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With a unique reproduction strategy, mangrove trees disperse their live seedlings by water, dropping their cigar-shaped “propagule” offspring from their branches to the waterline. Mangrove seeds travel far and wide by water, sometimes taking more than a year before eventually taking root in shallow sand spits or muddy swamps. Within three years of growing, young mangrove trees develop root systems that can catch sand and soil, building a new stable shoreline, and supporting a rich network of sea creatures and ocean dependent communities.