an adapted presentation for online viewingby Alfredo Quarto, Executive Director. MAP Mangrove Action Project Standing at the Roots of the Sea

The Sundarbans, Bangladesh Although once thought of as useless wastelands, careful study and research has revealed that mangroves are among the most important ecosystems on this planet. Valued for anchoring coastal ecosystems as well as providing economic and ecosystem services to humans, mangrove forests are true treasures. The complexities of these systems are enormous, and there is still much to learn. Mangrove forests are highly interconnected within the ecosystem itself, but they also make up a transitional zone between land and ocean, connecting and supporting both. It is no surprise that mangroves are called 223roots of the sea.224

Mangrove forests literally live in two worlds at once. Growing in the intertidal areas and estuary mouths between land and sea, mangroves are comprised of salt-tolerant tree and other plant species from a range of plant families. They thrive in intertidal zones of sheltered tropical shores, islands, and estuaries. Mangroves have specially adapted aerial and salt-037ltering roots and salt-excreting leaves which enable them to occupy the saline wetlands where other plant life cannot survive. Healthy Mangrove Ecosystem

Mangroves are a critical forest ecosystem, dominating coastlines in tropical and subtropical regions of the globe. Coastal protection is an important function of mangrove forests, serving as a natural barrier against tropical storms, and tsunami, and therefore protecting coastal inhabitants. Recent experiences of tsunami and major storms in Southeast Asia and other parts of the world have shown that mangroves can and have played important roles in absorbing and weakening wave energy as well as preventing damage caused by debris movement. Mangrove Interior

Mangroves are vital for healthy coastal ecosystems in many regions of the world and research and studies are revealing the unique importance of these habitats to the planet. Although mangrove forests line approximately only 8% of the world222s coastlines, they have the ability to sequester far more carbon per hectare than tropical rainforest, and in some cases store 5x more than any of their terrestrial counterparts. This ability of mangroves to store such large amounts of carbon is, in part, due to the deep, organic rich soils in which they thrive. Mangroves from Below, Colombia

Mangrove forests provide homes and shelter for both diverse marine life and terrestrial fauna and 036ora. They are prime nesting and feeding sites for hundreds of migratory bird species as well as providing refuge and nursery grounds for juvenile 037sh, crabs, shrimps, mollusks, and other invertebrates. 70-80% of all tropical 037sh and crustaceansspend some part of their lives in mangrove wetlands. Many endangered and threatened mammals are found here including the Bengal Tiger, Dugong, Proboscis Monkey and Fishing Cat. Proboscis Monkey

Mangroves are one of the most productive ecosystems on the earth. They perform a variety of useful ecological, bio-physical, and socio-economic functions, and are the source of a multitude of bene037ts to coastal populations. For local communities, mangroves provide food, medicines, tannins, fuel wood, charcoal and construction materials. For millions of indigenous and local coastal residents, mangrove forests are vital for their everyday needs. With better understanding and education, huge eco-tourism potentials surface that become bene037cial for the local communities as well as visitors. Indigenous Fisherman

Over half the worlds mangrove forests have been destroyed during the last 100 years estimated at 32 million hectares (app. 80 million acres). In 2007, less than 15 million hectares (37 million acres) of mangroves remain. The current rate of mangrove loss is approximately 1% per annum (according to the Food and Agriculture Organization 226 FAO), or roughly 150,000 hectares (370,050 acres) of mangrove wetlands lost each year. Luxury Resorts, Bimini Islands, Bahamas

Mangrove forests are naturally resilient, having withstood severe storms and changing tides for many millenia. But until recently, mangrove forests had been classi037ed by many governments and industries alike as 223wastelands,224 or useless swamps. The need for better protection is alarming with The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) warning that more than one in six mangrove species worldwide are in danger of extinction due to coastal developments, shrimp aquaculture, agricultural expansion and unsustainable tourism. Construction, Bimini Islands, Bahamas

Shrimp aquaculture has been the single biggest driver of mangrove destruction, particularly in Southeast Asia. This rapidly expanding industry poses one of the gravest threats to the world222s remaining mangrove forests and the communities they support. Due to the unsustainable conditions that foster high levels of disease and pollution, shrimp ponds often have to be abandoned in just 3-5 years. Tanjung Panjang Nature Reserve

