Founding of the Mangrove Action Project (MAP)      

Witnessing firsthand the rapid devastation of the world’s mangrove forest wetlands and their associated coastal ecosystems, the founders of the Mangrove Action Project (MAP) decided in 1992 that it was time to form a global network to save the mangroves.

Whistleblowers

From the beginning, we focused on problems affecting both coastal ecology and local communities. We became whistleblowers against the shrimp aquaculture industry, spotlighting its destructive expansion, responsible for hundreds of thousands of hectares of mangrove loss and             photo Ellen Hines
ruin of valuable coastal zones.                         

Beyond shrimp farming

MAP has expanded its conservation work since its founding by addressing other serious problems affecting mangrove forests and coastal communities, including:

Petroleum Exploration

Fisheries

Hurricanes & Tsunamis

Food Security

Endangered Species

Tourism

Climate Change

Our international networking efforts are bearing good results and today a more widespread awareness exists as to the importance of mangrove forests and the seriousness of their loss.

No longer is it a commonly held view that mangrove forests are smelly, mosquito infested wastelands, as more and more people are calling for effective conservation and restoration measures.

Viable, long-term, equitable solutions

In recent years, MAP has transformed from a network- and advocacy-focused organization into one still involved in advocacy, but with programs and activities on the ground.

We focus on viable, long-term, equitable solutions that place the local community at center stage.  MAP supports the bottom-up approach in the search for more effective and lasting change.

MAP’s Approach

MAP’s pro-active 5-pronged approach to long-term mangrove conservation involves:

• networking
• advocacy
• education
• conservation & restoration
• sustainable community-based development

Regional Offices

In addition to MAP’s international headquarters based in Port Angeles, Washington, our activities are directed and supported through local offices in:

Thailand
Indonesia
Brazil (in development)

MAP's International Network

• over 450 NGOs
• 300 scientists and academics
• 60 nations
  

The MAP News

Since 1998 we have published our important biweekly e-bulletin, the MAP News (formerly called the Late Friday News), which reaches more than 3,000 subscribers worldwide.