Search Results

World Migratory Bird Day 2026 Bar-tailed Godwit 1764 on mudflat in West Africa © Rokyatou Thiam / Wetlands International West Africa Mangrove landscapes are among the most valuable ecosystems on Earth. They protect coastal communities from flooding and erosion, support fisheries by acting as nursery grounds for commercially important fish and crustaceans, store enormous amounts of carbon, provide harvestable resources, create opportunities for ecotourism, and hold deep cultural significance for coastal people. But mangroves are not just valuable for people. They are also biodiversity hotspots. What makes mangrove systems so ecologically rich is the interaction between mangrove forests, tidal creeks, mudflats, salt flats, and open intertidal areas, and in many cases also rivers. Together they form a constantly shifting habitat mosaic shaped by tides, sediment movement, elevation, and salinity. These dynamic landscapes are especially important for migratory shorebirds, which depend on them for feeding, resting, and shelter during some of the longest migrations on the planet. Why Shorebirds Depend on Mangroves One of the strongest links between mangroves and shorebirds is food. Mangroves are highly productive ecosystems. Their dense root systems trap sediments and organic matter, creating ideal conditions for benthic invertebrates such as worms, mollusks, and small crabs. These animals form the foundation of the food web that supports migratory shorebirds. Most shorebirds do not feed inside dense mangrove forests themselves. Instead, they forage on adjacent mudflats exposed during low tide. Mangroves indirectly sustain these feeding grounds by stabilizing sediments, cycling nutrients, and fueling biological productivity. Mangroves also function as nurseries for fish and crustaceans, strengthening the broader coastal food web. Shelter, Safety, and Roosting Habitat Mangroves are important not only for feeding, but also for shelter. During high tide, when mudflats disappear under water, shorebirds often roost in or near mangroves. The vegetation provides protection from predators, wind, and extreme weather. Birds may gather in open spaces within the mangroves, perch on branches, or rest on pneumatophores — the aerial roots characteristic of many mangrove species. The real ecological value lies in the balance: open areas for feeding combined with vegetated areas for refuge and productivity. The Hidden Importance of “Tannes” One particularly important habitat feature for shorebirds in mangrove systems is the presence of tannes — naturally open areas within mangrove landscapes. From a boat in a creek or from the edge of a mudflat, mangroves can appear as an unbroken wall of forest. But inside these systems there are often extensive open zones, or large areas where mangroves occur only as narrow fringes along channels and creeks. These openings exist because local conditions — especially extreme salinity or poor drainage — prevent mangrove trees from growing in those particular spots. Some tannes are fully enclosed by mangroves, while others form open bays connected to the wider intertidal landscape. For shorebirds, these open spaces are extremely valuable. Birds frequently use them for roosting between feeding periods, provided they remain above water during the tidal cycle. As tides rise further, birds move to higher open ground or perch directly on mangrove trees. Shorebirds using mangrove landscape on Bubaque, Bijagos. The distribution clearly shows that the birds mainly use the open areas Too Many Mangroves for Shorebirds? Mangroves are vital ecosystems, but more mangroves are not always better for shorebirds. If mangroves expand into open mudflats — whether naturally or through poorly planned restoration — they can reduce the amount of feeding habitat available to species that depend on bare, unvegetated sediment. Many shorebirds require open visibility to detect predators and access soft sediments rich in prey. Species such as godwits, plovers, curlews, knots, and sandpipers generally avoid dense vegetation when feeding. As a result, different shorebird species respond differently to increasing mangrove cover. Some benefit from additional shelter and productivity, while others lose critical feeding habitat.This means the relationship between mangroves and shorebirds is not a simple one-way benefit. It is a balance. West Africa: a globally important flyway region In 2025, Wetlands International — together with partners including BirdEyes, NIOZ and BirdLife International, and in close collaboration with local organisations — began work on a range of coastal wetland sites in West Africa as part of the Climate Resilient East Atlantic Flyway initiative. Across West Africa, the most important shorebird areas are places where mangroves and intertidal mudflats occur together, such as the Saloum Delta and Casamance in Senegal; the River Gambia estuary; the Bijagós Archipelago in Guinea-Bissau, one of the world’s most important shorebird sites; the estuaries and coastal plains of Guinea and Sierra Leone; and the Niger Delta in Nigeria. In parts of the Saloum Delta and Guinea-Bissau, for example, mangrove expansion into tidal flats has already been linked to reduced feeding opportunities for some shorebird species. The evidence increasingly shows that what works best is maintaining a spatial balance: extensive open mudflats for feeding, combined with mangrove belts and patches that sustain productivity, stabilise shorelines, and provide shelter. This is the approach Wetlands International and partners are promoting as the foundation for safeguarding both migratory flyways and local livelihoods in key landscapes, such as the Bijagós Archipelago and the Saloum Delta. Habitat use pattern of shorebirds on Bubaque, Bijagos. The dots represent location fixes for 3 Curlew Sandpipers (yellow, purple and blue), 2 Grey Plovers (lightgreen and black) and 2 Common Redshanks (pink and red) A Healthy Balance is the Key In coastal West Africa, mangroves are essential because they power the food web that supports migratory shorebirds. But the birds themselves depend most directly on the open mudflats beside them. The system only works when both habitats coexist in balance. Lose the mangroves, and the ecosystem loses productivity. Lose the mudflats, and the birds lose their feeding grounds. Protecting migratory shorebirds therefore means protecting the dynamic relationship between the two.

