Images of Mangrove Forests Around the World

Environmental & Science Education, STEM, Art and Environment, Society, Culture, Wildlife, Watersheds, Sustainability

Ed Hessler

This is the 7th year of the Mangrove Photography Awards, a project of the Mangrove Action Project. The aim is "to show the relationships between wildlife, coastal communities and mangrove forests, as well as the fragility of these unique ecosystems, both above and below the waterline." They didn't mention beauty but the images show their aesthetic appeal.

You can think of mangroves as ecosystem engineers for they clean water--both fresh and saline, stabilize coastlines, protect land from wind and wave damage, provide resources such as food, wood, medicine and fuel for humans, and conserve biological diversity.

There is a large gallery of photographs at the BBC, naming the winners, countries of the photographers, locations, and categories. It provides a glimpse into their wonderful diversity and of course, beauty.