Mangroves: the Miracle Tree

Mangroves are truly magical. They are capable of storing up to five times more carbon per hectare than tropical rainforests. These unique marine eco systems cover thousands of hectares along the Gulf coastline and form an important and integral part of the coastal eco system in the region. It is a fact that yearly destruction of coastal and marine ecosystems such as mangroves, tidal marshes, and seagrass meadows store more carbon than terrestrial ecosystems, but scientists estimate they are eroding at about 2% annually, releasing as much as 1.02 billion tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) each year.  The world’s mangrove forests contain the equivalent of almost 23 gigatons of CO2, that's half the total emitted each year by fossil fuels, industry, and deforestation. 

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