By Rocky Sanchez Tirona, Rare This month marks a pivotal moment for locally-led coastal protection – Coastal 500, the world’s largest network of local government leaders committed to thriving seas and prosperous coastal communities, has surpassed its 500-member goal, with the addition of 105 local government leaders from Indonesia’s Sangihe Islands in North Sulawesi.  As Coastal 500 reaches this pivotal moment, its significance is not just numerical. It reflects a growing global recognition that the future of coastal resilience will be decided not only in national capitals or at international summits, but in municipalities, districts, and villages where people live closest to the sea. Coastal 500, launched by Rare in 2021, now spans local government leaders across the developing tropics and was created on a simple but powerful premise: local leaders are indispensable to building thriving, prosperous coastal communities. That is especially true for the protection and restoration of mangrove forests, one of the network’s central areas of focus.   Mangroves are often described through the lens of carbon, and rightly so. But for coastal communities, their value is even more immediate. Mangroves buffer shorelines from storm surges, erosion, and flooding. They provide nursery habitat for economically important fish and shellfish. They support biodiversity, improve water quality, and help sustain local food systems and incomes. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization notes that mangrove ecosystems provide a food base for fish, shellfish, and other species that feed millions of people, while the United Nations Environmental Programme highlights their role as both coastal protection and essential habitat for fisheries. In other words, mangrove protection and restoration is not just an environmental agenda. It is a public safety agenda, a food security agenda, and an economic resilience agenda.   Fishers in Resex Soure, Pará, Brazil. July 2024. That is why local governments matter so much. Mayors, district heads, and village leaders are the institutions closest to the tradeoffs that shape mangrove futures: coastal development, fisheries access, enforcement, budget allocation, disaster planning, and community trust. Coastal 500’s own framing is explicit: even where policies exist, local political leadership and political will are often the decisive factors in implementation. Local leaders can align community priorities with restoration, translate big commitments into practical action, and ensure that conservation is not done to communities but with them.   Indonesia, from which Coastal 500’s most recent and largest delegation of members hail, demonstrates why local government is the link between ambition and action. The country holds the world’s largest mangrove ecosystem, with recent official estimates putting its mangrove area at roughly 3.46 million hectares, or around a fifth to a quarter of the global total. At the same time, Indonesia’s governance reality is deeply local. In 2025, Coastal 500 expanded through a Village Head Partnership in Buton, Southeast Sulawesi, explicitly recognizing village heads as frontline leaders, in addition to the mayors. Our work through Rare shows village governments in Southwest Sulawesi committing public funds to co-led marine surveillance and management. That matters because restoration succeeds when local authorities can do more than endorse it: they must budget for it, organize it, defend it, and connect it to local livelihoods.   Sugba Lagoon in Del Carmen, Philippines. This focus on global mangrove restoration reaches far across Coastal 500 geographies. Along the Amazon coast in Brazil, municipalities sit beside the world’s largest continuous mangrove belt. Recent endorsements of the Mangrove Breakthrough by Brazilian states and cities show how multilevel governance can create momentum, but those same announcements emphasize that local leaders drive implementation on the ground. In the state of Pará, where a section of this vast mangrove system stretches across roughly 3,900 square kilometers, municipal leadership is helping align local policy with long-term mangrove protection and coastal resilience. For communities whose economies depend on fishing, shellfish, and other mangrove-linked livelihoods, local stewardship is inseparable from both climate adaptation and community prosperity.   The Philippines offers perhaps the most vivid proof that mangrove restoration pays back communities in moments of crisis. In Del Carmen, which holds the largest continuous stretch of mangrove forests in the Philippines, Mayor Alfredo Coro II has spent more than a decade rehabilitating and preserving the mangroves in his municipality. After Super Typhoon Rai struck in 2021, he argued that those restored ecosystems helped the municipality prepare, reduced losses, and provided a stable food source during recovery. Rare and UNEP reporting on the Philippines echoes this broader point: healthy mangroves and adjacent marine ecosystems can blunt storm impacts while sustaining fisheries that families rely on when formal systems are under stress. This is what resilience looks like in practice. It is not abstract. It is fewer lives lost, less property damaged, and more food on the table after a disaster hits.   Rocky Sanchez Tirona, Managing Director of Rare, speaking at a Coastal 500 event in Siargao, Philippines, August 2023. In Honduras, the Coastal 500 story shows something else: local leadership is contagious. Former Mayor Juan Ramon Manaiza of Limón describes how lessons from the Philippines helped spark a movement for coastal protection in Honduras. That kind of peer exchange is one of the network’s most important forms of infrastructure. Honduras’s coastal municipalities are now leading collaborative efforts to restore mangrove forests and strengthen fisheries governance in landscapes tied to the Mesoamerican Reef. Rare’s Honduras work is built around partnerships with municipal governments and communities, recognizing that mangroves, reefs, and seagrass are part of one connected food and livelihood system. When local governments help protect these systems, they are not only restoring habitat; they are helping fishers withstand climate shocks and defend their food security.   The lesson across all four countries is the same. Mangrove protection and restoration work best when they are locally owned, politically backed, and woven into the everyday priorities of coastal governance. International initiatives can set ambitious goals, including mobilizing $4 billion to protect and restore 15 million hectares of mangroves by 2030. But those goals will remain aspirational unless financing, authority, and technical support reach the local governments and communities who are best placed to deliver results.   Sandra Cárdenas among some young mangroves. Sandra is a Rare partner and Regional Coordinator for El Centro de Estudios Marinos (CEM) in Omoa and Puerto Cortés. Born and raised in Omoa, she now works to strengthen Omoa’s fisher association and make science accessible to community members of all ages. Location: Omoa, Honduras. February 2023. Coastal 500’s 500-member moment should therefore be read as a challenge as much as a celebration. The world does not need more rhetoric about the value of mangroves. It needs more trust in the leaders closest to them. If we want coastlines that can withstand storms, fisheries that can feed families, and climate strategies that hold at the water’s edge, then mangrove restoration must start where accountability is strongest and stakes are highest: in local governments and communities.     About Coastal 500   Coastal 500 is the world’s largest network of local government leaders committed to thriving seas and prosperous coastal communities. With over 500 members across 8 countries, Coastal 500 represents over 2,000 communities that steward almost 100,000 square kilometers of coastline and marine ecosystems on which nearly 4 million people depend for food security, livelihoods, and climate resilience. When local leaders join Coastal 500, they commit to empowering their communities with clear access rights to their fisheries, while promoting sustainable fishing practices, building resilience, advancing transparent, effective and collaborative governance and sharing best practices with peers across the globe.   About Rare   Rare is a global leader in community-led solutions to protect nature, fight climate change, and build resilient communities. Rare serves as the Secretariat for Coastal 500 and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the network. Rare supports members by coordinating network activities and communications, helping deliver programs, tools, and learning opportunities, and supporting engagement with partners and at international fora.   Author Bio   Rocky is the Managing Director of Regional Programs at Rare. In this role, Rocky leads Rare’s work to support community-led conservation of vital natural resources. Based in Manila, Rocky oversees all country teams encompassing Rare’s regenerative agriculture and coastal fisheries work. Previously, Rocky led Rare’s flagship program designed to revitalize coastal fisheries and improve livelihoods in coastal communities, building on the work she led in the Philippines. She has a background in strategic communications and marketing.

