Mangrove forests are healing after decades of human destruction

Article excerpt

Mangrove forests, decimated by decades of coastal development and shrimp farming, are making an unexpected recovery in parts of the world. The rebound matters because these swampy ecosystems are among the planet's most carbon-dense habitats, storing up to four times more carbon per acre than tropical rainforests, and they shield coastal communities from storms and erosion. Scientists point to restoration efforts and policy shifts in countries like Indonesia and India, where mangrove replanting projects have expanded dramatically. The comeback demonstrates that even heavily damaged ecosystems can recover, and fast enough to help fight climate change, not just preserve what remains.