Mangrove Forests

Mangrove Forests | The world’s protector against climate change

[2021]

The Living Ocean Foundation's mangrove education and restoration programs in Jamaica and The Bahamas are profiled in the Winter 2020 issue of Saving Earth Magazine.

by Jan Lee
Saving Earth Magazine
Winter 2020 Issue

“From the tropical bays of Indonesia to the embattled intertidal shorelines of the disappearing Amazon, mangroves were once emblematic of an ecosystem that could adapt its survival to just about any crisis. Their broad, leafy trunks and complex root systems gave them the ability to survive in conditions that most terrestrial plant systems cannot endure: the brackish waters and muddy coastlines that frame the world’s densest tropical regions. Their adaptability also made them one of the most prolific ecosystems in the world. Mangroves can still be found on almost every continent on Earth.

Today however, the mangroves are in decline. Half of the world’s mangrove forests have disappeared in the last half century, driven chiefly by human expansion in commercial development. Just as concerning, tropical and subtropical regions have seen a staggering loss of the wildlife that depend upon mangroves for survival. The Bengal tiger, pygmy three-toed sloth, mangrove finch and roughnose Stingray are all examples of endangered species that rely upon this ecosystem.”

Read the full story in SAVING EARTH MAGAZINE on pg.46:

From Mangrove Mud to Meaningful Work: Desta’s J.A.M.I.N. Journey

Some students I remember for their grades, their quick answers, or a moment that made the whole class laugh. Others I remember for the way they stepped into the mangroves.

Desta was the kind of student who thrived outdoors. While some students hesitated at the edge of the mud, he walked right in. And when he inevitably got stuck — because everyone does — he didn’t get frustrated. He laughed. Covered in mud, holding mangrove propagules in his hands, he embraced the experience fully.

Even then, it was clear that he was connecting with the environment in a way that went beyond the lesson plan…

From Students to Stewards: A Full-Circle Moment for J.A.M.I.N.

There are certain faces you never forget.

Over the years, hundreds of students have stepped into mangrove forests with us through the Jamaica Awareness of Mangroves in Nature (J.A.M.I.N.) program. I may not always remember every name, but I remember the expressions — the hesitation before stepping into thick mud, the laughter when someone loses a shoe, the look of surprise when they catch that unmistakable sulfur smell rising from the mangrove soil…