The Global Mangrove Alliance (GMA) brings together more than 100 member organizations across 40+ countries in support of its 2030 goals: to halt mangrove loss, restore half of all degraded mangroves, and double long-term protection of remaining mangrove areas. Achieving these goals requires enabling policy frameworks at every level, from local governance to international agreements. The GMA Policy Working Group (PWG) is a community of practice advancing these kinds of policies — connecting more than 40 member organizations and all 14 national chapters to facilitate exchange and learning, support the development of policy guidance and knowledge products, and drive mangrove policy uptake in both national frameworks and international processes. In late March 2026, the PWG held its first peer-learning call of the year, marking the launch of an ambitious 2026 work program and bringing together members from North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, East and West Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and international organizations working across multiple regions. For many, it was the first opportunity to meet as a group this year, and for the PWG, a meaningful step in reactivating as a collaborative platform for the year ahead. The sessions opened with a structured networking segment in which members presented their organizations, their geographic focus, and the policy work they are currently advancing. These snapshots, which have since been compiled into a shared PWG member resource, offered a vivid picture of the breadth of mangrove policy work currently underway across the Alliance, from national legislation and blue carbon strategies to community stewardship frameworks and international convention engagement . The networking segment was followed by a presentation of the PWG's 2026 work program, developed in coordination with the GMA’s other policy workstreams, including the Mangrove Breakthrough and the NDC Task Force. The program is organized around priority themes that members identified as central to their work: cross-sectoral integration, legal and governance frameworks, and financing and scaling models. Planned outputs for the year include a quarterly peer-learning call series, an update to the 2023 Mangrove Law and Policy Brief  incorporating new case studies, improvements to the GMA Policy Knowledge Hub, and a set of policy briefs addressing the upcoming Rio Convention COPs and synergies between these frameworks. The diversity of policy work presented by members was one of the most striking features of the calls. Geographically, the group spans nearly every major mangrove region in the world. In Latin America and the Caribbean , multiple organizations presented work in Ecuador around sustainable aquaculture policy and community stewardship agreements, while WWF Mexico shared progress on the GMA Mexico Chapter, working on national climate policy, legal protection, and blue carbon mainstreaming. The Ocean Foundation presented blue carbon and market development work across Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Cuba, and Rare's Coastal500 initiative has already contributed to landmark national policies in Honduras and the Philippines. In Africa , Conservation International Liberia and Nature for Mangroves (Sierra Leone) described advances in national mangrove governance and youth-led advocacy respectively.   In Asia , Wetlands International Philippines shared recent progress on a National Blue Carbon Action Plan and coastal zone management legislation, while SACIWaters described emerging policy advocacy efforts in India. In the Middle East , Goumbook's MENA Oceans Initiative is building a regional knowledge hub and developing restoration guidelines to support NDC integration across eight countries, and Landesa shared tenure reform advisory work spanning Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, and India. Across the presentations, several thematic convergences emerged, pointing to shared priorities and opportunities for collaboration. Blue carbon policy  is advancing simultaneously across multiple regions: Fauna & Flora is supporting Kenya's national blue carbon strategy, Wetlands International Philippines recently launched a National Blue Carbon Action Plan, Conservation International Liberia is working to integrate blue carbon into a national carbon market framework, and The Ocean Foundation is advancing blue carbon legislation and market development in Puerto Rico and Mexico. NDC integration  runs through the work of members across nearly every region, from Pew's science-based NDC support programs in Latin America and the Western Indian Ocean, to Wetlands International's role in the global NDC Task Force, to Goumbook's regional hub in the Middle East. Sustainable aquaculture, as a policy lever for mangrove conservation,  is featured in the work of both Conservation International and  The Nature Conservancy in Ecuador, as well as Conservation International’s work in Liberia and Landesa’s advisory work in Cambodia. Science-policy linkages  were central to presentations from Pew, Wetlands International Eastern Africa, IUCN, and New York Botanical Garden, while land tenure and community-based management  framed the work of Landesa and Nature for Mangroves. Marine and coastal spatial planning , locally-led coastal management  (Rare's Coastal500), monitoring and data for policy (Wetlands International, Fundação Florestal), and cross-sectoral integration into climate, biodiversity, and development planning (WWF Mexico, Wetlands International Philippines, IUCN) all featured prominently across presentations. The range of themes reflects both the complexity of the mangrove policy landscape and the complementarity of approaches within the group, making the PWG a well-positioned platform for cross-regional learning and the co-development of practical policy guidance. The 2026 work program is already underway. The next quarterly call, planned for Q2, will dive deeper into some of our members’ work on legal and governance frameworks at the national level. In the coming weeks, members will provide inputs, contributions, and case studies as we begin developing our planned knowledge products. If you are a GMA member working on mangrove policy and are not yet part of the Policy Working Group, we encourage you to get involved — reach out to the PWG lead, Adriana Vidal ( Adriana.vidal@iucn.org ), to learn more about how to participate and contribute to the work planned for 2026.

GMA Member INVEMAR and their partnership with coastal village. Authored by: Liseth Castillo Mahecha, Scientific Communications Professional at INVEMAR. The Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta  is Colombia’s largest coastal lagoon and one of the most productive estuarine systems in the world. It hosts the largest mangrove coverage in the Colombian Caribbean—an ecosystem that sustains both biodiversity and the livelihoods of thousands of families who depend on artisanal fishing. Recognized as a Ramsar Wetland, Biosphere Reserve, and Important Bird Area, the Ciénaga acts as a natural barrier against storms, a major blue carbon sink, and a vital source of income for local communities. In this complex landscape operates INVEMAR—the Marine and Coastal Research Institute of Colombia—a non-profit scientific institution affiliated with the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development. For more than three decades, INVEMAR has been a key authority in marine and coastal research in the country, generating scientific knowledge, providing technical guidance, and supporting environmental decision-making along Colombia’s coasts. Here, where freshwater from the Magdalena River meets the Caribbean Sea, the balance is fragile. For decades, this territory has been shaped by environmental degradation, limited state presence, and the neglect of communities that learned to live with water—building their homes on stilts, known in Colombia as ‘palafito’, and relying almost entirely on the mangrove ecosystem. Basic services remain scarce. Electricity is intermittent, access to clean water is limited, and in some areas, education is still out of reach. In a place like this, trust cannot be imposed—it must be built. INVEMAR understood this early on. It has spent more than 20 years navigating these waters, monitoring ecological change and, above all, listening to the people who call this place home. Through long-term ecological restoration projects, INVEMAR has developed processes grounded in science and community participation. One of these efforts is the project Mangrove conservation and restoration with communities of the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta , funded by the Government of Spain through the Global Mangrove Alliance. Its goal was ambitious: to restore 1,000 hectares of mangroves and contribute to the conservation of nearly 17,000 hectares more—bringing together scientific knowledge, local communities, and institutional coordination. History of village. Before mangrove restoration, there was silence. