Mangroves are altruistic trees, providing many different benefits to nature and to humanity · Octavio Aburto
An egret surveys to scene from a perch in a mangrove tree · Octavio Aburto
A spoonbill wades through the shallows. Spoonbills sift through the mud with their long, flat bills to find food · Octavio Aburto
On the surface of the water, a lizard dashes by · Octavio Aburto
Schools of silvery fish gather in a mangrove lagoon · Octavio Aburto
The muddy bottom of mangrove lagoons is a place where you’ll see creatures like crabs scuttling about · Octavio aburto
Mangrove forests host a great diversisty of plants, such as these blossoming mangrove flowers · Octavio Aburto
Orange nectar bats feed on the nectar of mangrove flowers · Octavio Aburto
We have learned that mangroves — trees and shrubs that thrive in tropical and subtropical areas where the land meets the sea — are teeming with life both above and below the water.
Mangrove trees in Mexico reach very great heights · Octavio Aburto
These were not easy adjustments, especially as they initially resulted in financial losses and costs. But the communities of the Biosphere understand the long-term value of the Reserve. They also take great pride in the well-known biodiversity of this place, which includes jaguars, monkeys, caimans, crocodiles, boas, and many species of waterfowl. In some cases, they are actively involved in the protection of endangered species.
A mangrove forest wrapping around the sandy coastline in Mexico. Mangroves help buffer shorelines against storms · Octavio Aburto
Mangroves are being cleared to make room for coastal real estate. But mangroves forests offer a wealth of economic benefits that often go unnoticed · Octavio Aburto
Linking the conservation of mangroves to hunting may be unconventional, but it’s one way to show that when mangroves in one place suffer, this has economic repercussions elsewhere, including industries we wouldn’t normally consider.
“Hoping to foster appreciation for mangroves, I have used different approaches to highlight economic gains from protecting areas of mangroves, economic gains that can extend beyond their specific location.” · Octavio Aburto
Mangroves absorb very large quantities of carbon from the atmosphere, then store it for thousands of years in the mud below · Octavio Aburto
We found that while current deforestation patterns in Mexico are likely to produce nearly $400 million in damages, further conservation efforts concentrated in just 26 municipalities of Mexico could prevent 50% of these damages. This is great news, as it means we can prioritize and allocate resources much more efficiently.
Coastal wetlands like mangroves and seagrass will be incredible allies in unlocking the power of the ocean to help curb the climate crisis · Octavio Aburto
Mangroves, the skin of our coasts, bring value to coastal communities and to the wider global population through carbon absorption · Octavio Aburto
