‍Mangroves are unique ecosystems found throughout a wide range in the tropics and occupying the intertidal areas of more than 120 countries. Mangroves, and coastal wetlands in general, are globally important for the many services they provide to humans and the planet. These services include protection against storm surges, sheltering nurseries for fish and other marine life, providing building materials, firewood, and providing critically important services to stabilizing the global climate as an important store of carbon.

‍With the rapid increase in greenhouse gas emissions over the last century, the need for enduring carbon sinks has grown. The latest models suggest that to remain within “acceptable” global temperature increase, it is no longer enough to simply reduce missions, and protect existing forests, but rather that we need to rapidly increase the ability to sequester carbon. Globally, mangrove systems are estimated to hold an astounding 20 petagrams of carbon. For a biome representing less than 5% of the world’s terrestrial area, this makes mangroves one of the most important carbon stocks, even more than many rainforests like the Amazon. Equally, as a relatively fast-growing group of species, mangroves sequester carbon at a very fast rate.

‍As forests are destroyed, wildlife species lose their natural habitat, forcing them to relocate, limiting their ability to survive. Madagascar is one of the world’s greatest conservation priorities, with over 200 species of mammals, 100 species of lemurs, 300 species of birds, and almost 300 species of amphibians. Around ninety percent of all wildlife in Madagascar is endemic. Our work with Eden protects these wildlife species in Madagascar by restoring their natural habitats.