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the palafito villages of the Ciénaga Grande were caught in the crossfire of violence. In Bocas de Aracataca, armed incursions marked the lives of its inhabitants with killings, forced displacement, and a deep fracture in the social fabric. In February 2000, armed men entered the village. Families were separated, fishermen were interrogated, and several were murdered. The attack triggered the displacement of thousands, leaving the community nearly abandoned. Many never returned. Others came back years later—not because safety was guaranteed, but because of something stronger: belonging. Those who returned found a wounded territory, but one that was still alive. INVEMAR’s General Director, Francisco Arias Isaza What mangroves provide for this community. In Bocas de Aracataca, a palafito village in the southeastern part of the Ciénaga, life still follows the rhythm of water. Among channels, rivers flowing down from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, and mangrove roots, the community has built its livelihood around fishing. But that balance has been disrupted. The expansion of cattle ranching and crops such as oil palm and banana has reduced vegetation cover and altered water flows. These changes have affected water quality and weakened the mangrove ecosystem—directly impacting fish availability and local food security. One of the most visible signs of this degradation is the spread of floating aquatic plants that blanket the water’s surface. These green mats obstruct navigation, reduce oxygen levels, and make fishing increasingly difficult. When mangroves decline, it is not only biodiversity that is lost—livelihoods are at risk. Mangrove restoration through partnership. Mangrove restoration in the Ciénaga has not been imposed from the outside—it has been built collectively. Through partnerships between INVEMAR, the Global Mangrove Alliance, Mangrove Breakthrough, Conservation International, and national institutions, priority areas for restoration were identified. One of them was Caño Pancú, a key water channel for both ecological balance and fisheries. In this area, more than 38 hectares of mangroves were restored alongside the community. The work included planting 700 seedlings and rehabilitating approximately one kilometer of the channel through manual cleaning and dredging. The impact goes beyond what is visible. Mangroves in this region are estimated to store over 300 tons of carbon per hectare, most of it in their soils. When degraded, they can lose around 90 tons of carbon per hectare from aboveground biomass, contributing to climate change. Restoring them, therefore, is not only about recovering ecosystems—it is about protecting one of the most important natural carbon reserves. At the same time, workshops and field activities strengthened local capacities. Community members helped identify restoration areas, participated in on-the-ground actions, and engaged in participatory monitoring. Science was no longer external. It became part of the territory.   How partnership has changed narrative for villagers. From loss to resilience Today, the story told in the Ciénaga is different. Community participation—balanced between men and women—reflects a level of ownership that goes beyond technical intervention. In August 2025, it was the community itself that led a mangrove planting day, a sign of a relationship rebuilt from within. In a place where income opportunities have long been limited, restoration has come to mean something more than environmental action. It has become a pathway. Community members describe it clearly: this process has not only helped restore mangroves, but also created opportunities linked to caring for the territory. It has strengthened social bonds, sparked interest among young people and adults, and shown that protecting nature can also mean jobs, learning, and well-being. Today, mangroves are no longer seen only as an ecosystem. They are understood as a foundation for the future. And so, the commitment remains. Where there was once fear, there is now organization. Where there was loss, there is now the beginning of abundance. The mangrove, with its intertwined roots, is growing again. And with it, so is the community that chose to return. “We embraced mangrove restoration as a real opportunity for our territory and for our families. This process allowed us to strengthen our local capacities, especially in mangrove monitoring, the proper use of equipment, and observing changes in the ecosystem, giving us greater confidence and assurance in what we do.”, Community of Bocas de Aracataca, Puebloviejo.   Source:  Invemar. 2026. Raíces que Sanan: Historias Vivas de la Restauración del Manglar en la Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta. Serie de Publicaciones Generales N° 141. Santa Marta. 36p. (Spanish) Available at:  https://n2t.net/ark:/81239/m96m72

Law at the service of mangrove conservation and sustainable use A pioneering global study details the legal and institutional frameworks governing mangroves and proposes solutions to address gaps and weaknesses identified. Within the last few decades, scientists have raised the alert on the continuous loss of mangrove forests. It is estimated that between 1980 and 2000, 35% of mangroves worldwide disappeared. This trend has not reversed and mangroves continue to face dramatic losses which is all the more alarming because mangroves provide essential services. For instance, they play a crucial role as coastal protection and carbon sinks in the battle against climate change thanks to their location between land and sea and high carbon storage capacity, 3-5 times higher than that of upland tropical forests. They also provide habitat to support fisheries, as well as fuel and construction material, fundamental to the livelihoods of over 120 million people coastal communities across the globe. To address these challenges, Save Our Mangroves Now! , an initiative by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), WWF and IUCN, through the IUCN Environmental Law Centre worked with lawyers from seven countries to develop a comprehensive study detailing the legal and institutional frameworks affecting mangroves, and their impact on stakeholders’ behaviour and the natural environment . The study draws on detailed governance assessments in Costa Rica, Vietnam, Madagascar, Pakistan, Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique, as well as legislative reviews in Mexico and India and a global desk study. It goes beyond legal analysis to include social, political, economic and scientific information from surveys and interviews with government officials, community members, scientists, lawyers and civil society. Additionally, the study was enriched by workshops conducted in four countries of the Western Indian Ocean region: Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and Madagascar . Due to the position of mangroves at the intersection of land and water, the legal framework governing mangroves is highly fragmented. It is only on rare occasions that legislation specially dedicated to mangrove management exists. On most occasions, mangroves are indirectly defined and governed by forest, fisheries, wetlands laws or other legal tools focused on specific areas. These provisions can be adequate but the study shows they must be harmonized and their application to mangroves clarified for the legal framework to be effective. This situation can create confusion at the institutional level as several institutions with overlapping mandates may be responsible for mangroves, but lack capacity and coordination, leading to mismanagement and lack of implementation. © Antonio Busiello/WWF-US In the vast majority of cases, mangroves cannot be privately owned by households or communities, but decisions relating to this ecosystem deeply affects their livelihoods. For example, when local communities rely on the cutting of mangrove trees for fuel or construction poles, a general ban on mangrove logging or use can deprive them of their main source of subsistence, thus, generating conflict. In the absence of alternative livelihoods, such provisions are close to impossible to enforce. It is therefore important to consult and engage local communities. Numerous studies and experiences demonstrate the potential of co-management mechanisms where local communities are involved in management activities and benefit from the sustainable use of natural resources, such as mangroves. However, setting up these mechanisms requires certain enabling conditions to be in place. The results of this study generated ten recommendations for policymakers to improve mangrove management and governance and suggests tools to implement these proposals. The study found that successful mangrove governance depends on: Institutional capacity to ensure legal enforcement; Proper communication and coordination between the different agencies in charge; The level of engagement and involvement of other stakeholders such as local communities, the private sector and the general public; Ensuring accountability and public participation in decision making on investment, development, resource management and conservation, and Decisions based on science and accurate data. These findings will be disseminated to decision makers and the public in order to enlighten decisions, strategies and actions. Meanwhile, Save Our Mangroves Now! will continue to promote and support ambitious and effective policies and commitments at the national and internationa l levels to enable conservation of mangroves, one of our planet’s most valuable and threatened resources. Resources: Download the report here. Download the Executive Summary Policy Briefs: Madagascar Translation Kenya Brief Tanzania Brief Mozambique Brief

