Globally, hundreds of millions of coastal people rely on mangrove forests for food security, fuel and livelihoods. The vast majority of these people are living in low-income countries in Asia and West and Central Africa.

Mangrove fisheries, particularly high value species such as shrimp and crab, are a lifeline for families and economies, and underpin food security for entire nations.

Mangroves are productive tropical coastal ecosystems, though historically they received bad press – dismissed as swampy wastelands of little value. Making up less than 1% of tropical forests worldwide, some mangroves store six times more carbon than an equal area of Amazonian rainforest!

A new discover site has been released by Blue Ventures to illustrate the vital importance of an integrated approach to community-led mangrove management.

Discover Blue Forests for yourself