Although once thought of as useless wastelands, careful study and research has revealed that mangroves are among the most important ecosystems on this planet. Valued for anchoring coastal ecosystems as well as providing economic and ecosystem services to humans, mangrove forests are true treasures.
Although many human activities have caused significant deforestation (we have already lost over half the original mangrove cover) and degradation of mangroves, it’s not all bad news. Many are acting to reverse this decline with various methods of mangrove restoration; not all of them prove successful however.
The Mangrove Action Project CBEMR Method prioritizes the restoration of the natural hydrology of disturbed areas with a focus on local community participation. De-emphasizing capital and labor intensive direct hand planting, MAP applies a broader, less expensive, and more effective restorative approach.
Restoring an area's natural hydrology will, in many cases, allow 'Nature' to restore the mangroves via tidal ebbs and flows, transporting mangrove propagules (seeds) for the natural regeneration of a bio-diverse and healthy forest wetland.
For more information please visit http://mangroveactionproject.org and download our six step guide to successful Ecological Mangrove Restoration at http://mangroveactionproject.org/map-programs/restoration/ecological-mangrove-restoration-emr