Let’s Learn About Mangroves

Every year on July 26, we celebrate the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem. Our Kvaroy team of parents and ocean protectors believes this is a great opportunity to tell our children about the incredible environmental powers of the mangroves.

Raising awareness on the importance of mangroves as a unique, special and vulnerable ecosystem is crucial. Here are some of the reasons why!

What are mangroves?

Growing very close together in thick clusters in areas around seashores and riverbanks, mangroves are trees and bushes that can be short or up to 130 feet (40 meters) tall. They also have a thick tangle of roots that stick up together through the mud.

The leaves of mangroves are typically green and their surface may be fuzzy or waxy. During the spring and early summer months, mangroves blossom with clusters of white to pale yellow flowers.

Where are mangroves found?

With more than 60 types, mangroves can be found in parts of Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Americas. It’s interesting to notice that mangroves have the ability to grow and thrive in specific places where very few other trees can.

For example, mangroves can grow in salty water because they are able to filter out the salt. What’s more, they can stand in soft, wet soil because of their strong roots.

What role do mangroves play in protecting our environment?

One of the most interesting parts of mangroves are their root systems, which are super strong and serve as a natural protection against dirt and sand washing away from the coastline. Their solid and complex roots also act as a natural barrier that protects coastal communities and landscapes from extreme weather events, like hurricanes.

How do mangroves help climate change?

Mangroves also benefit our planet and the climate by absorbing and storing carbon, which is usually kept in the muddy soil that mangroves live in. Beneath these trees, there’s a huge amount of carbon stored! Climate scientists calculate that it’s up to four times more than the amount of carbon stored by other tropical forests.

It’s clear these coastal mangroves forests are really valuable to people and the planet and they should be protected and restored.