International Day of Forests Lanie Esch & Dominic Andradi-Brown, Oceans Conservation, World Wildlife Fund Mangrove forests sit at the frontline of the biodiversity and climate crises. These remarkable coastal ecosystems provide services worth up to US$ 800 billion  per year as they protect shorelines from storms, store immense amounts of carbon, support fisheries, and provide benefits for millions of people. Despite their value, mangroves continue to disappear in many parts of the world. For decades, conservation efforts have tried to halt mangrove loss. While progress has been made, the scale of action has not kept pace with the scale of the challenge. Many industries operating along tropical coasts—from aquaculture to tourism—have often been drivers of mangrove loss. But this is beginning to change. Across the world, businesses are recognizing that healthy mangrove ecosystems reduce risks to their operations and the places and communities their operations depend on while also improving resilience of their coastal economies. As financial institutions increasingly show interest in nature-positive investments , the opportunity is growing for businesses to become powerful contributors to mangrove recovery. This shift in private-sector perspectives is captured in a new concept gaining traction globally: mangrove-positive action. What Does “Mangrove-Positive” Mean? WWF  recently convened partners from across the Global Mangrove Alliance and the Mangrove Breakthrough  to develop shared definitions of what mangrove-positive means and what it means to be a mangrove-positive business contributor. The resulting definitions are intended to align with the broader nature-positive movement , which seeks to halt and reverse nature loss. Mangrove-positive Defined Mangrove-positive  is a global goal to halt and reverse mangrove loss measured from a 2020 baseline by increasing mangrove protection, restoration, and sustainable management while transforming systems that drive mangrove loss. By 2030 Mangrove forests should be visibly and measurably on the path to recovery. By 2050 Mangrove ecosystems should have recovered, delivering meaningful benefits for nature, people, and the economy. Bending the Curve of Mangrove Loss: A mangrove-positive goal to halt and reverse mangrove loss measured from a 2020 baseline. Achieving this goal will require far more than traditional conservation and restoration projects. It will require actions from sectors that interact with mangroves every day — from seafood supply chains and coastal tourism to infrastructure development and finance.   How Can a Business Contribute to the Mangrove-Positive Goal? Businesses can play a critical role in shaping the future of coastal ecosystems. A mangrove-positive business contributor  is one that derives value from mangrove ecosystems, including from the protections mangroves provide, and actively channels funding or supports management practices towards mangrove conservation and restoration. Many mangrove-positive business contributors may not operate directly within mangrove landscapes, but have activities that influence, depend on, or benefit from mangrove ecosystems. Mangrove-Positive Business Contributor Definition A business that contributes to the mangrove-positive goal is one that (i) does not contribute to mangrove loss while (ii) sustainably deriving value from, depending on, and/or benefiting from the functions of mangrove ecosystems, and   (iii)   channels finance and/or practices toward mangrove conservation and restoration. These businesses include but are not limited to those in coastal agriculture and aquaculture, sustainable resource use, blue carbon, infrastructure, hospitality and tourism, as well as other downstream actors. Sectors with Mangrove-Positive Potential Many industries have the potential to contribute to mangrove recovery, including: Coastal aquaculture and fisheries Agriculture in coastal landscapes Blue carbon and climate finance Tourism and hospitality Coastal infrastructure and development Seafood and commodity supply chains To help mobilize mangrove-positive contributors, the Mangrove Breakthrough has released a series of Mangrove Finance Handbooks designed to guide microfinance institutions,   project developers,  and financial institutions  in supporting mangrove-positive investments. But what does this look like in practice? A Community-Led Mud Crab Fishery Improvement Program Member of the crab fishing cooperative in Kei Kecil, Indonesia searching for mud crabs in the mangroves. (© James Morgan / WWF-US) A mangrove-positive fishery can be built through a community-led approach that balances sustainable harvesting with ecosystem protection. In Southeast Maluku, WWF-Indonesia and partners launched the Fishery Improvement Program for sustainable management of mud crab stocks – a fishery worth up to US$ 1,400 per month for the local fishing community. The Program implemented a minimum catch size, protections for egg-bearing crabs, closed spawning locations to fishing, and a training program teaching local fishers to use traditional bamboo traps – a method with low impact on the surrounding mangrove ecosystem. To ensure compliance with the improvement program, a community-based monitoring group was established to track resource use. These combined efforts help maintain healthy crab populations while protecting the mangrove ecosystems they depend on. The result is a model of community-based fisheries management in which the very base of the mud crab supply chain aligns with mangrove-positive action  —rooted in conserving mangrove habitat, regenerative harvesting practices, and local stewardship that sustains both biodiversity and livelihoods over the long term. Belize: Encouraging Mangrove-Friendly Businesses Naia Resort and Spa – Second place winners of the Aesthetics and Creativity category in the 2025 Mangrove Friendly Development Challenge. This business prioritizes minimizing environmental impact when building new infrastructure on their property, integrating nature into every guest’s experience. (© WWF-Belize) Across the Caribbean, Belize is home to some of the region’s most important mangrove ecosystems. These forests protect coastal communities, support fisheries, and help sustain the country’s thriving tourism industry. WWF is supporting the Belize Mangrove Friendly Development Challenge , an initiative designed to encourage individuals, organizations, and businesses to adopt practices that enhance and preserve mangrove ecosystems. The Challenge works with coastal business entities—including tourism operators, developers, and local enterprises—to recognize and promote mangrove-friendly practices such as: Protecting existing mangrove habitat Supporting restoration projects Reducing coastal impacts from development Showcasing sustainable development designs within mangrove landscapes Educating visitors about the value of mangroves The Mangrove Friendly Development Challenge is a celebration of innovation, collaboration, and a shared commitment to safeguarding mangrove ecosystems. By recognizing businesses that actively conserve mangroves, the initiative helps demonstrate that economic success and ecosystem conservation can go hand in hand . Mobilizing from Local Action to Global Impact From sustainable fisheries in Indonesia to mangrove-friendly businesses in Belize, these initiatives illustrate a broader shift in how mangroves are valued. Rather than seeing economic activity and conservation as competing goals, mangrove-positive approaches recognize that healthy ecosystems are the foundation of resilient coastal economies. Scaling solutions that contribute to mangrove-positive outcomes will be essential to achieving the global goal of halting and reversing mangrove loss. With the right partnerships, investments, and policies in place, mangrove-positive action can help conserve coastal ecosystems while supporting the long-term resilience of the communities and industries that depend on them. Because protecting mangroves is not just about conserving forests. It is about building stronger coastlines, thriving livelihoods, and a resilient future for people and nature alike.

