There are over 80 different types of mangroves that grow all around the world, from México to India to Australia, and they are very important plants to these coastal systems.
Mangroves like to grow with their roots half sunk in the water and half on land. Because each tree's roots are spread out and connected to other trees, these plants are incredibly strong and help keep the coast strong as well. When there are big storms, powerful waves or fast-moving tides, the roots of the mangrove trees help absorb the power of the water and protect the land. The roots also help to hold in place all the dirt and sand at the edge of the coast so that the land does not fall apart over time. If we are trying to build a sandcastle, piling up a mound of sand works at first, but when a wave comes, most of it will wash away. If we had a net to put around our pile, when the wave came, we would be able to protect more sand and keep the hill for longer and even add on top of it. The roots of the mangrove trees act like this kind of a net for the coast.
As humans, we love to live close to the water because it provides an easy way to get food by fishing, a way to bring in and send out products to other countries (can you find something in the class with a “Made In” sticker that is not from the U.S.?), a method of travel, and even just a place to spend time relaxing. However, if more people want to live close to the water, we need to build more houses. To build more houses on the coast, people in many different countries have been removing and killing the mangrove forests.