Why Invest in Mangroves video - click to play

The Mangrove Action Project is dedicated to reversing the degradation and loss of mangrove forest wetlands and their associated coastal ecosystems worldwide. Its main goal is to promote the rights of traditional and indigenous coastal peoples, including 037shers and farmers, to sustainably manage their coastal environs. At the same time MAP strives to use the formal education process to introduce mangrove ecology on a scienti037c and social level to students in their classrooms. About MAP

We are taking a truly grassroots, bottom-up approach to mangrove conservation and restoration issues. Our approach involves and includes the voices of the global South, local communities, and their partner non-governmental organizations (NGOs). MAP222s pro-active 5-pronged approach to long-term mangrove conservation involves: Networking AdvocacyEducationConservation and RestorationSustainable Community-based Development Our Approach

MAP video - click to play

Partnering with mangrove forest communities, grassroots NGOs, researchers, and local governments to conserve and restore mangrove forests and related coastal ecosystems, while promoting community-based sustainable management of coastal resources. Our international network today includes: over 450 NGOs300 scientists and academics60 nations Our Mission

MAP was really the only 223whistle blower224 back in 1992 that brought mangrove loss / shrimp farm expansion issues to international attention. MAP222s early and ongoing work on this issue, as well as proactive actions bringing attention to other unsustainable shoreline development issues, has inspired a global mangrove conservation movement. Following the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004, MAP was one of the 037rst to substantiate that mangrove loss and degradation were a major factor contributing to extensive loss of human lives and property. MAP222s call to restore the protective greenbelt buffers that healthy mangrove forests provide was heard widely and has been adopted as policy by governments and international institutions alike. http://mangroveactionproject.org/networking_advocacy/ Networking

Through the years, MAP has never lost sight of the imperative to work with and involve the next generation of decision-makers. They must have the needed management skills, as well as personal awareness and appreciation for mangroves, so that they may become better stewards of this vital natural resource base for future generations. MAP has expanded its education program to include aspects both interesting and inspirational for young minds in their attempts to grasp the fuller signi037cance of the mangrove forest community. In addition to youth-focused programs, MAP targets speci037c audiences through a variety of educational methods. http://mangroveactionproject.org/mangrove_curriculum/ Education

Mangrove Education video - click to play

MAP provides a range of educational resources for teachers and students to learn about mangroves. The Marvellous Mangroves Curriculum is an award-winning 300 page wetlands/environmental resource guide for both children and adults living in the tropics and subtropics. The 037rst curriculum, 223Marvellous Mangroves in the Cayman Islands224 was published back in 2000 and has since been adapted, translated and linked to the local science and national curriculum of eleven other countries. Marvellous Mangroves Curriculum

The Curriculum provides: Activities and information about mangrovesRelationships to other tropical coastal ecosystemsSocial, geographical, cultural, economic, and political perspectives Guidance in taking scienti037c measurements about the health of mangroves Action-taking activities to help observers become do-ersLinks to the local and regional science, social studies and arts curriculum Teacher Training Workshop, Australia

This innovative experiential approach has the goal of transforming society toward a positive attitude and respect for mangrove resources and uses, while preparing the next generation of decision makers. By integrating the curriculum with existing local science, social studies and/or language arts curricula, we are able to ensure that the developed materials and teaching techniques are used in the classroom on a regular basis. Preparing next generation of decision-makers

This colorful calendar has increased in popularity since its 037rst publication in 2002. The 2015 calendar is our 14th edition. Primary school children from tropical and sub-tropical nations are invited to participate in MAP222s international annual contest, and selected winners are published in the calendar, which is distributed worldwide to raise awareness of mangrove forest ecology. This creative contest aims to promote appreciation and awareness of mangrove forests, and to encourage and listen to creative voices of children living in mangrove areas. http://mangroveactionproject.org/childrens-calendar/ International Children222s Art Calendar

MAP222s small, US-based headquarters, provides administrative support and overall guidance for regional projects in the global South, while also providing four essential services to grassroots groups and proponents of mangrove conservation, including: Coordination of a unique international NGO network and information clearinghouse on mangrove forests; Promotion of public awareness of mangrove forest issues; Development of technical and 037nancial support for local NGO projects in the global South; and, Publicize within the developed nations the basic needs and struggles of Southern coastal 037shing and farming communities affected by the consumer demands of the wealthy nations. http://mangroveactionproject.org/map-action-alerts/ Advocacy

