Beyond the environment–5 ways mangroves help communities thrive
Many Seacology projects protect mangrove forests, which are critically important–and widely threatened–ecosystems. They protect coastlines from dangerous storm surges, improve water quality, and create safe havens for marine life among their stilt-like roots. These shrubby trees also trap and store massive amounts of carbon, keeping it out of the atmosphere and helping to mitigate the effects of climate change.
In addition to all of these important environmental benefits, mangrove forests generate income for their caretakers, stimulate local economies, and engage the next generation of educators, conservationists—and even sports stars!
Here are five ways mangrove conservation can benefit local communities.
1. Ecotourism
Ecotourism is tourism that is respectful of local cultures and the natural environment. It is based on wildlife or culture; local people control it and reap the financial benefits of their work.
For example, Seacology funds several communities that offer visitors the chance to stroll through mangroves on a boardwalk, or kayak through them. As a result, any visitors who might have dismissed mangrove forests as swampy and unattractive are able to experience their beauty and magic up close. It’s an unforgettable experience, for visitors and locals alike, to see this environment in a new light.
At a Seacology project in San Lorenzo Bay, Dominican Republic, members of the local fishers’ cooperative offer kayak tours through the mangroves of gorgeous Los Haitises National Park. With income from ecotourism, the fishers have been able to move away from unsustainable fishing practices. Now, instead of overfishing the waters to make ends meet, these knowledgeable guides have an incentive to protect the local wildlife, ensuring a visual feast for their guests.
Kayakers explore the mangrove channels in Los Haitises National Park in the Dominican Republic.
Suyac Island in the Philippines is home to many bats, which can be observed in a wildlife park we've supported.
2. Beekeeping
A Seacology project in Las Calderas, also in the Dominican Republic, helps local beekeepers who act as custodians of the area’s mangrove forest. Although this area is protected on paper, it is threatened by agriculture and construction, coastal development, and illegal plant and animal collection.
The beekeepers are highly motivated to protect the mangrove forest because its diverse plant life provides food for the bees, making the area perfect for honey production. In exchange for their help in protecting the mangroves, we funded specialized training, helping the beekeepers produce higher-quality products that can be sold for higher prices in broader markets. They also learned about marketing and accounting. These investments have paid off for the beekeepers: their delicious, unique honey (produced in part from the nectar of mangrove flowers) recently won third place out of 55 entries in a nationwide honey competition!
Seacology projects that protect bee-friendly mangrove forests have also been successful in El Tablón, Dominican Republic, and Kirepwe Island, Kenya.
Beekeepers tend their hives in Las Calderas.
Packaged mangrove honey is ready for market.
3. Education
Many Seacology projects involve an educational element, since local community knowledge and buy-in are key to successful conservation. One landmark example of this connection is the Lanka Mangrove Museum and Learning Center in Kakkapalliya, Sri Lanka.
The museum opened on World Mangrove Day in 2016 as part of Seacology’s nationwide Sri Lanka Mangrove Conservation Project. This state-of-the-art facility is the first of its kind in the world, serving to educate thousands of visitors about the importance of mangroves. It has become one of Sri Lanka’s top destinations for school field trips, and has been frequently visited by prominent government officials and international scientists studying mangrove ecology and conservation.
Sri Lankan students visit the Lanka Mangrove Museum and Learning Center.
Kids explore mangroves on the museum grounds.
4. Sustainable products
Honey isn’t the only thing that can be sustainably harvested from mangroves! A handful of Seacology projects help communities produce products that don’t damage the mangrove trees.
East Khejuria Village, Bangladesh, is a struggling community located in the Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world. Seacology is helping 100 households there produce and market mangrove-based honey, pickles, molasses, and tea—a proven way to reduce poverty.
Both Kuri Caddi Village and Medan Mas Village in Indonesia are located near former mangrove forests that were destroyed to make room for fish and shrimp ponds. Many of these ponds quickly became unproductive and were abandoned, leaving contaminated ecosystems behind. These communities help replant and protect mangroves, and create a variety of products from the healthy trees, including fruit drinks, green tea, jams, and syrups.
Women in East Khejuria, Bangledesh, make mangrove tea and other products.
Community members show off mangrove-sourced products in Kuri Caddi.
5. Nurturing future conservationists
Although you might not immediately think that playing sports and protecting the environment go hand in hand, Seacology has found a successful way to link the two, bringing passionate communities together for a common cause.
Our Play for the Mangroves initiative pairs youth sports with mangrove education and conservation. This program gives underserved kids free sporting equipment and uniforms, organizes local teams and competitions, and provides hands-on environmental education during field trips to local mangrove forests. Mangrove plantings, cleanups, and other activities not only help conserve the critically important wetlands, but also serve a larger long-term purpose: helping the participants become lifelong advocates for ecosystems that are vital to their country’s future.
The program began in 2021 as part of our nationwide initiative to promote and protect mangroves in the Dominican Republic, and has since expanded to the Philippines and Jamaica. Since its inception, Play for the Mangroves has served over 5,000 kids, and has gained prestigious international recognition for its innovative approach to conservation and community empowerment.
Make room for mangroves
It’s estimated that half of the world’s mangrove forests have been lost over the past 100 years, mostly cleared for development, destroyed to make room for fish ponds, or cut for charcoal. But it’s clear that the benefits of mangrove forests extend far beyond their root systems, from boosting the economy to inspiring the next generation of scientists and sports stars.