The Future of Mangroves

As the importance of mangroves becomes understood, how they help keep the coastline, provide for subsistence farming such as fisheries, can be used for timber, etc.  Governments have started restoration programs committed to use mangroves more sustainably.  Many regions that have been clear cut have become wastelands that cannot recover on their own.

In the past, attempts at restoring mangroves have been made for eco-tourism, integrated fish culture, and reducing soil erosion.  However, not all of these tries have been successful.  Sometimes the environment has been changed so much, such as the salinity of soil, that replanting trees is not possible.  Although impact from humans accounts for much of the destruction of mangroves, they have also been harmed by natural disasters  In order to restore a mangrove, soil stability, flooding regime, salinity, tidal energy, and fresh water runoff must all be considered.  What species are selected to repopulate, depending on their normal growing conditions, also influence whether or not restoration will be a success or not.

Two methods of restoration that have been used are natural regeneration and artificial regeneration.

Natural regeneration is the best way if the soil erosion in the location is not too bad.  In this method, propagules are dropped from neighboring trees, are not washed away by the waters, and are able to grow there on their own.

When the propagules cannot stick in the soil and regrow, artificial regeneration must be used, where propagules and saplings are hand-planted.  Transplanted propagules and saplings have been found to have a very high success rate of regrowing due to this method.


Increased awareness about the importance of mangroves has played a big part in its regeneration.  Although there have been mixed successes with restoration projects, I think as more research is done on what species to plant, what techniques to use, such as natural or artificial regeneration, and what conditions are optimal, the results will become more positive.  There are also many groups out there that have created guidelines on how to keep mangroves sustainable, including: creating a buffer zone between mangroves and industry or housing areas, banning pond aquaculture, establishing pollution controls, etc.  Also, because mangroves are a source of income, governments have more incentive to protect them.