At dawn in Kwale, as rangers prepare to head into the mangrove creeks, their most powerful tool is no longer just a boat or a pair of binoculars—it is a satellite alert. In Kenya, where more than 800,000 coastal fishers depend on healthy mangroves, knowing exactly where change in mangrove cover is happening can mean the difference between timely protection and irreversible loss. That is why Wetlands International is investing in training rangers, forest managers and decision-makers in Kenya on the Global Mangrove Watch, equipping those closest to the mangroves with the skills to turn near-real-time data into rapid action on the ground. Along Kenya’s 1,420km long coastline, mangroves are protectors and providers. Covering about 54,000 hectares, these ecosystems protect the country from tropical storms, sea level rise, and shoreline erosion. They are also home to a variety of fish, birds, reptiles, and terrestrial animals like sawfish, crab plovers, crocodiles and baboons. Mangroves are efficient carbon stores, and it is estimated that Kenya’s mangroves are potentially sequestering 2-3% of its total annual fossil fuel emissions, making them crucial to mitigating climate change. Kenya’s mangroves are also critical to its people. They contribute approximately USD 85 million to the national economy. More than 85% of fishing activities along the coast are carried out by artisanal fishermen in the shallows of mangroves. Mangroves have been integral to Kenyan Indigenous coastal livelihoods for generations, playing diverse and significant roles that are deeply ingrained in local culture. Global Mangrove Watch training in Kwale, Kenya @Wetlands International Unfortunately, mangroves have been degraded and lost throughout the country primarily because of urban development, exploitation of wood resources, land clearance for salt production, oil spills, and port development. The good news is that Kenya has a relatively high mangrove restoration potential with at least 3,300 ha available for restoration, particularly in the Kwale District. But restoration and conservation efforts rely on good data. For many years, Wetlands International and its partners from the Save our Mangroves Now project have been spearheading the use of Global Mangrove Watch for quality information about mangrove extent in East Africa. With its high-resolution planetary imagery, the platform offers a detailed view of mangrove changes in near-real time. Our goal is to reduce patrol costs. By verifying alerts online before dispatching teams to the field, Global Mangrove Watch enables rapid action to threats such as illegal logging, conversion to other land uses or to pinpoint other causes of local mangrove die back, for example upstream, coastal erosion or storm damage. Edmund Kuto, Wetlands International, giving a Global Mangrove Watch training In November 2025, we held a training for 25 people: 15 rangers (2 from Kenya Wildlife Service and 13 from Kenya Forest Service), 5 forest managers, and 5 managers from KFS headquarters. These participants strengthened their skills in detecting, interpreting, and responding to Global Mangrove Watch disturbance alerts. Led by the Wetlands International Eastern Africa office, the training empowered participants to trace alert locations, ground-truth changes and capture accurate field information, enabling faster, more informed protection of Kenya’s mangrove ecosystems. The training also covered other tools like Kobo Collect, Survey123, forest patrol and crime reporting, GIS basics, mobile GIS, use of MAPS.ME, data upload and visualization, and a field visit to Kongo River, Diani, for hands-on practice. Global Mangrove Watch training participants in Kwale @Wetlands International This training was part of a series of sessions to support local authorities, conservation agencies, and community patrol groups to monitor mangroves. We have also been working with the Kenya Forest Service to identify 93.2 hectares of potential restoration sites in Lamu. We’ve implemented a number of small-scale restoration measures to demonstrate our capability and credibility, providing a basis for upscaling with local partners. And we jointly opened a mangrove alert command center in Lamu . As we continue strengthening digital monitoring, we call on partners, communities, and conservation actors to use Global Mangrove Watch (especially its alert functionality) to support faster action and safeguard our mangroves. Together we can turn data into real protection on the ground. The Global Mangrove Watch training in Kwale was delivered through the Save Our Mangroves Now! Programme

By Irene Kingma, Wetlands International Today is World Wildlife Day, an ideal time to reflect on the interconnectedness of wetland ecosystems and the species they support. Among the most fascinating relationships in nature is the one between mangroves and sharks. You might think sharks are only present in the open ocean where they travel vast distances to hunt their prey. However, when sharks are young, they depend on sheltered coastal habitats to grow up.  Globally, 13% of all marine megafauna use vegetated coastal wetlands, and hundreds of sharks and closely associated ray species depend on vegetated coastal wetlands for vulnerable life stages.  One of the most important services that mangroves provide to sharks and rays is as a nursery. Shark species such as the Blacktip Reef Shark, Bull Shark, Lemon Shark, as well as enigmatic ray species such as guitarfishes and critically endangered sawfishes thrive in mangrove forests in their early stages of life. The shallow, protected waters of mangrove forests, found in tropical and subtropical regions, provide a safe haven for young sharks and other marine life, away from larger predators, offering a place where sharks can develop until they are strong enough to venture into the open ocean.    Bluespotted ribbontail ray in the mangroves, Mission Beach, Australia @ Matt Curnock / Ocean Image Bank Mangroves, as well as seagrass meadows, also serve as feeding grounds, with abundant fish, crustaceans, and other small marine life thriving in these nutrient-rich environments. For young sharks and rays, these abundant food sources are vital for their growth and survival. Without healthy mangrove habitats, many shark populations would struggle to maintain their numbers. This impacts the wider marine ecosystem as sharks play a crucial role in controlling the populations of other species and balancing the marine food web.  The small island of  Bimini in the Bahamas  is probably home to the most studied mangrove system with sharks. Every spring, pregnant lemon shark females arrive at Bimini to give birth to their pups near the mangroves and seagrass beds of the island. The lemon sharks are very attached to their specific place of birth. Research shows that when newborn lemon sharks are displaced from their natural habitat, their so-called  homing behavior  kicks in, and the small sharks find their way back to the exact mangrove area where they were born. This even applies when the sharks are displaced to nearby islands with similar suitable habitats. Even after they grow older and leave the mangroves to explore other places, when it is time to pup themselves, they always come back to the same spot.   Bluespotted ribbontail ray in the mangroves, Mission Beach, Australia @ Matt Curnock / Ocean Image Bank    Mangrove and shark conservation goes hand in hand   The problem is that we’re losing mangroves rapidly. Mangroves are threatened by coastal development, pollution, and climate change. On Bimini, a decline in survival of young lemon sharks has been correlated to developments on the island,  causing a 23% decline in first-year survival of the young sharks . In many coastal areas shark and ray populations are also declining due to unsustainable fishing pressure. As we celebrate Wildlife Day, it’s crucial to remember that protection of mangroves and sharks go hand in hand. By preserving mangrove ecosystems, we can both protect the mangroves and help ensure the survival of sharks and countless other species that depend on them.  Wetlands International works in targeted places where high rates of mangrove loss intersect with threatened megafauna. For Example, the Lamu Archipelago is Kenya has been classified by the IUCN as a vital nursery area for the Blue spotted Lagoon Ray ,  as well as important habitat for the critically endangered Halavi Guitarfish and several other  endangered shark and ray species . We are working in this region with local communities on restoring lost mangrove habitat in our Mangrove Capital Africa program.    As part of Wetlands International’s new global strategy, we will increase our work on swim ways, which are migration pathways for fish and marine animals in which coastal wetlands form a vital stepping stone. Many of our priority landscapes, such as the Lana archipelago mentioned above, provide an essential role in the life of migratory shark species and we will continue prioritize safeguarding them.    Check out below resources for more!  Video from Bimini Shark Lab , explaining mature female lemon sharks returning to Bimini to drop their pups in the mangroves that surround the island.    Important Shark and Ray areas by the IUCN shark specialist group: https://sharkrayareas.org/   This blog was also published on https://www.wetlands.org/blog/mangroves-and-sharks-a-vital-connection-for-world-wildlife-day/ . United Nations World Wildlife Day  (WWD) is celebrated every year on 3 March to celebrate wild animals and plants and recognize the unique roles and contributions of wildlife to people and the planet.  Banner picture: Citrus Serenity @ Olivier Clement / Ocean Image Bank More information: Irene Kingma, Wetlands International Irene.Kingma @ wetlands.org

