Today we celebrate World Mangrove Day, a time to recognize the salt-tolerant trees that quietly protect Florida’s coastlines every single day. Mangroves are a critical part of our coastal ecosystems, especially here in the Tampa Bay region, where you’ll find all three native species:
- Red mangroves with their iconic stilt-like prop roots
- Black mangroves known for their upright “snorkel” roots (pneumatophores)
- White mangroves typically found further inland with rounded leaves
Together, these three species of mangroves can form a barrier that protects our shorelines from erosion, helping trap sediment and creating new land mass. They provide a habitat and nursery ground for many commercial and recreationally important species of fish and invertebrates. They help improve water quality and buffer against rising sea levels and increasingly intense coastal storms by storing large amounts of carbon in their soils and roots.
For coastal communities like ours, mangroves aren’t just trees, they’re natural infrastructure. In Florida, mangroves are so vital they’re protected under the 1996 Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act, which regulates how and when mangroves can be pruned or altered. This law helps preserve the ecological services they provide while balancing human needs.
Get out and celebrate these coastal champions! Whether it’s:
- Paddling through a mangrove tunnel
- Volunteering for a shoreline cleanup
- Taking a walk at a local waterfront park like Weedon Island Preserve or Wall Springs Park
- Bird watching in the mangroves
- Volunteering for a restoration project
Find a way to appreciate the mangroves that make our communities more resilient and our coastlines more alive.
Happy World Mangrove Day!
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