Question Your Shrimp video - click to play

In March 2009, the Mangrove Action Project launched its consumer awareness campaign to expose the environmental damage and human rights issues related to imported, farmed shrimp. Shrimp farming, which pollutes land and waterways, also poses the single greatest threat to mangrove forests worldwide. The 223Question Your Shrimp224 petition is urging consumers to take the following pledge to greatly reduce their consumption of imported shrimp. It is time we as consumers realize that the price we pay for shrimp does not account for the true costs227to the environment and communities of this destructive industry. http://questionyourshrimp.com Question Your Shrimp campaign

Bimini222s famed 037shing, portrayed in Hemingway222s novel Islands in the Stream, could be a romantic relic of the past. By cutting and 037lling the mangroves, the Bimini Bay Resort is destroying 037sh nurseries and habitat that will cost the local people their livelihoods. Save Bimini Islands is one of many urgent campaigns we are actively working on. http://mangroveactionproject.org/campaigns/ Save Bimini Islands campaign

Working alongside mangrove ecologists, local NGOs, and communities, MAP promotes the 221ecological 226 hydrological222 mangrove restoration (EMR) methodology, an economical and ef037cient way to mangrove restoration that follows basic natural processes. This well-considered model directly engages local community participation, and has proven extremely successful. Reaching far beyond mere hand planting of one species, as is sadly typical of mangrove restoration projects, EMR greatly increases the effective restoration of biodiversity to ecosystem-wide degraded mangrove forests. http://mangroveactionproject.org/conservation-restoration/ Conservation and Restoration

CBEMR Method video - click to play

Natural restoration and/or manual planting of mangroves utilizing the EMR model is an important tool for international relief organizations to implement in order to restore mangroves in a cost effective manner to counter increased storm surges and rising seas MAP has actively rehabilitated mangroves in Thailand and Indonesia, as part of post-tsunami recovery, while being involved in consulting on shoreline and mangrove restoration projects elsewhere. MAP completed EMR training workshops in Cambodia, El Salvador, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand, and plans additional workshops where there is interest. CBEMR Training, Cambodia

The MAP EMR Method prioritizes the restoration of the natural hydrology of disturbed areas. Deemphasizing capital and labor intensive direct hand planting, MAP applies a broader, less expensive, and more effective restorative approach.Restoring an area222s natural hydrology will, in many cases, allow Nature to restore the mangroves via tidal ebbs and 036ows, transporting mangrove propagules (seeds) for the natural regeneration of a bio-diverse and healthy forest wetland. http://mangroveactionproject.org/emr-method/ Successful Mangrove Restoration

MAP conducts workshops designed to reach and serve NGOs and village leaders from around the globe, facilitating experience sharing and networking. The workshops provide a venue for learning about sustainable methods of mangrove conservation, restoration, community-based coastal resource management, and ways to safely and effectively add to the socio-economic freedom of coastal peoples. Since 1999, MAP has led 12 regional IHOF workshops, involving three or more countries each, in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. http://mangroveactionproject.org/ihof-workshops/ In the Hands of the Fishers Workshops

Where ongoing education and environmental actions can take place, MAP helps support and advise on functioning community resource centers (CCRCs) in Honduras, Sri Lanka (3), India (2), Andaman Islands, Nigeria, Senegal, Timor Leste, Thailand (2), Cambodia (2), and Indonesia (6). MAP is currently developing or planning other CCRCs in Asia. The CCRCs act as demonstration sites for community-based coastal resource management, as well as education and research centers. They are located in key geographic, social, or ecologic crossroads, serving as, staging grounds for workshops and programs, as well as acting as regional 223nodes224 for the dissemination of pertinent information and global networking. http://mangroveactionproject.org/ccrcs/ Coastal Community Resource Centers

Another MAP program focuses on teaching effective and sustainable ways to utilize mangrove forest ecosystems, as well as their associated coral reefs and seagrass beds. This program is called the MAP 223Toolkit224. The 223Toolkit224 provides sets of alternative, locally adaptable, and sustainable economic development options for mangrove forests. The program helps foster informal education programs and add value to natural resources, which if used sustainably can supplement local income and sustenance. http://mangroveactionproject.org/map-toolkit/ MAP222s 223Toolkit224

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At the Edge of the Sea

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