When you think of mangrove conservation, you might picture muddy roots, winding rivers, and field boots — not satellite dashboards. But for the Indonesia chapter of the Global Mangrove Alliance (GMA), the work to protect these ecosystems starts with pixels and data layers. Together, the organizations involved contribute to scaling mangrove conservation and restoration in Indonesia, the opportunities for which are summarized in the Mobilizing the Mangrove Breakthrough in Indonesia report . Indonesia hosts the largest and most diverse mangrove ecosystem . Spanning 2.95 million hectares, they constitute more than 20% of the world’s remaining mangroves . While some areas are still relatively intact, mangroves in densely populated regions such as Java and Bali have been severely degraded. For a nation of islands, mangroves provide essential services, including coastal protection , carbon sequestration, livelihoods, and support for fisheries and other coastal and marine life, all of which directly contribute to social, economic, and environmental well-being. These ecosystems have historically supported key industries such as fisheries, aquaculture, and tourism. However, more than half of Indonesia’s mangrove forests are already degraded. Conversion of mangrove areas for agriculture and aquaculture, forestry plantations, industrial activities, and urban expansion has come at a considerable ecological cost. Widespread mangrove deforestation and degradation have severely undermined these ecosystems’ ability to provide services, threatening not only their ecological integrity but also the substantial economic and social benefits they offer. 60% of Indonesia’s population lives in coastal areas and it is estimated that mangroves contribute USD 1.5billion annually to the Indonesian economy from fisheries alone, making it critical to conserve and restore these habitats. Fortunately, mangrove rehabilitation is a national priority, and organizations working cooperatively – like the Global Mangrove Alliance – are making significant progress. But effective mangrove protection requires accurate and up-to-date spatial data to prioritize actions and monitor progress. This is where Global Mangrove Watch (GMW) comes in, an online platform that provides the remote sensing data and tools for monitoring mangroves necessary for this. It gives universal access to near real-time information on where and what changes there are to mangroves across the world. Mangrove Watch: near real-time monitoring at everyone’s fingertips For Topik Hidayat , a Blue Carbon Analyst at The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Indonesia: Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara, Global Mangrove Watch has transformed how his team identifies both threats and opportunities. “We analyze mangrove restoration potential and deforestation trends year by year,” he explains. “One of the platform’s tools used extensively for patrols by communities is the Mangrove Loss Alerts. It detects in real time areas that are experiencing significant mangrove losses, and we can verify these alerts on the ground.” Topik’s team has trained local communities in several sites to interpret and act on these alerts, including in Bengkalis (Riau Province), Ogan Komering Ilir (South Sumatra Province), Berau (East Kalimantan Province) and Bangka (Belitung Province). The same data powers national-scale work too. “We also use the blue carbon feature of Global Mangrove Watch for feasibility studies,” Topik adds. “A combination of the various layers in the tool helps us assess which sites have the potential for carbon projects throughout Indonesia.” Aji Nuralam , Technical Officer Rehabilitation at Wetlands International Indonesia , adds: “Right now, we use Global Mangrove Watch mainly for preliminary assessments — to identify where rehabilitation and protection should happen. Then we verify the data using local measurements and community input.” Several Global Mangrove Alliance Indonesia members remember what monitoring used to look like before Global Mangrove Watch. Muhammad Miftahul Bayyan , a Remote Sensing Specialist at TNC Indonesia, recalls the painstaking process: “We used to download satellite data manually from Google Earth Engine and other sources, year by year, and analyze it ourselves. It took a lot of time to draw comparisons to past data. But with Global Mangrove Watch, we can easily see deforestation rates from 1990 to today. It’s so much faster to use this with national data sets to analyze mangrove cover.” Arsen Makomi , a GIS and Data Analyst at Konservasi Indonesia (Conservation International), adds that Global Mangrove Watch made carbon analysis in particular more consistent: “Before, we had to compile mangrove biomass and soil carbon data from different sources. Now, we can use globally consistent datasets. It’s really helpful for monitoring and preliminary studies.” As much as Global Mangrove Watch has empowered their work, Indonesia’s mangrove practitioners have ideas for making it even more effective. Topik hopes for a mobile and offline version that communities can use in the field. “We often combine Global Mangrove Watch with Global Forest Watch, which can be used offline and on a mobile app,” he explains. “If Global Mangrove Watch had that too, it would be very powerful.” Additionally, he and Aji use the Mangrove Restoration Tracker Tool but wish for an improvement in terminology used and for MRTT to regularly track monitoring data. “Right now, the restoration potential layer is quite large-scale,” says Aji. “If we could refine it for site-level use, it would help us plan projects more precisely.” This is important because the Indonesian government is very keen to know which areas have restoration potential. Arsen adds one final wish: “It would be great if more of the data could be downloaded for deeper GIS analysis.” Even as the teams juggle field realities, their shared enthusiasm for Global Mangrove Watch is unmistakable. Together, they’ve learned to blend global datasets with local knowledge — something that’s becoming a hallmark of Indonesia’s approach to mangrove conservation and restoration. Global Mangrove Watch is a model for how data-driven tools can power real-world conservation.

The International Day for the Conservation of Mangrove Ecosystems, adopted by UNESCO in 2015, is an important commemorative day, not only to recognize the incredible benefits that mangroves provide wildlife and humanity, but also to learn about the coastal trees and better understand their full value. The  Global Mangrove Alliance  is proud to be connecting knowledge and supporting tools required to integrate mangroves and their ecosystem services into mitigation, adaptation, disaster risk reduction and land-use strategies with community and national leaders. A variety of tools and resources are available in our  Knowledge Hub  and are added to regularly. This mangrove day, take a look through the  Global Mangrove Watch  evidence base, read about The State of the World’s Mangroves– globally  and in the  Western Indian Ocean Region –or look through a variety of  principles and manuals  for restoration and management success. The latest updates from our Alliance are below and you can stay connected with news on  Twitter ,  Facebook , and  LinkedIn  to learn about additional projects, international events, and more. If you are part of an organization that is interested in joining the Alliance and getting advanced knowledge and access to data tools, you can find all the information you need  here . Happy International Day for the Conservation of Mangrove Ecosystems! © Jason Houston / WWF-US

