netherlands. Mangroves have intrigued me from a young age; I remember travelling to Indonesia with my parents when I was ten, and I was in awe by the beauty of hundreds of mudskippers between their roots. Since then, I have visited mangroves in over 15 countries, and I hope to visit many more in the future; the Sundarbans is still on my list. I find these ecosystems fascinating as they blur the boundary between land and sea; what could live in this mysterious habitat and why? I read in your recent publications that most conservation efforts around mangroves center on the trees themselves or around shellfish and other seafoods instead of more typically “lovable” mammals, reptiles, or amphibians. Out of all the animals you’ve come across in your research, is there one that you feel is most underappreciated or under-represented? Is there an animal you have been surprised to find? There is indeed a tendency to focus on the services the mangrove trees provide, like coastal defence, and the soil that benefits the climate by locking in high amounts of carbon. At the same time, the value of mangroves for biodiversity conservation, as well as the services that animals provide to mangrove forest health, is often overlooked. While there is increased acknowledgement of large mammal species such as the tiger and the manatee occurring in mangrove habitat, the smaller vertebrate groups, such as bats and herpetofauna (reptiles and amphibians), are still underappreciated in mangrove conservation. Pollinating of mangrove flowers by bats is one example of the intricate relations between mangroves and their fauna. Still, we know little about the functional role species play in these systems. Nonetheless, in conservation efforts, it is important to consider these potential roles, as they could be crucial for a healthy functioning ecosystem. Animals I was surprised to find? I was extremely excited to see a tree kangaroo in the Daintree mangroves, and I detected tree frogs – animals you usually don’t associate with a saltwater environment.  These forests never cease to amaze! Photo courtesy of Stefanie Rog As a scientist, I’m sure you have many areas of interest that you’d like to pursue, but is there one topic or animal that you’re most excited to study? I would be especially interested in studying the interconnections between terrestrial and marine realms created by faunal movements. For example, a fundamental gap in our knowledge of mangrove ecology relates to the services that terrestrial fauna provides and receives from this ecosystem. As mangrove ecosystems continue to be degraded, it will be essential to understand how this degradation impacts the services mangroves provide to terrestrial vertebrates. Habitat loss could increase the importance of mangrove systems in connecting fragmented terrestrial habitat due to the linear nature of these ecosystems. Moreover, populations of populations of felids and primates been reported to use mangroves as a last refuge when their primary forest habitat was lost. It will be essential to understand the extent to which ecosystems can provide all the resources a species requires, particularly if the provisioning role as a habitat refuge of mangroves becomes critical for more species. Read more about Dr. Rog’s work with terrestrial vertebrates in mangrove ecosystems here . Tracks, likely from a kangaroo | Photo courtesy of Stefanie Rog Are there any recent tools or advancements, like the recent Global Mangrove Watch release, that you have found to be particularly beneficial to studying wildlife in coastal ecosystems? The Global Mangrove Watch is a game-changer in mangrove conservation. I am excited to follow the developments where mapping layers can start to provide real-time and small scale information to inform local management on forest extent. I do, however, also believe that there will always be value to on-ground field data to verify the quality of the forest. While there is the possibility to measure indirect indicators such as habitat connectivity to predict what species could occur in a mangrove forest – local knowledge on the occurrence of (threatened and invasive) species will remain vital for effective management. A rapid field design which I developed and tested provides managers with a tool to rapidly collect such knowledge. Field knowledge, in combination with the highly developed mapping technologies, is I believe the best combination to work towards effective mangrove management. What is the most important issue for you for the future of wetlands? Anything that you are hopeful or excited about for the future? At this time of climate and biodiversity crisis, the issues can feel overwhelming, and I think there is no one sole factor responsible for wetland decline. However, I do get hope from the cumulative power of small initiatives that together can form a big wave of positive change. Wetlands are the planet’s greatest natural carbon stores, rich in nature and vital to human life. They act as water sources and purifiers. They protect our shores. They are crucial to agriculture and fisheries. Reviving wetlands is I believe one of the most effective ways we can heal the climate and help biodiversity. Is there anything else you feel more people should know about regarding wildlife and mangroves? That if you take the time to look, mangrove wildlife diversity goes so much further than just mosquitos, herons and crabs! I hope that this interview has inspired people to explore these rainforests of the sea. Do you have a favorite mangrove animal? Has that changed over time as you continue to study these ecosystems? This has to be the most difficult question! Over time I have learned that animals you least expect also venture into mangroves, which makes it exciting to think about what is still left to discover about these ecosystems. For example, in the Daintree in tropical Australia, I was startled by various Cassowaries carefully stepping through mangroves at low tide; what were they doing? Were they using the mangroves as a faster route to get to the adjacent rainforest? It would be interesting to investigate their relationship with mangroves further. I also have to mention mudskippers as these prehistoric-looking animals are so well adapted to live on both land and sea, like mangrove trees themselves! Cassowary in Australian Mangroves | Photo courtesy of Stefanie Rog In your most recent paper , an assessment protocol details how animals were surveyed in mangroves in day and nighttime, I imagine there may have been some challenges during that as mangroves aren’t the easiest forests to move through! Do you have a favorite animal-related story from doing coastal wetlands research? Fieldwork in mangroves is indeed challenging. You have to be aware of the tide coming in, the hidden mud crab holes which can snap your ankle, and in some regions even large predators! Imagine having spent four days of fruitless fieldwork, sleeping in blocks of 4 hours to conduct both night and day surveys, and encountering no animals whatsoever. My research assistant, Ernest Minnema, and I were wading knee-deep through mangroves on Stradbroke Island, Queensland Australia, already walking for a couple of hours, solely energized by dextrose energy tablets. Suddenly we heard loud splashing coming closer; quite scary as it sounded pretty big and we had nowhere to run! We slowly started to see the outline of a dark brown animal, a dog from the village a couple of kilometers away maybe? With a big sigh of relief, we finally realized that it was a swamp wallaby, jumping in concentration through the deep water avoiding the mangrove roots. It was a fantastic reward after the exhausting days, and my emotions got the upper hand. The wallaby jumped closer, looked at us and probably thought the same as us, “wow, you never know what you will encounter in the mangrove forest”! Thanks again to Dr. Stefanie Rog for answering our questions!