Mayors from critical mangrove countries send an urgent message to the international community to prioritize and invest in grassroots efforts to protect and restore mangrove forests. While the global narrative around the value of mangroves has centered on their ability to store carbon, for coastal communities like ours, they represent so much more. These extraordinary ecosystems underpin the livelihoods, food security, cultural practices, and climate resilience of millions across the globe. For us, mangroves and associated coastal ecosystems serve as our first line of defense against climate hazards and rising seas, shielding our communities from increasingly powerful and frequent hurricanes and typhoons and protecting us against coastal erosion. They serve as nurseries and habitats for diverse creatures, from crabs to oysters, being critical sources of food and protein for our people and income for our fishers and harvesters. They fuel our local economies, bringing revenue and jobs through tourism, fisheries, and businesses. For us, mangroves and coastal ecosystems are our lifeline, and we must protect them.  Despite their proven value, mangrove protection and restoration remain underfunded and underleveraged. Mayor Alfredo Coro II, Del Carmen, Philippines “When super typhoon Odette (Intl: Rai) and the pandemic struck our municipality in 2021, our efforts for a decade of rehabilitating and preserving our mangrove ecosystems allowed us to prepare for a four-hour super storm, provided a stable food source and the inspiration to be resilient. This led to minimal loss of lives and property and a strong sense of hope. In protecting our mangrove forest, the mangroves protected us back.” Mayor Alfredo Coro II, Del Carmen, Philippines  Mayor Hamilton Brito, Curuçá, Pará, Brazil “Brazil has the largest continuous belt of mangroves in the world — and they sustain our lives, our economy and our culture. We increasingly need partnerships and alternative financing to protect the mangroves and ensure the future of our communities.” Mayor Hamilton Brito, Curuçá, Pará, Brazil As local leaders and members of Coastal 500 we urge the global community to invest in local action that safeguards mangroves and unlocks their immense potential. The tropical, highly biodiverse coastal communities we represent are some of the most climate-vulnerable on the planet, and many are small, rural, poor, and heavily reliant on nature for their livelihoods, food security, and wellbeing. Our countries have some of the highest mangrove coverage on the planet, including Indonesia, Brazil, the Philippines & Mozambique. Mayor Juan Ramon Manaiza, Limón, Honduras “Coastal 500 brings local leaders together to learn from and inspire one another. What we’ve learned from leaders in the Philippines triggered a movement for coastal protection in Honduras. And Honduras now hopes to do the same for others. This network has demonstrated the impact of collective action in safeguarding our future.” Mayor Juan Ramon Manaiza, Limón, Honduras Call to Action We urge the international community, governments, businesses, and philanthropic organizations to prioritize grassroots and bottom-up efforts in protecting and restoring our mangrove forests.    Local leaders are critical changemakers and environmental stewards. Global and national marine conservation and climate targets will never be met without our engagement, commitment and action. Financing must reach frontline communities and local governments, efforts must actively include local communities in the design and implementation of mangrove projects, and access to knowledge, data and best practices must be made accessible to strengthen local adaptation capacity.     We’re already witnessing the power of this approach in our own communities.     In Brazil, Amazonian municipalities are working with local community groups to protect mangroves and ensure communities capture wealth from mangrove-positive bioeconomy businesses.  In the Philippines, locally led efforts to protect and sustainably use mangrove forests and coastal waters are sustaining livelihoods for 1.9 million fishers, while shielding hundreds of frontline communities from the impacts of worsening storms.  In Honduras, mangrove-rich municipalities are leading collaborative projects to restore mangrove forests across their wetlands, helping protect at least 45% of finfish catches for fishers in the area.   We need more efforts like these across the globe.  We celebrate global policymakers convening around The Mangrove Breakthrough and the initiative’s bold plan to mobilize $4 billion to protect and restore 15 million hectares of mangroves by 2030. We welcome the guiding principles of the Breakthrough on empowering people and working in local contexts with best information and practices, as we know this is critical to success.      By bridging global policy ambitions with on-the-ground action, we can leverage mangroves as the gifts they are. Let us act boldly, and locally, to protect them—for our planet, our people, and our future.    Authored by Mayor Alfredo Coro II, Mayor Hamilton Brito and Mayor Juan Ramon Manaiza on behalf of the Coastal 500 network. Learn more about Coastal 500 .    Alfredo Coro II has served as the Mayor of Del Carmen, Siargao Islands, in Philippines since 2010, leading transformative efforts to restore its mangrove forests and earning recognition on the UN Ramsar List. His work has resulted in improvements in health service delivery, education, sustainable fisheries management, community-based tourism development, and enhanced resilience. He is an active advocate for ocean conservation on local, national, and global platforms. Mayor Coro could speak to how his municipality has successfully leveraged mangrove restoration and marine protection as a nature-based solution for coastal resilience and climate adaptation. Under his leadership, Del Carmen’s mangrove forests have become globally recognized for their ecological and economic impact, protecting communities from storm surges while supporting sustainable livelihoods    Hamilton Brito has been the Mayor of Curuçá, Pará, Brazil since January 2025, leading initiatives to protect and restore the region’s unique coastal and mangrove ecosystems. Curuçá, nestled in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon coast, is part of the world’s largest continuous mangrove belt and supports traditional livelihoods such as fishing, agriculture, and extractive activities. Mayor Brito’s administration is part of the shared management of the RESEX (Extractive Reserve) and contributed to the development of the reserve’s Management Plan, and the municipality is also home to the largest oyster production in the state. Brito has also prioritized the local economy of rural and coastal workers—especially artisanal fishermen—through investments in public infrastructure, awareness campaigns, and fish fairs. His administration has bolstered mangrove restoration efforts and launched Curuçá’s first Municipal Coastal Management Policy to strengthen long-term climate resilience.     Juan Ramon Manaiza has served as Mayor of Limón, Honduras since 2022, championing sustainable coastal governance and social development. He has made significant strides in improving local infrastructure, education, and healthcare, while also advancing marine protection for the region’s coastal waters. Afro-Honduran small-scale fishers in Limon have long struggled with the impacts of industrial bottom trawling, threatening their food security and livelihoods. Through Mayor Manaiza Tovar’s leadership, community-led protection of these waters has gained traction, resulting in the establishment of new marine reserves, more sustainable use, and better outcomes for fishers, included strengthened food security. His administration continues to prioritize inclusive, sustainable ocean management to support both environmental recovery and the prosperity of coastal communities.   Coastal 500 members in the Philippines pledge to sustain & support coastal communities in their municipalities. (From left to right) Vice Mayor Dodong Dolar of Santa Monica, Mayor Alfredo Coro Jr of Del Carmen, Mayor Gina Menil of San Benito, Mayor Angie Arcena of Burgos, Mayor Liza Ressurreccion of Pilar, Vice Mayor Gerry Abejo of Dapa, Municipal Legislator Rolando S. Bagaipo of San Isidro, Councilor Bingle Silvosa of General Luna. Location: Siargao, Philippines. Photo Credit: Rare.

Combinando iniciativas locales y nacionales para incrementar la eficiencia en la ecorregión. Desarrollo de una estrategia para la conservación y el manejo de los manglares en la ecorregión del Sistema Arrecifal Mesoamericano. Un enfoque participativo dirigido por MAR Fund y el Instituto Smithsonian. Escrito por María José González (MAR Fund) y Steven Canty (Instituto Smithsonian) summary in English. La “Estrategia Regional de Manejo, Conservación, Restauración y Monitoreo de Manglares en el Arrecife Mesoamericano. 2020-2025” es una plataforma de referencia para las acciones compartidas en los cuatro países que integran la ecorregión del Sistema Arrecifal Mesoamericano (SAM), México, Belice, Guatemala y Honduras. Estas acciones, coordinadas y acordadas entre diferentes actores claves de la región, permitirán alcanzar metas de conservación realistas y efectivas. Un marco estratégico de trabajo promueve las acciones coordinadas y colaborativas en la ecorregión del SAM. Los objetivos específicos de la estrategia son los siguientes: “ Manejar, conservar, restaurar y monitorear el ecosistema manglar en la ecorregión del SAM”. “Promover medios de vida sostenibles que reduzcan la presión sobre el ecosistema manglar”. © María José Gonzalez / MAR Fund “Promover la implementación efectiva de los marcos legales que protejan el ecosistema manglar por medio del fortalecimiento institucional y de actores claves ”. “ Fortalecer la gobernanza y la participación efectiva de todos los sectores que están vinculados con el ecosistema manglar en la ecorregión del SAM”. “Desarrollar un sistema de manejo de conocimiento, monitoreo y vigilancia del ecosistema manglar que alimente los procesos de toma de decisiones de los actores en la región”. “Asegurar los recursos financieros para la implementación de la estrategia, que incluyan los instrumentos que promuevan la equidad y la multiculturalidad en la ecorregión del SAM”. La estrategia está disponible en inglés y en español .